Person:Amos Crockett (1)

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Amos Crockett
m. 27 Jul 1856
  1. James Crockett1858 -
  2. Amelia Crockett1859 -
  3. Rebekah CrockettAbt 1862 - 1915
  4. David Crockett1864 -
  5. Amos Crockett1865 - 1936
  6. George Crockett1867 - 1944
  7. Annie Crockett1869 -
  8. Elizabeth Fitkin Crockett1872 -
  9. Peter Frederick CrockettAbt 1874 -
  10. Sarah Ann Crockett1875 -
  11. William Crockett1877 -
  12. Joseph Crockett1879 -
m. 14 Apr 1884
  1. Richard Herbert Crockett1886 - 1974
  2. James William Crockett1887 - 1951
  3. George Bunnager Crockett1889 - 1970
  4. Thomas Amos Crockett1891 -
  5. Mary Alice Crockett1891 -
  6. Ada Crockett1894 - 1982
  7. Lucy Millicent Crockett1896 - 1965
Facts and Events
Name Amos Crockett
Gender Male
Birth? 19 May 1865 Tring, Hertfordshire, England
Christening? 9 Feb 1868 Tring, Hertfordshire, England
Occupation[3] 1881 Hadfield, Derbyshire, Englandpiecer in Cotton Mill
Marriage 14 Apr 1884 Hayfield, Derbyshire, Englandto Alice Bunnager
Death? 14 Apr 1936 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Burial? 17 Apr 1936 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada


My great-grandfather, Amos Crockett, lived many places and did many things in his 70 years. When he left England in 1911 he was described as 5'5" tall with a light complexion, sandy hair, and grey eyes. My Dad recalled that he always walked with a limp as result of polio. The Crockett family had lived for several generations in Tring, where Amos was born in 1865. In 1871 many of Amos' siblings were employed in a silk factory including his 9-year-old sister, Rebekah. It is hard to say how old Amos was when he was pulled out of school to help support the family, but when he was fifteen in 1881 he was a piecer in the cotton mill in Hadfield, Derbyshire along with his thirteen-year-old brother, George.

Amos was a spinner at Hatfield when he married Alice Bunnagar in 1884. Some time between 1886 and 1887 (the births of their two oldest children) the family moved to Colwyn Bay, Wales where Amos worked in construction with his brother-in-law, Bagot Arnold, who was a cabinet maker. Amos was listed as a general labourer in Colwyn Bay in 1891. The census had him listed as a boarder with Bagot and Rebecca Arnold while Alice and her children were staying with her brother in Broseley.

By 1896 Amos had gone into business for himself as a greengrocer in Chester, Cheshire. His younger brother, George, was also in Chester at that time just down the street; he was listed as a fried fish dealer. By 1900 Amos had set up business as a fried fish dealer in Stourbridge, Worcestershire. He was listed as a fishmonger in the 1901 census at the same address: 20 High St. He was listed as working on his own account at home which makes me believe that the greengrocer and fish businesses were actually stalls on the street in front of the home.

Amos' youngest daughter, Lucy, (my grandmother) spent most of her childhood in Stourbridge but it appears that they moved to Hereford before 1911. There were many surprises when I found the following ships manifest for the vessel Merion sailing from Liverpool, February 23rd, 1911:

24 Crockett George 43 Male Married Lab. Yes Yes England English England Brierley Hill Wife: Sarah Crockett 24 Moor St., Brierley Hill, Eng. Pa, Phila

25 Crockett Amos 45 Male Married, Bricklayer, Yes, Yes, England English England Hereford, Wife: Alice Crockett Golden Cross, Maylord St. Hereford Pa, Phila

The first surprise was that Amos had become a bricklayer and the second surprise was that Amos did not take his family directly to Canada. Amos and George arrived in Philadelphia March 9, 1911, and according to the manifest they intended to make their permanent residence in that city. Amos and George both had inlaws in Philadelphia and perhaps they stayed with them while he looked into the prospect of finding cheap land in western Canada. The Canadian prairies had been opened up with the coming of two railroads and many Englishmen were enticed to come to the land of opportunity.

By February 1912, Bagot Arnold gave his eventual destination as Edmonton, Alberta and his contact was his brother-in-law A. Crockett on Fraser Street. I found the Crockett family in the "Hendersons Edmonton Directory 1912" living at 670 Fraser Avenue. According to the directory at that time Amos was a machine operator for Cushing Bros. Co. Ltd. which was a wood milling company.

In 1913 the Crocketts took up homesteading in Busby, Alberta, a farming community about 35 miles northwest of Edmonton. Amos had a sawmill on a quarter section of land on the south shore of Lake George. I have no documentation as to when Amos and Alice returned to Edmonton, but my father recalled that he managed the ice arena in Edmonton for a time. Dad referred to his grandfather as a "jack of all trades" and it seems he certainly was!

Amos died in Edmonton on the 14th of April, 1936 at the age of 70 years and 11 months. The informant on his death registration was George Crockett. He was interred at Beechmount cemetery on the 17th of April, 1936. He left the following will:

THIS IS THE LAST WILL, AND TESTAMENT OF ME, AMOS CROCKETT, of the city of Edmonton, in the Province of Alberta, Gentleman.

I REVOKE all former wills, codicils, dispositions, appointments and testamentary writings whatsoever by me at any time heretofore made.

I HEREBY NOMINATE AND APPOINT my beloved son, RICHARD HERBERT CROCKETT, the sole executor of this my will.

I DIRECT that all my just debts, funeral and testamentary expenses be first paid out of my estate.

I GIVE, DEVISE AND BEQUEATH unto my executor, all my estate, real and personal, whatsoever and wheresoever, and also all the estate over which I may have the power of appointment and disposal at the time of my death, to hold upon the following trusts, namely:

(a) To maintain and support my beloved wife, ALICE CROCKETT, as long as she may live.

(b) Upon the death of my beloved wife, ALICE CROCKETT, to transfer the premises known as 11706-87th Street, City of Edmonton, Province of Alberta, to my beloved daughter, ADA ANNIE HOW, and to divide the remainder of my estate among my beloved children, RICHARD HERBERT CROCKETT, JAMES WILLIAM CROCKETT, THOMAS AMOS CROCKETT, GEORGE BUNNAGER CROCKETT, LUCY DAVIS and ALICE McCONAGHY, or their issue only per stirpes in equal shares.

IN THE EVENT that it is necessary for my executor to sell the premises know as 11706-87th Street, City of Edmonton, Province of Alberta, in order to maintain and support my beloved wife, Alice Crockett during her lifetime, THEN I DIRECT that my beloved daughter, Ada Annie How, shall share equally with my other children in the residue of my estate.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I, the said AMOS CROCKETT, the Testator, have to this my Last Will and Testament, set my hand this twentieth day of December, A.D. 1933.

References
  1.   Kelly's Directory of Cheshire, 1896
    225, 1896.

    Chester, Cheshire Crockett Amos, greengrocer, 47 Brook St.

  2.   Kelly's Directory of Worcestershire, 1900
    233, 1900.

    Stourbridge, Worcestershire: Crockett Amos, fried fish dealer, 20 High St.

  3. 1881 Census England, Hadfield
    RG11 Piece / Folio 3460 / 134, 1881.

    James CROCKETT Head M Male 45 Tringe Fish Monger
    Ann CROCKETT Wife M Female 34 Tringe
    James CROCKETT Son U Male 23 Tringe Hawker
    Rebekah CROCKETT Daur U Female 19 Tringe Cardroom Hand
    David CROCKETT Son U Male 17 Tringe Piecer
    Amos CROCKETT Son U Male 15 Tringe Piecer
    George CROCKETT Son U Male 13 Hasen Clinton, Buckingham, England Piecer
    Annie CROCKETT Daur U Female 11 London, England Scholar
    Peter CROCKETT Son U Male 7 Winten Moor?, Derby, England Scholar
    Sarah CROCKETT Daur U Female 6 Hadfield, Derby, England Scholar
    William CROCKETT Son U Male 4 Hadfield, Derby, England Scholar
    Joseph CROCKETT Son U Male 2 Hadfield, Derby, England
    Source Information: Dwelling 62 Station Rd
    Census Place Hadfield, Derbyshire, England Public Records Office Reference

  4.   Hasen Clinton, Buckinghamshire is Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire (2-3 miles from Tring)