Thursday, January 10, 2019

Is This Old Lady Crane?


Can anyone help Sandra Sales identify the woman in these photographs?  

"These are photos of a woman that our family lore says is “Old Lady Crane” - or Mary (Willson) Crane. Mary Crane was the daughter of Captain Gilman Willson of Port Talbot, who was a captain alongside Leslie Patterson in the War of 1812. Mary Willson was married to Peter Crane, the son of Thomas Talbot’s helper, George Crane, and his wife Isabella Finlay. Mary (Willson) Crane lived from April 14, 1814 to March 23, 1892. She is buried in the Tyrconnell United Church Cemetery.

The woman in this photo is dressed in the traditional mourning garb of the late 1870s and 1880s and wears a wedding ring. Mary Crane’s husband, Peter, died in 1882. Mary spent her final years in the house she and her husband built in 1861 on Concession 9, Lot 6, south half. Her son Benjamin Crane had taken over the farm by the time she died.

Because only family lore identifies this woman, I would like to see if there is any other labelled copies of this photo around. Or I would like to get the photo out to people who might be interested in this family.  

Sandra Sales"




Comments and photos can be sent to info@backuspagehouse.ca and I will forward on to Sandra.

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