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Mary
"Agnes" |
Mary 'Agnes' (Younkin) Crabtree was born in
1870 in Casselman,
Somerset County, PA, the daughter of Josiah and
Rachel (Phillippi) Younkin.
Agnes' father died when she was about 6 years old, and she grew up with a stepfather John Wilkins for a period of time, and later had a "significant other" step-father figure, Jack Hobson.
In about 1889, Agnes married James M. Crabtree (1864-1940 ), a native of Maryland and the son of Thomas and Hannah (Twigg) Crabtree.
They had eight children, of whom seven lived to adulthood -- Minnie M. Bittner, Nathan R. Crabtree, Jacob Clarence Crabtree, Charles D. Crabtree, Beatrice 'Betty' Echard, Rachel Goldie Craig and James E. Crabtree.
Son Thomas C. Crabtree died in a diphtheria epidemic at age
one on May 14, 1893, and is buried at the Church of God Cemetery in Kingwood,
Somerset County, PA. (His grave marker is said to be broken into two pieces.)
Seen at right, Agnes holds Charles with sons Nathan and Jacob standing alongside.
In 1902, the Crabtrees were living in Casselman at the time daughter Rachel was born. In 1910, they resided in or near Hammondville, Westmoreland County, PA, where James worked as a "laborer - odd jobs." He also was a longtime farmer.
Agnes died in 1910 and is buried at Walnut Hill Cemetery near Donegal.
James later married Emma (?), and they lived in Donegal.
James passed away at age 76 on Aug. 28, 1940 and is buried at Walnut Hill.
Son Jacob Crabtree served in World War I with the 329th Field Hospital and 308th Sanitary Train. Later, he lived in Minerva, Stark County, OH, where he worked as a conductor for the New York Central Railroad. The photograph seen here shows Jacob at far right, standing with co-workers, at the Minerva Roundhouse. He died of a heart attack at the railroad office "shortly after completing the day's run," said the Minerva Leader.
Son Charles Crabtree moved to Aliquippa, Beaver County, PA and was a custodian for the West Mifflin School District.
Grandson James Howard Crabtree was a seaman first class in the US Navy during World War II. James was quoted in an article in the November 1942 Reader's Digest, "Convoy to Murmansk," authored by Edwin Miller. The story was billed as "a grim but heartening story of American youth pitted against merciless odds." The article was condensed from the original version published in the October 1942 issue of The Nautical Gazette.
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Reader's Digest article in which James Howard Crabtree is quoted by name |
Copyright © 2000, 2002, 2005 Mark A. Miner