William Wiseman Grannell

  General Notes:

From Guy Grannells 1938 manuscript we have this description:
"William Wiseman Grannell was named by his mother after one of England's great cardinals. His early years were spent in Greenfield Township. He soon became th best fisherman in his father's family and his powers with hook and line in the waters of the Huron River saved him from many tasks that in those days he considered disagreeable. In later life, he became a stone cutter. He worked for his brother, Charles A., in the Bronson and East Norwalk stone quarries, and on construction work by Stuart and Grannell in Pennsylvania and Maryland. He married Rose Flanagan, January 8, 1889. W.W. Grannell was very precise and exact about everything. He washed his teeth two or three times a day, and succeeded in keeping them in almost perfect condition throughout his lifetime. He took a lively interest in the affairs of his neighborhood, and of the world, and in the phenomena of nature. Even during the last month of his life he kept interested in the events of the Spanish-American War, the decisive battle of which occurred a few days before his death. One of the most thrilling experiences happend about 1890, when was an eyewitness at coose range of a tornado at East Norwalk. As he was watching the storm, which seemed to be coming directly toward him, one of his little nephews (possibly) John H. Grannell) came up to him and said, `What d e debbel am dat a comin', uncle Will?' He replied, `Get into the house or you'll find out what's coming." The advice was probably worthless, but the tornado seemed to turn its course just enough to leave them in safety. On February 16, 1895, while cutting ice in an old stone quarry, Will fell into the water. It was with cosiderable difficulty that the other workmen succeeded in helping him out. The day was very cold - the thermometer hovering around zero. The trip to his home - about three quarters of mile distant in his wet and icy clothing must have been a terrible experience. But he made light of it and in about an bour returned to work in the quarry. In 1896, his health began to fail very rapidly. Examination by doctors showed he had cirrosis of the liver, a rare disease the cause of which is not definintely known, and very little can be done for it. The disease is always fatal. After battling bravely for two years in a hopeless fight, William W. Grannell died on July 15, 1898. He is buried in St. Mary's Cemetary in Norwalk, Ohio. William had two sons - one of whom was Guy. He is the author of this paper, which was written in 1937. ).

William married Rose Flanagan.