George Benjamin ROWELLS

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1860, living with parents in Chester, Dodge Co., Wisconsin
• Census: 1870, living with parents in Chester, Dodge Co., Wisconsin
• Census: 1880, Living in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin
• Occupation: 1880; Guard

Notes:

Obituary ("Descendants of George Rowells" by Ann Lamb)

The Waupun Leader, Friday Octobe 16, 1896: "DIED-ROWELLS
At his home in this city, Saturday morning, Oct. 19th, 1896, of heart disease, Geo. B. Rowells, aged 46 years, 1 month and 9 days. The deceased arose at the usual hor in the morning and after his chores, went to the house and complaining of not feeling well, lay down. Shortly after, his wife went to call him to breakfast and was alarmed at his condition. Medical aid was immediately summoned only to find that he was dead. he leaves a wife and seven young children, besides a mother and several brothers and sisters. The funeral was held from St. Joseph's Catholic Church Monday forenoon.

George married Margaret SHANAHAN on 06 Jan 1881 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin. Margaret (daughter of John SHANAHAN and Margaret ?) was born on 20 Jul 1854 in Union Village, Washington County, New York; died on 30 Sep 1953 in Beaver Dam, Dodge County, Wisconsin; was buried on 02 Oct 1953 in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Elizabeth Irene ROWELLS was born on 28 Jan 1892 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin; died on 21 Feb 1975 in Marquette, Wisconsin.
2. May Margaret ROWELLS was born on 06 Oct 1887 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin; died on 09 Jul 1978 in Friendship, Adams County, Wisconsin.
3. Luke Edward ROWELLS was born on 09 Jan 1882 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin; died on 27 Nov 1955 in Beaver Dam, Dodge County, Wisconsin; was buried on 29 Nov 1955 in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Fond Du Lac Co., Wisconsin.
4. Leo Lawrence ROWELLS was born on 06 Mar 1889 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin; died on 24 Apr 1968 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA; was buried on 27 Apr 1968 in Acacia Park Cemetery, Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois.
5. George Benjamin ROWELLS was born on 25 Aug 1885 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin; died on 17 Feb 1960 in Juneau, Dodge County, Wisconsin; was buried on 20 Feb 1960 in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Fond Du Lac Co., Wisconsin.
6. John Francis ROWELLS was born on 29 Jun 1883 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin; died on 15 Dec 1969 in Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin; was buried on 19 Dec 1969 in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Fond Du Lac Co., Wisconsin.
7. Esther Agnes ROWELLS was born on 05 Apr 1896 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin; died on 17 Nov 1978 in Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin; was buried on 20 Nov 1978 in Ledgeview Cemetery, Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: 12 Jun 1849, Arrived in Boston
• Census: 1860, Living in Chester, Dodge County, Wisconsin
• Occupation: 1860; Farmer
• Census: 1870, Living in Chester, Dodge County, Wisconsin
• Occupation: 1870; Farmer
• Census: 1880, Living in Chester, Dodge County, Wisconsin
• Occupation: 1880; Farmer

Notes:

Biographical sketches from the book
"History of Dodge County Wisconsin 1880"

Rowells, Luke
page 642
LUKE ROWELLS, farmer, Sec. 18; P.O. Waupun; was born May 10, 1815, in County Limerick, Ireland, and was the son of George and Sarah Griffin Rowells. Was married, April 16, 1849, to Margaret O'Brien, who was born May 12, 1825, daughter of Brian and Bridget O'Brien, of County Limerick. Mr. Rowells came to America in the spring of 1849, and located in the town of Easton, Washington Co., N.Y., where he followed farming till the fall of 1854, when he moved to Wisconsin and settled in the town of Chester, Dodge Co., on his present farm, which consists of 181 acres of land, valued at about $7,000. Mr. Rowells was the first of his father's family to emigrate to America, but was followed soon after by his brother, George, and in June, 1852, his parents came over; his mother died at his house in Washington Co., N.Y., about three months after landing in America, and his father died in Chester, Dodge Co., Wis., 1860; Mr. Rowells has ten children living-George B., born Sept. 1, 1850, in Washington Co., N.Y.; Sarah, born Feb. 13, 1851 (now Mrs. Michael O'Donovan, of Chester, Wis.); John G., born March 25, 1853; Bridget Ellen, born Feb.27, 1855; Luke W., born Oct. 24, 1857 (now in the law office of H. W. Frost, in Waupun); Maggie J., born July 16, 1859; Jennie A., born April 1, 1861; Mary, born Feb. 12, 1863; Dennis, born Jan. 29, 1865; Richard E., born Jan. 9, 1867; Nellie was born Jan. 1, 1870, and died the 21st day of the same month.

Obituary: "DIED - ROWELLS - In the town of Chester, Dodge Co., on Sunday, Nov 16, 1884, Luke Rowelss (sic), aged 69 years, 6 months and 6 days. The death of Mr. Rowells adds another to the list of old settlers, who one by one are entering upon that bourne from which no traveler returns. The respect with which the deceased was regarded by those who knew him best was told by the unusual large number who followed him to his last resting place and whose sympathies now reach out to the bereft family in this their hour of affliction. Card of Thanks. Mrs. Rowells and family tender their heartfelt thanks to their friends and neighbors who were more than kind to them in their time of need." (Waupun, WI newspaper, Nov 18, 1884)

Luke married Margaret O'BRIEN on 16 Apr 1849. Margaret (daughter of Brian O'BRIEN and Bridget MERRIGAN) was born on 12 May 1825 in Doon, Limerick, Ireland; died on 11 Jan 1905 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin; was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Bridget
• Birth: 10 May 1826, Limerick, Ireland
• Immigration: 12 Jun 1849, Arrived in Boston
• Census: 1860, Living with husband in Chester, Dodge Co., Wisconsin
• Census: 1870, Living with husband in Chester, Dodge Co., Wisconsin
• Census: 1880, Living with husband in Chester, Dodge Co., Wisconsin
• Census: 1900, Living in Waupun, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin
• Occupation: 1900; Landlord

Notes:

Obituary ("Descendants of George Rowles")
"Mrs. Margaret Rowells was a daughter of Brian and Bridget O'Brien of County Limerick, Ireland and was born May 12, 1826. She was married April 16, 1849 to Luke Rowells and came to America in the same year and located in the town of Easton, Washington Co., NY. Here Mr. and Mrs. Rowells followed farming until 1854 when they moved to this state and settled on a farm of 181 acres in the town of Chester. Ten children were born to them. Mr. Rowells died several years ago and only the following children survive: Richard Rowells, Hugo, IT (Indian territory?), Mrs. W. Lancaster, London, Ontario, Canada, Mrs. Michael Donovan, Norton Kansas, Mrs. Dennis Donovan, Misses Jennie and Mary Rowells of this city.
"Mrs. Rowell's long illness was relieved by death on Wednesday, Jan 11, 1905. The funeral was held Friday (Jan 13 at 10 o'clock am at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Father Allen officiating with interment in the R.C. cemetery." (Waupun newspaper abot Jan 15, 1905). She died aged 80 years (79 years, 7 months, 29 days)

Notes:

Excerpt from "Descendants of George Rowles" by Ann Moloney Lamb:

George Rowles and Sarah Griffin came to America from the townland of Cloonteen which was located at that time in the civil parish of Doon, which lies in the northeast corner of County Limerick, Ireland, right next to the Tipperary border......

George and Sarah came on a Norwegian ship from Dublin to New York in the fall of 1852 with their son John and daughter Margaret, and joined their sons Luke and George who had come there earlier with their wives. They were living and working on farms in Easton township, Washington County, which lies along the Hudson River near to the town of Schuylerville and about 35 miles north of Albany. Sarah died about three months after they arrived and in buried near some friends who also came from Cappamore with her. The rest of the Rowles family lived in New York about three and half years more before moving to Waupun, Wisconsin in about early 1856.

Only one Rowles family was left in Doon after they left, that of Michael Rowles and his wife Bridget Ryan. Michael and Bridget had 7 children between 1845 and 1861, named William, Edward, John, Mary, Alice, George and Bridget but since the family did not emigrate with the others and cannot be traced, we have no idea what became of them.

All of Rowles family moved to Wisconsin, probably at or near the same time. The most likely route would have been west along the Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo. The Canal was built in about 1825 under Governor DeWitt Clinton and was called familiarly "Clinton's Ditch". From Burfalo they probably went by boat through the Great Lakes to Wisconsin.

George married Sarah GRIFFIN about 1814. Sarah was born about 1795 in Doon, Limerick, Ireland; died about Sep 1852 in Easton, Washington County, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
In June of 182 George and Sarah immigrated. She died at Luke's house in Easton, Washington Co., about three months after landing in American (abt. Sept 1852).

She is buried in Schuylerville, New York,near Eliza Bourk (sic) Benton and John Maher, with whom she came to America. Unfortunately ,the church is Schuylerville does not have information for that period.

Brian married Bridget MERRIGAN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]