GenMassachusetts-L Archives

From: "Betty" <>
Subject: Ronald McCAVOUR - NB to MA, Boston to Bridgewater ! (BEDELL)
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2005 07:19:02 -0400

Hello,

I've posted information before about the BEDELL family-tree which I am
trying to create for my newly found step-cousins from central MA. As it
turns out, another "mystery" has come up.

Four BEDELL siblings were born in MA between 1918 and 1923. There parents
were Charles A. BEDELL and Mrs. Hazel (SHAW) (McCAVOUR) BEDELL, and they
lived in Boston, Everett, Malden, etc. Charles and Hazel divorced
around 1934/35, and Hazel met and married - my grandfather, Silas Dean LEWIS
(have not yet found their marriage date). Around 1939, Silas and Hazel
moved out to Springfield, MA, and the 4 BEDELL children moved with them, and
most stayed in that area for quite a while.

When the 4 BEDELL children were growing up, the "family story" was that
their mother had had a child with her first husband, Allan McCAVOUR, up in
Saint John, NB. The McCAVOUR son would have been born ~1913 in Saint
John. Part of the "family story" was that this young boy had "died in an
accident as a child" (in Saint John). Well ... advice to
researchers? Don't write down that someone is "dead and buried" -until-
you have their "death certificate" in your hands !

After a query on the Saint John, NB, List, I heard from a lady who lives
up there that she had "heard" that this Ronald McCAVOUR had died in
Bridgewater, MA, in 1972 .... !!! Last week I took a chance and
e-mailed the Town Clerk in Bridgewater. An hour later she responded with
the information that it "was" Allan and Hazel (SHAW) McCAVOUR's son, Ronald,
who died there in February 1972 !

The "death certificate" arrived in the mail yesterday, providing even more
"mysteries" about this man. One "mystery" involved whether Ronald was
born with some type of "health problem" or "disability." That probably
wasn't true, as at the time of his death, he stated his occupation was a
"trucker."

I had heard from the NB Lists that Ronald had married in Saint John in 1937.
I still have not found out whether he and Florence (O'BRIEN) had any
children, but the death certificate said he was Divorced.

The next "mystery" - is that Ronald McCAVOUR died at the "Addiction Center
Hospital" -- at M.C.I. Bridgewater ! He was there for about a month
and a half, and he died of "Terminal Pulmonary Tuberculosis."

My question is .... Should I "assume" that Ronald McCAVOUR had some type
of "addiction" - drugs or alcohol - and he had been "picked up and taken
to" MCI Bridgewater for "Detox" and evaluation? (Another clue is
that he seems to have lived in Boston with "no permanent address.")

A medical question would be: The death record states that he only had
the "cause of death illness" for 10 days. I would think that, if he
had TB, he would have suffered a lot longer than that !

The next question is: The "funeral director" was William PROPLETT
(sp?); was that the name of the funeral home? And, the record said he
was buried "on Vernon Street in Bridgewater." Could someone tell me
what the name of that cemetery is?

.......
The 5 granddaughters of Charles and Hazel BEDELL whom I found on-line and
met in person this summer - knew Nothing -- about this older half-sibling of
their parents ! They were always told he had "died as a child" and
they have NO memory of ever meeting him or hearing any other stories about
him ! So, they are QUITE surprised to find out that not only did he live
to adulthood but he lived the last part of his life - right here in MA !

Mrs. Hazel (SHAW) (McCAVOUR) (BEDELL) LEWIS died in CT in 1948, and her 4
BEDELL children seem to have each gone their separate ways after that.
But, Albert BEDELL continued a good relationship with his step-father, Silas
Dean LEWIS, until Silas' death in 1961. And, Albert's 3 daughters heard
"nothing" about their father's "other brother" either from their father or
from their "Pops." (step-grandfather)

Thank you for your time.

Betty (near Lowell, MA)


P.S. It appears that I will need to find a day to drive to Dorchester -
in order to find several "vital records" which I need for this extended
BEDELL family tree:

Divorce of Charles & Hazel BEDELL, Marriage of Silas Dean LEWIS and Mrs.
Hazel BEDELL, and Death of Charles BEDELL, etc.

(Silas Dean LEWIS also divorced in 1935 from my grandmother. He had a 3rd
marriage in 1952 near Springfield, MA.)

(Thanks to a Lister, I found out that Charles BEDELL became an employee of
the B&M Railroad in 1902.)

This thread:

• Ronald McCAVOUR - NB to MA, Boston to Bridgewater ! (BEDELL) by "Betty" <>