Dear List Members: I'm seeking information on the birth date, place and parentage of Alvah W. Crooker who died on July 2, 1897, following an accident that occurred while he was driving the stage coach across the Lake Quinsigamond causeway between Worcester and Shrewsbury. According to a story appearing in the Worcester Daily Spy on Saturday, July 3, 1897 he died the previous evening at the City Hospital from injuries received Monday by being struck in the head by a block and pulley attached to a rope which the New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. had strung across the Shrewsbury road near the lake. As a result of being hit by the block and pulley he was thrown from the stage and never regained consciousness. He was married to Etta L. Baker. At the time of Alvah's death, he and his wife were residents of Shrewsbury and they had 4 children. His death certificate recites his age as 32 years, 2 months and 26 days (measured from July 2, 1897) which according to my calculation would mean he was born circa April 6, (or 7,) 1865. His gravestone in the Mountain View Cemetery shows a birth year of 1863. If anyone can furnish additional information on his date and place of birth, as well as the names of his parents, plus the significance of the middle initial "W," (no presidential puns, please) I would be appreciative. Regards, Bob Bartlett

Bob, According to his marriage record, his parents were Cyrus and Rose Crooker (no maiden given) and he was born in Poland, ME(?). He was 22 at the time of his marriage. He was a farmer. Etta was 18. She was the daughter of Henry and Ellen L. Baker and was born in Fitchburg. They were married by Rev. F.H. Allen, Shrewsbury, Pastor Congregational Church Aug. 23, 1885. The recording of his death, as recorded in Shrewsbury and Worcester are essentially the same. The differences are that the Worcester record gives his middle initial as "H." and his occupation as farmer rather than stage driver. However, the item of contention, his age, is identical. You'll need to check with the clerk in Poland. Also, you could post a query for Androscoggin County. You can find a link at the bottom of the page at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~susan/ Good luck. John & Jodi Massachusetts Vital Records Administrators - http://MA-VitalRecords.org If you find this site of value - http://MA-VitalRecords.org/Donate.html Quoting Bob Bartlett <bob_bart@verizon.net>: > Dear List Members: > > I'm seeking information on the birth date, place and parentage of > Alvah W. Crooker who died on July 2, 1897, following an accident > that occurred while he was driving the stage coach across the Lake > Quinsigamond causeway between Worcester and Shrewsbury. According > to a story appearing in the Worcester Daily Spy on Saturday, July 3, > 1897 he died the previous evening at the City Hospital from > injuries received Monday by being struck in the head by a block and > pulley attached to a rope which the New England Telephone & > Telegraph Co. had strung across the Shrewsbury road near the lake. > As a result of being hit by the block and pulley he was thrown from > the stage and never regained consciousness. He was married to Etta > L. Baker. At the time of Alvah's death, he and his wife were > residents of Shrewsbury and they had 4 children. > > His death certificate recites his age as 32 years, 2 months and 26 > days (measured from July 2, 1897) which according to my calculation > would mean he was born circa April 6, (or 7,) 1865. His gravestone > in the Mountain View Cemetery shows a birth year of 1863. > > If anyone can furnish additional information on his date and place > of birth, as well as the names of his parents, plus the significance > of the middle initial "W," (no presidential puns, please) I would > be appreciative. > > Regards, > Bob Bartlett > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MAWORCES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Dear John & Jodi: The information you've provided is most helpful. I had suspected from oral conversations that I overheard as a child that he may have come originally from Maine, but I had no idea what town before receiving your email. I will be following up with this in the future and I thank you for your help. I also wish you continuing luck on the development of Vital Records pages for Massachusetts. As you can probably tell, I have a keen interest in Worcester, Shrewsbury, Northboro, Marlboro and other contiguous communities. Thank you again for your assistance in my quest and thank you for the great service you are both providing to the entire genealogical community for generations to come. Regards, Bob Bartlett ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vital Records Project" <VitalRecords@MA-VitalRecords.org> To: "Bob Bartlett" <bob_bart@verizon.net> Cc: <MAWORCES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 9:08 AM Subject: Re: [MAWORCES] Seeking info on birth of Alvah W. Crooker Bob, According to his marriage record, his parents were Cyrus and Rose Crooker (no maiden given) and he was born in Poland, ME(?). He was 22 at the time of his marriage. He was a farmer. Etta was 18. She was the daughter of Henry and Ellen L. Baker and was born in Fitchburg. They were married by Rev. F.H. Allen, Shrewsbury, Pastor Congregational Church Aug. 23, 1885. The recording of his death, as recorded in Shrewsbury and Worcester are essentially the same. The differences are that the Worcester record gives his middle initial as "H." and his occupation as farmer rather than stage driver. However, the item of contention, his age, is identical. You'll need to check with the clerk in Poland. Also, you could post a query for Androscoggin County. You can find a link at the bottom of the page at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~susan/ Good luck. John & Jodi Massachusetts Vital Records Administrators - http://MA-VitalRecords.org If you find this site of value - http://MA-VitalRecords.org/Donate.html Quoting Bob Bartlett <bob_bart@verizon.net>: > Dear List Members: > > I'm seeking information on the birth date, place and parentage of > Alvah W. Crooker who died on July 2, 1897, following an accident > that occurred while he was driving the stage coach across the Lake > Quinsigamond causeway between Worcester and Shrewsbury. According > to a story appearing in the Worcester Daily Spy on Saturday, July 3, > 1897 he died the previous evening at the City Hospital from > injuries received Monday by being struck in the head by a block and > pulley attached to a rope which the New England Telephone & > Telegraph Co. had strung across the Shrewsbury road near the lake. > As a result of being hit by the block and pulley he was thrown from > the stage and never regained consciousness. He was married to Etta > L. Baker. At the time of Alvah's death, he and his wife were > residents of Shrewsbury and they had 4 children. > > His death certificate recites his age as 32 years, 2 months and 26 > days (measured from July 2, 1897) which according to my calculation > would mean he was born circa April 6, (or 7,) 1865. His gravestone > in the Mountain View Cemetery shows a birth year of 1863. > > If anyone can furnish additional information on his date and place > of birth, as well as the names of his parents, plus the significance > of the middle initial "W," (no presidential puns, please) I would > be appreciative. > > Regards, > Bob Bartlett > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MAWORCES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.173 / Virus Database: 270.8.2/1738 - Release Date: 10/21/2008 2:10 PM