Edward James Crooke (1918 - 1987)

Born 10 Jun 1918 in Pensacola, Escambia, Florida, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Gladys Marie (Unknown) Crooke — married 1 Mar 1945 (to 16 May 1945) in Duval, Florida, USA

Husband of Cenus (Fant) Crooke — married 23 May 1966 (to 27 Apr 1978) in Montgomery, Alabama, United States

Died 20 Aug 1987 at age 69 in Pensacola, Escambia, Florida, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Alicia Taylor [send private message]

Biography

Tec 5 Edward Crooke served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started: 17 Dec 1940
Unit(s): infantry
Service ended: 20 Jun 1945

This profile is part of the Crooke Name Study.

Edward Crooke has Irish ancestors.

Edward Crooke has German Roots.

Early Life

Edward Crooke was born to William Crooke and Beatrice Williams on 10 Jun 1918 in Pensacola, Florida. ^[1] He was the third oldest of six children.

When he was two years old, his family rented a house on US Street in Kupfrians Park, Escambia, Florida. His father worked as a boiler maker.^[2]

By the time he was 11 or 12, his family had moved to Gadsden street in Pensacola, Florida. His father still worked as a boiler maker at the shipyards, and Edward's older brother, William Crooke, owned his own newspaper route. ^[3]

In 1935, at the height of the great depression, his father no longer lived with the family. His mother owned the house on Gadsden now. His brother, William, worked as a taxi driver. His sister, Violet Crooke, worked as a waitress. Edward worked as a store clerk. ^[4]

His mother and father divorced before July 1937 and his mother remarried to Frederick Jones on July 3, 1937.

At some point, his father moved to Galvaston, Texas and married Nannie Longnecker^[5]

When he registered for the WWII draft in October of 1940, Edward lived with his mother and step-father on Gadsden Street in Pensacola, Florida. ^[1] His grandmother and sister lived there as well. His step-father painted houses, and Edward worked as a taxi driver. ^[6]

Miltary

He enlisted in the Army Infantry on 17 Dec 1940 in Pensacola, Florida to serve during WWII ^[7].

He was a seargent by 1945. ^[8] Before he left the military, he was a Tech Sergeant in paygrade 5. ^[9]

Marriage and Family

Gladys Marie Webb

Gladys was divorced according to their marriage license, so "Webb" may not be her married name^[10][11]

The couple lived in Pensacola on West Jackson Street before he became stationed at Fort Blanding in Jacksonville, Florida. ^[8]

Their short marriage came to an end when she passed away on 16 May 1945 in Jacksonville. ^[12] I do not believe the couple had any children, and am not sure if she had any in her previous marriage.

Cenus Fant

On May 23, 1966, Edward married Cenus (Fant) Crooke in Montgomery, Alabama.^[13]

In 1977, the couple lived in Pensacola, Florida. ^[14]

Interesting Information

In 1960, Edward made the news when a shotgun in his car fell over and discharged, shooting him in the right leg. He was rescued by a passer-by. ^[15]

Appearance

Edward Crooke was about 5'9 with brown hair, brown eyes and a light complexion. He also had is social security number tatooed on is arm. ^[1]

Occupations and Education

Taxi Driver for Henderson Taxi company ^{[1] [6]}

He had a 5th grade education. ^[6]

Death and Burial

He passed away on 20 Aug 1987 ^[16] at 69 years of age and is buried in Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida, ^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} "Florida, World War II Draft Registration Cards,1940-1945," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2C5-JLXV : 16 August 2019), Edward James Crooke, 16 Oct 1940; records extracted by FamilySearch and images digitized by Ancestry; citing Pensacola, Escambia, Florida, United States, Draft Registration, NARA NAID 7644725. Records of the Selective Service System, 1926 - 1975, RG 147. National Archives at St. Louis, Missouri, n.d.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNYN-X8G : accessed 12 September 2019), Edwin J Crooks in household of William Crooks, Kupfrians Park, Escambia, Florida, United States; citing ED 20, sheet 8B, line 86, family 194, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 219; FHL microfilm 1,820,219.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SRFH-R3Z : accessed 12 September 2019), Edwin J Crooke in household of William A Crooke, Pensacola, Escambia, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 30, sheet 2A, line 36, family 35, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 315; FHL microfilm 2,340,050.
4. ↑ "Florida State Census, 1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNVQ-XKK : 2 February 2018), Beatrice L Crooke in household of Charles Butler Junior, , Escambia, Florida; citing line 1, State Archives, Tallahassee; FHL microfilm 2,425,157.
5. ↑ "United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPJ4-44S : 17 October 2017), William Adam Crooke, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VTHN-R6G : 26 July 2019), Edward J Crooke in household of Elizabeth Williams, Ward 4, Pensacola, Election Precinct 38, Escambia, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 17-40, sheet 2B, line 65, family 39, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 586
7. ↑ "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8L7-462 : 5 December 2014), Edward J Crooke, enlisted 17 Dec 1940, Ft Barrancas, Florida, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35901405/pensacola_news_journal/?xid=637&_ga=2.108695490.1721093293.1568147121-1316333308.1539638770
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73560115
10. ↑ "Florida Marriages, 1830-1993," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:23H9-RG4 : 12 July 2019), Edward J Crooke and Gladys M Webb, 1945; citing Marriage, Florida, United States, citing multiple County Clerks of Court, Florida; FHL microfilm 2,115,791.
11. ↑ "Florida Marriages, 1830-1993," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRCX-1LR : 12 July 2019), Edward J Crooke and Gladys M Webb, 1 Mar 1945; citing Marriage, Duval, Florida, United States, citing multiple County Clerks of Court, Florida; FHL microfilm 2,109,047.
12. ↑ Mrs Edward Crooks Dies in Jacksonville Pensacola News Journal Pensacola, Florida 18 May 1945, Fri • Page 10
13. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG1C-C25Q : 28 November 2018), Edward James Crooke and Cenes F Bradford, 23 May 1966; citing Montgomery, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,893,367.
14. ↑ "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K16F-MQ4 : 23 May 2014), Edward J Crooke, Residence, Pensacola, Florida, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.
15. ↑ Man is Wounded in Gun Accident The Pensacola News Pensacola, Florida 05 Dec 1960, Mon • Page 13
16. ↑ "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VVWQ-T46 : 25 December 2014), Edward James Crooke, 20 Aug 1987; from "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998," index, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : 2004); citing vol. , certificate number 80495, Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, Jacksonville.