Alexander Berrier (b. PA abt. 1827) was a son of John & Mary Ann Berrier and appears in the 1850 Crawford Co. PA census in the home of his parents. In 1860 he and his wife Louisa (Maillard) and family are in Allamakee Co. IA near John Berrier and several of John & Mary Ann's other children. After that time, Alexander & family move back to Crawford Co. PA. Although the 1880 PA census gives Alexander's parents' birthplaces as "France" and "France," this is surely in error. In 1910, his wife's parents are listed as French, while Alexander's father's birth place & language are given as "Germany/German" while his mother's are "Ireland/Irish." These are the correct birthplaces for John and Mary Ann Berrier.

Alexander lived to be over 90 years old. Amazingly, he did not die of natural causes. Here is the newspaper account, transcribed by John G. Chamberlin:

AGED MAN IS KILLED BY TRAIN THIS AFTERNOON

Alexander Berrier, aged more than 90 years, was struck and almost instantly killed by Train No. 225 on the Franklin Branch Wednesday afternoon about 2:25 near the Poplar Street crossing. His head was smashed in and there were numerous cuts and bruises on the body. Mr. Berrier was about five feet east of the Poplar Street crossing when the locomotive hit him. He was carried about 20 feet and then dragged for perhaps 75 feet. He was still breathing when witnesses of the accident reached his side, but all signs of life had departed by the time Byham’s ambulance arrived. He had made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Dora Kelly of 1009 Market Street. He is also survived by two sons, George, of Meadville and Frank, of Mead township. Mr. Berrier formerly resided near Pettis. The remains were removed to Byham’s morgue to be prepared for burial.

-- Meadville (PA) Evening Republican, April 11, 1917

Thanks to Diane Thomas for this biographical information.

Census data:

• 1860 IA, Allamakee Co., Union Prairie Twp., p. 231, Dw. 1198, Fam. 1172
  • Alexander Borer, age 35, male, Farm laborer, $290 Pers. prop., b. PA, cannot read or write
  • Louisa Borer, age 28, female, Housekeeper, b. NY
  • George Borer, age 5, male, b. PA, att. school
  • Corset Borer, age 4, male, b. PA, att. school
  • Francis Borer, age 7 mo., male, b. IA
• 1870 PA, Crawford Co., E. Fairfield Twp., p. 134, Dw. 7, Fam. 7
  • Berrier, Alexander, age 44, white male, Farmer, $3200 Real, $420 Pers. prop., b. PA, father & mother foreign-born, cannot write
  • Berrier, Louisa, age 38, white female, Keeping house, b. NY, father & mother foreign-born
  • Berrier, George, age 15, white male, at home, b. PA, att. school
  • Berrier, Cosset, age 13, white male, att. school, b. PA, cannot write
  • Berrier, Francis, age 10, white male, att. school, b. IA, cannot write
  • Berrier, Pora(?), age 2, white female, b. PA
• 1880 PA, Crawford Co., E. Fairfield Twp., Dw. 137, Fam. 138
  • Berrier, Alexander, white male, age 53, married, Farmer, b. PA, father & mother b. France? (ditto marks under preceding family)
  • Berrier, Loisa, white female, age 48, wife, married, Keeping house, v. PA, father & mother b. France? (ditto marks)
  • Berrier, Francis, white male, age 20, son, single, At home, b. PA, father & mother b. PA
  • Berrier, Sara(?), white female, age 11, daughter, single, At home, att. school, b. PA, father & mother b. PA
• 1900 PA, Crawford Co., West Mead Twp., Dw. 89, Fam. 93, p. 211a
  • Perrier, Frank, Head, white male, b. Nov. 1859, age 40, single, b. IA, father b. PA, mother b. NY, Farmer, owns farm mortage-free
  • Perrier, Alexander, Father, white male, b. Sept. 1826, age 73, married 46 years, b. PA, father b. MA, mother b. Ireland
  • Perrier, Louise, Mother, white female, b. Dec. 1831, age 68, married 46 years, mother of 4 children 3 living, b. NY, father b. France, mother b. France, Housekeeper
• 1910 PA, Crawford Co., E. Fairfield Twp., Dw. 84, Fam. 84
  • Kelley, Ralph, Head, white male, 39? y.o., married 5 years, b. PA, father b. PA, mother b. PA, Farmer on general farm
  • Kelley, Dora, Wife, white female, 41? y.o., married 5 years, mother of 2 children 2 living, b. PA, father b. NY [sic], mother b. PA [sic], no occup.
  • Berrier, Alexander, Father-in-law, white male, 83 y.o., married 55 years, b. PA, father b. Germany/German, mother b. Ireland/Irish, no occup.
  • Berrier, Louise, Mother-in-law, white female, 78 y.o., married 55 years, mother of 4 children 3 living, b. NY, father b. France/French, mother b. France/French
  • Roche, Loyd, Hired man, white male, 15 y.o., single, b. PA, father b. PA, mother b PA, Farm laborer