My Family Tree

Laura and William are fourth cousins once removed, both being descended from George Chatfield and Isabelle Nettleton.
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OBITUARY
From The Austin Democrat, September 28, 1897:

LAURA C. CRANE
Sudden Death of a Most Esteemable Woman.

Mrs. Laura C. Crane was found dead, just before noon today, in her home on Bridge street, by Mrs. E. B. Crane and Mrs. H. J. Lockwood. The news came as a terrible shock to the family, and will be sad news to the community. Last Sunday she attended the Universalist church and when she returned she complained of neuralgia pains in her left side. Tuesday she was much better, and since that time has been about as usual. As she was very energetic and ambitious, her children saw that she did not expose herself in any way. She was apparently as well as ever for the past two days. This morning she left her home and went to her son's, F. I. Crane's home, which adjoins her own, and got a small pail of water. She talked in her usual cheerful manner and did not complain of feeling ill. Five minutes later Mrs. E. B. Crane and Mrs. Lockwood, a cousin of the deceased called and found her dead.

Mrs. Crane was 77 years of age the 20th of last July, which event was celebrated by an old ladies' party given in her honor by Mrs. F. I. Crane. She was born at Skameatias (sic), N.Y., and at the age of about 16 moved with her parents, the Chatfields, to Sharon, O., in 1834, where she married William A. Crane July 8, 1839, who died in this city in May, 1877. Their four children were born at Sharon, where they lived till September, 1863, when they moved to Spring Valley, and in the following March removed to Austin. They built the large brick house opposite the cemetery. It was there that Mr. Crane died. Mrs. Crane continued to occupy the house till 1886, when she lived with her children till 1890, when they purchased for her the house on Bridge street, just west of Mayor Crane's place, and where she has since made her home.

She was a woman of strong Christian character and possessed the strong nature of the sturdy Scotch-land from whom she descended, her family, the Chatfields having come to the country in 1629 and settled in Connecticut. She could also trace a relationship to Peregrine White, who came to America in the Mayflower. She was a member of the Universalist church and always took great interest in the work of her late husband with the late N. T. (unreadable) were the organizers of the first Universalist church here. Mrs. Crane will be greatly missed in the community and in the church and the family has the sympathy of the entire neighborhood in their bereavement.

She leaves a sister, Mrs. M CHATFIELD, Sharon, O., and four children, E. B. Crane, the well known (unreadable) and land agent, Mayor F. I. Crane, Mrs. Dr. J. L. Connors of Minneapolis and Miss C. M. Crane.

The funeral will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. from the Universalist church, with burial in the Oakwood cemetery.

-Contributed by Janet Stephenson
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Laura Crane in household of Wm A Crane, "Minnesota, State Census, 1875"
Age: 54
Birth Year (Estimated): 1821
Father's Birthplace: Massachusetts
Mother's Birthplace: Connecticut
Birthplace: New York
Race: White
Gender: Female
Line Number: 25
Family Number: 128
GS Film number: 0565724
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Wm A Crane M Massachusetts
Laura Crane F New York
Frank Crane M Ohio
Flora Crane F Ohio
Olive Crane F Ohio
Phillip Teeter M Canada
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USA Census, 1880
Name: Laura Crane
Event Place: Lansing, Mower, Minnesota
Gender: Female
Age: 59
Marital Status: Widowed
Occupation: Keeping House
Race (Original): W
Ethnicity: American
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Birthplace: New York
Birth Date: 1821
Father's Birthplace: Massachusetts
Mother's Birthplace: Connecticut
Page: 577
Page Letter: B
Entry Number: 4089
Affiliate Film Number: T9-0626
GS Film number: 1254626
Digital Folder Number: 004241847
Image Number: 00886
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Self Laura Crane F 59 New York
Dau Olive Crane F 22 Ohio
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Laura Crane in household of F I Crane, "Minnesota, State Census, 1885"