by the alias of Douglas Doolittle, tried to rob a train in Vandalia in March 1884.  He was convicted and sentenced to serve 4 years of hard labor in Chester, Illinois.  Nancy was granted a divorce from Alva in 1887.  She married Gilbert, my great-great grandfather  on April 25, 1887.  According to my grand aunt, Mary Josephine Crotser Karr, Nancy and Gilbert were married the same day that Alva was released from prison. Alva and Nancy had one sone, Edward William Doolittle. He was born on January in 1884.  Edward always went by the last name Crotser, as do all of his descendants.
 Gilbert and Nancy had at least 10 children of their own- Harry; George, born September 16, 1887; Julie, 1890; Fredrick Gilbert, August 3, 1891; Nancy Charlotta, September 22, 1892; Rose May, May 21, 1896; Charles, August 23, 1899; Frank, February 22, 1902; Robert, 1904; and Julia Ann, May 9, 1906. From the records so far gathered, it appears that all of these children were born in Vera.
     In an interview done with Julia Ann in May 1996, Julia stated that she and all of her siblings were born there. Julia also said that before she was born, the family at one point moved to Arkansas, but soon returned to Fayette County. This fact was substantiated by an interview with a descendant of the Doolittle- Johnson marriage.  After their marriage Gilbert, Nancy, Edward Doolittle, and George, the first child of Gilbert and Nancy, moved to Arkansas for a couple of years around 1887-1889. This time frame would have been the same time that Alva was released from the Chester prison. Perhaps they left Fayette to avoid a meeting. They appear to have returned to Fayette by 1890 for the birth of their daughter, Julie.  The Doolittle descendant stated that they have no further knowledge of Alva after his release from prison.
 Three of the Crotser children only lived a short time. Harry's date of birth is unknown, but he did not live past infancy. Daughter Julie also died soon after her birth in 1890. Robert's actual date of birth is unknown but did occur in 1904. He died on July 7th of that same year. More information on the lives of the other children will follow.
 The 1890 Census' were destroyed by fire so there is no record of the family for this time period.
 On the national scene, women were gaining some ground toward equality. Belva Lockwood, an attorney, and the first female to argue a case before the Supreme Court, became the first woman to run for President in 1888. She was nominated by the Equal Rights Party. Benjamin Harrison, a Republican, won the election.
 Both of the Dakotas, Montana, and Washington became states during this year.
1890 brought about the admission of Idaho and Wyoming and, according to the Census Bureau, the U.S. no longer had a “frontier” for further settlement.
 The economy began to decline in 1893 with the Philadelphia and Reading Railroads filing for bankruptcy. The Depression continued with the collapse of more railroads and the closing of many banks. Prices and wages reached their lowest point by the end of 1895.
 August 1896 saw the discovery of gold just east of the Alaskan border. This increase in the gold supply helped pull the nation out of it's depression.
 In January 1898 the U.S.S. Maine was sent to Cuba to ensure the protection of American lives and property during the unrest in that region. Spain, at this time, was in control of the island. On February 15 the Maine was destroyed, and the Spanish-American War began. The was over in only 105 days with the U.S. “freeing” Cuba from Spain.
 As the 20th century approached, the U.S. was enjoying a new period of prosperity and industrial growth. September 14, 1901 saw the assassination of President McKinley with Theodore Roosevelt taking over the vacated office. Orville Wright became the first man to fly

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