The Internet Wander/Wonder: Susie Cronin and her daughter, and the Sacketts and the Cronins

Dabbling in genealogy is one of the big uses of the Internet. However, unlike some other Internet wondering/wandering, one is very much restricted when relying on free sources of information. Over the years, one can find some vendors charging for things that are discoverable elsewhere, but if you really want to find things without running down city halls and libraries and newspaper archives all over the country (or the world!), you have to put down some money.

Over the past few years I have used subscriptions to genealogical and newspaper archives to build (slowly) family trees for both myself and my wife, making connections that were not otherwise passed down to us. In my wife's case, there has been one consistent mystery that we have occasionally tried to pin down without much success. Recently, Ancestry.com offered free access to its birth, death, and marriage records, which inspired me to try once again. This time, we appear to have gotten closer to some sort of story we can tell ourselves.

The starting point to all this is Margaret's paternal grandmother. Her birth origins were basically a family secret, though her grandchildren learned a few things: that her mother's name was named Susie Cronin, that she was raised by an aunt, that there was an important "Uncle Ownie," and that her birth father was a Sackett (specifically, according to one or her grandchildren, one Seymour Sackett). That's it.

Below is the story that I think we can tell now, as well as links to the historical record that lets us tell this story.

Telling the Story of the Cronins

The Immigrant Generation

Owen (born August 4, 1819), Terrance (born around 1822 (1815?)), and Catherine (born around 1830, perhaps christened July 25, 1829) Cronin [perhaps the children of a Michael Cronin and, perhaps, an Ellen O'Leary] emigrated from Ireland to the United States:

Owen reports coming around age 18, which would place his immigration at around 1833 (although 1900 census says he came in 1845 and 1910 census says he came in 1850?!). [His wife, Alice Donovan, arrived around 1837, at age five (born around 1831 according to 1865 census).] Owen and Alice married in Chicopee in 1849.
Terrance came with his wife Mary (Smith or McGovern(?)) and settled in Pittsfield in 1845 before moving to Westfield.
Catherine marries a Jeffrey Purcell. According to Catherine's obituary, she emigrated around 1844, which would put her around 15 years old.

Terrance and Mary Cronin have at least seven children [cannot find them in 1865 Massachusetts census]:

Owen, born around 1848 in Massachusetts (March 12, 1855?).
John, born around (1849 (1848?) in Pittsfield (died November 12, 1899, Westfield).
Kate (later Shepard), born around (1852 (1850?).
Susie, born around September 1855 in Massachusetts(? 1900 census).
Martha (later Deming), born June 21, 1866 (in Bennington, VT(?))
Mary (later Birge).
Lena (later Hart).
[?]Catherine (see news clipping 1909) or granddaughter?

Owen and Alice Cronin have ten children, including:

Ellen, born around 1852 (1849, going by 1865 census), died September 2, 1889.
Thomas, born around 1854
James, born around 1859 [lives in Suffield, daughter Mae]
Edward M., born May 3, 1861 in Westfield
Bridget (later Krom), born November 18, 1863 in Westfield.
Maria, born around 1869 [Mary Ann born September 5, 1866 in Westfield, but 1910 census has her as 37 which would put her at 1873, conflicting with Rebecca]
Rebecca (later Flanagan), born June 27, 1873 in Westfield.

Catherine and Jeffrey Purcell appear to have had no children, as her nephew, Edward M. Cronin, is her executor. While Terrance's children and Owen and his children are each bequeathed $1 from her will, a Mrs. Bernard Cronin is bequeathed $300 (and her two children $100 each). Bernard was born around 1837 and emigrated from Ireland around 1855, nothing to indicate whether a brother or other relative.

Westfield and Environs

Given the families above, next up is where was everyone living. While there are a lot of years missing for Westfield city directories, Cronins first appear in the Westfield, Massachusetts for 1973. Here is what we know by years:

1860 census. Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Family name misspelled as Cronog (and Terrance misspelled):

Cannot find Owen and his family. [See 1865 state census below.]

1900 census. Mary Birge lives at 79 Orange St.., Westfield, along with her three sons, her sister Susan, and her mother Mary.

1900 census. Owen and Alice Cronin live at 43 Montgomery St., Westfield, along with their daughters Rebecca and Maria, their daughter-in-law Mary and grandson Eugene:

1902, 1903 Westfield city directories. Gertrude Sackett was living at 43 Montgomery St., as did Misses Marie and Rebecca Cronin, Mrs. Mary T. Cronin, and Owen Cronin.

1902 Westfield city directory. Mrs. Mary Cronin and Miss Susie Cronin were boarding at 43 Parker St.

1904 obituary for Mary Cronin. She was living in Hartford with her daughter Mary Birge. Her daughter Lena Hart lived in New Haven. Her daughters Martha Deming, Kate Shepard, and Susie Cronin lived in Westfield. Her son Owen lived in Long Island, NY.

1905-1908 Westfield city directories. Gertrude Sackett was living at 43 Montgomery St., as did Miss Marie Cronin and Owen Cronin. Also, at various times, Frank Krom (1903), Edmund "Crum" (1905)--and, after Gertrude left--James "Crum" (1916-1919), Bridget "Crum" (1916-1919), Bridget Krom (1920-1932), Hattie Cronin (1910, 1911), Thomas Flanagan (1939-1942), Mary Flanagan (1930-1932), John P. Flanagan (1939-1953), Laurence Flanagan (1952).

1909 article on Owen & Alice Cronin's 60th anniversary. They were living in Westfield. Children Edward, San Francisco, CA, James, Suffield, CT, Bridget Krom, Suffield, Kate Flanagan and Maria Cronin, Westfield.

1910 census. Susie Cronin was an inmate of the Westfield Alms House on Russell Road.

1910 census. Gertrude M. Clark is married and living in Hartford.

1915 obituary for Owen Cronin. He was living in Westfield. George Clark (Gertrude's husband) among the pallbearers.

1920 census. Mary Birge living in New Haven with a son and his family.

1931 death notice for Maria T. Cronin. She was living in Westfield, at 43 Montgomery St., home of Bridget Krom.

1933 death notice for Bridget Krom. She was living in Westfield, and was survived by her sister Kate Shepard, Westfield, and brother James Cronin, Hartford.

1942 obituary for Kate Cronin Shepard. She died in Daytona Beach, FL, and was survived by two sisters, Mrs Mary Birge of Stratford, Ct., and Miss Susie Cronin of Northampton.

Susie and Gertrude

Gertrude Mae Sackett Cronin Clark. On her gravestone, she is "Gertrude M.Clark." In her obituary, she is "Gertrude Sackett Clark." In the marriage registry, she is "Gertrude M. Cronin." In the Westfield city directories, she is "Gertrude Sackett." According to these directories, from at least 1902 through 1908, she lived with (her "aunt") Maria Cronin (actually her cousin) and uncle Owen Cronin. News stories about her from 1907 and 1908 refer to her as "Miss Gertrude M. Sackett"). In 1909, based on one published photograph, she may have lived at the Alquat Hotel prior to her marriage (although on February 20, she was still on Montgomery St.).

Susie (Susan) Cronin lived in Westfield, with her father and family (1879, 1880), but appears to have moved frequently as a boarder (with her mother until her death in 1904); thus, 15 Dudley (1895), 17 High (1896), 77 Orange (1896), 79 Orange (1900), 43 Parker (1902 and 1903, and by herself in 1904). After 1904, no information until census reports that she was in an institution in Westfield in 1910, and in an institution in Northampton in 1930 and 1940. She is noted as being alive in 1942 in Northampton. [See below for Westfield Alms House details.]

Even if Gertrude did not stay in touch with her mother, Susie's sisters and family apparently continued to know her whereabouts, as she was remembered on their own deaths.

Telling the Story of the Sacketts

When this internet search began, I thought we had "found" Gertrude Sackett, thinking that a close birth record was hers, and then linking her with another woman who had a liaison (and then married and divorced Seymour Sackett). However, as I continued to dig deeper, I decided that this was an "other" Gertrude Sackett (her half-sister, as presumably born of the same father). While there is other information there about Seymour (and his first family and her half-siblings), I will leave it out of this story for the time being. [One connection is that Seymour Sackett was a (traveling) Singer sewing machine representative and both Susie Cronin and the other woman were seamstresses/dressmakers.]

Thus, other than the Westfield city directories and newspaper stories of the 1900s, we have found no other documentation of Gertrude Sackett. Although she had to be around, I have not found her in the 1900 census (nor have I found her aunt Marie Cronin, who otherwise had a very stable existence in her father's, and then her sister's, house).

The Historical Record

Following is an itemized list of each of the documents or records I have come across in this investigation. Making this difficult at times have been all the spelling differences from different records.

1. According to the gravestone, was known as Gertrude M. Clark, born July 8, 1886, and died September 28, 1969:

2. According to the Connecticut Death Index available on FamilySearch.org, her age at her death was 86, placing her birth year in 1883.

3. According to the death notice in the Hartford Courant of Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1969, she was known as Gertrude Sackett Clark, was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, and died September 30, 1969.

4. According to the registry of her marriage on June 30, 1909 in Westfield, she was known as Gertrude M. Cronin, with no father listed, and her mother Susie Cronin.

5. According to Westfield City directories, "Miss Gertrude Sackett" boarded at 43 Montgomery Street from 1902 through 1908:

1902
1903
1904
1905
1906
1907
1908
As noted below, 43 Montgomery was the family home for Owen Clark and his descendants.

6. In 1909 directory, she is "Gertrude Sackett" but there is a different address, and it also shows her working as clerk. Nothing else to validate that this is the same person:

However, this information is what was used for the caption of the following picture in Westfield, Vol. 2 (Images of America), which has been considered to be her:

Gertrude Sackett does not appear in any earlier Westfield city directories, but lots of Cronins do, starting with 1873:
1873
1875
1878
1879
1880

1881
1882
1886
1895
1896
1898
1902
1903
1904
1905
1906
1907
1908
1909

In addition, other family members boarded there over the years (although with often misspelled names): Frank Krom (1903), Edmund "Crum" (1905), James "Crum" (1916-1919), Bridget "Crum" (1916-1919), Bridget Krom (1920-1932), Hattie Cronin (1910, 1911), Thomas Flanagan (1939-1942), Mary Flanagan (1930-1932), John P. Flanagan (1939-1953), Laurence Flanagan (1952)

7. In a couple newspaper stories about some dances, she is "Miss Gertrude M. Sackett" and partnered with her future husband, George M. Clark.

From Page 1 of Hampden County Leader, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, February 1st, 1907:

[Also cite their leadership in Page 1 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Saturday, February 2nd, 1907, but very faint type.]

From Page 1 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Saturday, February 29th, 1908:

8. Clipping from The Berkshire Eagle, January 20, 1914 linking "Terence" Cronin and Owen Cronin as brothers, both of Westfield, to a Catherine Purcell,

Catherine Purcell death certificate lists her age as 84 and names her father as Michael Cronin (mother unknown).

The 1900 census reports her as having immigrated in 1844.

[There is one christening record of a Catherine Cronin that would correspond date-wise with this information. She was christened in County Kerry on July 25, 1829, born of Michael Cronin and Ellen O'Leary.]

According to the Berkshire Eagle, March 18, 1904, Edward Cronin was one of the pallbearers at her husband's funeral in 1904:

Catherine ["Kate Croney"] married Jeffrey Purcell on June 21, 1861, according the Pittsfield Sun:

For Mary Walsh family tree (one of the Catherine's beneficiaries, see https://www.geni.com/people/Mary-Walsh/6000000016093661138 ]

9. Clipping from Springfield Republican, September 11, 1931, p. 8, about the funeral of Miss Maria T. Cronin. living at 43 Montgomery St., home of Mrs. Bridget Krom:

10. Obituary from New Haven's The Morning Journal-Courier of July 14, 1904 for "Mrs. Mary Cronin" listing her daughters Mary "Birch", Mrs. Lena Hart of New Haven, Mrs. Martha Deming and Mrs. Shepherd, and Miss "Sussie" Cronin of Westfield, and one son, Owen Cronin, of Long Island City.

Another version appearing in the Hartford Courant, July 13, 1904, gives "Mrs. Kate Shepard" and "Susie Cronin" as the names of the last two daughters.

11. 1900 census. Mary "Birge", seamstress, born July 1862, in Massachusetts, living with her three sons at 79 Orange St., Westfield, along with her sister, "Susan Cronan", born September 1855, in Massachusetts, also a seamstress, and Mary Cronan, born Ireland November 1821.

That 1900 census reports Owen Cronin and his wife Alice V. Cronin living at 43 Montgomery Street, along with his daughter Rebecca (born June 1873), his daughter-in-law Mary, and grandson Eugene (born December 1890).

12. The 1910 census reports "Susan Cronan" as an inmate of the Westfield Alms House on Russell Road, age 56:

13. Obituary of Kate (Cronin) Clark "Sheapard" in Springfield Republican, November 24, 1942, "the daughter of Terrance and Mary Cronin, who immigrated from Ireland to Pittsfield in 1845," and survived by, among others, "two sisters, Mrs Mary Birge of Stratford, Ct., and Miss Susie Cronin of Northampton":

14. Clipping from the Springfield Republican, November 23, 1909, on occasion of Owen and Alice Cronin's 60th anniversary, includes following: "Mr. Cronin came to this country when 18 years old and Mrs. Cronin but five years old." They had ten children--five of whom were still alive: Edward, James, Mrs. E.H. Krom (Bridget), Mrs. Julia Flanagan (Rebecca), and Maria--and six grandchildren.

15. There are several clippings from Springfield newspapers celebrating Owen's longevity, including his death:

From the Springfield Daily News, April 4, 1912:

From the Springfield Daily News, February 19, 1913:

From the Springfield Union, February 20, 1913, which gives birth date of August 1, 1818:

From the Springfield Daily News September 23, 1913:

From the Springfield Union, December 31, 1915:

From Page 2 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, January 7th, 1916:

From: Springfield Republican. Monday, Jan 03, 1916 Springfield, MA Page: 12:

And from Springfield Weekly Republican. Thursday, Jan 06, 1916 Springfield, MA Page: 11:

16. Article from Springfield Republican, May 4,1933, about death of Bridget Krom. Provides her date of death as May 3 (typo in story), her mother's name--Alice Donovan--and her list of survivors to include her sister "Rebekah" Flanagan and James "Cronon".

[Aside: An article in the Springfield Republican, January 1, 1906, says Mrs. Bridget Krom had built a new house on Crown Street in 1905, for $7,000.]

From Page 9 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, January 26th, 1912 (death of her husband):

From Page 6 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, January 19th, 1912:

17. Article from Springfield Republican, September 11, 1931, about death of Marie Cronin mentions no survivors other than her sister Bridget Krom, but the pallbearers were mostly family names.

18. From 1920 census, Mary Birge is living in New Haven, CT, with one of her children (Henry L. Birge) and his family (and another son, Raymond Birge), working in nursing practical(?).

19. Owen Cronin (Terrance son) 1917 death certificate lists his parents as Terrance Cronin and Mary McGovern, both born in Ireland

20. Family Search ... just to save for resolving future duplicates: LT5W-Z6C and G9HJ-8XR should both be Terrance Cronin. LT5S-CN1 Is Mary Cronin Birge. LT5S-8N6 is Susan Cronin

21. From 1930 census. Susan Cronin, age 75, is a patient in Northampton State Hospital:

From 1940 census, Susan Cronin, age 84, is a patient in Northampton State Hospital:

Note: Both these say born in England and widowed.

22. 1910 census has Gertrude married (age 23) and living in Hartford:

23. A possible sighting of Gertrude: Springfield Republican Saturday, Mar 09, 1895 Springfield, MA? (though there is another Gertrude Sackett I've seen some mentions of early 1900s).

24. From Page 5 of Times and News-Letter, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Thursday, December 7th, 1905:

From Page 7 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Saturday, January 11th, 1908: "Mae" is daughter of James, since he lived in Suffield. [There are some other Mae clippings I haven't saved.]

From Springfield Daily News. Wednesday, Jan 01, 1913 Springfield, MA Page: 10:

From Page 7 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, February 7th, 1913:

Eugene also played whist? 1912 Valley Echo

25. From Page 3 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Saturday, February 20th, 1909 (first sighting of Whist playing, also Miss Sackett):

From Page 9 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, December 22nd, 1911:

From Page 7 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, February 23rd, 1912:

From Page 2 of The Westfield Journal, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Tuesday, January 30th, 1917:

26. Eugene Cronin baseball career:

From Page 9 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, April 5th, 1912:

From Page 9 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, July 18th, 1913:

From Page 1 of Westfield Daily Journal, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Thursday, April 13th, 1916:

27. Maria no longer at Montgomery St.?

From Page 7 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, June 27th, 1913

From Page 4 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, November 5th, 1915:

House later destroyed. From Page 1 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, January 4th, 1918:

28. From Page 2 of Times and News-Letter, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Wednesday, October 19th, 1887:

29. From Page 2 of Times and News-Letter, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Wednesday, August 12th, 1891:

From Page 2 of Times and News-Letter, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Wednesday, January 4th, 1893:

30. From Page 2 of Times and News-Letter, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Wednesday, January 1st, 1902:

31. There are several references to a Catherine of Montgomery street, but no number, and nothing else for sure linking her to the other family members:

From Page 2 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Saturday, November 20th, 1909:

From Page 7 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, March 3rd, 1911:

From Page 9 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, April 7th, 1911:

32. 1865 Census: Owen Cronin and family. Cannot find Terrance.

33. Birth of a daughter to "Owen Cronin" (Rebecca) From Page 2 of Western Hampden Times, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Wednesday, March 5th, 1873:

34. Rebecca Cronin sighting. From Page 2 of Times and News-Letter, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Wednesday, January 18th, 1899:

35. Death of Sidney Birge. From Page 2 of Times and News-Letter, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Wednesday, April 26th, 1893:

36. 1919 location of Lena Hart attending 250th celebration of Westfield. From Page 2 of The Valley Echo, published in Westfield, Massachusetts on Friday, September 5th, 1919:

37. From emails from Heaven Pajala, Westfield Atheneum Local History:

We have in our Archives the ledger of the Westfield Alms House. Susan is mentioned as a patient multiple times starting in 1903. Between 1903-1907, she was in and out of the Alms House. In 1909 from February 23rd through February 4, 1913, Susan was a permanent resident at the Alms House. In the ledger, on February 4, 1913 she was discharged to the Northampton State Hospital.

Susan's entries and reasoning behind her time there was recorded as "insane", "insane sometimes" and finally, for her long multi-year stay, as "weak minded". That's the only extra information that came from the ledger.

38. From Massachusetts Death Index, odd Cronog (see 1860 census) showing as maiden name.