HI CUZ Blog 114
Copyright 1990 et seq, Donald Rowe
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Uncle William Thomas MD and Aunt Marion Bennett
(Littlefield) Rowe –
1881 – 15
September – William Thomas Rowe born to William Joseph and Catherine
Ellen
(Shannon) Rowe in Portland, ME.
1900 - US
Census – see data for William J. and Catherine Ellen (Shanaghan) Rowe above
Family
of Mayall and Lydia Littlefield lived at 34 Waterville Street, down and
across street from the Rowes. Marion was 15;
Linwood F. age 11; Evelyn F. age
6, plus Francis R.
Bennett age 22, and Lillian S. Doughty age 27.
1909 - Portland City directory – William T. Rowe listed as a physician, moved
to Rumford
Falls.
12 May – marriage
to Marion Bennett Littlefield, dau of Mayall M. and Lydia E.
Littlefield.
Groom resided in Rumford, bride in Portland, ME.
1910 – US
Census – William and Marion Rowe lived in Rumford, ME. Daughter
Katherine
was age 2 months.
Groom
age 27, bride 23. He was a Doctor, she a stenographer.
1918 - WWI
draft registration – lived at 115 York Street, registered in Rumford, Oxford
County,
and signed 12 Sep 1918 at age 37. He was of medium height, medium
build
and black eyes. Nearest relative given as
Mrs. W. T. Rowe.
Uncle William T. Rowe earned his way through college partly
by carpentry and cabinet work, and helped pay for my father to go to college.
He taught my father fine woodworking skills. Uncle Bill delivered Edmund S.
Muskie, US Senator and US Secretary of State. Before they married, Marion Littlefield lived down and across the
street from the Rowe family. Tradition holds she was told not to cross the
street or talk to those Catholic Rowes. Obviously that didn’t work.
1920 - US Census – William
and Marion Rowe lived in Rumford, ME. William was age
38;
Marion age 34; daughter Catherine E. age 9; Elizabeth F. age 7; William T.
age
5; Linwood N. age 1 year 8 months; Hazel Kennedy, maid, age 21.
1925 – Portland City Directory – William T., physician,
moved to Rumford Falls.
Mayall M. Littlefield, lived at 38 Waterville
Street – across and down street from
Rowes.
1930 - US Census – William
and Marion Rowe lived in Rumford, ME at 250 Penobscot
Street.
William was age 48; Marion age 44; daughter Catherine E. age 20;
Elizabeth
age 17; William age 15; Linwood age 11; Barbara age 9; and Sally M.
age
1 year 2 months.
1940 – US Census – family lived in Rumford, ME at 250
Penobscot Street. William T.
age 58; Marion age 54; Linwood age 22; Barbara
age 19; Sally Ann age 11; and
John
age 9. William listed as Medical Doctor, in Private Practice.
1955 – 7
May - Uncle Bill Rowe, MD died 7 at age 73. Buried Cavalry Cemetery, So.
Portland,
ME – Section S-OC, lot 279, grave 1. Lived in Rumford at time of
death.
1969 – 10
May -Aunt Marion (Littlefield) Rowe died at age 83 and was buried at Cavalry
Cemetery, So. Portland, ME – Section S-OC, lot
279, grave 2. Lived in Rumford
at time of death.
Aunt Alice Josephine (Rowe) and Uncle Darby George J.
Foley
1896 - 3 March 1896 - Alice
Josephine Rowe born to Wm. J. and Kate (Shanaghan)
Rowe.
Her birth certificate says her father born “at sea” and was a roofer; her
mother
Kate Shannon born in Prov. of Quebec. She lived with her parents and
siblings
at 45 Waterville Street at birth.
1900 – US
Census – Alice lived with family at 45 Waterville Street. Father William J.
age
46; mother Catherine E. age 46; siblings: William T. age 19; John H. age 16;
Edwin
L. age 13; Francis S. age 11; Joseph W. age 9; Daniel M. age 6; Alice J.
age
4; Thomas L. age 7 months; and Mary Sherry – servant.
1910 – US Census – Catherine Ellen
Rowe was now a widow, head of family at 45
Waterville
Street. Catherine was age 52, John Henry was 26; Edwin Leonard was
age
23; Francis Stephen was age 21; Joseph William was age 19; Daniel Mannix
(my
Dad) was age 16; Alice was age 14; Thomas Lipton was age 10; Catherine’s
grandson
William Joseph (son of John Henry and Ella Grace) was age 5 months.
Ella
Grace Rowe was age 21. John Henry Rowe ran Milk Company.
1920 – US Census – George Foley,
age 18, lived with his parents Annie M. Foley, age
55, and siblings Thomas, age 27,
Louis A. Age 25, and John E. age 21 at 44 Salem Street.
1922 –
Portland City Directory – Alice living at 45 Waterville Street with her mother,
occupation
a teacher at Presumpscot School.
1928 – 29 November – marriage of
Alice J. Rowe to George J. Foley.
1930 – US Census – Alice J. (Rowe)
Foley, age 34, and husband George J. age 28, lived
at
44 Winter Street. Her parent’s birthplaces given as Massachusetts, and Canada,
vice
at sea. She was a teacher age 34 and George age 28 was a Fireman.
1931 - Portland, ME City Directory
- lived at 44 Winter Street Avenue, Portland. George
a
Fireman in Portland Fire Department; Alice a teacher at Woolson School.
1937 - Portland City Directory
–Elizabeth R. Keeble, age lived with Alice (Rowe) and
George
Foley at 24 Washburn Avenue. Lizzie identified as fitter 522 Congress
Street.
1940 – US Census – George Foley age
38, Alice age 38, and Elizabeth Keeble, age 48.
Elizabeth
identified as a cousin. Family lived at 24 Washburn Avenue. George
was
a fireman for city, Alice a teacher.
1941 – Portland, ME City Directory
– lived at 24 Washburn Avenue, Portland. George a
Fireman
in Portland Fire Department at 212 Stevens Avenue; Alice a teacher at
Woolson
School.
Aunt Alice and Uncle George lived in an immaculately clean
home. One of their cars in the 1950s was a Cadillac El Dorado with white fur floor
mats.
1955 – Portland, ME City Directory
– lived at 24 Washburn Avenue, Portland. George a
Captain
in Portland Fire Department; Alice a teacher at Woolson School.
1957 – Portland, ME City Directory
– lived at 24 Washburn Avenue, Portland. George a
Captain
in Portland Fire Department; Alice a teacher at Woolson School.
1981 – 28 August – Alice J. (Rowe)
Foley died. 3 September – George J. Foley died.
Burial
at Calvary Cemetery, Columbarium, Section K, lot 411, grave 6.
George
J. Foley died within a week, on 3 Sep and is buried next to Alice.
SIGNIFICANT
HISTORICAL and FAMILY DATES
1845 - This
was period of California Gold Rush and the Irish Potato Famine.
1852 – Per 1900 US Census Catherine (Meagher/Mahir) Murray
and her sister, my grandmother,
Mary Ellen
(Meagher/Mahir) Wroe emigrated. The year was actually 1853.
1853 – 6 June, at sea on American vessel Josephus,
William Joseph Wroe born to Mary Ellen
(Meagher/Mahir)
and Thomas Wroe. Name Wroe Americanized to Rowe on clearing
Customs in
Boston. Ship cleared Customs processing on 9 June.
1853 – Great
Grandparents Thomas and Mary Ellen (Meagher/Mahir) Rowe lived in Boston before
moving to Portland, ME.
1860 – 1865 - This was
period of America’s War to Preserve Slavery.
1874 – Emigration of Catherine Ellen and Lena Shanaghan to
Maine. Their family name
Americanized to Shannon on entry
to US.
1877 – 19 June – Marriage of William Joseph Rowe to
Catherine Ellen Shanaghan in Portland,
ME.
1890s - This was
period of Alaskan Gold Rush. Horse drawn wagons and buggies were
the
standard means of transportation, along with ships and trains.
1892 – 22 January – Grampa William J. Rowe naturalized in
Portland, ME.
12 July – Death of Great Grampa
Thomas Rowe (ne Wroe) in Portland, ME.
1901 – 22 November – Death of Great Grampa John (ne
Shanaghan) Shannon in Portland, ME.
1902 – 1 January – Death of Great Gramma Mary Ellen
(Meagher/Mahir) Rowe in Portland,
ME.
1909 – 5 July – Death of Grampa William Joseph Rowe in
Portland, ME.
1914 – 1918 – This
was the period of World War I. Automobiles were not within the
grasp
of most families.
Nancy’s grandfather John Angus McDonald served in Europe
during WWI. My father trained in JN-4 “Jennie” biplanes as an aerial observer
in Texas and Oklahoma in 1918 during WWI.
1914 – 1922 – This
was the period of the Mexican Revolution, and of Punitive
Expeditions
by US against Mexican revolutionaries.
My former wife’s grandfather, Corporal Frank Robinson,
served with Pershing's 1916 "Punitive Expedition" into Mexico in
pursuit of Francisco Pancho Villa's forces. My former sister-in-law’s family
had supplied Pancho Villa’s forces in Chihuahua, Mexico. My Aunt and Uncle Joe
and Teresa Rowe lived in Mexico City during much of the Mexican Revolution.
1917 – 5 June, WWI draft registration of Uncle Francis S.
Rowe (married)
5 June, WWI
draft registration of Uncle Edwin L. Rowe (single)
5 June, WWI
draft registration of Great Uncle George W. Keeble (married)
25 June,
WWI draft registration of Uncle Joseph Rowe (married) in Mexico City
1918 – 29 January, WWI enlistment of my father, Daniel M.
Rowe
5 June, WWI
draft registration of Uncle John Henry Rowe (married) signed 12 Sep 1918.
12 Sep, WWI draft registration of
Uncle William T. Rowe (married) age 37.
1920 – John Henry and Ella (Grace) Rowe family moves to Los
Angeles, CA.
1928 – 1932 - This
was period of America’s Great Depression.
1931 – 30 May – My parents’ wedding; his brother William T.
Rowe MD was his Best Man- in
Bridgeport,
CT. Her sister Katherine “Kay” (O’Connor) Ambrose was Maid of Honor.
1934 – 4 April – Death of Gramma Catherine Ellen (Shanaghan)
Rowe in Portland, ME.
Newly discovered McLewin cousins
NEWS FLASH – first cousin once removed Scott Rowe in Jan
2015 found an Ancestry.com tree and biography of a Florence McLewin stating she
was granddaughter of a Thomas A. and Mary Maher Rowe. This has been partially
disproved as being our Thomas Rowe (born Wroe) and Mary Ellen (Meagher/Mahir)
Rowe – see below. Family data on Mary E. (Rowe) and James Godfrey McLewin –
inspiration and perspiration thanks to first cousin once removed Scott Rowe.
ANALYSIS
of this possible new family connection
Specific dates of birth and initial as well as middle names
seemed to have varied greatly among our ancestors, making research tedious and
relying on a single document a dubious pursuit.
I found a Thomas A. Rowe using the FamilySearch.com
database, searching Maine States Veterans records. A Thomas A. Rowe served as a
Private of infantry during the Civil War with Company G, Maine 26th
Regiment. His Civil War service covered 9 months, from 1862-1863. Subsequently
VA records show a pension decision for Alice S. Rowe in 1880, though a separate
record has Thomas A. Rowe became an invalid on pension, with beneficiary Alice
S. Rowe and date of death 15 March 1910, while another record showed he died 21
March 1924, with beneficiary Kate Rowe. But - a separate record has Alice S.
Rowe mentioned as his Army Widow and his date of death as 30 Oct 1929. This
Thomas A. Rowe and Mary Maher are not our family, but another near identically
named set of parents. Cuz Scott Rowe and I suspect that the researchers
of the McLewin Family Tree (LINK) may have misidentified that couple – Thomas A
Rowe and Mary Maher as our Thomas and Mary Rowe.
I found a marriage record for a
Thomas A. Rowe and Mary Ann Maher, in Stratford, Coos County, New Hampshire on
1 April 1850. This is obviously not our Thomas and Mary, as our Thomas Wroe and
Mary came over on Josephus in June of 1853. Also our Mary's
middle name was Ellen. The Naturalization record for the McLewin tree owners
Thomas Rowe showed he came over on 2 November 1838 on the ship Lexington
- another proof that tree is tied to a different Thomas Rowe than ours. What
I'm thinking is that the people who originated the McLewin tree found that
Thomas A. and Mary Maher who married in 1850 in NH ... and mistakenly connected
them to our family.
I found a separate record of a second daughter of that
Thomas A. Rowe and Mary Maher – Elizabeth A. Rowe, married Joseph Lafontaine,
age 38 of Island Point, VT on 14 June 1911. The marriage record, from Boston,
Mass shows Elizabeth A. Rowe was a labeler of 22 Warrenton Street, Portland, ME
while Joseph was a RR brakeman.
Details disproving the connection to our Rowes – The Thomas
A. Rowe above was born in England, and married that Mary Maher in New Hampshire
in 1852 - BEFORE our Thomas (born with surname Wroe in England) arrived in
Boston in June of 1853.
I found a Mary E. Rowe, b 22 Aug 1868 in Baldwin, ME – dau
of Daniel and Armina P. Rowe using FamilySearch.org database of Maine Vital
Records. This dau of Armina and Daniel Rowe died on 15 Jan 1883 at age 14
years, 4 months and thus could not have married James G. McLewin in Dec 1892. Her
data merely illustrates the existence of Mary E. Rowes in Maine and Portland,
ME records.
Another Mary E. Rowe, in 1920 US Census of Portland was a
nurse, but the records show her father was born in England (not at sea, Boston,
or US).
An Ella Mary Rowe, born 18 Jan 1865 to Ellery and Mary H.
Rowe also cannot be the wife of James G. McLewin.
I sent a comment within
Ancestry.com to the McLewin tree owner - dmf7274 - about the
errors. I'm guessing he/she was more concerned with speed than accuracy in the
connection to our ancestors. Will share any response.
HOWEVER – There is a Florence M. McLewin, born 29 Sep
1895, and died 25 December 1914 at 19 years, 3 months and 6 days buried in the
Thomas and Mary Ellen (Meagher/Mahir) Rowe family plot at Calvary Cemetery in
South Portland, ME. Calvary Cemetery records give the home address
of Florence McLewin as 88 Newberry Street, confirming she was the daughter of
James G. (sometimes Godfrey James) and Mary E. Rowe McLewin. The burial
of two McLewin children in a “family” cemetery plot is a strong indicator of
a family connection.
Our Mary Rowe, dau of our Thomas and Mary (Meagher/Mahir)
Rowe appeared with her parents and siblings in 1880 US Census of Portland at
age 15 (suggests born 1865). Our Mary was several years older than her sister
Jane “Jennie” who married Frank M. Emery, and Jennie’s birth month and year is
given as Sep 1870 in 1900 US Census of Portland … while that of the Mary Rowe
who married to James G. McLewin (and lived next door) was given as May 1868.
I found Reverend M.H. McGrath (married James G. McLewin and
Mary E. Rowe per McLewin files) in several Portland City directories, though a
separate Maine Marriage record noted their marriage as civil. Portland City Directories include clergy, per
reply email from Portland public Library – Rev Matthew H. McGrath was
associated with the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, ME –
thus Mary E. Rowe and James G, McLewin were married in a Roman Catholic
ceremony.
Additionally in the 1900 US Census of Portland, ME Jane
“Jennie (Rowe) and her husband Frank M. Emery lived next door to this Mary E.
(Rowe) and James G. McLewin family. While this coincidence is not conclusive
evidence of a family connection – if James’ McLewin’s wife Mary E. Rowe was a
daughter of our Thomas and Mary Ellen (Meagher/Mahir) Rowe, then two sisters
living next door to each other is another strong circumstantial evidence of a
family connection.
Alternate dates of birth of Mary E. Rowe per 1900 US Census
of Portland was May 1868. Age of bride per 31 Dec 1892 marriage was 26 (thus
born 1866). Godfrey James McLewin born 30 November 1866 and Mary E. (Rowe)
McLewin born 1 May 1867 per file found by Scott Rowe
http://mclewin.com/sites/mclewin.com/files/McLewin%20Genealogy%201999.pdf The month of May (1865, 1867, or 1868) as the
birth month seems consistent.
1865
– 2 May – Mary Rowe born to Thomas and Mary Rowe in Portland, ME.
1892 – 31 Dec – Mary E. Rowe and
James G. McLewin were married by Reverend
Matthew H. McGrath, asst pastor of the
Catholic Cathedral on Congress Street.
1894 – 19 March – Birth of William
Thomas McLewin. Family lived at 239 Oxford
Street
at the time of his birth per McLewin Family Tree.
22 September –
Death of William Thomas McLewin. Buried at Calvary Cemetery
Church
Circle, plot 69, grave 8. He was 6 months old. Family lived at 17A
Mountfort
Street at that time. His burial in a “family” cemetery plot is a strong
indicator
of a family connection.
1895 – 29 Sep - birth of Florence
McLewin per McLewin Family Tree on Ancestry.com .
1897 – Portland City Directory – James
G. McLewin family lived at 10 Mountfort Street.
17
August – Birth of James Harold McLewin in Portland, ME. Family lived at
1900 - US
Census – Mary E. (Rowe) McLewin and her husband James G. McLewin,
their
children Florence M. age 4, b Sep 1895; James H. age 2, b Aug 1897. James
G.
was age 30; Mary E. age 32. Their address was 18 Melbourne Street. Census
states
James emigrated in 1889, and this was his tenth year in US. James was head
shipper at
wholesale grocery.
In census next
door lived Frank M. and Ann (Rowe) Emery, possibly sister. Frank
worked as a
shipper at wholesale grocery. That the two husbands worked in same
business provides
additional circumstantial evidence of a family connection.
1903 – 2
March – Birth of Jessie (Jesseta) McLewin. The family lived at 88 Newberry
Street
at the time.
1907 - Portland
City Directory – Family lived at 205 Pine Street, South Portland.
1908 - Portland
City Directory – Family lived at 88 Newberry Street, Portland.
1910 – US
Census – James G. age 46, Mary E. age 43, living at 88 Hancock Street,
Portland
with children Florence M. age 14, J Harold age 12, and Jesseta age 7.
Immigration
year of James G. given as 1874. James was a shipping clerk at
wholesale
grocery store.
1913 - Portland
City Directory – James was clerk at 166 Commercial Street; lived at 88
Newberry
Street.
1914 – 25
December Florence McLewin died; she was 19 years, 3 months and 6 days old
at
time of death. Buried at Calvary Cemetery Church Circle, plot 69, grave 7. The
McLewin
family lived at 88 Newberry Street at that time. Her burial in a
“family”
cemetery plot is a strong indicator of a family connection.
1918 – 3
July - Son Harold James McLewin married Helen McCallum in Boston.
1920 – US
Census – James G. age 53, Mary age 53, Jesseta age 16. He was salesman at
grocery
store. Family lived at 95 Walnut Street. Note: dau Florence and son
William
Thomas both deceased at this time. Census noted James as born England,
and
both his parents born in England.
Portland City
Directory – Son James was a shipper at 252 Commercial, lived at
96 Portland Street. His wife noted as Helen E.
1925 – Portland
City Directory – The McLewin family lived at 205 Pine Street at that
time.
1929 - Portland
City Directory – The McLewin family lived at 205 Pine Street at that
time.
1930 – US
Census – James age 62, Mary E. age 63. Living at 267 Broadway in South
Portland.
He was clerk in wholesale grocery Co. James age 62; Mary E. age 63.
Census
states they married 1893.
1931 - Portland
City Directory – The McLewin family lived at 414 Broadway Street at
that
time.
1934 - Portland City Directory –
The McLewin family lived at 414 Broadway Street at
that
time.
1935 - Portland City Directory – James
worked as a clerk at 252 Commercial Street; the
Harold
J. McLewin family lived at 60 Montreal Street at that time.
Separate
entry - Their son Harold J. (wife Helen E.) worked as a clerk at 252
Commercial
Street; this McLewin family lived at 414 Broadway Street at
that time.
1936 - Portland City Directory –
James G. worked as a shipper at 252 Commercial Street;
he
and Mary E. lived at 414 Broadway Street at that time.
Separate
entry - Their son Harold J. (wife Helen E.) worked as a clerk at 252
Commercial
Street; this McLewin family lived at 39 North Street at that time.
2 August - Death
of James G. McLewin. He lived at lived at 414 Broadway Street
at
that time. He is buried at Forest City Cemetery, South Portland, ME.
1937 - Death of Mary E. (Rowe)
McLewin in Portland, ME six months after her husband
James G. McLewin.
She is buried at Forest City Cemetery with husband James G.
in lots 22, 23. She
lived at 12 North Street Portland with their daughter
Jessie (Jesseta)
at that time. McLewin Family Tree states Mary E. (Rowe)
McLewin was
born 1 May 1867.
1940 – US
Census – Son Harold James McLewin, age 41, worked as a shipper at
wholesale
grocery co.; his wife Helen E. (McCallum) age 40. Their son Harold R.
age
20, was a shipper at wholesale grocery. Her mother, Nellie McCallum, age
65,
born in Bermuda, lived with them and worked as a shipper of retail jewelry.
At
home also was son Donald, age 17.
I’m inclined to believe the McLewins are related, are our
second cousins, and will endeavor to get conclusive proof. Any help would be welcome.
More from Cuz Scott Rowe - He found James McLewin at 88
Newbury (I think the corner of Newbury and Hancock) and ACROSS the street from
Rowe and MacDonald Grocers. I found it in the 1912 Directory. He reminded me
that the McLewin genealogy document mentioned the couple meeting while he was
on the job delivering wholesale groceries to Washington Hotel in N.H.
Scott did some
reading about Portland and noted that they were undergoing a prohibition when
our Rowe family first came to Portland, wasn't popular among the Irish. Also,
saw where the Portland fire in 1866 stopped just short of Munjoy Hill. He suggested the fire may have
provided some opportunities for
Thomas and his son William, and other family, during the rebuild.
In 2009 I converted a 1930s
era (before I was born) 8mm film to DVD. It was taken at
the Mitchell Rd farm my parents owned in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It includes
footage of my Uncle Bill and Aunt Marion (Littlefield) Rowe, plus their kids
(some of your parents or grandparents in it perhaps), plus my three older
brothers (Dan, Dave, and Den Rowe), my Uncle Edwin Leonard Rowe, my
grandmother Bridget (Sullivan) O'Connor and her sister my great Aunt Mary
(Sullivan) Riordan, my Aunt and Uncle George and Esther LaPolice and several of
their kids, and my parents (Dan and Bryde Rowe). The picture quality isn't that great, but I
believe you may be able to identify folks, and the scenes. For a copy
send me a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE).
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