TWELFTH GENERATION

2305. Roland De Vere BOWLBY^{(9885) (9886)(9887) (760)} was born on 3 Feb 1867 in near Carey, Wyandotte Co., OH.⁽⁹⁸⁸⁸⁾ He died on 2 Jan 1948 in Hancock Co., OH. ⁽⁹⁸⁸⁹⁾ He was buried in Maple Grove Cem., Findlay, OH. ⁽⁹⁸⁹⁰⁾ Blk 28, Lot 91, Grave #1. He was also known as Rolland. ⁽⁹⁸⁹¹⁾

Roland De Vere BOWLBY (12) was born 3 Feb 1867 near Carey OH. He married Charlotte B. LOMBARD 15 Sep 1891. He died 2 Jan 1948, and is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Findlay OH.

Newspaper obituary c. 1948:
Roland BOWLBY Passes
Funeral rites were held Monday afternoon at the Russell Herman Funeral home in Findlay, O., for Roland D. BOWLBY, 80, retired oil driller and father of Russell D. BOWLBY of St. Clair. He had been bedfast until his death on Friday from a stroke suffere [sic] two and one-half years ago. Roland D. BOWLBY was the last of a family of 10 children. He was born Feb. 3, 1867, in Wyandotte county near Carey, O., the son of James and Amanda (GRINDELL) BOWLBY. He lived in St. Clair for 18 years and during that time worked for Mason Brothers until he retired because of ill health shortly before returning to Findlay in 1936. On Sept. 15, 1891, he married Charlotte B. LOMBARD and she survives him. Also surviving are a son Russell BOWLBY, St. Clair; a daughter, Mrs. Harry RUCH, Findlay; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Another daughter, Mrs. Nita LAWRENCE, preceded him in death. The funeral was held at 2:30 p.m. Monday with Rev. Seth ADAMSEN officiating. Interment was in Maple Grove cemetery, Findlay. Pallbearers were team-mates of Bill Bowlby LAWRENCE, a grandson, on the Findlay semi-pro basketball team. Mr. and Mrs. Russell BOWLBY and family attended the funeral. Flowers were sent by the Charles Fulton Legion Post of St. Clair and friends at the Diamond Crystal Salt company.

Obituary (The Republican-Courier, Findlay OH, 3 Jan 1948, pg. 14):
RETIRED DRILLER CALLED BY DEATH
Funeral to be Held on Monday for Roland D. BOWLBY
Roland Devere BOWLBY, 80, of 203 ½ North Main street, retired oil driller, died at 4:15 o'clock yesterday afternoon in the Hancock county home. He had been bedfast since suffering a stroke two and one-half years ago.
Mr. BOWLBY was the last of a family of 10 children. He was born on Feb. 3, 1867 in Wyandot county, near Carey, a son of James and Amanda (GRINDELL) BOWLBY. He moved to Hancock county ten years ago from St. Clair, Mich.
On Sept. 15, 1891 he married Charlotte B. LOMBARD, and she survives.
Also surviving are a son, Russell BOWLBY, St. Clair, Mich.; a daughter, Mrs. Harry E. (Doris) RUCH, 728 Center street; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. One daughter, Mrs. Neta LAWRENCE, preceded him in death.
The body was taken to the Russell E. Herman funeral home where friends may call after six o'clock this evening.
Funeral services will be held there at 2:30 p.m. Monday with Rev. Seth ADAMSON officiating. Interment will be in Maple Grove cemetery.

>From Ruth Bowlby CARLETON (excerpts from autobiography):
Grandpa had a beautiful voice. At one time he had been a member of a quartet along with the man who wrote "Down by the Old Mill Stream" [Tell Vanlue TAYLOR]. He played the guitar + piano, among other things.

My days as Little May ended when my aunt [Neta] died soon after her little boy was born. I was very ill at the time, just barely surviving pneumonia, + I do not believe I was actually told of her death — + yet I knew. My grandmother + grandfather took [their grandson] + raised him as if he were their own child. At this point they lived on Thornapple St. (later on Orchard) + when I was 9 + began to take piano lessons I would practice after school on her piano. When I would arrive, grandma would put on her hat + go out on her errands. It was a bit difficult for me to practice + baby sit at the same time, so somehow or other dad + mother managed to buy a piano so I could practice at home.

I do remember an earthquake in our area when I was very young. I was sitting on my grandpa's lap + fell off. This upset me (in more ways than one!) Because I adored my Grandpa BOWLBY. As the first child, grandchild etc in the family, I no doubt received more than my share of attention, but grandpa was special — so big + loving + with such a comfortable lap to sit on while he sang to me. I remember one song about Noah's Ark, "The animals went in, two by two, the hippappatamus + the kickangeroo." He'd sing "The peanut sat on a railroad track, its heart was all aflutter, A train came roaring down the track, Toot toot peanuts butter. Oh — it aint gonna rain no more, it aint gonna rain no more, how in the heck can I wash my neck if it aint gonna rain no more?" He'd sing "Bill Bailey won't you please come home?" + "Father, dear father, come home with me now — the clock in the steeple strikes two" where poor little Willie died at the end but father wouldn't leave the bar to join the grieving family.

Another parade that I remember I watched from the porch of the CARLETON house on Second + Cass Streets where my grandparents rented the upstairs apartment. The porch was screened in summer + a cool place to sit on a hot July day. When the parade passed by, we all laughed at the discomforture of a young lad who sat in a bath tub on a float sponsored by the local plumber. Later on, after I'd met + married the CARLETON's oldest grandson, we lived for a while in that house with our sons... across from the City hall which included the fire station. The old city hall is gone now (a new + larger fire station + a library bldg now sit on that plot of land) + so is the CARLETON house + all the neighboring houses of the two boys' childhoods.

Roland BOWLBY was known for his fondness for cornmeal mush; he once ate so much his family was afraid he'd killed himself.*******

(Note: Comments in [brackets] are from me)

He was married to Charlotte B. LOMBARD on 15 Sep 1891.⁽⁹⁸⁹²⁾ Charlotte B. LOMBARD^{(9893) (9894) (760)} was born on 3 Jul 1873 in Adrian, OH.⁽⁹⁸⁹⁵⁾ She died on 15 Mar 1970 or 23 Mar 1970 in Blanchard Valley Hospital. ⁽⁹⁸⁹⁶⁾

Obituary (The Republican-Courier, Findlay OH, 24 Mar 1970, pg. A10):
CHARLOTTE BOWLBY
Mrs. Charlotte BOWLBY, 96 801 W. Sanduskey St., died at 5:10 p.m. Monday in Blanchard Valley Hospital.
She was born July 3, 1873 in Adrian, O., the daughter of William and Margaret (CARR) LOMBARD and was married to Rolland D. BOWLBY, who is deas-ed [sic], in 1891.
Surviving are two children, Russell BOWLBY, St. Clair, Mich., Mrs. Doris RUCH, Findlay; 5 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren an a great-great-grandchild.
Deceased are one child, Mrs. Neta LAWRENCE brothers and one sister.
Funeral services will be held 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Trautman Funeral home, the Rev. Don BULLOCK officiating. Burial will be at Maple Grove Cemetery.
Friends may call at Trautman's after 2 p.m. today.

(Note: Comments in [brackets] are from me.) She was buried in Maple Grove Cem., Findlay, OH.⁽⁹⁸⁹⁷⁾ Blk 28, Lot 91, Grave #2.
The obituary and death certificate of Charlotte list her parents as William LOMBARD and Charlotte CARR. Roland De Vere BOWLBY and Charlotte B. LOMBARD had the following children:

+4290 i. Russell De Vere BOWLBY^{(9898) (9899) (760)} was born on 1 Feb 1892 in Sidney, OH. ⁽⁹⁹⁰⁰⁾ He died on 2 Feb 1973. He was buried in Hillside Cem., St. Clair, MI.⁽⁹⁹⁰¹⁾

Russell De Vere BOWLBY (13) was born 1 Feb 1892 in Sidney OH. He died in 2 Feb 1973; buried Hillside Cemetery, St. Clair MI.**** He married Lois Belle BERNHARDT.

>From Ruth BOWLBY CARLETON (excerpts from autobiography):
My father, Russell De Vere BOWLBY, was born in Sidney, Ohio. His mother was Charlotte (LOMBARD) + his father Roland De Vere BOWLBY. He lived his childhood yrs in Findlay... My dad played the flute. He had an older sister Neta + a younger one Doris. Left high school before graduating to work on the oil + gas wells with his father. During WWI he was in the Army + was in France when the Armistice was signed. On his return he + mother spoke their wedding vows. She had given up her teaching career during the war + was working in a dept store in Toledo, where Uncle Del was living at the time. The wedding took place at Aunt Jessie's who lived in Saline, Mich.

The 4th of July was always a fun time when I was a child. Fireworks were legal for anyone to buy in those days, + there were always accidents, but my parents followed all the safety rules + were very careful in what we 3 were allowed to do. We had sparklers + "snakes" + some of the smaller explosives like the tiny firecrackers to set off ourselves during the day. In the evening we were kept on the porch, sitting in the swing or on the steps or railing, while dad put on our pyro technical display. I remember pin wheels attached to the maple trees + rockets that lit up the sky, + I suppose other families were doing the same thing. There was always a parade down Main St during the day, with my dad marching with other WWI veterans who belonged to the American Legion. [end excerpts]

He quit school after eighth grade against his father's wishes to work as an oil driller; his father withheld his pay until he was of legal age. After WWI, he worked as a pipe fitter for Diamond Crystal Salt Co. in St. Clair.**

Enlisted in Army at Findlay OH 4 Oct 1917; assigned 158 Depot Brigade to 12 Nov 1917; Co B 336 Machine Gun Battalion to 14 Oct 1918; 20th Co 1st Provisional Regiment to Discharge Private, 1st class 9 Mar 1918; American Expeditionary Forces 24 Aug 1918 to 21 Feb 1919; Honorable discharge 7 Mar 1919.***


** Robert R. BOWLBY
***Ohio Military Men 1917-18. Vol 2
+4291 ii. Doris M. BOWLBY^{(9902) (9903)(760)} was born on 7 Jan 1898 in Fostoria, OH.⁽⁹⁹⁰⁴⁾ She died on 25 Aug 1983 in Findlay, Hancock Co., OH. ⁽⁹⁹⁰⁵⁾ She was buried in Maple Grove Cem., Findlay, OH. ⁽⁹⁹⁰⁶⁾ Blk 44, Lot 10, Grave #2.
+4292 iii. Nita BOWLBY^{(9907) (9908)(760)} was born on 12 Apr 1895 in Findlay, Hancock Co., OH.⁽⁹⁹⁰⁹⁾ She died on 23 Mar 1926 in Bristol, Bucks Co., PA. ⁽⁹⁹¹⁰⁾ She was buried in Maple Grove Cem., Findlay, OH. ⁽⁹⁹¹¹⁾ Blk 28, Lot 91, Grave #3. She was also known as Neta. She Cause death childbirth.

Neta BOWLBY was born 12 April 1895 in Findlay OH. She married Ralph W. LAWRENCE 23 Aug 1919. She died 23 Mar 1926 in Bristol PA. She died shortly after the birth of her only child, a son, who was raised by her mother, Charlotte.**

Obituary (The Findlay Morning Republican, 24 Mar 1926, pg. 2):
FORMER RESIDENT OF FINDLAY DIES
Mrs. Ralph LAWRENCE, 31, Passes Away in Hospital at Bristol, Pa.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley LAWRENCE, 209 East Hardin street, received word last evening of the death of their daughter-in-law, Mrs. Ralph W. LAWRENCE, well known in Findlay, in a Bristol Pa., hospital. Her death followed an illness of three weeks. She was 31 years old.
Mrs. LAWRENCE was formerly Miss Neta BOWLBY and had lived in Findlay her entire life until last November, when Mr. LAWRENCE was transferred to Bristol, Pa., by the Refiners' Outlet company, by whom he is employed. She was for several years cashier of the Majestic theatre, and was for a short time its manager. For the past several years she had served relief duty at the theatre.
Mrs. LAWRENCE was born in Findlay April 12, 1895, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. D. BOWLBY. She was married to Ralph W. LAWRENCE AUG 23, 1919, who survives. There is an infant son, James William, three weeks old. Mrs. Harry RUSCH, 438 Center Street, is a sister. and Russell BOWLBY, St. Clair, MI, is a brother. The body will be brought to Findlay for the funeral, the arrangements for which have not ben made.

>From Ruth BOWLBY CARLETON (excerpt from autobiography):
As I grew older, I was my Aunt Neta's "adopted" daughter. When with her, I was "little May." She took me shopping + at Marshall Field's in Chicago I modeled a French dress + was given it for my labors. I see it now — straight up + down, light blue in a soft material with embroidery at the top + down one side. Aunt Neta + Uncle Ralph LAWRENCE were in show business, operating a string of theaters, in Ohio mostly. They wanted to put me on the stage but I was a shy child + wouldn't hear of it. But I was taken back stage some-where that I remember, because they had set up a bedroom scene to go on the stage after a movie showing, + for many years I really thought that what I saw on the screen was being enacted on the stage behind it! Aunt Neta gave me lots of presents. The ones I remember most were material to make a dress -- cresonne with bird pictures on it — + candy from New Orleans in various flower shapes. My days as Little May ended when my aunt died soon after her little boy was born. I was very ill at the time, just barely surviving pneumonia, + I do not believe I was actually told of her death — + yet I knew. My grandmother + grandfather took [their grandson] + raised him as if he were their own child.

(Note: Comments in [brackets] are from me.)