Elizabeth Mason (1823)

Born 6 Apr 1823 in Attleborough, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom

Wife of William Crickmer — married 1849 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

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Biography

Birth

Elizabeth Thurtle Mason was born on the 6 April 1823 in North Walsham, Norfolk, England the second child and second daughter of William Mason, husbandman and Ann Thirtle. She was baptised on the 15 Apr 1823 in North Walsham, Norfolk, England.^[1]

1841 census twice or two Elizabeths?

There are two Elizabeth Masons in the 1841 census who may both be the same person. The 1841 census recorded asked for exact ages to be recorded only up to the age of 14. After that age all older people had their ages rounded down to the nearest 5 years. In the case of Elizabeth born in 1823 she would have been about 18 years old in 1841 and her entry should have been rounded down to 15.

Elizabeth Mason was enumerated with her father William, mother Ann and family at Spa Lane, North Walsham, Erpingham, Norfolk, England. Here age is given as 15 as would be expected. ^[2]

Elizabeth was also enumerated as a female servant in the house of Samuel Crickmer, farmer at White Horse Common, North Walsham, Erpingham, Norfolk, England.^[3]. In this case her age was accurately given as 18 though this would not have been what the census taker had been asked to produce.

In the light of Elizabeth's later history it is likely that both of these enumerations are of the same Elizabeth and that she was enumerated at home with her parents and also at her live in place of work in the same village.

First child and Marriage

On the 19 June 1842 Elizabeth gave birth to a son that she called William Crickmer Mason. She was unmarried and strong circumstantial evidence suggests that the father was one of one of the Crickmer boys, most likely William Crickmer. Edward was baptised on 13 July 1842 in North Walsham, .^[4]

What happened in the next seven year is not known precisely but can possibly be inferred by the later history of the family. William Crickmer did not take the usual route of the boys of his family becoming a mariner instead of taking up an agricultural position. On the 23 August 1849 in Liverpool, St Silas, Pembroke Place, Lancashire, England Elizabeth married William Crickmer. Her residence was given as Notting Hill, Middlesex over 200 miles away and the banns were called at the church of St John the Evangelist in Lansdowne Crescent. Although no occupation is recorded for Elizabeth at this time the likeliest scenario is that she had gone into service in west London. In these circumstances It would probably have been impossible for her to have looked after her son and perhaps we can suggest that he was looked after in Norfolk by his Mason grandparents. ^[5]. According to family stories the family cut William off after his marriage.

Emigration and Life in the United States

In 1850 Elizabeth and William and 8 year old Edward emigrated to the United States on the immigrant ship the De Witt Clinton^[6]. This ship departed Liverpool on the 10 August 1850^[7]An advertisment for the ship in the The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser newspaper described the conditions under which the family could have expected to travel It said " Emigrants will have their Passage at the lowest possible rate consistent with a due regard to their comfort, and a faithful supply, during the voyage, of Coals, Water, and Bread Stuffs, of the best quality" Italic text. The family arrived in New York on the 18 September 1850. The ships manifest wrongly describes the family as originating in Ireland. From this point Edward was always known as Edward Crickmer.

The family settled in Erie City, in Erie County, Pennsylvania on the southern bank of Lake Erie. A directory titled Financial Assessment of Erie County and General Business Directory, 1859-60 shows her husband William as head of the family living in Erie City in West Ward.^[8]

By the 1870 census the family had moved inland to Summit Township in Crawford County, Pennsylvania.^[9]

Family life as seen by the The Conneautville Courier

From the early 1880s the familys life is recorded in some detail of the The Conneautville Courier.

In March 1880 the family sold their property in Summit and moved to Akron in Ohio. The newspaper reported that William Crickmer was to start boating on the Ohio canal^[10]. In August of 1888 William bought the farm of Mr Samuel B Luper of Harmonsburg for $1,700. ^[11] and by early December the family had moved in.^[12].William and his son, also called William seem to have continued their canal boating buiness until at least December 1890 when it was reported that they had quit the business and intended to devote themselves to farming^[13]. Although the marriage of only one child are recorded in the paper the visits that the daughters then made are covered in detail. For instance in 1889 Elizabeths daughter Jennie, by now Mrs Kintz spent the whole summer "with her mother" returning to her home only in September.^[14]. A bizarre incident took place in May 1891 when two men arrived at the family house and asked to stay the night. They were refused and were directed away to where they could get accomodation. They refused to leave and it was eventually dicovered that they were the sons of the family returning after 10 years in West Virginia. One wonders what a family has to be like to not recognise their own sons after 10 years ^[15]

Illness death and burial

Only a few years later in the Winter of 1892 William Crickmer was sick, suffering from what was feared to be a cancerous absess under his arm ^[16]. The newspaper was out of date and printed on the 11 May, the day after Williams death on the 10 May 1893. He was buried in Dicksonburg Cemetery, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States.^[17]. Elizabeth died two years later on 31 August 1895 and was buried in the same cemetery. The newspaper records that her death was due to a tumour. She was survived by 8 children all of whom came back to the town for the funeral.^[18][19]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "England Births & Baptisms 1538-1975"
   FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 9 March 2024)
   Elizabeth Thurtile Mason baptism on 15 Apr 1823, daughter of William Mason & Ann Mason, in North Walsham, Norfolk, England.
2. ↑ 1841 Census: "1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census"
   Reference: HO107; Piece number: 784; Page: 19; Schedule: 1525
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 9 March 2024)
   Elizabeth Mason (15) on Spa Lane, North Walsham in Erpingham registration district in Norfolk, England.
3. ↑ 1841 Census: "1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census"
   Reference: HO107; Piece number: 784; Page: 10; Schedule: 1477
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 9 March 2024)
   Elizabeth Mason (18) in White Horse Common, North Walsham in Erpingham registration district in Norfolk, England.
4. ↑ Baptism of child Edward Crickmer Mason: "Norfolk, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1922"
   Norfolk Record Office; Norwich, Norfolk, England; Norfolk Church of England Registers; Reference: PD 711/7
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61042 #301899414 (accessed 9 March 2024)
   Elizabeth Mason's child Edward Crickmer Mason baptism on 13 Jul 1842 in North Walsham, Norfolk, England.
5. ↑ Marriage: "Liverpool, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935"
   Liverpool Record Office; Liverpool, England; Reference Number: 283 SIL/3/1
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2197 #4937042 (accessed 9 March 2024)
   Elizabeth Thirtle Mason (full age) marriage to William Crickmer on 23 Aug 1849 in Liverpool, St Silas, Pembroke Place, Lancashire, England.
6. ↑ https://behind.aotw.org/2021/11/06/the-packet-ship-dewitt-clinton/ the site includes a painting of the De Witt Clinton done in 1865
7. ↑ Newspaper:- Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser - Tuesday 06 August 1850, advertisment Pg 4, column 2
8. ↑ 1859 Directory: "U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995"
   Original data: Original sources vary according to directory. The title of the specific directory being viewed is listed at the top of the image viewer page. Check the directory title page image for full title and publication information
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2469 #1411953637 (accessed 9 March 2024)
   Name: William Crickner; Residence Year: 1859; Residence Place: Erie, Pennsylvania, USA; Publication Title: Financial Assessment of Erie County and General Business Directory, 1859-60.
9. ↑ 1870 Census: "US Census 1870"
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 9 March 2024)
   Elizabeth Cleckner (47) in Pennsylvania, United States, Crawford, Pennsylvania. Born in England.
10. ↑ Newspaper:- The Conneautville Courier Thu, Mar 18, 1880 ·Page 2 Wm. Crickmer, of Summit, has sold his property , and will remove to Akron. Ohio, where he will boat the coming season on the Ohio Canal.
11. ↑ Newspaper:- The Conneautville Courier Thu, Aug 09, 1888 ·Page 1 S. B. Luper has sold his farm to Mr. Crickmer, of Akron, Ohio, for $1,700 and has gone West. His family remain here.
12. ↑ 'Newspaper:- 'The Conneautville Courier Thu, Dec 06, 1888 ·Page 1 William Crickmer has moved from Akron, Ohio, to his farm, the Sam. B. Luper place.
13. ↑ 'Newspaper:- 'The Conneautville Courier Thu, Dec 18, 1890 ·Page 1 William Crickmer and son, who have been boating on the Ohio Canal the past season, have returned home, having disposed of their boat and quit the business. They own the Samuel B. Luper place, north of town, and will give their attention to farming.
14. ↑ Newspaper:- The Conneautville Courier Thu, Sep 05, 1889 ·Page 1 Mrs. Jennie Kintz and daughter returned to her home in Akron last week after spending the summer with her mother, Mrs. Wm. Crickmer.
15. ↑ Newspaper:- The Conneautville Courier Thu, May 28, 1891 ·Page 1 .Two young men called at William Crickmer's one night last week and asked to stay all night. Their request was refused and they were directed where to go to secure accommodations. They insisted on staying and were finally allowed to, when it was found that they were sons of Mr. Crickmer, coming home unexpectedly after an absence of ten years spent in West Virginia.
16. ↑ Newspaper:- 'The Conneautville Courier' Thu, May 11, 1893 ·Page 5 Wm. Crickmer, Sr., has been quite feeble the past winter, suffering from an abscess under the right arm, which it is feared is of a cancerous nature. Some years ago he was troubled with a sore near his thumb, on the right hand, which was pronounced a cancer by the attending physician. It was taken out and healed over, but it is feared his present trouble may be from the effects of the old ailment.
17. ↑ Burial: "U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current"
    Find A Grave: Memorial #18392341
    Ancestry Record 60525 #97945494 (accessed 9 March 2024)
    William Stanford Crickmer burial (died on 10 May 1893) in Dicksonburg Cemetery, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Born on 22 Jun 1822.
18. ↑ Newspaper:- The Conneautville Courier Thu, Sep 05, 1895 ·Page 5 Mrs. Elizabeth, wife of the late Wm. Crickmer, died of a tumor on Saturday. aged 73 years. She was born in England but had resided here for the past thirty years. She is survived by eight children, all of whom were present at her funeral, the deaths of the parents being the first breaks in the family circle. She was a good mother and neighbor and the world was the better for her having lived in it. The family desire through the COURIER to extend their thanks to the friends and neighbors for their kindness. Samuel Crickmer and Mrs. Jennie Kintz, of Akron; Wilber Miller, of Barberton, Ohio, and Ed. Crickmer, of Meadow Creek, West Virginia, children of Mrs. Crickmer, came home to attend the funeral of their mother.
19. ↑ Burial: "U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current"
    Find A Grave: Memorial #18392339
    Ancestry Record 60525 #97945492 (accessed 9 March 2024)
    Elizabeth Thurtle Crickmer burial (died on 31 Aug 1895) in Dicksonburg Cemetery, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Born on 6 Apr 1823.