The tombstone was etched with
Father
Frank Crummy
1869 – 1952
No one knows how the tombstone got to Gleichen or who Frank Crummy is. Mounties are asking for help.
This lost tombstone intrigued me so I spent a bit of time yesterday on a hunt. I'm hoping my readers will put on their sleuthing hats and join me!
Grande Prairie Alberta Crummy Family
I found quite a few newspaper articles and references to a Frank Crummy living in Grande Prairie Alberta in the 1930s and 1940s but nothing substantial that might lead to family members. He was a Mason and was the District Deputy Grand Master for Spirit River Lodge in 1942. It is very possible this is Frank of the wayward tombstone.
I also found reference to "the Crummy brothers" settling in Grande Prairie before 1916. The index to "Pioneers of the Peace", a local history book which I don't have access to, lists Frank, George and Joe Crummy. If anyone can access this book we might find out more about Frank.
Minnesota Connection
Minnesota seems to come into play and the 1880 census for Minnetonka Minnesota finds the family of John Crummy, wife Jane with several children including Frank age 9 years old born Pennsylvania. Frank had brothers John, George and Joseph.
Joseph had a son John aka Jack born ca 1906 in Minnesota. This son John married Mavis Paul and settled in Grande Prairie, dying there in 1987. So I am fairly certain that the Minnesota family is the Crummy family that settled in Grande Prairie Alberta.
Marriage in Edmonton Alberta
One tidbit I found on Peel's Prairie Provinces was in a publication called "The Trail". It listed a marriage in Edmonton Alberta in November 1939 for Frank Grey Crummy son of Mr. & Mrs. F. Crummy of Grande Prairie Alberta. It is possible that Frank Grey Crummy is the son of Frank.
I've done no further research so please jump in and help the Mounties find where Frank Crummy's tombstone belongs. You may use the comment section of this blog post to post information you find. If it involves living people, please send it privately to olivetreegenealogy @ gmail . com (no spaces in the email address)
4 comments:
This is very interesting! Jack and Mavis were my grandparents!
I have more information on Jack if you are interested. I searched the Crummy family back a few generations trying to find Frank.
Write to me privately at the email in the blog post if you would like this info
Lorine
Hi Lorine, Jim here, formerly of Cochrane, now in Sturgeon Falls.
When you were checking out Frank Crummy did you come across this?.
http://www.southpeacearchives.org/
Hi Jim - thanks for the link. I did check their archives and there are several references to the Crummy brothers.
The problem now is that the Mounties don't believe this is the right family because the tombstone birth year is out by 2 years.
They aren't genealogists and so don't realize that tombstones are often incorrect and only as accurate as the knowledge of the person who orders it engraved!
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