Charles Vroom appeared in the census with Henrietta Vroom Hodges in Massachusetts, listed as “cousin”. There was also a young girl named Cora Vroom. Since they were part of the family, I decided to learn more about them.
Charles Vroom was born in January 1855 in Nova Scotia, the third of five children of Arvard and Eliza (Chesley) Vroom. The 1861 census shows the family living in Annapolis County, The document does not name the community, but Arvard lived near his brother Cornelius, and I know that Cornelius lived in Middleton, so I suspect that this census is of that town, or nearby Wilmot, where Arvard died in 1868.
In 1871, Charles lived with his siblings and widowed mother in Middleton Corner. Other Vroom and Chesley families lived nearby. They were considered “English” descent. In 1881, the family was living at Middleton Corner, and were called “German”. Actually, the Vrooms were of Dutch descent, Loyalists who moved to Nova Scotia from New York and New Jersey, during and after the Revolutionary War.
Ellen A Parker was born about October 1855, the daughter of James and Mary (Slocomb) Parker. Like many from Nova Scotia, Ellen moved to Massachusetts for work. In the1880 census, she was listed as a servant in a household in Lynn.
Charles also moved to Massachusetts, seeking a better life. On May 7, 1883, Charles sailed from Annapolis to Boston on the steamer City Point. The Lynn MA directory of 1883-1884, and of 1885 shows Vroom, Charles, occupation carpenter, boarding at #2 Fernald’s court.
Ellen and Charles were married on 18 January, 1886 in Lynn. Charles continued to work as a carpenter, an occupation he held all his life. They first boarded at #9 Olive, then at #9 Highland Avenue. Eliza, their first daughter, and probably named for his mother, was born 7 January 1887 in Lynn, but she lived only three days. Their second daughter, Cora Mildred, was born 1 Feb 1888. (Cora married Harry Forrest Doe, but she died at age 32, predeceasing Charles, and I have not found any children for her.)
The 1890 city directory lists Charles living at 21 Highland. In 1894, they lived at 52 Friend.
Ellen travelled back to Nova Scotia, and returned southbound on a ship called Yarmouth, from Yarmouth to Boston, arriving on 22 July 1894. Ellen died 14 January 1895, in Somerville MA, and was buried at Pine Grove cemetery in Lynn. Cause of death was breast cancer. Her home address was 345 Washington Street in Lynn. The death record listed her mother as “Mary”, father as unknown Parker. Because there are Parkers who married into the Hodges family, I was curious about whether she might be a relative through more than one connection. After finding all I could at Ancestry and FamilySearch.org (the pilot version) I posted a query at a Nova Scotia genealogy site. Within a day or so, someone who had been researching Parkers provided Ellen’s parents’ names. They weren’t familiar with the Vrooms, so I was able to provide information for them about Charles and his family. I really enjoy the exchange of information – it helps everyone work on their corner of the family tree.
In 1900, Charles and daughter Cora lived with his cousin Henrietta Vroom Hodges Woodbury, and her children, Etha and Frank Hodges. Charles became a naturalized citizen in 1906 at Lynn Police Court. At that time, his birth date was listed as 2 Nov 1855, and his country of birth or allegiance as Great Britain.
In the 1910 census Charles lived with Frank G. Lovett. The 1917 Lynn Directory has Vroom Charles A, carpenter rooming at 500 Essex. In the 1920 census he was living with Daniel Paul in Lynn, working as a carpenter at a city school. The Lynn directory for that year and for 1921 lists Vroom, Charles carpenter rooms 505 Essex.
Charles died in March 1921, and is also buried in Pine Grove cemetery in Lynn. Coincidentally, his parents are both buried in Pine Grove cemetery in Middleton, Nova Scotia.
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