Five generations of one early

Montgomery County Pioneer Family

Five Generations in Montgomery County, Iowa

Maiden and Married names

She was a lifelong high school teacher of Physics, Chemistry, Science, Homemaking, and Dramatics.  Retiring in 1950 to care for her ailing mother .  She worked off and on as a substitute teacher until about

Irene's favorite hobbies led her to membership in the Jennie Wren Sewing Club, the Young Ladies Bridge Club, the Women’s Club, the Garden Club, the Friends of the Library, the Heritage Society.

She was a member of and the organist for the First Presbyterian Church in Smithville, Texas.

The Red Oak Express, October 21, 1904

Red Oak, Ia., Nov 2 [1904]

There is a little mite of humanity in Montgomery County who will, as soon as she learns to talk, be able to boast to her playmates of having a great -great-grandmother.  No doubt she is envied.  She is little Irene Tomlinson, daughter of Mrs. Dessie Tomlinson.  Irene's grandmother is Mrs. Dora Johnson, and her great-great grandmother, Mrs. Alvida Bolt.  The mother of all is Mrs. Nerva Ellwood.  Although, she is first in this remarkable lineage, she is hale and hearty and gives promises of being a great-great grandmother.  A notable feature of this unbroken line is that each member is the oldest child of her respective family.

Family of Phoebe [Horton] ELWOOD

Hiram Elwood, (born 27 July 1821) son of Robert B. Elwood and Catherine Worley.  Hiram married on 26 Nov 1844 in Fairfield, Highland Co., Ohio, Miss Phoebe Horton, (born 02 Apr 1821) the daughter of Jacob  and Phebe Horton.  

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Children born to Hiram and Phoebe:

All children were born in Fairfield, Highland Co., Ohio

Alwilda Elwood, b. 1846 

Winfield Scott Elwood, b. abt 1848

Jacob Eyer Elwood, b. abt. 1851

James Alexander Elwood, b. abt. 1854

Emma T. Elwood, b. abt. 1857

William E. Elwood, b. abt. 1862

Family of Alwilda [Elwood] BOLT

Alwilda Elwood (b. 21 Oct 1846), daughter of Hiram Elwood and Phoebe Horton. Alwilda married 21 May 1867, Red Oak, Montgomery Co., Iowa, Ira Webster Bolt, (born abt 1840), son of John and Keren Bolt.

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Children born to Ira and Alwilda Bolt:

Eldora Bolt, b. 1867

Walter. S. Bolt, b. 1870

Clarence Bolt,

Capitola Bolt,

Neva Bolt, b. 1875

Eldora Bolt (b. 31 March 1867), daughter of Ira Bolt and Alwilda Elwood. Eldora married 2 December 1885, Red Oak, Montgomery Co., Iowa, Merritt E. Johnson, (born August 1861, Illinois) son of Thomas  and Velinda Johnson.

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Children born to Merritt and Eldora:

Dessie Mae Johnson, b. 1886

Maude Johnson, b. 1890

Roscoe Johnson, b. 1894

Pearl Johnson, b. ??

Family of Dessie Mae [JOHNSON] BOLLIER

Dessie Mae Johnson, (born 28 October 1886, Red Oak, Iowa), daughter of Merritt Johnson and Eldora Bolt. Dessie married Fred Jacob Tomlinson, son of Craighton C. TOMLINSON and Sophronia MARTIN.

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Children of Fred and Dessie:

Irene (Nettie) Tomlinson, b. 1904

Second marriage:

Dessie Mae Johnson married second, Edward Ellsworth Bollier on 05 November 1908. 

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Children of Edward and Dessie:

Irene (Nettie) Tomlinson, b. 1904 (Note: Edward adopted Irene before 1913 shortly after he married Dessie.)

Dessie Johnson Bollier was the owner of Bollier Dry Goods Store in Smithville, Texas.

She was a member of  Chapter #39 Order of the Eastern Star, Woman’s Club, La Petit Bridge Club, Married Ladies "42" Club, and Fathers and Mothers Association of the College of Industrial Arts (Denton, Texas).

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Smithville, Texas until the time of her death in 1960.

Irene (Nettie) Tomlinson BOLLIER

The Red Oak Express

20 YEARS AGO
Thursday, January 9, 1924
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The Red Oak Express, October 21, 1904

It isn't very often that a photographer get to take a picture in which five generations are represented,  yet that is what F. H. McMillen accomplished one day this week.  The picture contains five persons, a great-great grandmother, a great grandmother, a grandmother, a mother and a child.  The first named is Grandma Ellwood, Mrs. Alwilda Bold, Mrs. Dora Johnson, Mrs. Dessie Tomlinson and infant daughter, Irene.  Each on is the eldest child in their father's family.

News Items collected over the years

by Dessier Bollier

Obituaries

1918

Mrs. Alwilda Bolt

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 Early Resident of This County,

Buried in Frankfort Cemetery Monday

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Mrs. Alwilda Bolt, one of the early residents of this county, died at her home, 304 Market st., at 5:40 o'clock Friday morning, July 26, from apoplexy following illness of a few days.

The remains were laid at rest in Frankfort cemetery, funeral services at the home being conducted by Rev. J. M. Williams, of the M. E. church.  The singing was by Mrs. J. M. Williams and Mrs. F. J. Brodby, and the pallbearers were J. L. Solomon, J. Beeson, Joel Smith and Gus Deaver.

Those who were here from a distance to attend the funeral wee Mr. And Mrs. Hiram Eyer, from Lytle, Ohio; Walter Bolt, from Perry; Mrs. E. E. Bolt and daughter, Irene, from Smithville, Tex.; Mrs. Maude Palmer, from Amarillo, Tex.

Alwilda Elwood was born in Highland county, Ohio, Oct. 21, 1846, and came to this county with her parents when a young woman.  She married to Ira Bolt in 1867, they being married on horseback by Rev. W. W. Merritt.  Mr. Bolt died here 26 years ago.  Deceased was the mother of six children, three of whom are dead.  The surviving children are Mrs. Dora Johnson and Mrs. Eva Watson, of Red Oak, and Walter Bolt of Perry.  One sister, Mrs. Eyer, of Lytle, Ohio, and three brothers, Will, James and Eyer Elwood, also survive.  There are ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Deceased was a member of the Methodist church.  Many friends extend sympathy to the members of the bereaved family.

1924

Mrs. W. O. Watson

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Dies of Dropsy

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Mrs. W. O. Watson of this city died Friday morning at Iowa City, where she had gone several days ago for treatment at the university hospital.  Mrs. Watson had been sick with dropsy for nearly two years.

Funeral services will probably be held at 3 o'clock tomorrow afternoon at the Perryman chapel.  Burial will be in Evergreen cemetery.

Mrs. Watson whose maiden name was Neva Bolt, was a daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. Ira Bolt.  She was born in Red Oak June 9, 1875 and at the time of her death was nearly 49 years old.  She was twice married, her first marriage being to Mr. Davis and on Nov. 6, 1900 to W. O. Watson, who survives.  She was the mother of nine children.  Two children, Mrs. Bert Wilson and an infant having preceded her in death.  The children living are Ona, Will and Vernon at home, Mrs. Darieen Erzman and Raymond of Council Bluffs, Clair of Los Angeles, and Clyde, whose address at this time is unknown. 

She is also survived by one sister, Mrs. Dora Johnson of Los Angeles, who has been here since January assisting in caring for her, and by one brother, Walter Bolt of Perry, Ia., who is here for the funeral.  The son Raymond and the daughter Mrs. Erzman of Council Bluffs, will be here for the funeral.

1881 History of Montgomery County, Iowa

Grant Township

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ELWOOD, PHOEBE, section 5, P. O. Red Oak; owns 246 acres of land, about 130 acres in cultivation and the remainder in timber land, a fine young orchard of 100 trees all bearing. Mrs. Elwood was born in North Carolina, in 1820, when about two years old moved with her parents to Highland County, Ohio, and lived there until 1865, when she moved to Montgomery County, and settled on section 5, Grant township; her husband (Hiram Elwood) was born in Highland County, Ohio, July 27, 1820, and there grew to manhood; was married in 1844 to Phoebe Horton, of the same county. They have five children living: Alwilde, Jacob Eyer, James A., Emma T., Wm E., and one dead. James A. Elwood was born in Highland County, Ohio, in 1854 and came to Montgomery County with his parents. Was married February 19, 1880, to Mary E. Williams, of Green County, Wisconsin. James A., lives on the old farm with his mother. Jacob Horton (Mrs. Elwood's father) was born in Stokes County, North Carolina, in 1780 and died at the age of 86 years.