Tryphena Bisbee Crandall, daughter of James and Polly Packard Bisbee, was born April 4, 1819 in Chenango County, New York. She was married to Myron Nathan Crandall as his first wife in 1840 at Nauvoo, Illinois. Their first two children were born there in 1841(Julia) and 1844 (Hyrum Oscar).
The following family letters written to Tryphena were submitted to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers by Thelma B. Carter. They would have been received by Tryphena during the period of time that she lived in Nauvoo, Illinois.
McDonough, N.Y.
May 30th, 1841
Dear and affectionate child,
We received your letter dated May 8th and was sorry to hear that you had not heard from us. We sent you a letter last July and also another in March and we wrote to you both times that we had not received any papers and I desire to know what the reason is that we do not receive them. I want you to write to Stephen and try to find out the cause of all this trouble. There hasn't been elders in this place since you went away. We know nothing about the church only what we hear in the newspapers and they speak quite well of them. Hiram stops fighting for me. Our health is much as yousial and I hope these few broken lines will find you injoying the same blessing. I am sorry to hear you was sik last summer but if you love God it will work fore your good. You wrote that you had married a poor man I care not how poore he is if he is rich in faith and will keep all the commands of God with an I single to the glory of the same. then I think you can take comfort together. I want you to come and make us a long visit, both of you if you have faith anofe to come by water. Your father wrote to you if you would send word how much monny it would take to bare your expense he would send you same but I think it wouldnt bee safe to send monny in a letter as you dont get them. This is the third time that I have wrote to you less than a yeare and have been looking for a letter ever sens last fall from you. I began to think that you was all dead but when I heard from you I felt to thank the lord that He had spared your life and my prayer to God is that He would prepare a way for us to see each other one more this side of the grave.
Note—(There is no signature after this abrupt ending, but the handwriting is that of Tryphena's mother, Polly Bisbee. The letter was folded and apparently sealed with wax, no envelope, but with this inscription:
East Pharsalia, N.Y. June 10th
Mr. Myron Crandal, Quincy, Adams Co. Ill.)
July the 23—1843
Dear Sister, I take this opportunity to inform you that I am well, and hope that these few lines will find you enjoying the same blessing. James arrived at home the 25th of May having been on the road a month. In two or three days after he arrived here he was taken sick and was sick about a week. He then commenced getting better; and he is now as well as he was before he went away. We have been up to the mineral springs once a week since he came home and fetched 12 or 14 gallons of water at a time. I talk of going to the academy along with Hiram this fall; and think I shall take a school next winter. The canker rash and scarlet fever prevails to a considerable extent around here. I think that if I live I shall come out there and see you in 5 or 6 years. As I think of no more I must draw to a close by subscribing myself your affectionate brother until death.
-Bolivar Bisbee.
Dear Sister.
Being at home having an opportunity I take my pen in hand to inform you that I have been to visit the grate Missouri. I also visited Packard and Arsa and would have visited you had not sickness and hard times prevented it. I was taken sick with the fever and ague while living at Dr. Mabbets about 12 miles from Arsas which lasted about two weeks. I also had several shakes of the ague while on my way homeward. I think if I have my health I shall come and visit you in the course of two or three years. Write as soon as you receive this and write how much land is per acre if you pleas. It is hard work for me to wright therefore I must be excused by subscribing my name.
—James Bisbee
Dear Sister.
When separated many miles apart by innumerable mountains and valleys, which deprives us of the privilege of seeing and conversing with each other; it affords no small degree of pleasure to be able to communicate our thoughts to each other by way of writing. Having an opportunity I avail myself of this privilege to inform you of some of the events that have transpired in this country since we last wrote.... I taught school last winter in Plymouth for $10 per month and liked the business very well. I think I shall attend school one term of 15 weeks at the academy at Oxford, which commences the 24th of August. It is quite sickly here this summer, the cankerrash prevails to some extent. A disorder called influenza is spreading far and wide through the country but I hear of few deaths arising from it. Millerism is rather on the decline in this country, and I think that by 1845 it will die away entirely unless Mr. Miller finds a mistake in his calculations and removes the end of the world to some more distant period. But perhaps I have taken up too much room already therefore I will close for the present.
Hiram S. Bisbee.
P.S. Please to inform us where old Mr. Canfields folks live. We have not heard from Ira yet.
A few years later in 1846, the Mormons were driven out of Nauvoo. Tryphena and Myron Nathan and their family went to Kanesville, Iowa, where they lived until 1850. Their third child (Myron Edgar) was born there in 1848. "While in Kanesville, Myron Nathan owned a six acre farm had accumulated a span of horses, two yoke of oxen, two cows and sufficient provisions to last two years. Consequently, they came across the plains with fewer hardships than many of the Saints.
They crossed the plains to the Great Salt Lake Valley in the Aaron Johnson Company. The Aaron Johnson Company departed on 8 June 1850 and arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley on 12 September 1850. Tryphena's tombstone states that their wagon was the third of their company to enter the valley.
Upon their arrival, Brigham Young immediately directed 8 wagons including the Crandalls to continue on to settle Hobble Creek later named Springville. In 1851, the settlement of Springville was laid out and Tryphena's husband (Myron Nathan Crandall) was called as a counselor to Aaron Johnson. By 1852, Springville was officially chartered with Myron Nathan Crandall named as alderman or mayor.
The next several years were very industrious years. Peach orchards were planted and returned a bountiful crop within 5 years. Irrigation canals were dug including the amazing feat of a 3.5 mile stretch dug in 4 days. Myron Nathan Crandall married a second wife, Susanna Wimmer in 1854, a third wife Mary Hurst in 1857, and then died in 1860 after becoming overheated in the hay field. Up until 1860, they all lived under the same roof.
Tryphena Bisbee Crandall died, at the age of 46, in 1863 leaving some of her young children (ages 4-21) in the care of Susanna and Mary. There are many indications of a close friendly relationship among the three sister wives. Susanna, one of her sister wives, named a daughter Tryphena in her memory. Susanna and Mary stayed in the Crandall family by marrying brothers of Myron Nathan. Susanna married Spicer Crandall and Mary married Martin Pardon Crandall.
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