Corwin, Howard 1856-1950 and Cassie Foster family

CORWIN, FOSTER, DAVIS, MATHER

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 11/1/2021 at 15:15:02

Corwin, Howard 1856 -1950

This story was taken from the ‘Rock Valley Records & Recollections’ book written about 1976 in honor of the two hundredth birthday of our nation. It was a revision of the history written by Lottie Thomas in 1955. It was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society and some research notes were added.

Isaac Tracy Corwin, a direct descendant of Joshua Corwin of New York State of American Revolutionary times, married Sarah Jane Davis in Illinois in 1853, and moved to land purchased in Black Hawk County, Iowa, in the spring of 1854. Their five children were born there.

In 1881, the family moved to land purchased north of Rock Valley, and a home was established there and the family entered into the activities and development of the community.

Isaac Tracy Corwin died in April 1898, and his wife, Sarah Jane, in June 1927. After their children married, only the eldest, Howard M., remained in the Rock Valley community.

Howard M., who was twenty-five years of age when the family came to the Rock Valley vicinity, had a large flock of sheep which he herded over the prairie from the family home north of Rock Valley to near Inwood.

He married Cassie Foster of Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1885, and soon after purchased land adjoining his father’s to the northeast and established a home where seven children were born and raised to adulthood.

Howard M. Corwin was widely known as a farmer and livestock man. He was a staunch supporter of community activities. He helped organize and was a board member of the very good Rock Valley District Fair and Racing Meet held in the early 1900’s and was president of the Farmers’ Lumber Company, a member of the Methodist Church, and an almost continual director of the church board. He died in 1950, shortly after his 94th birthday, and was buried in the Rock Valley Cemetery. His wife resided in Rock Valley until the fall of 1951 when she went to make her home with daughters in Baltimore. She passed away there in February of 1953, having just passed ninety years of age, and was interred in the Valley View Cemetery at Rock Valley.

Only one of Howard’s children, a son, Freelan, stayed in the community. He and his son, Francis, both farmed here for a number of years. The Corwin family’s residence in the Rock Valley community ended in 1956, seventy-five years after Isaac Corwin came to Rock Valley. Freelan Corwin and his son Richard now reside a short distance north of Sioux City on Highway 75. The land where once the Corwins farmed now belongs to John Groeneweg and Harry Van Beek.

(A revision of the 1955 history)

OBITUARY OF HOWARD M. O. CORWIN
Hold Rites for Pioneer Resident
Last rites for Howard M. Corwin were held Monday, May 30 at the local Methodist church with Rev. M. L. Jones officiating. Interment was made in Valley View cemetery.
Mr. Corwin observed his 94th birthday anniversary on May 12. He had been in good health, considering his age, until he suffered a broken hip in a fall in front of his home on Friday, May 19. He was taken to the Methodist hospital in Sioux City, immediately after his fall, for x-ray and treatment. His sons kept constant attendance at his bedside until he died at 1:55 p.m. on Friday, May 28.
Howard M. Corwin was the last remaining son of I.T. Corwin. One sister, Mrs. Ella Jenney, of Delmont, SD, is still living and attended the services.
Mr. Corwin was born in Blackhawk County, Iowa, and came to Rock Valley in 1881 with his father and mother, Isaac T. and Sarah Jane Corwin, two brothers and two sisters. He has resided in this vicinity since that time.
He was married to Cassie Foster of Sioux Falls, SD, on March. 25, 1885. Seven children were born to this union. He is survived by his wife, Cassie, and his seven children: Freelan, of Sioux City; Mrs. Elsie E. Baxter, Lincoln, NE; Earl T., Luverne, MN; Mrs. Lily M. Tennent, Baltimore, MD; Howard M., Jr., Los Angeles, CA; and Robert G., of Oskaloosa, IA. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
Mr. Corwin was widely known as a farmer and livestock man. He was a staunch supporter of community activities. He helped to organize and for 20 years was president of the Rock Valley Lumber company. He was a member of the Methodist church and almost a continual director on the church board.
Out of town relatives who attended the funeral services included Mrs. Ella Jenney, Lawrence Jenney, Maurice Harris, Mrs. Ethel Harris, of Delmont, SD; Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Alguire, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Alguire and Mrs. Betty McKibbon of Sioux Falls, SD; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bamgert and Miss Foster of Ashton, IA.
Source: 6/1/1950

OBITUARY OF CASSIE FOSTER 1862-1853 (Mrs. Howard Corwin)
Former Resident Buried Here Sat.
Funeral services were held at the Methodist church in Rock Valley Saturday afternoon for Mrs. Howard Corwin, former Rock Valley resident who left here about a year ago to make her home in the East with one of her daughters. Mrs. Corwin, who was 90 years old, passed away at her daughter's home in Baltimore, MD, last Wednesday, Feb. 25. Interment was made in the Valley View Cemetery. The service was conducted by Rev M. L. Jones. Mrs. Ed De Haas sang two numbers, accompanied by Mrs. Jones. Cassie Foster, youngest daughter of Robert and Lillian Foster, was born in Ontario, Canada, Dec. 3,1862. At an early age she moved with her parents to a farm close to Sioux Falls, S. D., where she grew to womanhood. On March 26, 1885, she was married to Howard Corwin and they came to Rock Valley to make their home. They lived there together until the passing of her husband on May 26, 1950. To this union were born seven children, all of whom survive the passing of their mother. The children are Freelan of Sioux City, Elsie Baxter of Lincoln, NE, Earl of Luverne, MN, Lilly Tennant of Baltimore, MD, Frances Reeves of Baltimore, MD, Howard of Los Angeles, CA, and Robert of Oskaloosa, IA. There are ten grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild. All the children were here for the funeral for their mother with the exception of Lily of Biltmore, Md, and Howard of Los Angeles who were unable to make the trip to Rock Valley.
Mrs. Corwin became a member of the local Methodist church May 6, 1886, and proved a faithful member all her life. Few people equaled her in her devotion to her church. The youth of the church were always on her mind and in her thoughts. To see them working in the church, caused her much joy and happiness.
Source: Rock Valley Bee 3/5/1953

OBITUARY OF ISAAC TRACY CORWIN 1827-1898
(Father of Howard Corwin)
From the Alton Democrat of Apr 9, 1898 Rock Valley news.
Sioux county's pioneer settler, I.T. Corwin, died at his home north of Rock Valley on Sunday evening, of gradual exhaustion. Mr. Corwin was one of the most extensive sheep raisers in the northwest in the past years, being engaged in that business on his 1,400 acres adjoining Rock Valley, and also for several years in Texas, where, however, his ventures did not meet with success, so he returned to Sioux County. Of late years, however, he turned all his landed and business interests over to his sons. Mr. Corwin also served a number of years on the board of supervisors of this county and also in the capacity of township trustee, which office he held at the time of his death. A widow three sons and two daughters survive him, all of whom attended the funeral at Rock Valley on Wednesday, except Elmer G. Corwin of Sheldon, who is now in Alaska, having gone as a member of the Staruck Company from Cherokee.
(From the ancestry.com site - Isaac Tracy Corwin b. 14 Oct 1827 Thompkins NY died 3 Apr 1898 Rock Valley IA. wife Sarah June Davis 1833-1927 Isaac eas the son of Joshua Case Corwin 1800-1877 Sally Ann Mather 1807-1873. children were - Howard 1856, Elmer 1861, Ella 1863, Fred 1868 and Nettie 1870.)

OBITUARY OF SARAH JANE CORWIN 1833-1928
(Mother of Howard Corwin)
From the Rock Valley Bee, June 15, 1928:
Mrs. Jane Corwin Passed Away
Mrs. Sarah Jane Corwin passed away at the home of her son, H. M. Corwin last week Wednesday, aged ninety-five years, three months and twelve days, her death being due to the natural decline of old age.
Mrs. Corwin was born in Pennsylvania February 24, 1833. When eight years of age she came with her parents to Wauconda, Illinois, where she grew to womanhood. She was married to Isaac Corwin October 28, 1853. She and her husband moved to Waterloo, Iowa, and lived there until 1881 when they came to Sioux County and settled on the old homestead northeast of Rock Valley. Mrs. Corwin had lived in this vicinity most of the time since. She was one of the first members of the Methodist church in Rock Valley and for several years was an officer in the church. For several [years?] past she has made her home with her son, H. M. Corwin.
Mrs. Sarah Jane Corwin was the mother of seven children, two of whom died in infancy. The children are H. M. Corwin, Rock Valley, Elmer Corwin, Seattle, WA, Fred Corwin, Puyallup, WA, Mrs. Chas. Jenny, Delmont, SD, and Mrs. Claude Ward, Hazelton, ND, besides twenty grand children and nineteen great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at the home northeast of Rock Valley Saturday afternoon, and the remains were taken to Valley View Cemetery.
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From the Alton Democrat, June 22, 1928, Rock Valley News:
Sarah Jane Corwin
Mrs. Sarah Jane Davis, nee Corwin [i.e., Sarah Jane Corwin, nee Davis], passed away at the old Corwin homestead two miles north of Rock Valley Wednesday morning after a brief illness. Deceased was born at Jacksville, Penn., February 24, 1833 and at the time of her passing had attained the ripe old age of 95 years, 3 months and 13 days. At the age of eight years she came with her parents to Wauconda, IL, and lived there until she grew to womanhood, when she was united in marriage to Isaac T. Corwin on Oct. 28, 1853. Then she and her husband moved to Waterloo, IA, where they resided until 1881 when they moved to Sioux County, locating on a farm near Rock Valley.
She was the mother of seven children, two of whom died in infancy. She was one of the first members of the Methodist church of Rock Valley where she faithfully served many years at one time being an officer. She was also a member of the W.F.M.S. and W.C.T.U. organizations. She leaves five children as follows: Howard M. Corwin, Rock Valley [other survivors same as above]. Funeral services were conducted at the home and M. E. church Friday afternoon, conducted by Rev. L. F. Focht. Burial was in the family plot in Valley View cemetery.
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The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Corwin, Sarah Jane, b. 1883, d. 1927 [an evident typo], Valley View Cem Rock Valley IA.
Her death certificate has Sarah Jane Davis Corwin, widow of I. T. Corwin; born Feb. 24, 1883 in Pennsylvania; father James Davis, born in MA; mother Lawrence, born in the U.S.A.; resident of Rock Valley 47 years; died at 8 a.m. June 5, 1928, of “senility.”

Note: There is a poorly reproduced newspaper copy of a picture of H. M. Corwin in Docs on this web site.

This picture of Frelon (aka Freelan) Corwin comes from the Sioux County 1908 Atlas Section 3, page 31.

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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