Florence was born 31 May 1877 in Westbury on Severn, Gloucestershire, England. Her parents are William Henry Probert and Sarah (Curtis) Probert. She claims to have arrived in America in 1883 and was also known as Flora and Florrie.
On 26 October 1879 while she still an infant, Jacob Curtis, her Grandfather died and left in his will for Flora £5o. The money was given, by her 2 Aunts who were the executrix of his estates, to their Brother-in-law, John Allen. John took the money and left for America with the promise to put it in account for Flora but never did. A lawsuit soon followed.
In 1907 Flora worked as a Stenographer at Schwarzenbach & Son a clothing store for men and boys. She lived at 19 Fulton Street where she rented a room from Mrs. Schlemmer.
She marries William McCrorie on 12 June 1911 in Elkins, Randolph County, West Virginia where they both claim they live. Two years after the marriage Florence Margaret McCrorie was born.
In 1919 Flora's Aunt, Mary Ann Probert Hadley made Flora the executrix of her will. This added to the soap opera style drama that was unfolding around Flora, her Aunt Mary Ann's son Harry Hadley, and Aunt Esther Probert Dodds (Mary Ann's sister).
In 1920 the family is living on Lanvale Street in Baltimore. In 1921 they are living on Spruce Street and they have a son named William Curtis McCrorie. North Centre St. in Cumberland, Maryland is where we find Flore, her son and daughter living in 1930. Her husband William is not living in the home. Flora works as an inspector at the Celanese Plant in Cumberland.
The Celanese Plant was actually The American Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and was founded in 1918 to make cheap fabric for airplane manufacturing. They manufactured cellulose acetate as an alternative to silk. In 1927 the company was renamed Celanese Corporation of America. There was a massive labor strike in 1936 at the plant as the workers tried to Unionize. For photos taken during the strike click the strike link. Flora was still employed there and she may be in one of the photos. The facility in Cumberland is now gone and on the site is a State Prison.
In 1939 Flora is a reeler, she operated the machine that wound the yarn onto the bobbin, and lives on Marion Street in Cumberland. Flora and her son live Goethe St. in Cumberland by 1940 where she is an inspector at Celanese Corporation of America. Linden Street is her next address in a home with her son and his wife. She is 65 and she still works at the Textile Manufacturer.
At the age of 86 in November of 1968 Flora passes away. She is buried in Frostburg Memorial Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment