Reverend Harry S. Crossett, Sr.

Today the decision is to begin the backward look at the family by using the one with the least depth.  The Crossett Family.  What do you do when your grandfather doesn't exist?  At least according to all 5 Boroughs of the city that never sleeps, he doesn't exist.  

He looks pretty much like a person to me.  This is even what I remember most, except the mouth line was often in a grin and always ready to tickle (my brother would probably beg to differ).  

Every document post 1900 tell us he was born in NYC in May, 1884.  It's those pesky documents from 1890 that were burned that are the problem.  

His mother's name was Sarah M.  According to her death certificate, she was born in Fort Edward, Washington County, NY.  Can't find her in Fort Edward. She died in CT with the only last name we can confirm, TWISS.  

Are you feeling as confused as we are?  We have no idea who his father was.  According to the Census, Sarah had 3 children.  All alive in the 1900 census, but all with different last names, Crossett, Baldwin, and Twiss.  Sensing a trend here?  Harry Jr. has done the DNA test on Ancestry in an effort to find some missing pieces, so far, we've linked to his mother's family (Brainerd/Brainard)) but no Crossett.  

Wikipedia doesn't have much to offer on May 1884: 

• May 1 – The eight-hour workday is first proclaimed by the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions in the United States. May 1, called May Day or Labour Day, is now a holiday recognized in almost every industrialized country

But May of 1884 means that I exist.  Where is he?