Rhoda's Story after James Died

James Demetris Rowlison died on 2 Aug 1890 leaving Rhoda with small children on the farm in western Kansas. They had sold out on their farm on the Benedict place northeast of Edgar, Nebraska in November 1886 keeping a team and a wagon. They attended the state convention of the G. A. R. in Grand Island and then drove the team to Hoxie, Kansas.

 Ethel was their 11th child born in November of 1888 and James died less than two years later.

Following is the chronology of Rhoda's life after James died in 1890 through her own death in 1932. Please review this information and let me know if you have any corrections, additions, or further information that is needed to complete Rhoda's story during this period.

Rhoda found herself widowed with a large family to deal with:

Ethel was 20 months old

Mabel was four years old

Roy was six

James was nine

Myrtle was eleven

Martha was thirteen

Charles was sixteen

Minnie was eighteen

George was 20 years old

Gustavus was 24 years old

Maggie was 22 years old, had married earlier in the year and was living near Edgar, Nebraska.

It is likely that at least eight of the children were still at home. George and Gustavus may have also been with her, but in any event, they were nearby to help. There would not be a second marriage in the family until September 1898 when Martha married Oliver Cassell in Clay Center, so it’s likely she had returned to Nebraska where she met Oliver, Maggie’s brother-in-law.

The story of Rhoda’s life as a widow from 1890 to 1932 is clearer when viewed chronologically.

Nov 1886                    The family left Nebraska for Hoxie.

9 Nov 1888                 Daughter Ethel Rowlison born in Hoxie, Sheridan, Kansas

7 Apr 1890                  Daughter Maggie Rowlison married David Cassell in Hoxie, Sheridan, Kansas

2 Aug 1890                 Husband James Demetris Rowlison died in Hoxie, Sheridan, Kansas

19 Feb 1891                Granddaughter Jessie Cassell (Maggie’s dau) born in Ong, Clay, Nebraska

11 Apr 1892                Grandson James Cassell (Maggie’s son) born in Edgar, Clay, Nebraska

2 Aug 1894                 Grandson Harry Cassell (Maggie’s son) born in Edgar, Clay, Nebraska

19 Mar 1897               Grandson Leonard (Bum) Cassell (Maggie’s son) born Edgar, Clay, Nebraska

21 Sep 1898                Daughter Martha Rowlison married Oliver Cassell in Clay Center, Clay, Nebraska

23 Oct 1898                Son George Rowlison married Clara Clements

8 Jan 1899                   Daughter Myrtle Rowlison married Hugh Long

20 Jun 1899                 Grandson Gaylord Cassell (Martha’s son) born

20 Aug 1899               Gustavus Adolphus (Dolph) married Madge Bryan

24 Sep 1899                Charles Rowlison married Laura Griffith

20 Jan 1900                 Florence Long (Myrtle’s dau) born

13 Jun 1900                 Mabel Rowlison (Charles’s dau) born

21 Jun 1900                 1900 Census – Rhoda was living in Kenneth Township, Sheridan County, Kansas with Minnie, age 28; James, 19; Roy, 16; Mabel, 13 and Ethel age 11.

20 Sep 1900                Rosetta Rowlison (Dolph’s dau) born

15 Nov 1900               Mabel Rowlison (Charle’s dau) died

22 Dec 1900                Ralph Cassell (Martha’s son) born

15 Aug 1901               Hazel Rowlison (George’s dau) born

29 Jan 1902                 Lois Long (Myrtle’s dau) born

7 Feb 1902                  Gladys Cassell (Maggie’s dau) born

20 Sep 1902                Buel Rowlison (Dolph’s son) born

15 Jul 1903                 Dorothy Rowlison (Charles’s dau) born

7 Oct 1903                  Howard Cassell (Martha’s son) born

21 Feb 1904                Bernard Rowlison (George’s son) born

28 Dec 1904                Leland (Pete) Cassell (Maggie’s son) born

8 Feb 1905                  James Rowlison married Fanny Baldock

31 May 1905               Roy Rowlison married Laura Gowen

4 May 1906                 Earl Rowlison (Roy’s son) born

16 May 1906               Ralph Rowlison (Dolph’s son) born

18 Jun 1906                 Vernon Cassell (Martha’s son) born

19 Aug 1906               Ruth Rowlison (Charles’s dau) born

14 Apr 1907                Arthur (Mike) Cassell (Maggie’s son) born

3 Aug 1907                 Theodore Rowlison (Dolph’s son) born

27 Nov 1907               Darlene Rowlison (Roy’s day) born

5 Aug 1908                 Cleo Cassell (Martha’s dau) born

2 Feb 1909                  George Rowlison (Rhoda’s son) died

17 Feb 1909                Grace Rowlison (Charles’s son) born

17 Dec 1909                Wayne (Brody) Cassell (Maggie’s son) born

19 Feb 1910                Orville Rowlison (Dolph’s son) born

27 Feb 1910                James Rowlison (James’s son) born

18 Apr 1910                1910 Census: Rhoda was living in Hayes Ward 1, Ellis County, Kansas with Minnie, age 38; Mabel, 23 and Ethel 21.

4 Aug 1910                 Oleta Rowlison (Roy’s dau) born

6 Dec 1910                  Helen Cassell (Martha’s dau) born           

21 Mar 1912               Wayne Rowlison (Charles’s son) born

22 May 1912               Mildred Cassell (Maggie’s dau) born

8 Jun 1912                   Mabel Rowlison married Fredrick Calvert

20 Jun 1912                 Dwight Rowlison (Roy’s son) born

24 Aug 1912               Lena Rowlison (Dolph’s dau) born

9 Apr 1913                  Marvin Cassell (Martha’s son) born

21 Nov 1913               Wilma Rowlison (Charles’s dau) born

8 Mar 1914                 Eva Rowlison (Roy’s dau) born

1 Apr 1915                  Roy Cassell (Martha’s son) born

8 Oct 1915                  Emma Rowlison (Dolph’s dau) born

16 Aug 1916               Floyd Rowlison (Roy’s son) born

16 Aug 1916               Fern Rowlison (Roy’s dau) born

22 Feb 1917                Gr-granddaughter Ruth Cassell (Maggie>Harry) born in Nebraska

23 Mar 1918               Gr.grandson Robert Cassell (Maggie>Harry) born in Nebraska

8 Sep 1918                  John Rowlison (Dolph’s son) born

6 Jan 1919                   Merna Cassell (Martha’s dau) born

19 Apr 1919                Gustavus Adolphus (Rhoda’s son) died

13 Nov 1919               Max Rowlison (Roy’s son) born

3 Jan 1920                   1920 Census: Rhoda was living in Ong, Logan Township, Clay County, Nebraska with Ethel, age 31 and Maggie's son Leonard (Bum) Cassell, age 22, a garage mechanic in Ong, the town’s first mechanic according to our folklore.

3 May 1920                 Gr-grandson Lovelle Karnatz (Maggie>Jessie) born in Nebraska

20 May 1920               Minnie Rowlison married Gilbert Carey

                                                Pearl Carey (Minnie’s step-dau) was 7 years old

27 May 1920               Gr-granddaughter Margaret Cassell (Maggie>Harry) born in Nebraska

5 Jul 1921                   Gr-granddaughter Rhodabelle Karnatz (Maggie>Jessie) born in Nebraska

1 Nov 1921                 Betty Rowlison (Roy’s dau) born

7 Jun 1922                   Ethel Rowlison married LeRoy Oakley

19 Aug 1923               Gr-granddaughter Florine Cassell (Maggie>James) born in Nebraska

15 Sep 1923                Gr-granddaughter Vaunden Nelson (George>Hazel) born in Nebraska

14 Nov 1923               Gr-granddaughter Irlene Beam (Myrtle>Lois) born in Twin Falls, Idaho

15 Nov 1923               Gr-granddaughter Irlene Beam (Myrtle>Lois) died in Twin Falls, Idaho

13 Apr 1924                Ethel LoRee Oakley (Ethel’s dau) was born

26 Oct 1924                Gr-granddaughter Ruby Karnatz (Maggie>Jessie) born in Nebraska

11 Nov 1924               Gr-grandson Ronald Cassell (Maggie>Harry) born in Nebraska

16 Jun 1925                 Gr-granddaughter Lois Beam (Myrtle>Lois) born in Twin Falls, Idaho

9 Mar 1926                 Gr-granddaughter Nellie Louise (Haskett?) (Gustavus > Rosetta) born 9 Mar 1926 in Missouri

10 Aug 1926               Gr-grandson Ray Karnatz (Maggie>Jessie) born in Nebraska

27 Sep 1926                Marjorie Calvert (Mabel’s dau) born

11 Mar 1927               Gr-granddaughter Irla Beam (Myrtle>Lois) born in Twin Falls, Idaho

18 Dec 1928                Buel Rowlison (Dolph’s son) died    

1929                            Gr-grandson James (Haskett?) (Gustavus > Rosetta) born

28 Apr 1929                Gr-grandson Donal Nelson (George>Hazel) born in Nebraska

18 Apr 1930                1930 Census: Rhoda was living in Clay Center, Clay County, Nebraska with daughter Ethel and Roy Oakley and their daughter LoRee, age 6.

4 June 1930                 Gr-grandson Kenneth Cassell (Maggie>James) born in Edgar, Clay, Nebraska

11 Jul 1930                 Gr-granddaughter Donna Cassell (Maggie>Leonard) born in Clay Center, Clay, Nebraska

12 May 1931               Gr-grandson Harold Rowlison (Gustavus>Theodore) born in Kansas

9 Jul 1931                   Gr-granddaughter Marylee Cassell (Martha>Howard) born

24 Mar 1932               Rhoda (Walton) Rowlison died

Uncovering Family Secrets - John Milton Chivington

Col. John Milton Chivington

Genealogical research can lead to discovering important and well-known people back there on the distant branches of the family tree. But there should be some caution taken to prepare to find someone you might have just as well not wanted to know about.

Such was my discovery that the husband of my 2nd great grand aunt was John Milton Chivington.

Some of you Rowlison cousins have not heard of this fellow; others will think the name sounds somewhat familiar but can't quite place it; and others will have gasped a bit.

James Demetris Rowlison's aunt, the sister of the younger Aaron Rowlison was married to a one-time Methodist preacher who was commissioned by the Territory of Colorado and led a Colorado infantry unit in engagements against Confederate forces in the West. So far, so good.

Then in 1864, Colonel Chivington led a rag-tag army of Denver bar flies on a 100-day enlistment to fight Indians in southeast Colorado. Nearing the end of the 100 days of army life and with nothing to show for their efforts, the Colorado 3rd Infantry, early on the morning of November 29th attacked a peaceful village of mostly Northern Cheyenne Indians, mostly women, children and elderly killing a large and disputed number.

A consensus eventually developed that put the deaths in the village at about 140 of which 110 were women and children. The engagement was called the Battle of Sand Creek but that name became the Sand Creek Massacre or the Chivington Massacre.

The Park Service built a new visitor center on the site of the massacre in 2007. The web site for the site is:
http://www.nps.gov/sand/index.htm

Several books and web sites tell the story of this tragedy. You might as well start with wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_Creek_massacre

On a visit to the visitor center in 2011, I purchased a couple of books including a large-format, 300-page book titled The John Milton Chivington Record, June 2, 1813 - October 4, 1894.

The cover of the Chivington Record, a compilation of accounts and military records
concerning Chivington's military career

The Back page of the Chivington Record

Col. Chivington's particular brand of behavior didn't stop with massacres; he left a peculiar mark in his home life too. After James Rowlison's Aunt Martha died in 1867 and their son Thomas had died in 1866, John Chivington married his son's wife Sarah - his daughter-in-law.

This marriage was not looked on kindly by Sarah's family. Her parents had the following published in The New York Times on January 11, 1868: 

We, the undersigned, take this method to inform the public that the criminal act of John M. Chivington, in marrying our daughter, Mrs. Sarah A. Chivington, the widow of Thomas M. Chivington, was unknown to us, and a thing we very much regret.  Had the facts been made known to us of the intentions some measures would have been taken to prevent the consummation of so vile an outrage, even if violent measures were necessary.  Hoping that this may be a sufficient explanation, we remain,        JOHN B. LULL & ALMIRA LULL

The dating of these events is tight between the deaths of Martha and Thomas, the marriage between John and Sarah and the public notice by Sarah's parents.

The colonel remained true to form by soon abandoning Sarah.

A real Peach of a Guy.

The Nebraska Historical Society has a reprint of an article that tells the story of our fellow:  http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/history/full-text/NH2007Chivington.pdf

My initial look at the piece convinced me that I need to revisit it for further study. There were two interesting notes though. One described a meeting between John Chivington and his brother Lewis in Oregon, Missouri after twenty-five years. John recognized his brother; Lewis did not. Turns out Lewis was a solid sympathizer of the Confederacy and the institution of slavery and that's what they talked about. After Lewis caught on that he was talking to his brother, a solid Union man he warned John to get out of Missouri as his crowd.intended, "...to hang all of your class of preachers."

The other note indicates that a grandson of John M. Chivington named Thomas McKnight Chivington was the President of the American Association. I found this reference among others:  http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=266&dat=19110211&id=oPJEAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q7cMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5030,2604113

Of further interest, that middle name of McKnight comes from this fellow's great grandmother, Elizabeth McKnight who was also James D. Rowlison's grandmother.

The following is posted here as a note a few people who appear in a "DNA Circle" on ancestry.com as having DNA connections to John Chivington's granddaughter Jessie Fremont Pollock, and in some cases, with DNA connections to our Rowlison family.

I discovered a new DNA Circle on ancestry.com which includes five of us connected to Jessie Fremont Pollock (1861-1904). She is my second cousin twice removed with common ancestors of Aaron Rowlison (1762-1837) and Elizabeth McKnight (1776-1837).

Jessie’s line to Aaron and Elizabeth is: Mother Sarah Ann Chivington (1844-1900),  her mother Martha L. Rowlison (who was married to likely the foulest individual in your tree also, John Milton Chivington – the lowlife responsible for the Sand Creek Massacre in southeast Colorado in 1864), Martha’s parents were Aaron and Elizabeth (McKnight) Rowlison mentioned above.

My line to our common ancestor is: myself, Jerrell R. (Jerry) Johnson, my mother Mildred L. Cassell, her mother Maggie A Rowlison, her father James Demetris Rowlison, his father Aaron Rowlison (1809-1875) brother of (Martha L. Rowlison) Chivington and their parents Aaron (1762-1837) and Elizabeth.

Our Rowlison immigrant Aaron Charles Rowlison (1680?-1745) likely came from England to New Jersey. There is shakey evidence that his parents may have been Anthony Rowlison and Anna Buntinge. Aaron and “Katarina” had at least four sons, Charles, Stephen, John and Nathaniel. John (1725-1776)  and Mary were the elder Aaron’s parents.

The elder Aaron Rowlison and the McKnights were in Rockbridge County, Virginia when the younger Aaron and Martha and their older brother George McKnight Rowlison were born.

This was the second marriage for both Aaron and Elizabeth; Aaron’s first wife was Margaret McConkey (d. 1807); Elizabeth’s first husband was John Chambers. Aaron had two sons and two daughters by the first marriage, Elizabeth had one daughter. Elizabeth’s daughter Jane Chambers later married one of Aaron’s sons, Nathaniel (have fun drawing those lines.)

My great grandparents, James Demetris Rowlison (Indiana 82^nd Infantry) and his bride Rhoda Walton made a multi-stop 20 year migration from Indiana through Missouri, Iowa, multiple Nebraska stops to Hoxie, Kansas. My grandmother Maggie stopped in Nebraska and married a Scot, David Cassell and some of are still in Clay County, Nebraska.

The Rowlison Family from 1680

Here is the family lineage that you've been waiting for - our Rowlison Line:

There is a decent consensus that our Rowlison immigrant was Aaron Charles Rolison (there are multiple spellings) who was born in England in 1680 and got himself to Perth Amboy in Middlesex County New Jersey by 1715 when he deeded a piece of land in Perth Amboy to his oldest son Charles. There is at least one family tree on FamilyTreeMaker's site that matches our information rather well except listing Aaron Charles Roleson as being born in Denmark and immigrating about 1789.

Several researchers (or more likely, those who copied info from a researcher) claim to have identified Aaron Charles Rowlison and his parents based on an October 31, 1680 baptismal record at St. Ann Blackfrier's church in London where Anthony Rollinson and wife Ann had son Charles Rollinson baptized. The date matches and the names are pretty close as these things go so it is a plausible connection though on based on a single piece of data. Anthony and Ann have not earned a place in my file of our ancestors. Watch this space, or spend some time on it yourself. Contact me for a coarse course to follow.

In any event, a fellow likely our ancestor showed up in New Jersey and he was listed as the "doorkeeper at the New Jersey Legislature in Perth Amboy in 1725." Perth Amboy is just across the Arthur Kill Waterway and the state line from Staten Island and is considered part of Metropolitan New York.

I guess we could say with a straight face that James Rowlison's great, great grandfather was "in" the New Jersey Legislature. But let's not. Maybe he was "Chief of Security" or something. Maybe he really was "the" doorkeeper and not just "a" doorkeeper. But he appears to have been our Rowlison guy.

This chart list four sons of Aaron Charles Rowlison; our ancestor is John born in 1725. The note at the bottom comes from a family tree of someone researching the oldest son, Charles and contains a bit about his family.

John Rowlison moved to Woodbridge, NJ before his son Aaron and our branch of the family moved to the hills of Rockbridge County. We have some information about the families of William and Nathaniel. Years ago I corresponded with a couple of descendants of Nathaniel.

This Aaron Rowlison (1762-1837) is the senior Aaron, James D's grandfather. The note identifies brothers Aaron and his brother as being mentioned in the Official Register of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War. They are listed consecutively as Aaron Rowlison and William Rowlinson. We have more information on William, his unit and commander and his pension application. I have not found similar documentation on Aaron.

Note that "other spouses" are listed for Aaron and Elizabeth. Each had families with the other spouses.

Aaron the younger (b. 1809) is our ancestor, father of James Demetris Rowlison. The sister Martha was the wife of John Milton Chivington who warrants a post of his own.

Elizabeth McKnight's father came from Ayrshire, Scotland, her mother appears to have been born in Ireland.

This next chart is the family of the younger Aaron and Martha Ann Kinnear. It appears that they had both moved from Virginia homes to Lancaster in Jefferson County, Indiana near the Ohio River where they were married in 1836.

I told the story in the Kinnear family post about their graves - Martha is not buried with Aaron but is probably in an unmarked grave elsewhere in College Hill Cemetery.

Our guy, James Demetris Rowlison was the oldest of nine born to Aaron and Martha Ann (Kinnear) Rowlison between 1839 and about 1855. There were two boys followed by seven girls including twins in about 1853 (a bit of evidence puts their birth in '52).

The young lady of particular interest is Victoria Calidonia, a story I was taken by many years ago. She warrants her own post, her own website, maybe.

This is our Rowlison family line, along with the Walton's, our primary lines associated with our reunion group. I've tracked many of the descendant families from these siblings of our direct ancestors and they are covered in my ancestry.com file. Interested family members are invited to contact me for "guest" access to my file, no cost to examine these cousins of varying distance.

The Rowlison Women - 1908

This classic picture of Rhoda Rowlison and her six daughters was likely taken in or about 1908.

Assuming a 1908 date on this picture, we have: top row, left to right: Maggie Alice (Rowlison) Cassell (1868-1964, age 40 at the time of the photo; Myrtle Amy (Rowlison) Long (1879-1967) age 29; Martha Anna (Rowlison) Cassell (1877-1962) age 31; Minnie Alma (Rowlison) Carey (1872-1959) age 36. Bottom row: Ethel Althea (Rowlison) Oakley (1888-1984) age 20; Rhoda (Walton) Rowlison (1843-1932) age 65; and Mabel Alfretta (Rowlison) Calvert (1886-1950) age 22.

So, where was this picture taken? We don't have documentation for their whereabouts in 1908, but we do for 1910. The 1910 census places each of the seven as follows:

Rhoda - Hayes, Kansas
Maggie - Logan Township, Clay County Nebraska
Minnie - Hayes, Kansas
Martha - Edgar Township, Clay County, Nebraska
Myrtle - Bryant Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska
Mabel - Hayes, Kansas
Ethel - Hayes Kansas

A good guess would be that in response to some special occasion, the three sisters from the Edgar/Ong area of Clay County, Nebraska traveled to Hayes, Kansas to visit their mother and the family living there when they visited a Hayes, or other local photographer for this portrait. It was a good idea then; it remains a good, or great idea.

Would have been also good had Rhoda's five sons could have posed for such a portrait. Best guess, in 1908 Gustavus (Dolph) was in Sheridan County, Kansas; George in Thomas County (he would die in February, 1909), Charles in Saline County, Nebraska, James in Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska and Roy in Clay County, Nebraska. It's likely there was never such a portrait of the boys in the family. Has anyone seen anything close?      

Ethel (Rowlison) Oakley's 90th Birthday - Nov 1978

Her nieces helped Aunt Ethel Oakley celebrate her 90th birthday in November, 1978. Pictured here are left to right, Mildred (Cassell) Johnson, Maggie's ninth child; Gladys (Cassell) Starr, Maggie's fifth; Cleo (Cassell) Lambert, Martha's fifth; Merna (Cassell) Buresh, Martha's ninth; Hazel (Rowlison) Nelson, George Rowlison's oldest; and Helen (Cassell) Haidsiak, Martha's sixth.

Mildred, Gladys, Cleo, Merna, Hazel and Helen with their dear Aunt Ethel in November, 1978 on Ethel's 90th birthday.

Ethel Aletha (Rowlison) Oakley was born in Hoxie, Kansas on November 9th, 1888 at the end of the Indiana to Kansas migration, the 11th of James and Rhoda's children.

Ethel was married to Roy Oakley, long time Clay County Clerk in Clay Center. Rhoda spent the last years of her life living in Clay Center with Roy and Ethel and their daughter LoRee.

Ethel was close to her many Cassell nieces and nephews and their families. Her sisters, Maggie Alice and Martha Anna married a couple of Scots, the Cassell brothers, David and Oliver and stayed near Edgar, Nebraska as the Rowlison family moved to Hoxie. Both Cassell families produced nine children, a total of 18 born from Maggie's Jessie born in 1891 and Martha's (Aunt Annie) Merna in 1919 - six boys and three girls in each family.

David and Oliver Cassell were uncles of Ethel's husband Roy. Roy was the son of their sister Elizabeth (Cassell) Oakley. The parents of Elizabeth, David and Oliver were James and Isabella (Maxwell) Cassell immigrants from near Kennoway, Fife County, Scotland to Morrison, Whiteside County, Illinois before moving west to southern Clay County, Nebraska.

Let's speak to longevity here. Ages at time of death of these seven women was 84, 92, 96, 84, 103, 86 and 95. Moms Maggie and Martha were 96 and 85. On the other end of the spectrum, Hazel's (103) parents died before 1913 at 38 and 32.

2011 Reunion - Colorado Springs

The descendants of James Demetris Rowlison and Rhoda Walton held their biennial reunion in Colorado Springs during the weekend of July 22 - 24, 2011. A smaller than usual group attended with no loss of enthusiasm as a smaller group. About 35 people attended.

The highlight of the weekend was the dinner and show at the Flying W Ranch - since destroyed in the Waldo Canyon fire on June 26, 2012. See:  http://www.gazette.com/articles/ranch-140885-reportedly-waldo.html

We enjoyed visiting at the hotel on Saturday, all day and headed out to a restaurant for dinner Saturday evening.

Our only glitch of the weekend was when Lena missed the briefing on start time for the dinner and she and Roscoe arrived a couple of hours early. Actually it was not that much of a glitch as they took advantage of the extra time and caught a fine nap.

It was a fine dinner followed by the usual fundraising auction conducted by the family huckster, BJ of Illinois.

Our section of the house at the Flying W show.

Waiting for the show

There was more rainbow than rain that night.

Lena's 100th Birthday

HAPPY 100th Birthday, LENA

Lena and her new boy friend Roscoe at our evening at the Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs July 22, 2011

Lena Alma Rowlison was born August 24, 1912 in Logan Township, Sheridan County, Kansas. All of the Rowlison and Walton (and I'm sure Bryan) families wish her the best of birthdays. We all wish we could be at the birthday party on Sunday the 26th.

Our family tree is noted for the longevity of many members with a good number of "nonagenarians."  As far as I know, and I welcome corrections, Lena is the third to reach the centenarian milestone.

Pearl Goesch (Winnie Pearl Rowlison) (11 Aug 1879 - 1 Nov 1982) was the daughter of Merritt (or Merit, or Uncle Met) Walton and Zenah Ann Strait. Many of us attended Pearl's 100th birthday party in Edgar in 1979. Pearl was a niece of Rhoda (Walton) Rowlison and was first cousin of Lena's father.

Hazel Blanche (Rowlison) Nelson (15 Aug 1901 - 19 Dec 2004) was the daughter of George Abraham Rowlison and Clara Ethel Clements and was Lena's first cousin. I just happened to be visiting Nebraska the week of Hazel's 100th birthday and had the good fortune of spending an hour or so with her in the home in Geneva.

Lena is the last of her generation, my mother's generation within the James and Rhoda Rowlison family and as far as I know, the last of that generation in the Isaiah Walton and Eliza Jane Hall family as well.

Lena's father was Gustavus Adolphus (Uncle Dolph) Rowlison (1866 - 1919), the first child of James and Rhoda Rowlison born in Indiana before they began their extended migration to Missouri, Iowa, multiple Nebraska farms and finally to Hoxie, Kansas. Dolph followed his parents through the complete trek to Kansas where many of his descendants live today.

Her mother was Madge Bryan (1880 - 1959) whose family I have not (yet) researched.

Lena was the sixth of eight children born to the Bryans.

As to Lena's health, her grand niece and frequent visitor Linda reports that Lena continues to do well. Lena has weakening vision but otherwise is in good health. I can attest, based on visits at reunions in 2007, 2009 and 2011 that Lena holds up her end of the conversation very well.

If you'd like to join us in wishing Lena a happy 100th birthday by sending a card, please email me at jjhnsn@windstream.net and I will send you her mailing address.

Happy Birthday, Lena

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...

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------

Lena Rowlison

Lena was our honored Rowlison family member. Lena's parents were Gustavus Adolphus (Dolph) Rowlison and Madge Bryan. Dolph was the oldest child of James and Rhoda Rowlison, born in Indiana in August, 1866 and a infant as they began their trek west that winter.