Re: Grandmother
MUNSON, RASTENSPARGER, EMIG, RAFFENSPARGER, LOWE
Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email) In Response To: Grandmother (Richard Munson)
Date: 7/20/2011 at 01:37:50
I did a little looking for you. It appears that your grandmother died in early March 1963 and was buried in Vancouver, Washington at the Evergreen Memorial Gardens on March 4, 1963.
Her name was Bessie Lowe at the time of her death and her tombstone reads 1893 - 1963. She is buried next to her husband, Henry Lowe [August 24, 1883 - September 12, 1960]; They were living in Battle Ground, Clark County, Washington.
This is how I came up with her as your grandmother. You had the name Rastensparger. It is actually Raffensparger. I located the wedding announcement in the Estherville newspaper and also an obituary for Bessie Raffensparger Munson's brother, Lawrence. Both newspaper articles and the 1920 census place her father Charles C. Raffensparger in South Dakota where he died on July 10, 1923 in Meade County, South Dakota. I did a search of marriages in Meade County and located a marriage of Bessie Munson, age 28, of Iowa to Henry Lowe, age 40 on October 21, 1923. Henry Lowe's WW II Draft Registration gave his address as Washington State. Death records there listed him dying in Vancouver, Clark County, Washington on September 12, 1960 with burial in Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Vancouver. His parents were listed as Thomas Lowe and Mary Holland. Bessie is buried next to him. I could not locate Bessie Lowe's death in Washington in 1963. Perhaps she died elsewhere. You should contact the cemetery in Vancouver and also seek an obituary in Battle Ground and Vancouver, Washington for late February and pre March 4, 1963.
For further research, her parents were:
Charles Calvin Raffensparger born 22 August 1859, Davidsburg, York Co., Pennsylvania and died July 10, 1923 and Sarah Catherine Emig born 15 October 1861 in East Berlin, Adams Co., Pennsylvania and died ca. 1892 in Spencer, Clay County, Iowa who were married on 20 November 1876 in York, York, Pennsylvania.A History of Clay County, by W. C. Gilbreath, 1889.:
Raffensparger, Charles C., carpenter, was born in Davidsburg, Pennsylvania, Aug. 22nd, 1859. He only remained in that place a brief time as his parents shortly after his birth moved to York, where his father engaged in business. When arriving at sufficient age he clerked in his father's wholesale liquor store and afterwards went on the road as traveling salesman. On the removal of the family to Spencer he conducted the grocery store owned by his father for several years. In 1882 he commenced to learn the carpenter trade and has been engaged in that occupation since that date. He was married in 1876 to Miss Catherine Emig. They have six children, Harry, Eugene, Elmer, Paul, Earle, and a girl baby.**********************************
C L MUNSON WEDS
Married Miss Bessie Raffensparger Monday at Noon.
WILL MAKE THEIR HOME HERE
Are Popular and Well Known Young People of This City and Also at Spencer.
Bessie Raffensparger of Spencer, daughter of C. C. Raffensparger of Chalk Butte, South Dakota, and C. L. Munson, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Munson, were united in marriage at the Munson home at noon Monday. Rev. Wasser. officiated. The simple but impressive ceremony was witnessed by about twenty relatives and friends. After the service Mrs. R. F. Munson served a fine dinner. For the present the happy young people will reside at the R. F. Munson home. The bride is a young lady of excellent character. She has hosts of friends in Spencer, where she has lived with her grandparents for some time. The groom is a steady, reliable young man and worthy in every way. The Enterprise extends congratulations. Out of town guests were: Mr. J. Raffensparger, Mrs. E. Ankrum and Mrs. C. R. Turner of Spencer; Mrs. J. H. Munson, of Humboldt; Mrs. Marcus Marcellus and son, John, of Hardy; Mr. L. H. Butler and Mr. and Mrs. E. Merriman of Graettinger.Estherville Enterprise -- Estherville, Iowa
Wednesday, January 26, 1910***********************
Lawrence RaffenspargerThis young man was born in Spencer on June 18, 1891. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Raffensparger. His mother, who was a daughter of the late Adam Emig, died eighteen years ago, and, he was raised by his grandmother, Mrs. Sarah J. Raffensparger. His father is now living in South Dakota, holding a claim about fifty miles from a railroad station, and was unable to get here for the funeral. Lawrence left here about four years ago and went west. He joined the navy. A few months ago consumption fastened its grip on him, and he was discharged from the service returning to Spencer about three months ago, and died Feb. 15 at the home of his grandmother in this city. He leaves five brothers, Harry in Omaha, Eugene in Plankinton, South Dakota, Earl in Spencer, Paul in Minneapolis, Frank in Sargeant Bluffs and one sister, Mrs. Bessie Munson in Estherville. The funeral was held Sunday afternoon the services being conducted by Rev. J. O. Thrush and the interment was in Riverside cemetery.
Spencer Reporter -- Spencer, Iowa
Wednesday, February 21, 1912
Emmet Queries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen