Stephen Cropper was listed as a hat manufacturer at 63 Bull Street from 1845 to 1848. From 1848 to 1850, his son Peter Stephen Cropper was listed as having a shop and premises at 63 Bull Street.
In October 1849 a fire destroys the building and Stephen takes a £470 payout from the insurance. Stephen left for America the following month heading for Baltimore, Maryland.
The rest of the family arrived in Phildadelphia in February 1850 on board the ship William Penn but travelling under an assumed name of Brook(e)!!!
At the time of their departure there was a Brooke family living near to 63 Bull Street who were also hatters, so it was probable that both families knew each other. In April 1850, an Issac Brook arrived in Philadelphia and eventually married one of Peter Stephens sisters, Emma.
In the 1850 US Census, Issac was listed as being part of the Cropper household, so obviously got to know Emma very well.
Three days before his family arrived, Stephen Cropper was robbed of his insurance money ($2000) by an employee, Mark Booth, who jumped on a boat and headed back to the UK.
In July, Stephen set out from Boston, Mass. to sail to Liverpool in pursuit of Mark Booth.
Word was sent to the UK that Cropper, now listed as a gunsmith, was coming to get Booth and bringing with him signed letters from the Mayor of Phildelphia setting out the story of the robbery. Booth had used the money to set up a beer house when Cropper arrived in Manchester. Cropper basically hired some men, made a ''citizens arrest'' and took Booth to the nearest police station. Once details of the whole episode was explained the authorities had to apply to Lord Palmerston to verify the arrest.
However the Philadelphia Mayor had listed the offence as larceny whilst Lord Palmerston had signed paperwork to agree to arrest under robbery. As larceny wasn't a UK offence in legal terms, Booth was released on a technicality.
Cropper, unhappy with this, recaptured Booth and held him hostage. In the meantime, a Mr Wood, another hatter, having heard of Croppers arrival back in the UK, remembered that Stephen had left for the US, leaving a large outstanding debt to be paid. Wood, having obtained permission, sought out Cropper staying at the Blackamoors Head and executed his own citizens arrest of Cropper, who was taken to Lancaster Gaol.
After various appeals and re-scheduling Cropper was tried as an Insolvent Debtor and sent to Debtors Prison, whereby he further appealed for support, asking for 4 shillings per week from Mr Wood, his creditor, who had put him there in the first place. Whilst in prison Stephen was listed on the 1851 Census as a shopkeeper.
In late 1851/early 1852 he was released and he returned back to Baltimore, living at the corner of Howard and Cathedral St, listed as the Proprietor of Howard House, a large Baltimore Hotel.
In 1853 an oil lamp overturned and caught alight Stephens daughters clothing and her young infant, severely burning the mother of the child and she died 10 days later. Another fire-related disaster for Stephen!!
Somewhere between the first fire at Bull Street (Oct 1849) and Stephens arrival back in Baltimore in early 1852 Stephens wife, Hannah, had also died, so Stephen re-married in late 1853 to Martha Finall.
He became a naturalised citizen of the US in March 1854 and in August 1855, Stephen and Martha had their first child, but this infant died before it was 3 months old.
By 1859 they were living in Illinois and moved around a fair bit thereafter, with Stephen now being listed as a liquor merchant, and with $5000 personal estate value by 1860. October 1863 saw them return to the UK, having relocated to Birkenhead, near to Stephens cousin Richard, who lived in Tranmere.
Stephen died in Sept 1865, now a wines and spirits merchant, but his address on the death certificate is Southport, yet he was still residing in Birkenhead. Why? Martha was his executrix but 11 years later she passed away and Stephens cousin, Richard, along with the various grand-children were then granted as being the executors of the estate.
What an amazing story connected to a simple token..................never thought my research would throw up a story like this!!!!
Source - CarnarvonTraders.com
