Ella Minnie Roehr was born May 2, 1900, in her parent's farm home in West Cedar Township, Mitchell County Iowa, the daughter of Alvin Gustave Louis, and Katharine (Erbe) Roehr. She attended rural schools in both West and
East Cedar Townships, and was confirmed in 1917 at St. John's Lutheran Church.
Ella Roehr Howell & Floyd Knight Howell
Leaving home at the age of 17, she moved to Rockford Iowa to live with her sister, Mrs. Elsie Lohr, and work in the office of Dr. Sleeter. There she met Floyd Knight Howell, son of Charles and Anna (Knight) Howell, who farmed in Scott Township, Floyd County.
On December 26, 1923, Ella and Floyd were married at the Congregational Parsonage in Osage. After visiting friends in the area, they went to Mason City for their honeymoon. The honeymoon was cut short however when Floyd's father contacted them to come home and help rescue chickens that were caught roosting in the trees in a December storm. Floyd and Ella lived and farmed with Floyd's parents until they built their own farm building site on the south side of the same section in Scott Township.
Two children were born of this union: Rollin Knight, who currently resides in Fairfield, Iowa, and Beverly Jeanne (Howell) Williams of Portola Valley, California. Rollin served as a State Representative for Mitchell and Floyd Counties from 1973-1983.
Written by Rollin K. Howell