1908 Rowlison Family Photo

This Rowlison photo is identified as 1908 and taken at Roy Rowlison's. The back lists the families but not in order of the arrangement. It is approximately the same set of folks as the 1909 photo. I'll work on identifying everybody. Everybody in invited to build their own caption - we'll compare later... Luckily, many of the dresses appear in both photos, unluckily, there sure is a bunch of little kids. Again, click on the photo for a larger view.

1909 Rowlison Family Photo

Click on the photo to enlarge it. The back of the photo lists the folks but often uses middle names or later married last names. The photo is dated 1909. Does anyone recognize where this was taken? The following is that list plus my interpretation in parentheses. I've included the ages of the folks in 1909. Please let me know about any mistakes. The list flows from left to right...

Madge Rowlison (Madge Bryan age 29, Dolph's wife), Henry Shipley (age 36, first husband of Mabel C. Walton,), Dolph Rowlison (43, in the back, Gustavus Adolphus), Ralph Cassell (in front, age 9, son of Martha Anna and Oliver Cassell), Leonard Cassell (age 12, Maggie's son, aka Bum), Mabel Shipley Walton (partially hidden by Leonard, age 34, Mabel C. Walton, dau of Merritt Walton – Rhoda’s brother, Mabel’s second husband was William Merritt Walton, her cousin), James Cassell (age 17, tall fellow in the back, Maggie’s son) Anna Cassell (age 32, Martha Anna Rowlison), Cleo Cassell (Lambert) (age 1 held by Anna), Howard Cassell (6, Anna’s son in front of her), Vernon Cassell (age 3, Anna’s son in front row), Oliver Cassell (back row, age 43, Anna’s husband), Harry Cassell (age 13, though he looks taller than Harry was as an adult – Maggie’s son), Gaylord Cassell (age 10, Anna’s oldest and in front of Harry), Leland Cassell (age 5, front row with wind-blown collar – aka Pete), Dave Cassell (45, back row, Maggie’s husband), Fritze, Hired Man (anybody know who this is? must be the short fellow in front of Dave C.), Buel Rowlison (age 7, next to Leland C., Buel Arthur – Dolph’s son), Ralph Rowlison (age 3, next to Buel, also Dolph’s son), Roy Long (back row, Hugh LeRoy Long, age 34, Myrtle Amy Rowlison’s husband – Idaho), Maggie Cassell (Maggie Alice R. age 41 and probably pregnant at this time – Wayne was born in Dec. 1909), Mae Long (Lois Mae Long – Beam, age 7, front row, Amy’s daughter), Arthur Cassell (aka Mike, age 2, the little guy at front row center), Amy Long (do not know who this is – back row in the window), Gladys Cassell Starr (age 7, front row next to Mike Cassell, Maggie’s dau), Ethel Oakley (Ethel Rowlison, age 21 behind Rhoda), Rhoda Rowlison (age 66 at this time), Hazel Rowlison Nelson (Hazel Blanche, dau of George Rowlison, age 8, front row, next to Gladys), Jessie Cassell – Karnatz (age 18, back row, Maggie’s oldest), Florence Long (age 9, front row, Shillington, Amy’s daughter), Fritz Goesch (Fredrick August Gerhardt Goesch, age 31, back row, husband of Pearl Walton), Pearl Goesch (Winnie Pearl Walton, age 30, daughter of Merritt Walton – Rhoda’s brother, in front of Fritz), Evelyn Goesch – Ulibarri (age 1, behind held by her mother, Pearl), Rosetta Rowlison (age 9, Haskett, Dolph’s oldest, in front of Pearl), Percy Goesch (Walton Percival Goesch, age 5, front row, stocking cap), Roy Rowlison (26, back row, round hat, Rhoda’s ninth), Laura Rowlison (Laura Gowen-Rowlison, Roy’s wife, age 25 next to Roy with baby), Harold Shipley (age 9) and Clarence Shipley (age 7 (Henry and Mabel’s sons with matching coats in front of Roy R.), Darlene Rowlison-Benner (age 1, Darlene Bernice, Roy & Laura’s daughter being held by Laura), Gary Goesch (age 3, Fredrick Gerhardt Goesch, front row holding sack?, Fritz and Pearl’s son), Earl Rowlison (Earl Wendell, age 3, front row, Roy’s oldest), Ethel Rowlison (Clara Ethel Clements, age 28, widow of George Abraham Rowlison (died Feb. 1909 and mother of Hazel and Bernard – living with her parents, George & Acsah Clements in Ong at the 1910 census), Bernard Rowlison (age 5, Ethel & George’s son). The caption states that “Oscar (Shorty) asleep in the house”. Probably Theodore Oscar Rowlison, Dolph’s two year old son).

You are welcome, no urged, to critique the caption as appropriate. Thanks...

Rhoda Walton Rowlison grave in Ong, NE

Rhoda Walton was born on 14 September 1843 in Deputy, Jefferson Co., Indiana and married James D. Rowlison on 22 November 1865 upon his return from the Civil War - 82nd Indiana Infantry.

Rhoda had eleven children over 22 years, August 1866 thru November 1888. James died in August 1890 in Hoxie, Kansas and before Ethel was two years old. He was buried in Hoxie

In addition to the two-year-old Ethel, Rhoda had children the ages of 4, 6, 9, 11, 13, and 16 who were likely at home. Older children, Minnie and George were 18 and 20 when James died and I'm not sure they were in Hoxie. Maggie was 22 and had stayed in Edgar missing the last Rowlison move. Dolph, the oldest of the 11 was 24 when his father died.

Rhoda died in Clay Center, Nebraska on 24 March 1932 and was buried in the Ong, Nebraska cemetery. Rhoda had been living with her youngest daughter Ethel Oakley and her family - husband Roy and daughter LoRee.

JD Rowlison Short Autobio - 1881

Several letters and notes from the Rowlison family made their way to Mildred Johnson via Maggie and Ethel Rowlison. Mildred transcribed these into her scrap books. I'll be posting some of these here... Jerry Johnson

Nuckolls County State of Nebraska

June A. D. 1881

To all whom it may concern: Know ye, that I, James D. Rowlison of said Co. and state above written do make known and declare that what I shall write will be the truth and nothing but the truth concerning my interest and demands that I shall make on account of the Estate of the late Aaron Rowlison, my father left by will to his heirs. In the first place I was born in Jefferson Co. Ind. on Apr. 3, 1839. Started to school the spring that I was 6 years old which was the last summer---I ever attended, had to stay at home and hoe corn and chop weeds till I was old enough to manage a single shovel plow and one horse, at the age of 11 years I commenced plowing with a breaking plow and 2 horses but could not manage both at once, my younger brother rode the near horse and managed them and I the plow. The spring that I was 17 years old my father had a mare that brought a colt that took the scours that being stoped it took cold, distemper got very poor and crooked. One morning he said to me that you will doctor that colt take care of it and raise it-I could have it as my own. During the winter next-a sow had pigs at a hay stack in the meadow all died but two they got mangey looked like they would all die too, he told my brother and I that we would take them and take care of them we could have them as our own- Saw a chance for a saddle for my colt. My brother got discouraged Sold me his pig for 15 cts. Sold that same pig on the streets of Dupont- that is the pork- at daylight, the next Oct. for over $16. Father claimed a part of it for feed furnished-gave it to him-bought me a saddle bridle and martingales and a few clothes. The other was a sow and raised 8 fine pigs. My father --- good suit of clothes to attend State fair at Lafayette and visit a brother in law of his in Montgomery Co. Ind. When he came back he said it was too fine a suit for him to wear, bartered me to swap them even for my sow and pigs for he said if he let me go on I would over stock the place. By the way it was the best suit of clothes I ever had while I was at home. They being mostly home spun about this time. I wanted to attend a singing ------ month to get a book and pay for the school but he said it was no use for me to be fooling away time at singing school. Went to Philip Von Dissen living on the Capt Wilson place borrowed the money got the book and paid for the school. Paid the money back by splitting rails at odd spells. During the campaign of 1860, Stephen A. Douglas was to speak at Indapo wanted to go and hear him, asked for monehy to go, and hear him speak couldn’t get it, went to Mr. John Elliot, borrowed it, paid it back working at odd spells for him. Helped tend the farm the summer of 1860 the same as I had always done receiving nothing but my board my father gave me and my brother 4 acres of ground to put in wheat in 59 or 60 to raise for half he------

Photo from the reunion - the lineup

They look all talked out here.