Continuation of tree (6th child of William Pitre/Marie Hache); all known surname descendants:
8 Alexander 'Allie' Pitre b: June 1870 Weldford, Kent, NB; d: Aft. August 1912
+--- Poirier (aka Perry)
9 Alexander J. Petrie (aka Alexander J. Perry or Lawrence Petrie or James Perry) b: May 1890 Great Works, Penobscot, ME; d: 7 January 1910 Orono, Penobscot, ME
Notes for Alexander 'Allie' Pitre:
Census
- 1871 Beresford, Gloucester, NB: William Pete 36 (shoemaker), wife Mary
33, Steven 12, Dorense 7, Mary 5, Margaret 3, Alexander 10 months.
- 1881 Chatham, Northumberland, NB: William Petrie 45 (shoemaker), wife
Mary 45, Stephen 23, Doran 18, Mary Jane 16, Margaret 12, Alexander 10, Elizabeth 6.
- Emigrated to Maine before 1886.
- 1900 Orono, Penobscot, Maine: William Petrie 54 (shoemaker), wife of 45
years Mary 65, adopted son Lawrence Petrie 8; daughter Maggie 31 &
husband of 11 years James Jones 34 (sawyer), their 5 children.
- 1910
MISC: Serving in the Philippines by 1905.
- By 1910, for about 15 years, Allie Petrie, has been a musician in the United States army.
- Alexander is mentioned as 'Corp. Allie Petrie' in father's 1912 obituary.
Obituary for the son:
Alexander J. Petrie: The Bangor Daily News, Saturday, 8 January 1910: James Perry, the United States soldier, who shot himself at a shooting gallery on Exchange street, Bangor, Thursday afternoon, died Friday afternoon at 2:20 o'clock not having recovered consciousness after being taken to the Eastern Maine General Hospital. Sargent Robinson of the local recruiting service has notified the commander at Fort Warren of the shooting. Perry was known in Orono as Lawrence Petrie and made his home here with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William Petrie. The remains were brought to Orono, Friday evening by undertaker E. J. Kelley. The funeral services will be announced later.
- Misc: The Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME), Wednesday, 19 April 1905: Orono, April 18 - Laurence Petrie, a lad of 14 years and a member of the Fifth grade, Grammar school, was arraigned before Judge Dunn on Tuesday morning and sentenced to a term at the State school for boys. Deputy Sheriff A. A. Powers immediately left with the boy for the school. Young Petrie is a bright, active, clever lad of considerable ability, but he is an inveterate truant and warnings and advice have gone unheeded. The boy's father is in the Philippines.
- The Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME), Thursday, 20 April 1905: Old Town, April 19 - Alexander J. Petrie of Orono, a youth of 14 years, appeared in the Old Town municipal court on Tuesday afternoon on a charge of truancy. He was committed to the State Reform school for the remainder of his minority.
- US Army register of enlistments: Alexander J. Perry, enlisted 13 June 1908 for 3 years; b. Great Works, ME; age 18 years 1 month; laborer; blue eyes, light brown hair, ruddy complexion; 5'7"; dishonorably discharged 11 March 1909 Ft. Leavenworth, KS
- The Bangor Daily News (Bangor, ME), Friday, 7 January 1910: Attempted Suicide of Artillery Man - Alexander Peary of Orono Shot Himself in Head - Condition Critical: Alexander J. Perry or Lawrence Petrie as he was better known, a soldier in the United States Artillery, stationed at Fort Warren, Mass., who was at his home in Orono on a furlough, attempted suicide by sending a cartridge into his brain from a .22 caliber rifle at 10:15 o'clock Thursday morning at Irving Craney's shooting gallery, 93 Exchange street, in Bangor. It was reported at the Eastern Maine General Hospital in the afternoon that Perry had not regained consciousness, a condition which he had been in since the shooting, and that his condition was critical. The soldier is only 20 years of age. He is five feet and seven inches in height, is dark complexioned, has light brown hair and brown eyes. The surgeon in charge of the case said last night that the slug had penetrated the skull of the brain and that an operation to remove it would be performed as soon as the man had recovered from the shock. The cartridge was of the smallest kind used and driven by a small charge of fulminate but was fired from a rifle which gave it considerable penetration. Perry called Thursday morning at the army recruiting office in lower Exchange street and according to Sergt. Robinson and his aids appeared to be in good spirits. His furlough of 10 days had expired on Wednesday noon and he explained that he was going to wire his station at Fort Warren, Mass., that he would return soon. The soldier had not been drinking and in fact people who knew him say that he was not in the habit of indulging in intoxicants. From the office Perry went to Irving Craney's shooting gallery at 93 Exchange street, a short distance up the street, and informed the proprietor that he wished to make a few shots. When the soldier entered, there were present beside the proprietor, Mr. Craney, Patrolman Mackie, Irving Jordan, George Williams and a small boy. Nothing out of the ordinary was noticed about the man, who, although he was not an expert shot, had fair success in hitting the targets. Even when Perry asked Proprietor Carney if a bullet from the 22 caliber rifle, which he was using, would inflict a mortal injury, no astonishment was manifested. The shooting gallery man replied that it depended whether or not a vital part should be reached. Then Perry placed the muzzle of the rifle against his right temple nearly above the ear. Simultaneously, the proprietor warned him that the weapon was cocked but the harm had been done, Perry sending the slug into his head. He fell to the floor and Mr. Craney hastened out in the street for Patrolman Mackie, who had left a few minutes previously. Dr. J. A. Lethiecq of Brewer, who by chance was passing, was called in. Because of the nature of the wound, the physician merely bound up the injury and the authorities were notified. Chief Bowen and Inspector Knaide of the police department arrived in the patrol wagon but as the ambulance of the Eastern Maine General Hospital was on its way, the police vehicle was not used. Through the large crowd of spectators, Perry was taken to the ambulance and thence to the hospital. According to Perry's actions on Wednesday it is thought that his act was premeditated but the cause cannot be ascertained. On Wednesday night between 6 and 7 o'clock, Station Agent Crane of the M.C.R.R. station at Orono received a telephone message from someone in the Bangor district to the effect that Lawrence Petrie, a soldier, living in Orono, had been shot through the heart and was in the hospital. The informant requested the agent to notify Petrie's family. The one doing the telephoning was loath to give his name but finally said Brown. Immediately a relative of Petrie came to Bangor and found Petrie enjoying the performance at the Gem Theatre, the soldier saying that he knew nothing of any shooting. Anson A. Powers, night watchman of Orono, with whom Perry talked on Tuesday night, throws more light upon the matter. To the officer Perry said that he had been riding in the train from Orono to Northern Maine Junction that he might reach Boston in time to report at Fort Warren on Wednesday, when he had met three other soldiers. There had been a dispute over a seat and one of the soldiers had tried to shoot Perry. However, the revolver would not work and instead Perry had been struck over the knee with the butt end of the weapon. No credence was placed in Perry's story. On Thursday, Deputy Sheriff Percy J. Chaplin of Orono, who had learned Station Agent Crane's and Night Watchman Powers's stories investigated and learned that the telephone call in regard to Perry's injury had come from Barker's drug store in Brewer. At the store it was learned that a soldier answering Perry's description, had used the public pay station on Wednesday night. Other actions of Perry seemed to establish why he did not attempt suicide on Wednesday night. He asked the officers at the recruiting station, these soldiers having been told by Perry of the alleged attack in the train, for some 35 calibre cartridges. At that time Perry had a holster, which he said he had taken from one of his assailants and it was thought he had a revolver, in which to place the 35 calibre cartridges. Failing to get any cartridges, he had given up the idea, it is thought. He did not get the cartridges at a store as he did not want to buy a box. The witnesses to the shooting in the gallery say that the act, without question was deliberate and could not be looked upon as an accident. In Orono, the young man was known as Lonnie or Lawrence Petrie and had made his home part of the time with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William Petrie, and his mother in South Brewer. About five years ago, he was sent to the State School for Boys for some boyish misdemeanor. On June 8, 1908, he was accepted in the United States Artillery at the recruiting office in Bangor, in charge of Sergt. Robinson and gave the name of Alexander J. Perry, the latter being his mother's maiden name. His age was given as 18 years and one month. He was assigned to Fort Warren, Mass., and had been home once before upon a furlough. When he enlisted he gave his residence as Brewer. For about 15 years his father, Allie Petrie, has been a musician in the United States army. Perry came to Bangor from Orono Thursday morning and those who saw him say that he bore no indications of being in an unhappy frame of mind. Sergt. Robinson of the recruiting office notified the Fort Warren station of Perry's deed. Perry was a member of the 96th company.
Back one generation to parents of Alexander 'Allie' Pitre
Items in RED have been verified against parish register entries.
- Some deaths in RED from online death certificates (1920-1938), online death registrations (1888-1919).
- Maine items in RED from online birth/marriage/death certificates.
Last updated: 4 September 2023.