Boggledy Family History: Ellen Eve Rowe

Parents: James Rowe, Mary Ann Mitchell
Birth: October 16, 1851 in Shropshire, England
Year of immigration to US: 1860/1861 Year of naturalization 1871
Marriage: Jun 11, 1872 to Wheelock Winspear. They had six children: John Burrige, Wheelock William, Minnie May, Nellie Grace, Marie Mabel, and Catherine Pearl
Death: January 16, 1948 in Ohio, United States

Ellen was born in Shropshire, England, and was the second child born to James Rowe and Mary Mitchell. When she was about 9 years old, Ellen left England and came to the United States to live with John and Lydia Burrige, who had no children of their own. I believe that John and Lydia were Ellen's aunt and uncle, because according to Lydia's death certificate, her maiden name was Rowe.

Dad wrote a note on James Rowe (Ellen's father)'s page in Family Search. It says:

"James & Wife Mary Ann & 3 children died in epidemic. William and Ellen were then raised by the Burriges."

So it appears that Ellen was an orphan, although an orphan that loved her foster parents very much. She was only 8 or 9 when she made the journey across the ocean to the United States, so she had plenty of time to get close to them before she married. She also named her first born son after her foster father John. Her son Wheelock William was obviously named for his father, but perhaps his middle name was in memory of Ellen's brother William.

Three names from Ellen's family are in my family: Mary Ann (Ellen's mother), Ellen, and Catherine (Ellen's daughter; also Ellen's mother-in-law). I don't know if it was intentional or accidental that my parents gave us names from our family heritage; I remember hearing once that I was named for someone in our family tree, but when I've asked about it more recently, I was told otherwise.

Anyway, Ellen was living with John Burrige and Lydia Burrige in 1870 (see the census below). They had emigrated from England about 10 years before Ellen had, and I imagine that they were well established in their Ohio township, Clermont County community by the time she reached them in 1860. Ellen married Wheelock Winspear just two years after the census was taken, when she was 21.

The two started their family, lived in Kentucky for a while (where their son John was born), and then settled in Pierce Township, Clermont co, Ohio. The place they settled was probably on Wheelock's family farm, since Wheelock's mother (Kate) and spinster sister (Maria) were living either with or right next door to the young family.

As the years progressed, Ellen and Wheelock's sons and daughters were married. The aging couple stayed in Pierce, Ohio until they moved to Ohio, Ohio (seriously, that's what it's called!) one township over.

Ellen's foster mother Lydia Burrige passed away in 1918, probably around or close to the time that the Winspears moved to Ohio twp. Since her foster father John had already passed on, Ellen was the informant for the death record. She either knew or had records for Lydia's birth date and father's name, which were recorded on the death record.

1924 was a difficult year for the Winspear family. On New Year's Eve, (Dec 30, 1923), Ellen and Wheelock's son John died. Just a few months later, in May, Wheelock passed on from acute nephritis (kidney disease), and then in June of the same year Ellen and Wheelock's son Wheelock William passed on also.

Thankfully, Wheelock Winspear had provided well for his widow--they owned their house in Ohio, Ohio--so Ellen would not face as much financial difficulty as another might in her situation. Wheelock was already 77 at the time of his passing, and I believe the two were both prepared for it. However, no matter how much you know what's coming, loss is hard to bear; I'm sure it was even harder for Ellen to bear since two of her children in addition to her husband passed away all in one year

Even though the house was owned free of mortgage, Ellen did not want to live by herself. By 1930, she was living with her daughter Catherine in Cincinnati in a place they rented for $35.00/month at 961 McMillan St. I imagine she sold the house in Ohio twp and used the money from the sale to supplement Catherine's income as a clerk at the post office. In 1940, Ellen still lived with Catherine at the same address. The view from their window probably included this building:

Picture from Google Street View, 978 McMillan St, Cincinnati, OH

The building that they lived in has been torn down, and a Kroger grocery store sits in its place.

In 1940, Catherine worked as a stenographer at the Revenue Department. Since neither the 1930 or 1940 censuses list an occupation for Ellen, I believe she just stayed at home to keep house and cook their meals. At some point between 1940 and 1948, Catherine had married a Mr. Barnhart and moved to Waynesville, Warren county, Ohio (northeast of Cincinnati). Ellen came with them, and passed away in Waynesville in 1948 at the ripe old age of 96.

Marriage record: