A shared history

Ahead of their town’s bicentennial celebration this summer, officials from Crane Township, Ohio, recently spent time in Goshen to learn more about the man who founded their midwest town, Eli Crane, originally of Goshen.

“Everybody in Goshen, New York, was so welcoming,” said Crane Township Fiscal Officer Carol Razo, who made the late February trip with her husband Art. “We met with Mayor Molly O’Donnell and Village Historian Ed Connor, who took us to the Webb Cemetery where we found the graves of Oliver Crane’s parents. We also went to the Presbyterian Church in search of Oliver’s wedding certificate, but we were unsuccessful. That is the one piece we have been missing. We are trying to find out more about his wife, Elizabeth. Apparently, some of those records were shipped to Philadelphia, so we are looking there. Otherwise, we toured the church, which is beautiful, looked up records with the county clerk and were thrilled that each step of the way, people were glad to show us around. We didn’t want to come home.”

One of the highlights, Razo said, was being introduced by O’Donnell at the Feb. 27 Town of Goshen Town Board meeting, during which she spoke for 10 or so minutes about how one of Goshen’s own helped found the town she calls home halfway across the country.

“I was a bit nervous at first, but really I was happy to talk about our shared history,” Razo said.

“I had such an enjoyable time with Carol and Art from Crane Township, Ohio,” O’Donnell said via email. “During Carol and Art’s visit to Goshen, we were able to introduce them to our Village Historian, Ed Connor, who was able to escort Carol and Ed to the gravesite of Oliver’s parents. We then went over to the County Clerk’s Office and met with County Clerk Kelly Eskew to see if we could find any documents belonging to Oliver Crane. We were able to see a deed from 1825; absolutely incredible! We also were able to attend a Town of Goshen Board Meeting during their visit. They visited the Goshen Library with Mr. Connor and had a meeting with the Orange County Genealogical Society to see what they could find regarding Oliver Crane. It was my absolute pleasure to meet Carol and Art and have been enjoying keeping up with all the things we have learned about Mr. Crane and his connections to Crane Township, Ohio, and Goshen, Ind. We are blessed with a rich history in Goshen, N.Y. and are happy to help uncover some facts about Oliver Crane to share at the Bicentennial Ceremony in August!”

In 1825, Crane Township, located in Paulding County, Ohio, was established. The town’s namesake, Oliver Crane, spent the first half of his life in Goshen, son to William Crane and Mary Cooley (or Couley), who married on March 16, 1788. Oliver, according to Razo’s research, was the couple’s second child, arriving in 1791.

At the age of 20, Crane married a woman named Elizabeth and, according to Razo, census records show they had at least eight children.

“By the age of 30, he had initiated three business ventures here in Goshen, one of which was a general store,” said Razo. “In his early 30s, Crane moved west and settled in Paulding County. In fact, according to Razo’s research, Crane’s parents sold property on Main Street in Goshen ‘where Oliver Crane lately lived’ for $1,800.”

A prominent member of the community, the first township in Paulding County was named for Crane. At the age of 34, he built a home in Crane Township and was appointed postmaster for the area’s first post office in 1829.

Crane’s stay in Ohio was short lived, however, as he again uprooted his family, this time to Elkhart County in Indiana, where he would stay for the remainder of his life. Like he did in Goshen and Crane Township, Crane quickly made a name for himself as a community leader. In 1831, Crane platted a proposed town seat into lots. True to his roots, Crane suggested the name of Goshen for the county seat. As a result, Goshen, Ind., is named after Goshen, N.Y.

After visiting Goshen, N.Y., Razo spent a day in Goshen, Ind.

“Indiana was a similar experience,” she said. “We met with the historian, went to the library and historical society and drove around town to where Oliver probably would have lived and had a sawmill.”

To help celebrate their 200-year anniversary, Crane officials have invited Goshen officials to Ohio to attend an Aug. 16 celebration.

“As part of our bicentennial in August, we would love to host our friends from New York and Indiana due to our shared history,” Razo said. “After our visit, we sent everyone invites with candy buckeyes, which are peanut butter wrapped in chocolate.”