Lydia Mary Clachrie was born at home at 37 Mechanic Street, Pawcatuck, Connecticut, the sixth child of William McLeod Clachrie Sr. and Annie Lydia North, their only daughter to survive to adulthood. In 1932, at age 12, Lydia accompanied her mother and younger brother, Robert, on an ocean voyage to England and Scotland to attend the funeral of her maternal grandfather, James North. As a teenager, Lydia often rowed a skiff across the Pawcatuck River taking her father and brothers to work at the mill in Westerly, Rhode Island. Lydia was employed as a maid before she married Merle Forest Doughty Jr. in Pawcatuck, October 30, 1937, and they had five children to survive to adulthood: Robert; David; John; Dorothy; and Richard. In 1955, the Doughty family moved from Pawcatuck, Connecticut to Colonia, New Jersey, a change of employment for Lydia's husband, Merle. After her children were grown, Lydia began a bicycle adventure, her goal: to peddle the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, east to west. She did this in three stages, starting at age 57, completing at age 65. Traveling solo, she slept in a tent in pastures and city parks, an occasional sleazy motel, endured vicious dogs, a stolen bicycle, blown off the road by passing trucks, rain and hail, burning sun, tall mountains one after another, completing the 4600 miles averaging about 30 miles a day. At age 80, Lydia completed her life's journey at home in Colonia, succumbing to ovarian cancer. Lydia's remains were cremated and ashes buried in the plot with her parents.
Lydia Mary Clachrie was born at home at 37 Mechanic Street, Pawcatuck, Connecticut, the sixth child of William McLeod Clachrie Sr. and Annie Lydia North, their only daughter to survive to adulthood. In 1932, at age 12, Lydia accompanied her mother and younger brother, Robert, on an ocean voyage to England and Scotland to attend the funeral of her maternal grandfather, James North. As a teenager, Lydia often rowed a skiff across the Pawcatuck River taking her father and brothers to work at the mill in Westerly, Rhode Island. Lydia was employed as a maid before she married Merle Forest Doughty Jr. in Pawcatuck, October 30, 1937, and they had five children to survive to adulthood: Robert; David; John; Dorothy; and Richard. In 1955, the Doughty family moved from Pawcatuck, Connecticut to Colonia, New Jersey, a change of employment for Lydia's husband, Merle. After her children were grown, Lydia began a bicycle adventure, her goal: to peddle the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, east to west. She did this in three stages, starting at age 57, completing at age 65. Traveling solo, she slept in a tent in pastures and city parks, an occasional sleazy motel, endured vicious dogs, a stolen bicycle, blown off the road by passing trucks, rain and hail, burning sun, tall mountains one after another, completing the 4600 miles averaging about 30 miles a day. At age 80, Lydia completed her life's journey at home in Colonia, succumbing to ovarian cancer. Lydia's remains were cremated and ashes buried in the plot with her parents.
Gravesite Details
The butterfly on her stone reminds us of Lydia's solo cross-country bicycle trip where she describes herself as a wounded butterfly.
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