Harry H. Bowell
BOWELLCOLLINS
Posted By: Doug Rusher (email)
Date: 10/10/2003 at 03:54:11
Doctor Robert Hudson Bowell/Smith, now 93 years of age, has not seen his father Ray C. Bowell since he was 9 years old in Chicago, 1919. The family split up and he was taken to South Dakota and lived with his Mother and grand parents. He was raised with his Mother's maiden name Smith.
Unfortunately, and regretfully to this day...
"When he died, or where he is buried, I do not know. However I am still looking." - Dr. "Bob" 2/29/03 -
June 6, 1919. "On that date my Mother took me to Western S.D., and I never saw my father again."
"In 1955 I received a letter from Ray, asking if he might visit me. My mother begged me not to answer the letter. I didn't, and have regretted it ever since." - Robert H. Smith 2/29/00 -
(Letter from Illinois or Indiana)
Dr. "Bob" wishes to find his father Ray's place of death and visit Ray's grave before he dies. Son Bobb Forrest Smith, now 71 years of age, and suffering himself with heart complications, would like to be the one to take his father there.
Can we make these final wishes come true?THIS IS WHAT WE KNOW:
Ray's livelihood and supposedly lifelong career was involved with the railroad either as an employee or private contactor.
"In 1894, at age 18, he started as a fireman on the Milwaukee Railroad which served Madison (S.D.). He worked on at least 5 railroads: Milwaukee, Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Chicago Great Western (he was a master mechanic in the Great Western shops in Oelwein, Iowa in 1908) and the Santa Fe. He had a battle with his union: Brotherhood of American Railway Trainmen (B.A.R.T.) and quit the union in 1908. He went to work on the Santa Fe in 1916, as a non-union worker. Ray worked for the Santa Fe for many years. We lived in a series of small Western towns (ultimately Chicago)." - Dr. "Bob" 2/29/00 -I, DOUG RUSHER, as a cousin removed, am trying my best to help them. I can only think of three avenues:
1. Obituaries. I only have a few obituaries of family members at this time. No mention of Ray. I would hope one might mention Ray and reveal his residence at that time.
2. Ray had a son HARRY HOBSON BOWELL. He appears to be the only one who kept in contact with Ray. "My brother HARRY kept in touch with Ray, and in fact, told him in 1963 that my mother had died." - Dr. "Bob" -
1969 - Thursday November 6: Harry Hobson Bowell dies in ELDORA Community HospitalNovember 6: Death Certificate
Harry Hobson Bowell, Male, Date of Death - Nov. 06, 1969, Race - White, Age - 71 years, Date of Birth
- July 07, 1898, Place of Death - Eldora Community Hospital, ELDORA, HARDIN Co., IOWA, Residence - Pine
Lake, Eldora Hardin Co., Iowa. Spouse - Margaret E. Bowell, Father - Ray C. Bowell, Mother - Elsie
Smith, Cause of Death - Irreversible Shock, Burial at East Lawn Memory Gardens, Eldora, Iowa.
Harry had three children by his previous wife: Raymond, Gay and Mary Ellen. Need help to find them.
3. Rootsweb.com and Ancestry.com, newspaper subscription:Search Results: Raymond Bowell In United States
Your search returned 3 matches in the databases below.
Indiana Evening Gazette (Indiana, Pennsylvania) 1
News (Frederick, Maryland) 1
Washington Post, The (Washington, D.C.), 1920, 1922-24
I do not subscribe but would like to know especially about Indiana Gazette.TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
DOUG
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