More on Butlers and Crowley in the Boston Area

It has been helpful to me to be working in conjunction with my wife’s niece Tina. She writes: 1891 is when our Edward Butler Jr. shows up in Newton living at his aunt’s house as a boarder. (Right around the time we know EB Sr. passed away) This Boston address places them about two streets over from Mary Crowley’s brother at the same time in history. These are a few things that I was either not aware of or did not conect the dots. Newton in 1891 Here are the people listed being at 220 California Street, Newton in the 1891 Directory: I should point out that Edward H Butler would have only been 16 years old in 1891 assuming that his birth date of 28 April 1875 is correct. That brings us to the Boston Globe of December 17, 1891: My guess is that St. John would have been notified due to Edward’s widow Mary E Crowley. We know that Edward Senior was a Mariner or Longshoreman at the time of his death living at Clark Street in the North End of Boston. Therefor, we believe that the Edward H , clerk listed at 220 California Street would have been his son. Edward’s Sister Anna Butler My curiosity got the better of me, so I asked Tina who was Edward Junior’s Aunt who owned the house at 220 California Street in Newton. Here is her reply: I researched Anna Smith, who was listed as the owner of the boarding house at 220 California Street in Newton and found that she was a Butler. I found a marriage reord for her second marriage to Joseiph Wharton and it shows her parents as Henry Butler and Ellen Russell. But then George acutally is the infomrant on her death certificate and wakes her when she passes in 1917. Interestingly, he doen’t know her mom’s name – making me think Anne died young. He knows Henry is the dad. Here are the children I have for Henry Butler of Wexford: Perhaps she is the Mary Anne Butler born 1834? I see that Tina has this tree: Tina’s Anna is Anna Eliza Butler the youngest child. Tina also has Edward Butler and Adam Butler as two separate people. I can see where this could make sense. My guess is that these two were the same person. Showing more of what Tina has on Anna: Interesting that she has Anna’s mother as Anne Ellen Russel as one of the records below lists her mather as Ellen Russel. This shed a whole new light on things. Edward’s funeral was not hosted by his young son Edward Junior, but by his sister. Here is the baptismal record for Anne or Anna: Here is a marriage of Anna’s son Henry in Newton in 1896: Henry is an insurance agent born in New Brunswick: Here is Anna’s obituary: Where are the St. John, New Brunswick Records for Anna Smith and Family? Did they go to the same church that Edward got married in? I have that Edward Butler and Mary Crowley were married at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in 1855. I had found their daughter Julia Ann’s Baptismal record there also in a blog from 2023. Julia Ann was baptized on the 26th of April 1857. However, in 1857, Anna Butler would have only been 15. FamilySearch has additional information, but apparently it involves traveiling to one of their affiliate libraries: Perhaps there is a hint in the 1889 Newton Directory: I am guesseing that this is Anna above. And that below is the location of Crescent Street: Now, I also have that Edward Butler lived at 26 Crescent Street, Newton in 1900. 1887 Newton Directory Perhaps we can learn more of Anna by going back through the years – assuming she was still in Newton, MA. This says Crescent is near California, which makes me think I have the wrong Crescent Street above. The one above is not near California Steet: The red marker is at 220 California Street and the other Crescent Street was near Auburndale. 1885 Newton Directory I am hoping to get an idea of when George Smith died. I see that from researcher Tina’s Tree, she has that George Smith dies about 1884: Interesting. I wonder who Mrs. M Moody is: I am assuming tha the M. stands for Martha, widow of Bradstreet D Moody. Here are Jewett and Pearl Streets 1884-1885 Newton Directory I don’t see Anna or George: I don’t think George was a coachman. There was a George Smith who was a coachmen in 1889 when Anna was listed as a widow: 1883 The Newton Director has three Georges this year including the coachman: Of course, at this time, we do not know where the Smith family lived. 1881 Here is the Directory for Newton two years earlier: