Person Sheet


Name William Colcroft
Birth 1836, Stanningly, Leeds. England
Death 1916
Occupation Supposedly a British Soldier who married an Irish Catholic girl???
Religion Protestant
Father William Colcroft
Mother Alice (1800-1843)
Spouses
1 Catherine Delahunty
Birth Birr, Ireland
Death 1882, New York, NY3
Father Timothy Delahunty
Marriage 8 Apr 1858, St. Brendan's Church, Birr, County Offaly, Ireland
Children Elizabeth (1858-1934)
2 Sarah Ann Brooksbank54,55
Birth 1841
Death 13 Mar 1923, Bramley Baptist CHurch54
Children George William (1885-1914)
Notes for William Colcroft
"William was an Englishman from Stanningly, Leeds in Yorkshire, where his father had some connection with a local Protestant Church. I believe the church is known as Salem Church. It was not Church of England, but some other sect. I visited there in 1962 and found that there was still a Colcroft in the parish." --Robert T. Beyer3

"William joined the British army and was stationed in Birr. There is a large ruined barracks ouside the town which was almost certainly his post. On a visit to the town in 1959, I found the marriage record in the registry of St. Brendan's (Roman Catholic) Church for April 8, 1858, with the witnesses John Hayes (of the same regiment as William)) and Brigid Delahunty (probably Catherine's sister)." --Robert T. Beyer3

William Colcroft fimmigrated to the U.S. about 1870m, and joined the army. It is believed that he fought in the Indian Wars out West, and possibly was with troops near Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Later he returned to England, while his wife and daughter stayed in the US. (Family tradition suggests he thought the whole Indian War thing a bit much) Robert Beyer remebers his grandmother Elizabeth, Colcroft's daughter, saying she had to write to him perodically. After Catherine Delahunty died, Colcroft remarried, and his son became a prominent athlete, (Robert Beyer can remember seeing clippings about him) who died during World War One.56


Wedding witnesssed by John Hayes (same regiment as William and Brigid Delahunty (Catherine's sister? )

There is a record of a marraige of a William Colcroft in 1884 in the Bradford district, which covers the area in Yorkshire where his family lived before he moved to the US, and where his son George was born. He is listed on page 266 of the index57

What follows is an email from Webmaster, Bramley Baptist Church

"Dear Mr Beyer,

We have found the following records concerning the Colcrofts who are buried
in our graveyard (although we will not be held responsible for any
inaccuracies, but this information is correct to the best of our belief)

There is a grave owned by William Colcroft of Stannigley purchased in Jan.
1891, it is plot 104B in Section 2 of the graveyard. The following people
are recorded as having been buried in the plot:

Sarah Alice Colcroft - age & date of burial unknown
William Colcroft - died aged 77 yrs 26th May 1916
Sarah Ann Colcroft - died aged 82 years 13th March 1923

There is also a plot numbered 98 in section 5 of the graveyard purchased by
Elizabeth Colcroft of 3 West Grove Street, Stanningley.

The only burial recorded in this grave is of:

George William Colcroft who died aged 29 years; date of burial 22nd November
1915.

I hope that this information will be of use."54
Last Modified 1 Jan 1904 Created 20 May 2002 by Reunion for Macintosh

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