Curtis D. CROSS was born November 24, 1846 the son of James and Marinda FAULKNER CROSS. He died in August of 1917 at an estimated age of 70 years. He married Allie Brewer on an unknown date.
SON, GRANDSON, AND FATHER DEAD
Two Were Drowned and One Was Killed--Particulars Could Not be learned--WAS WELL
KNOWN IN CANISTEO Word was received late last night that Curtis D. Cross of
Warren, PA., who thirty years ago was a well known resident of Canisteo had been
killed. No particulars whatever have been learned.
Monday a son and a grandson of Mr. Cross were drowned. A few months previous to
this he had a son killed by the cars and also another son drowned, making five
deaths in the family in less than fifteen months.
Mr. Cross had a great many relatives in this locatity. He leaves four brothers
and one sister to mourn his loss. Wm. T., S.S., and L.L. Cross and Mrs. Cynthia
Carter of this village and Washington Cross of Ithaca. S.S. and L.L. Cross left
for Warren, Pa. this morning. (Canisteo Times--8/8/1917)
TRAGIC ENDING OF THREE LIVES FROM ONE FAMILY--8/15/1917
Four Sons of Curtis Cross, a Granddaughter and Himself Have All Met Violent
Deaths, Five of Them Within the Past Eighteen Months--One Son Drowned While
Gallantly Trying to Rescue His Niece.--Lyman L. Cross, Samuel S. Cross,
brothers, and Charles A. Carter, brother-in-law, of this village returned Sunday
from Tidioute, PA, where they were called on Wednesday to attend the triple
funeral of their
brother, Curtis Cross, his son, L.A. Cross, and grandchild, Claribel Cross. The
intelligence concerning this shocking fatality was given last week in The TIMES,
so far as the Canisteo relatives knew. It was not until they returned home from
the funeral that it was known here how they met their deaths. Lyman L. Cross
revealed the occurance to The TIMES as follows:
"The article in The TIMES last week was by far the most complete and
comprehensive of any account
that appeared in any paper I have seen either here or at Warren or Tidioute, PA.
We did not know until we
arrived there just how they were killed. It was as follows: L.A. Cross, aged 23,
who was married and
moved to Tidioute to reside, about eight miles away. The Allegany River borders
the farm, and it is a big,
ugly stream, 100 rods wide. There is an island of 30 acres on the farm, and a
perfectly safe ford, two feed
deep and about 25 rods wide. On Monday, L.A. Cross and his niece Claribel, the
10years old daughter of
James Cross, drove the team to the island for a load of hay. They put on a small
load and started back for
main land. When the wagon was about ten rods from the island, L.A. Cross heard a
scream, and looking
around, saw that part of the load had slid off into the river, and his niece was
on the middle of hay rapidly
floating down stream. He called to her to remain in the center perfectly still
and he would come rescue her.
She obeyed.
"He drove the load to the shore, unhitched one horse with the utmost speed
and jumping onto the horse
swam after the girl. All of the events were seen from the farm house, where Mrs.
Cross was watching.
Meanwhile the hay with its living freight had drifted into deep water. L.A. swam
the horse after it and
when he had overtaken her, they were in an eddy in deep water. He reached out
his arms for her and told
her to jump onto the horse. She attempted to but, as she sprang, the hay was not
firm enough to sustain her
and it was forced back so that they were separated, and she fell short of the
horse and sank into the water.
L.A. immediately dove in after the girl. Neither one ever came up. His wife with
a baby in her arms,
watched the whole affair.
HELD DOWN BY THE HAY
"The current was swift at the eddy and L.A. and the girl came up under the
hay, which held them down.
He was a powerful swimmer, and no doubt fought gallantly against the current and
the hay, but could not
overcome the obstacles. Her body was found right away in the eddy where she was
drowned. His body
floated down stream 1 1/2 miles and was not found until Wednesday night. The
sheriff and a large number
dragged the river night and day until it was rescued.
GORED BY A JERSEY BULL
" Curtis Cross, the father, went to his farm immediately after the
drowning. He milked Tueday morning
and when turning the cattle out of the barnyard, he was attacked by a two year
old Jersey Bull. He was
gored repeatedly and finally through through a wire fence. He managed to escape
and make his way to the
house. A physician was summonded, but he died at 1 p.m. He was born in
Hartsville. He enlisted at 17
years of age and after the war came to Canisteo and farmed it on what is now the
Downs farm on the
Hornell road. He went to Warren County, PA, 35 years ago. He retired about six
years ago and went to
Tidioute to live. In addition to the children published in The TIMES last week,
there is another son,
Ebenezer, a prominent railroad mand of Tionesta, PA.
THE TRIPLE FUNERAL
"The funeral was held on Thursday. Three caskets were taken from the house,
and brought in three
hearses tot he Methodist Church at Tidoute, PA for the funeral. Burial was made
in Hillside Cemetery at
Tidioute. Curtis Cross leave 10 grandchildren, one of whom is Mrs. Lynn Needy of
Canisteo. Two of his
grandchildren are in the army. The body of L.A. Cross was borne to the grave by
his four brothers and two
brother-in-laws. Two sisters and two cousins bore the casket of Claribel. Six
Grand Army men were the
bearers for my brothers remains.
SIX MET VIOLENT DEATHS
"This makes six violent deaths in this family. Nineteen years ago his son,
Curtis Jr. aged 11, was
drowned in the river while bathing where the accident occurred Monday. Within
the past 18 months five
more have been killed. John Cross was killed by a train in February, 1916.
Norman was killed within 8
rods of where the drowning occureed three months later. He was carrying Dynamite
up the bank of the
island to blast stumps when he slipped and wa blown to pieces. The drowning of
L.A. Cross and Clarabel,
and the fatal goring of my brother, I have already told you." (THE
TIMES--CANISTEO)
The Children of Curtis D. and ?? CROSS are:
1. L.A. CROSS who died in 1917.
2. James CROSS dates are unknown
3. John CROSS who died in 1916.
4. Norman CROSS who died in 1917.
5. Curtis CROSS, Jr. dates are unknown
6. Bert CROSS whose dates are unknown
7. Charles CROSS whose dates are unknown
8. Ebb CROSS whose dates are unknown
9. Ben CROSS whose dates are unknown
10. ? CROSS whose dates are unknown. She married Robert GIBSON whose dates are unknown.
11. ? CROSS whose dates are unknown. She married Arthur REYNOLDS whose dates are unknown.
12. Lillian CROSS who was born in 1874 and died September 1, 1926 at an estimated age of 52 years. She married William Riley CRIPPEN whose dates are unknown. Their children are:
a. Cora CRIPPEN whose dates are unknown.
b. Nellie CRIPPEN whose dates are unknown. She married ? NEELEY whose dates are unknown
c. ? CRIPPEN whose dates are unknown. She married Harry GREGORY whose dates are unknown.
d. ? CRIPPEN whose dates are unknown. She married Fred KEPNER whose dates are unknown.
e. Austin CRIPPEN whose dates are unknown.
Lillian M. CROSS married a second time to Henry FORBES whose dates are unknown. They had a son Edgar FORBES whose dates are unknown.
If you can fill in any of the unknown dates and names please email me.