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Harriet Jessie Fremont (McFarland) Crooks Bennett
(1857-1923)

Harriet Jessie Fremont (McFarland) Crooks Bennett was born on Oct. 10, 1856, 1857 or 1859 in Mount Perry, Perry County, OH, the daughter of Alexander "Young" and Sarah (Danison) McFarland.

She became orphaned at the death of her father in November 1868. By 1870, the 13-year-old was residing with her Danison grandparents in Mt. Perry.

On Dec. 12, 1878, when she was 21 years of age, she first entered into matrimony with Virgil Erastus Crooks (March 22, 1859-1896), son of John Woolworth and Eliza Crooks. The nuptials were held in Perry County, by the authority of Rev. R.H. Wallace.

The trio of children they bore together included Daisy Blanche Chase, Robert "Verne" Crooks and Arbor Paul "Albert" Crooks.

In time, the pair moved to Virgil's home region of Zanesville, Muskingum County, OH. The 1880 federal census enumeration shows them in Newton Township, Muskingum, with him earning a living as a potter. At that time, his 24-year-old brother Austin, also a potter, lived in the household. Then as of 1890, their dwelling-place was in White Cottage.

The Crookses pulled up stakes and left Ohio in the 1890s, moving lock, stock and barrel to Colorado.

Sadly, Virgil died in Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, CO on Jan. 21, 1896. The details are not yet known. Interment was under the sod of Monte Vista Cemetery.

Early 1900s boom-and-bust town of Crestone, CO - courtesy Wikipedia

As a widow, Hattie lived in Crestone, Saguache County, CO, a community the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, in the northern section of the San Luis Valley. There, she earned a living as a dressmaker, as shown in the 1900 U.S. Census. Crestone's economy was based on mining small deposits of iron oxide, copper and gold, and a railroad spur to the town was built. But the mines played out, and the prosperity did not last.

Circa 1902, Harriet tied the knot for a second time with Willis A. Bennett ( ? - ? ), originally from Pennsylvania. 

The Bennetts settled Canon and Grand Junction, CO. All of Harriet's children remained in the residence as of 1910. In about 1917, they relocated to Salt Lake City and joined the First Presbyterian Church. 

Her final home in Salt Lake was with her daughter at 417 Fourth Avenue. Suffering from chronic heart valve disease and acute kidney problems, she passed away at the age of 63 on May 18, 1923. An obituary appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune. The body was transported for burial to Porterville, Tulare County, CA.

Willis' fate is not known.

Salt Lake City with the Wasatch Mountains in the backdrop

~ Daughter Daisy Blanche (Crooks) Chase ~

Daughter Daisy Blanche Crooks (1880-1956) was born on Sept. 10, 1880 in Ohio. She relocated to Colorado with her parents.

On what's believed to have been her birthday in 1899, when she was 19 and he 29, she married Lawrence L. Chase (Jan. 1871-1940), a Kansas City native. No evidence suggests that they reproduced.

As newlyweds, they made their initial home with Daisy's widowed mother in Crestone, Saguache County, CO. Laurence's occupation in 1900 was as a cook. They relocated to Salt Lake City, with an address in 1923 of 417 Fourth Avenue.

The 1930 federal census enumeration shows Daisy and Lawrence, along with her married brother Vern and his wife Carrie, boarding in the household of farmer John Gist in Klamath, Humboldt County, CA. Lawrence and his brother-in-law both were employed at that time as gold miners in the local Placer Mine, today part of the Redwood National Park.

Sadly, Lawrence surrendered to the angel of death in San Francisco on Christmas Day 1940. Burial was in Greenlawn Memorial Park in Colma, San Mateo County, CA.

Daisy outlived her spouse by 15 years and moved in with her divorced brother Arbor in Berkeley, Alameda County, CA. Their address circa 1942 was 3214 College Avenue. She continued to use her skills as a seamstress to operate her own dressmaking business. Death swept her away at age 75, in Alameda County on Jan. 13, 1956.

~ Son Robert "Vern" McFarland ~

Son Robert "Vern" Crooks (1885-1964) was born in Aug. 1885 in Ohio.

He resided in Salt Lake City in 1923. Later he moved to San Francisco.

Vern was joined in wedlock with Carrie N. (1878-1975), a Missouri native. They are not thought to have reproduced. Carrie had a seventh grade education.

Pioneer Statue on Main Street, Salt Lake City

As of 1920, the pair dwelled in Salt Lake City, with Vern's occupation shown as automobile mechanic. The 1930 federal census enumeration shows Vern and Carrie, along with his married sister Daisy and her husband Lawrence Chase, boarding in the household of farmer John Gist in Klamath, Humboldt County, CA. Vern and his brother-in-law Chase both were employed at that time as gold miners in the local Placer Mine, today part of the Redwood National Park.

Then in 1935-1940, the couple dwelled on 65th Street in Oakland, Alameda County, CA, with him earning a living as a mechanic in an automobile repair shop. By 1950, they were living as lodgers in San Francisco's Christ Church of the Golden Rule Hotel. Neither had an occupation in 1950.

Vern died in 1964. The body was lowered into eternal repose in the Chapel of the Cimes Cemetery in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County.

Carrie lived for another nine years. At the age of about 97, she passed away in 1975.

~ Son Arbor Paul "Albert" McFarland ~

Son Arbor Paul "Albert" Crooks (1891-1965) was born on Sept. 7, 1891 in Saguache County, CO.

As of 1915, he dwelled at Palisade, Mesa County, CO. He was married at least three times.

His first bride, on July 10, 1915, was Florence F. Sahl ( ? - ? ), of Grand Junction, Mesa County. Their ceremony was led by Rev. J.M. Robinson and held in Palisade. They may have moved to Denver, and the union was short-lived, with divorce taking place there on Aug. 10, 1917.

Arbor is known to have resided in 1918 at 462 South West Temple, and was drafted into the U.S. Army in May 1918 during World War I. He was assigned to Battery A of the 312nd Field Artillery. Upon the close of the war, he returned home, with the first marriage coming to a close.

On Aug. 14, 1920, when he was 27 years of age, he was united in matrimony with Hazel M. Hill ( ? - ? ). Their nuptials were conducted in Salt Lake City. By 1923, the pair were in Price, UT.

After the second marriage ended, Arbor moved to Oakland, Alameda County, CA, where he was employed as a mechanic working on new automobiles. There, on May 3, 1930, he was joined in wedlock with his third spouse, 26-year-old Margaret Dorcas (Parker) Shulz ( ? - ? ), daughter of George W. and Georgia V. (Alden) Parker. Margaret, also divorced, was residing in Berkeley, Alameda County. Rev. Oswald W.S. McCall presided. They put down roots in Berkeley and together produced one known offspring, Jean Veola Moffett, born in 1932 in San Francisco. The third marriage also dissolved in divorce.

Records for the 1942-1950 timespan show Albert in Berkeley, sharing a home with his widowed sister Daisy Chase. At that time, he worked as an automobile  body and fender repairman, likely for employer C.A. Bullwinkle, and she owned her own dressmaking business. His final home was in Berkeley. He held memberships in Local 1546 of the East Automotive Machine Union and the Berkeley Real Estate Board.

He died on April 28, 1965, with an obituary appearing in the Oakland Tribune. His funeral was conducted by Rev. Dr. Guy Archer, with placement of the cremains in the Chapel of Memories. Former wife Margaret married again and in 1967 used the name "Koebel.

Daughter Jeanne Veola Crooks (1932-1990) was born on Nov. 13, 1932 in San Francisco. After her parents divorced, she went to live with her mother's parents, the Parkers, at 2489 Mavis Street in nearby Oakland. At the age of 18, during the Korean War, she joined the Women's Air Force (WAF). She received training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas followed by a posting to McClellan Field near Sacramento. On Sept. 5, 1952, at Lincoln, CA, the 19-year-old Jeanne married 23-year-old Clarence J. "Jack" Moffett ( ? - ? ), son of Jesse D. and Addie Belle (Wells0 Moffett Sr. of Lincoln, CA. The ceremony was conducted at the First Baptist Church, by the hand of Rev. W.J. Venable. An announcement of the marriage was printed in the Lincoln News Messenger, which said that Jeanne's "gown was of peach net over taffeta worn with a sequin crown and an orchid corsage. She carried white carnations and red roses." Jack was an alumnus of Lincoln schools and at the time of marriage was employed by Southern Pacific in Sacramento. The newlyweds made their first home in town. Sadly, the marriage was troubled and Jeanne sued for divorce in May 1953, citing "cruelty." The disollusion was granted in May 1954, with the news printed in the Sacramento Union. Using the name "Moffett," Jeanne lived in Oakland in 1965. She was plunged into grief at the death of her grandfather Parker on May 11, 1967. Death swept her away on April 5, 1990. Her remains sleep in honored rest in Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno. 

 

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