Lucian D. Crandall, senior partner of the firm of L. D. Crandall & Co., proprietors of one of the largest retail grocery houses in San Bernardino, is a native son, born in that city in 1857. As he grew to manhood he had a strong desire to visit other portions of the continent, and, wishing to combine business with travel, he joined his brother, W. N. Crandall, when about eighteen years old, in railroad contracting, and they were engaged in that business in Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana and the Dominion of Canada and the Northwest Territory about eight years. Two years of this time they were on the north shore of Lake Superior, where sleighs were in use as a mode of conveyance four months of the year. While there they were associated with M. D.
Hammond, under the firm title of Hammond & Crandall, and employed a large force of men and teams. They wound up their contracting business in 1884, and Mr. Crandall spent nearly a year in and about Montreal, Canada. Returning to San Bernardino the latter part of 1885, he soon after embarked in the grocery trade as a partner with W. A. Boren as successor to H. J. Beggs. He subsequently purchased Mr. Boren’s interest, and after conducting the business alone for about a year took in H. Williams, his present partner, the firm assuming its present style. They carry an excellent stock of fine staple and fancy goods, and their trade extends throughout San Bernardino County and as far east as Arizona. The business has steadily increased in volume since the house was first opened and now reaches about $50,000 a year.
In 1887 Mr. Crandall married Miss Chipman, a native of Utah. He was one of the organizers of and is a stockholder and director in the First National Bank of San Bernardino; he also owns several valuable pieces of property in the city.
His father, L. D. Crandall, Sr., died in Sault Saint Marie, Canada, in 1884. His mother, formerly Mary Wixom, daughter of early California pioneers, still resides in this city.
