Publisher Crandall Built A Brick Home On The Downhill Side Of The East Terrace

Washington Irvin Crandall, a Chattanooga newspaper publisher and printer, was among those who enjoyed a panoramic view from the East Terrace of Cameron Hill. The brick, two-story home with a basement floor had an overlook at the rear. It was built on the downhill side of East Terrace.

A native of Frankfort, N.Y., he was named for his father's close friend, the famous author Washington Irving.

Crandall came to Chattanooga in 1852 and was a newspaper publisher. From 1857 to 1862 he was connected with the Post Office Department in Washington, D.C. He later went to Green Bay, Wisc., to build and operate a line of steamers.

Crandall returned to Chattanooga in 1876 and was the publisher of the Chattanooga Commercial. He also was briefly involved in the operation of the Chattanooga Times before it was turned over to the young publisher Adolph Ochs. Crandall operated Crandall Printing Company for many years. He helped form Crandall-Bradt Printing with a son of Morris Bradt.

Crandall was one of the elders at the First Presbyterian Church.

The Crandall family was among those hardest hit during the Yellow Fever epidemic in 1878 - not long before the Cameron Hill home was built. His mother, Olivia Kendall Crandall, first died, then the family's German servant Miss Rose Barkley, passed away. The next day Mrs. Crandall died and the publisher was taken so ill that he was expected to be the next victim. However, he rallied and slowly began to recover. At the time the Crandalls were living at the corner of Gilmer (East Eighth) Street and B Street.

Delia Spencer Crandall was the second wife of Washington Irving Crandall. His first wife, Julia Berry Spencer, died in 1856 - two years after they were married.

By 1881, W.I. Crandall was occupying his home on East Terrace near Gillespie (11th Street). Crandall took a third wife, Bertha Marion Bardshar.

Crandall had nine children altogether.

He was still living at the East Terrace when he died in 1899. Bertha Crandall stayed on at the large home for many years. She had a studio at the home, where she taught art. Under the tutelage of "Miss Bertha" the neighborhood children learned how to paint china. She died in 1928.

Louis H. Cash lived many years in the Crandall house. He and his wife, Polly C. Cash, occupied the entirety of the large home. Later, Cash rented out the basement floor.

Reuben Betts, who ran Reuben's Shoe Shop, was the last resident of the Washington Irving Crandall home on the East Terrace.