Willis W. Bowles

Willis W. Bowles was the twelfth child and last son of John and Celia Bowles. He was born about 1836. According to Carol Norman, "My great-grandfather ... Willis Bowles married Lucinda Nunnally in 1863 Barren Co., KY. At some point in time they moved to Forseyth, Illinois. They had 3 children while living in Ky. James, George N. and Lucinda Catherine."

The 1850 Barren Co KY census lists Willis W. (14, born in KY) in the household of John Bowls. The 1860 Metcalfe Co KY census lists Willis W. (24) in the household of John Bowles. The 1880 Macon Co IL census lists a William Bowles, age 36, with three children: James, age 16; George, age 14; and Kate, age 12. [Hickory Point, Macon Co, Illinois; page 453B].

Lucinda Nunnally Bowles was a daughter of John B. and Elizabeth (White) Nunnally. Her grandparents were Obadiah and Rhoda White, so Celia White, Willis' mother, was Lucinda's aunt. Thus Willis Bowles and Lucinda Nunnally were first cousins. It was not unusual for first cousins to marry in those days when families grouped together in small communities frequently intermarried repeatedly.

Most of the following information comes from Carol Norman.

Lucinda Nunnally Bowles died in 1874 and her remains were returned to Kentucky where she was buried in Eighty-Eight (Barren County) KY. Willis died in December 1882 and was buried in the Bethel Cemetery in Forseyth IL. Carol received a letter from Dawn Leiner, Office Coordinator for the Macon County IL County Clerk's office that said, "I located the record in our Death Register. It is spelled Willis W. Bowls. He died in December, 1882. There is no date of death listed in the register, but it does say he was buried on December 31, 1882. ... The register says he was buried at Bethel Church, which I am assuming is Bethel Cemetery."

James, their first child was born in 1864. He apparently lived in Oklahoma at one time. Nothing more is known about him.

Their second-born, George Newton Bowles, was born 13 Feb 1866. He married Amy Ellen Ridgeway on 27 Sep 1897 in Springfield IL, and they had eight children (Harry, George Laverne, Jessie Sherman, Raymond Herald, Lenonard Alvin, Robert Eugene, Gertrude Agnes, and Karl Dean). Amy died 2 Apr 1923. George lived until 6 Apr 1943. Both are buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in DuQuoin IL.

Lucinda Katherine, their last child, was born in Dec 1867. She married Frank Wolf, and they had three children. Kate died 26 Apr 1901 and is buried in the South Hill Cemetery in Vandalia IL.

According to a descendent, "Frank Wolf was born December 10th, 1858, he had a short life of 40 years, and died December 21, 1898. Kate, (Lacinda Katherine) was born in the year 1867, she had a shorter life of 34 years, and she died April 26th, 1901. Just a little over three years after Frank’s passing."

Their three children were William (b. Jan 1885), Martha Maria "Maude" (b. Feb 1888), and Roy Frank (b. Feb 1893). "When Kate, their mother died, her three minor orphaned children were taken to live with their Uncle George Newton Bowles family, with his wife and children. Their family home at the time was in Cornland, Illinois."