Last month we received a comment from Brian on the Shackford Genealogy Facebook page . Brian stated that he was an artist working on a WWI piece and was the proud new owner of a WW1 dogtag stamped Alonzo C Shackford No. 1024719 Cook HQ CO 34th Infantry. He wondered if Alonzo shows up in my genealogy.
We’re really glad Brian found this Shackford Family History WEBsites because Alonzo is my sixth cousin once removed (that’s calculated by my RootsMagic software) and is someone I didn’t know much about even though I’ve been in correspondence with some of Alonzo’s descendants since 2001.
Brian’s message got me interested in researching more about Alonzo Crosby Shackford who was the son of George Alonzo and Mary (Pinkham) Shackford born in East Boston on November 1, 1879. Some sort of probate hearing related to guardianship was held in 1890 regarding Alonzo but we do not know why there was an issue related to his guardianship at this time.
Alonzo was 20 when he married Effie Belle Knights in Wakefield, Massachusetts on November 1, 1899. They lived in Melrose on June 14 1900 with their daughter Lila May. When Alonzo joined the Masons in 1902 he listed his occupation as a brakeman and in June 1903 when his son George Crosby Shackford was born he listed his occupation a stable keeper. Sometime before 1908 Alonzo moved to San Bernardino, California where he purchased some land .
In 1910 we find Alonzo, his wife Effie, and their two children living together in San Bernardino at 1263 Rialto avenue with Alonzo working as a soda water manufacturer but by 1912 the San Bernardino newspapers were full of articles describing a lawsuit filed by Mrs Effie Shackford to regain possession of the Eagle Soda Works. We don’t have all the facts but from the newspaper articles it appears that Alonzo had owned part of the Eagle Soda Works, but owed money for promissory notes related to the business, received some money from family in the East but left his job with unpaid debts related to the company and was seen spending money on a woman. His wife Effie believed she was due some of the rights to the company and initiated a lawsuit to obtain those rights. We’ve only found some of the newspaper articles and haven’t found any court records so we’re not sure of the outcome of the lawsuit. We’re not sure where Alonzo moved but know that by 1916 Effie has moved to Lynn where she became a nurse.
In 1920 Alonzo resurfaces in records – he’s in Camp Funston, Riley, Kansas listed with an occupation of soldier. We don’t have any other information about his military service but because Brian provided the service record it would now be possible to obtain more information about his military service from the National Archives.
In 1922, Alonzo is a registered voter in Los Angeles living at 129 Sotello working as a brakeman. By 1930 he is back in San Bernardino with a new wife Margaret and in 1932 the San Bernardino Directory shows him living on Rialto avenue again. His obituary states that he was a freight conductor for the Southern Pacific railway for more than 25 years, mentions his widow Margaret, a son George of Boston, and a granddaughter.
And what about the railway record? Well this wonderful treasure of a document gave us Alonzo’s social security number, his home address which is the same address listed in his obituary and is the only source that lets us know that he worked for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company.
No 35023
SHACKFORD, ALONZO CROSBY S. S. A. No 700-14-8010
1429 Rialto Av., San Bernardino
Calif.
The A. T. & S. R. Ry. Co Service Years C 39 V 36
We’ve learned a lot about Alonzo Crosby Shackford in the last few days, pieced together some of his life but will continue to search for more documents that help us understand his life. Also, we’re very intrigued by the independence shown by his wife Effie who stood up for herself in 1912 at a time when women did not have many right, moved back from California to Massachusetts, became a nurse and opened her own business. In the future we’ll do some more research about her life.
All posts on this website are a work in progress. We’d love to learn of any corrections or additions to the information shared. Also we’d love it if you’d like the post here or at http://www.facebook.com/shackfordgenealogy) as that helps share the post with others. Thanks!
SOURCES:
1900 United States Federal Census, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, population schedule, Melrose City, Ward 1, enumeration district (ED) Enumeration District No 877, Sheet No 14 (A), Page 222 (stamped), 50 Union St, Dwelling 322, Family 338 (also listed as Dwelling 320, Family 339), Alonzo C Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 September 2013).
1910 United States Federal Census, San Bernardino County, California, population schedule, San Bernardino, enumeration district (ED) Enumeration District No 120, Sheet No 10A, 1263 Rialto, dwelling 200, family 212, Alonzo Schackford; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 25 May 2016).
1920 United States Federal Census, Riley County, Kansas, population schedule, Camp Funston, enumeration district (ED) Enumeration District No 133, Sheet No 22A, 7th Divsion USA, Alonzo C Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 May 2016).
1930 United States Federal Census, San Bernardino County, California, population schedule, San Bernardino, enumeration district (ED) Enumeration District No 36-87, Sheet No 22A, 1435 Rialto St, dwelling 535, family 585, Alonzo C Shackford; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 25 May 2016).
“Kansas, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Prior Service Records, 1859-1935,” digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 May 2016), Alonzo C Shackford.
Massachusetts, Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915, , George Crosby Shackford, birth, 20 June 1903; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 26 July 2013).
Massachusetts, , “,” Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Index, 1871-1909 (Part A-K) (www.ancestry.com: accessed 5 September 2013), Alonzo C Shackford 1890, Guardian No 29109
Massachusetts, Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N4CR-PMV, Alonzo C. Shackford and Effie B. Knights, 1 November 1899; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 26 May 2016).
San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, California), 16 December 1908, A. C. Shackford, page 3; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 26 May 2016).
San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, California), 20 April 1913; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 26 May 2016).
San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, California), 23 April 1913; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 26 May 2016).
Undated clipping, from unidentified newspaper; Alonzo Shackford Obituary Clipping Posted to Ancestry.com by Linda Freeman; privately held by , [address for private use].
Copyright 2017 Joanne Shackford Parkes (sharing a link to this post is appreciated but please do not just copy this material and paste it elsewhere)
SHACKFORD Family History 