Gideon Bowles of St. James Colony

Generation One

BOWLES, Gideon b 1690 Oxford, England

• John b 1712

This lineage for Gideon in Generation three below is from Thomas Farquhar's "History of the Bowles Family". Included is an article by Harry Sutcliffe that discusses this lineage and the facts supporting it or lack thereof. He also gives an alternate line that looks very convincing.

Generation Two

BOWLES, John b 1712

m Eleanor Parsons, granddaughter of Sir William Parsons

• Gideon b 1734
• James
• John
• Stephen
• Hugh

Generation Three

BOWLES, Gideon b 1734

m Goochland County, Virginia Charity Ann Hughs

• Martha b 1756 m 18 Feb 1779 Goochland County, Virginia Humphrey Gaines
• Jane b 2 Dec 1757 m 17 Feb 1781 Goochland County, Virginia Jesse Thomas
• Sarah b 1759 d aft. 1844
• Hughes b 7 Feb 1760
• Nathan b 21 Jan 1762 d 1833 Jefferson, Jackson County, Georgia m 20 Jan 1812 Jane Puryear
• Anderson b 3 May 1764
• Mary May b 27 May 1767 m 17 Dec 1787 Goochland County, Virginia Stephen Mallory
• Elizabeth b 2 Nov 1769 Goochland County, Virginia d aft. 1 Feb 1840
• Nancy b 1771 m 16 Dec 1790 Goochland County, Virginia David Johnson
• Clayburn b 4 July 1773 Goochland County, Virginia
• Judith b 11 Jan 1775 Goochland County, Virginia d aft. 21 Aug 1822 Wilkes, Georgia m 29 May 1818 Goochland County, Virginia John Bunch d bef. 21 Aug 1822
• William b 10 Jan 1777 Goochland County, Virginia m 27 Dec 1800 Franklin, Virginia Nancy Bolling

Family tradition has Gideon as aide de camp to George Washington. All of Gideon's children are named in his will.

Signature from his will

Generation Four

BOWLES, Hughes b 7 Feb 1760 d 1808

m 12 Nov 1783 Goochland County, Virginia Mary Shipp

• William Anderson b 1787
• Nancy b 1788
• Sarah b 1797

BOWLES, Anderson b 3 May 1764 Goochland County, Virginia d 1812 St. Louis, Missouri

m 10 Feb 1781 Jane Thomas d 1834 St. Louis, Missouri

• Caleb b 1785
• Sarah m Stephen Maddox
• James b 1794 Cumberland County, Virginia d 1814
• Gideon
• Ann d bef 1806 Cumberland County, Virginia
• Anderson
• Virginia b Cumberland County, Virginia m Richard Ripley
• Elizabeth
• Agusta m Jacilla Wells
• David J. b 30 Aug 1804

Anderson and Jane first settled in Cumberland County, Virginia. In 1806, they moved to Madison County, Kentucky. Five years later, they again moved to St. Louis County, Missouri. A brother and sister are named in his will.

Generation Five

BOWLES, Caleb b 1785 Goochland, Virginia d 12 May 1836 St. Louis, Missouri

m 15 Aug 1807 Madison County, Kentucky Elizabeth Glen d 1821

• Joseph Thomas b 1808
• Anderson b 1812
• Elizabeth b 1813
• Jane b 24 Dec 1819
• Gideon died in infancy
• Augustus died in infancy

m 1822 Mary Hearst b 7 Dec 1798 d 22 Jan 1840

• Margaret Jane
• William Hearst b 1827
• Caleb b 14 Jun 1832
• George Milton b ca. 1835
• John Wesley (died at the age of sixteen)

Caleb was the first judge for Bonhomme Township in the Carondolet area. He appears in the 1830 census as resident of that township. The next year he moved to the Fenton area of the county. At some point, he became a superior court judge. He would ride his horse into St. Louis and stay at the Greentree Tavern when court was in session.

Caleb also established the first post office in Fenton in 1831 and acquired a permit to operate a ferry crossing of the Meramec River at Fenton in 1833. He liked to make furniture in his spare time. His tool collection is inventoried in his probate records.

In December of 1835 Caleb had an attack in the law office of Henri Chouteau. He died five months later on 10 May 1836 at the Greentree Tavern. Presumably, he was too sick to be transported home. Caleb died in testate so his estate was settled in probate court.

BOWLES, Gideon b Cumberland County, Virginia d 1806 Cumberland County, Virginia

BOWLES, Anderson b 1786 Cumberland County, Virginia

m 20 Sep 1824 Mississippi Sarah Ann Harvey b ca. 1804

• Augusta
• Ann
• William
• Francis
• Lapemil
• Martha
• James

All the children were born in Mississippi. Anderson and Sarah appear in the 1850 census for Attala County, Mississippi.

BOWLES, David J. b 30 Aug 1805 Cumberland County, Virginia d 15 Jan 1885 Montgomery, Missouri

m Julia Jean MacKay

• David J.
• Jefferson R.
• James Anderson b 28 Mar 1806
• Jane A. b 19 Apr 1809
• Jessie b 1831
• Nathan Z. b 1833
• Mary E. b 1835
• George R. b 1838
• Julia Virginia b 24 Jul 1840
• John B. b 1841
• Gustave Soulard b 1845

Generation Six

BOWLES, Joseph Thomas b 1808 Kentucky, d 1872

m Suzanna Cerre

BOWLES, Anderson b 1812 d 1891

m Ann Elizabeth van Dover b 1814 d 1882

• Mary Elizabeth b 1834
• Martha Jane b 1835
• John b 1836
• James Madison b 1840
• Edmond Bates b 1842
• Virginia b ca. 1844
• Margaret
• Emma
• Samuel Addison b ca. 1853
• Joseph W. b ca. 1858

In 1870 Anderson and his wife Elizabeth were living with their two sons Samuel A. and Joseph W. and two hired hands in Bonhomme township, St. Louis County, Missouri according to the census of that year. Both boys were at school. The 1880 census has a very large household for the Anderson and Elizabeth in the same location:

BOWLES, Elizabeth b 1813 St. Louis, Missouri

m 1831 Thomas Harbison

BOWLES, Jane (Jinsey) b 24 Dec 1819 d 21 Jul 1898

m 12 Jan 1837 Samuel Taylor Van Dover

• Sarah
• Caleb
• George
• Lewis Cass
• John Randolph
• Anderson
• Joseph

BOWLES, Caleb b 14 Jun 1832 Franklin County Missouri d 19 June 1893 Contra Costa County, California

m 6 Feb 1868 San Francisco, California Susan Ellen Patton b 19 December 1841 Franklin County Missouri d 16 Sep 1927 Contra Costa County, California

• Margaret Jane b 30 Dec 1868
• Phoebe Ellen b 9 Apr 1873
• George William b 7 Nov 1870

At the age of eight Caleb was orphaned when his mother died, his father having died four years earlier. After her death, his half brother Anderson acted as guardian for him and his younger brothers.

When Caleb was 20, he traveled overland to California where he and his brother George held a valuable placer claim at Birchville, now a long forgotten ghost town near Dutch Flat. At some point, both he and his brother returned to Missouri. A Caleb Bowles appears as a member of I Company, 10th Infantry in the Confederate Army. This is the same Company in which his brother George served, who's service is well documented. After the war, Caleb decided to return to California as is documented by a letter dated 1 Feb 1868 from San Francisco: "I have arrived safe once more off of the Seas, on the Golden shores of the Pacific."

Ellen Patton came to San Francisco, California by ship via New York and the Panama Isthmus. She then went to Stockton to teach school. They were married in 1868. The photograph at right is thought to be of Caleb and his family.

Caleb is first cousin to California Senator George Hearst who is the father of William Randolph Hearst. Ellen Patton and Phoebe Apperson (the wife of George Hearst) were childhood friends in Franklin County. It's likely that Caleb and Ellen met through their association with the Hearsts. Supporting this supposition was that fact that they were married at the Hearst home in San Francisco. In addition, their daughter Phoebe is named after Mrs. Hearst.

After their marriage, the Bowles originally lived at the mine. Something about the location affected Susan Ellen's health so Caleb sold his share to his brother and moved to Cambria or San Simeon in San Luis Obispo County, California. They are shown there in the 1880 census. In the fall of 1887, they moved to Contra Costa County, California were they lived until Caleb died. Ellen and her son George then returned to San Luis Obispo County. Ellen may have been living with her daughter Maragaret in 1907. Caleb and Ellen are buried in the Dublin Cemetery, Dublin, California.

Caleb played the violin and was a member of the San Francisco Symphony according to his daughter's recollection.

BOWLES, George Milton b Mar 1835

m 26 Mar 1862 St. Louis County, Missouri Martha E. Price b ca. 1841

• Jennie b ca. 1872
• George Hearst b ca. 1874
• Thomas Price b ca. 1877
• William b ca. 1885
• Sarah b ca. 1889

George and his brother Caleb shared a mining claim in Birchville, California. He later returned to Missouri where he was married. During the Civil War, he fought on the side of the Confederacy. Near the end of the war, he was taken prisoner and sent to Johnson's Island in Sandusky Bay, near Sandusky, Ohio. His wife went to Washington and asked President Lincoln for a pardon which he granted. After his return, he ran a general store with his wife in House Spring. They later move to St. Charles, Missouri.

In the 1870 census George Bowles and his wife Martha are shown living with Martha's family in Bonhomme Township, St. Louis County, Missouri. In the 1880 census George M. Bowles, his wife Marth, and three children are shown living in Jefferson County, Missouri. Susan's father Thomas Price, age 65, is also living with them. By the 1900 census, the family had acquired two more children and were back in Bonhomme Township.

BOWLES, Margaret Jane

m Thomas Byrns

BOWLES, William Hearst b 20 Feb 1827 St. Louis County, Missouri d 5 Jan 1903 St. Louis County, Missouri

m 26 Jun 1852 Augusta Sophia Glanville b 1828 St. Louis County, Missouri d 3 Sep 1857 Lane's Prairie, Missouri, daughter of the Rev. John Glanville

• Octavia Ann b 18 Mar 1853 m 2 July 1874 Thomas James
• William Alfred b 1857 (moved to Washington)

m 1866 Louisa Bray Greatwood Kinsey b 23 Jun 1840 Bradfor, Hillshire, England d 11 Aug 1868

• None. Louisa died during child birth.

m 14 Nov 1877 Highgate, Missouri Elizabeth E. Kinsey b 24 Oct 1855 d 23 Apr 1940

• Caleb Matthew b 14 Mar 1879 d 3 Aug 1881
• John Anderson b 1881 d 1940
• Margaret Augusta b 1883
• Joseph Hearst b 20 Oct 1885
• Thomas Kinsey b 1888
• Mary Louise b 1890
• Hortense Deborah b 1893
• Lucy Jane b 1895

William graduated from McDowell Medical College in St. Louis. In about 1850, Dr. Bowles moved to Maries County where he was the first medical school graduate to live there. A history of him was written in 1889. The 1900 census has Wm H. Bowles, his wife E. E. Bowles, and all their living children. In the 1910 census the family (William had died) were living St. Louis, Missouri. Son John was going by Anderson. Sarah J. Harbison, age 67, was living with them.

Generation Seven

Children of Anderson Bowles and Ann Elizabeth van Dover

BOWLES, James Madison b 1840 d before 1880

m 25 Oct 1866 St. Louis, Missouri Willie Thurston

• Charles b ca. 1869
• Hallan b ca. 1872
• William b ca. 1873
• Anna May b ca. 1877

The 1880 census shows Willie Bowles, widowed, and her children living with her father and mother in-law. The marriage date is from the St. Louis County marriage book.

BOWLES, Edward Bates b 1842

m Mary E. Patton b Missouri d 1870

• William M. b ca. 1868
• Anderson P. b 1870
• Addison V. b 1870

m Emma Sterriger b Franklin County, Missouri d 1877

m Martha L. Hyer daughter of Dr. John Hyer

• John Hyer b 4 Aug 1883
• James Joseph b 30 Jul 1888

The 1870 census has Edward, his wife Mary, and twins Addison and Anderson (difficult to read) in Crawford County. Acccording to the 1880 census an E. B. Bowles, physician and a Sam A. Bowles were boarders in Maries County, Missouri. Edward has a brother named Samual Addison. In the same census William 11, Anderson age 9, and Addison age 9 were living with their grandparents, Anderson and Elizabeth Bowles in St. Louis County, Missouri. John and James Bowles birth dates are from their draft registration cards.

Edward was a physician in Vienna, Maries County. Mary was generally known as Mollie. She was killed when a when a tree fell on her. The information about Edward Bates is from an 1889 history. The marriage of Mary to a Bowles is confirmed by her niece, Phoebe (Bowles) Coats in a diary entry. Mary is buried in a cemetery was part of William Hearst Bowles property.

BOWLES, Virginia b ca. 1844

m 12 Nov 1863 St. Louis County, Missouri James Harbison b ca. 1841

• Aeton b ca. 1864
• Edward b ca. 1866
• Charles b ca. 1868
• Eliza b 1870

The 1870 census has the family in Rock Township, Jefferson County, Missouri. The marriage is from the St. Louis County marriage book.

BOWLES, Joseph W. b ca. 1858 Missouri

m before 1880 Sarah

• Josie
• Mattie L.
• James G.
• Mary A.

Joseph and Sarah were living with Joesph's parents according to the 1880 census. In 1900, the census had them in St. Louis, Missouri with four children and two boarders including Charles Harbison who was probably a cousin.

Children of George Milton Bowles and Martha Price

BOWLES, Thomas Price b ca. 1877

m Lily

• Edith b ca. 1902
• George M. b ca. 1904
• William L. b ca. 1907
• Helen L. b ca. 1909
• Margaret b ca. 1911
• Thomas b ca. 1913
• John L. b ca. 1915
• Forest b ca. 1918
• Charles

The 1910 census has Thomas P. Bowles, his wife Lillie, and their four children in Bonhomme Township, St. Louis County, Missouri. The 1920 census has Thomas and Lily with four more children in the same place. Ten years later, the census had Thomas and Lilly with a new child and Edith and George missing. They were now in Yuba, Sutter County, California near where Thomas' father once prospected.

Children of William Hearst Bowles and Ella Kinsey

BOWLES, Margaret Augusta b 25 Apr 1883 d 1971

m 1910 Albert E. Waltenspiel b 1877 California d 1969

• Elizabeth Caroline b ca. 1911 m Richard
• Albert B. b ca. 1913
• Alice Margaret b ca. 1915 m Dean Hughes
• Edmund Joseph b ca. 1922
• Hugh Kinsey b 1923 d 1928

In 1907, Margaret and her brother Joseph traveled to California to visit their Cousin Phoebe. While there, they took a six week trip tour of the state with Phoebe, her husband Bethel, their children, her future husband, and his sister. Margaret wrote a travel log of the experience. Albert, Margaret, and their three living children appear in the 1930 census for Rolla, Missouri. Cousin Phoebe visited with the family, who were still in Rolla, in May 1949. She recorded the visit in her diary. Margaret and Albert are buried at the Bowles cemetery located on William Hearst Bowles property.

BOWLES, Joseph Hearst b 20 Oct 1885

m Clara Della Cordsmeyer b ca. 1890

• Helen Elizabeth b 8 Sep 1910
• Julia Margaret b 3 Jul 1914
• William Anderson b ca 1916
• Joseph Hearst b 6 Oct 1925

In 1907 Joseph visited California with his sister Margaret as described above. Joseph H. and Clara D. Bowles appear in the 1930 along with their four children in Central, St. Louis, Missouri. Joe lived in Merced, Caifornia in Jan 1946 as was described in his cousin Phoebe (Bowles) Coats' diary.

BOWLES, Thomas Kinsey b 23 Jan 1888 d 1965

m 1915 Susan Ashley b ca. 1889

• Mary Emma b ca. 1921
• Joe A. b ca. 1924
• William b after 1930

A World War I draft card gives Thomas' birth date. Thomas K. Bowles, his wife Susan A., and two of their children, Mary and Joe, appear in the 1930 census as living in Tacoma, Washington. Thomas was an M. D. In January 1946, he visited his cousin Phoebe (Bowles) Coats. There are several entries in her diary about the visit. One mentions a young son William.

BOWLES, Mary Louise b 3 Oct 1890 d 1987

m 10 Feb 1921 David Taylor Lenox b c. 1895 Missouri

• David Taylor III b ca. 1923
• William H. b ca. 1925
• Merrietta b ca. 1928
• Margaret Ann

This genealogy is constructed from diary entries by Phoebe (Bowles) Coats, Mary's first cousin, when she visited in May 1949. In addition, David T. Lenox II, Mary L., and three children appear in the 1930 census for Post Oak, Johnson, Missouri. David was a farmer and had served during World War I.

BOWLES, Hortense Deborah b 20 Jan 1893 d 1990

m 9 Apr 1919 David M. Donan b 14 May 1874 d 28 Feb 1970

• Elizabeth Ann b ca. 1922 m Harry Sutcliffe
• Lucy Stuart b ca. 1930 m David Finch
• Jean Coe b ca. 1924
• David Alexander b ca. 1928

The 1930 census has David Donan, his wife Hortence, and four children in Ben Avon, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Both David and Hortense are listed as being born in Missouri. All their children were born in Pennsylvania. The husband of Elizabeth Ann did extensive research on his wife's family. Some of his work is reflected here. Harry died in 2006.

BOWLES, Lucy Jane b 25 Aug 1895 d Jun 1994 Maries County, Missouri

m Gifford Martin

• Dorothy b ca. 1926

m Lloyd Bennetsen

Gifford Martin, his wife Lucy, and their child Dorothy appear in the 1930 census for St. Louis, Missouri. Gifford was a salesman and had served in World War I. Lucy and Lloyd are mentioned in Lucy's cousin Phoebe's diary when she was visiting Missouri in 1946. An obituary for Lucy appeared in the 22 Jun 1994 Maries County Gazette.

Children of Caleb Bowles and Susan Ellen Patton

BOWLES, Margaret Jane b 30 Dec 1868 North San Juan, California d 7 May 1949 Stanisluas County, California

m 21 Jun 1899 Watsonville, California Clarence Elfin Martinelli b 27 Dec 1874 California d 10 Aug 1946 San Joaquin County, California

• Ellsworth Lowell b 28 Dec 1900
• Marian Elizabeth b 30 Jun 1902
• Donald Elfin b 18 Oct 1903
• George Edgar b 4 Nov 1905
• Louis Caleb b 21 Jul 1907
• Walter Bethel b 3 Feb 1910
• Serena Ellen b 10 Jan 1913

Margaret Bowles is listed as a teacher at the Tassajara school in Contra Costa County, California in 1892. Her brother-in-law indicated she taught there in 1893. Her parents and family had moved to the area in 1887. When she was visited by her sister in 1907, she was living in Watsonville. Margaret and Clarence are buried in the Colfax Cemetery in Colfax, California.

BOWLES, George William b 7 Nov 1870 Cambria, California d 18 Aug 1937 Hickman, California

m 14 Oct 1896 San Francisco, California Anna Kaiser b 28 Jul 1874 California d 15 Aug 1964 Santa Cruz, California

• Mary Ellen b 10 Sep 1897
• Ann b 30 Aug 1899
• William b 5 Sep 1901
• Charles Anderson b 20 Feb 1904
• George William b 2 Nov 1906
• Phoebe Jane b 7 Apr 1909
• John Samuel b 30 Jun 1915

After their marriage George and Anna moved to the ranch of George's widowed mother Ellen which was a few miles outside of Cambria, California. In 1909 they moved to New Almaden, Santa Clara County, California where they tried dairying, raising stock, and general farming. They were accompanied by Ellen (Patton) Bowles. Ellen then found a ranch in Hickman, California where the family moved in 1915. George had traded their Santa Clara ranch for 250 acres in the Hickman precinct, one mile east of Hickman. In 1956, Anna moved in with her daughter Ann to Santa Cruz. The Hickman ranch was sold in 1958. George is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall with gray eyes and black hair in the 1892 voter registration of Contra Costa County.

Generation Eight

Children of Edward Bates Bowles and Wives

BOWLES, William M. b ca. 1868

m Clara M. b ca. 1873

• Ellen M. b ca. 1900
• Edward S b ca. 1902
• Clara E. b ca. 1910
• Mary Louise b ca. 1913

The 1900 through 1930 census shows the family living in Perry, Oklahoma. The attribution to Edward Bates Bowles as the father of William is based on the uniqueness of the name of William M. in the census and that both his parents were from Missouri. A marriage record would be very useful.

BOWLES, Anderson P. b ca. 1870

m Ida b ca. 1871

The connection to Edward Bates Bowles is very tenous. The 1930 census has A. P. Bowles and his parents born in Missouri. In 1930, Anderson and his wife were living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which is about 80 miles from William M. Bowles above.

BOWLES, Addison V b ca. 1870

m Kate b ca. 1876

• Gladys b ca. 1897
• Philander b ca. 1904
• Glen b 1907

In the 1910 census Addison and his family were living in Sherrill Township, Texas County, Missouri. Addison and his parents are listed as born in Missouri.

Children of Joseph Hearst Bowles and Clara Cordsmeyer

BOWLES, Helen Elizabeth b 8 Sep 1910 d 22 Feb 2008 Merced, California

m Carl Joseph Gilbert Linde

Helen's obituary appeared in the Merced Sun Star. The date of her death given above may be the date of the obituary in which case her death was most likely a few days earlier. Her middle name is from the obiturary.

BOWLES, Julia Margaret b 3 Jul 1914 d 20 Mar 1990

m Charles Hamlin Martin

BOWLES, William Anderson b ca 1916

m Charlotte Sophia Thompson b private

BOWLES, Joseph Hearst b 6 Oct 1925 d 28 Jan 1982

m Patricia Hilda Johnson b private

Children of George William Bowles and Anna Kaiser

BOWLES, Mary Ellen b 20 Sep 1897 d 14 Nov 1933

Mary was in the first class to graduate from Hughson High on 29 May 1918. She died at the age of 36 from diarrhea and enteritis. She's buried in the Modesto Citizens Cemetery.

BOWLES, Ann b 30 Aug 1899 California d 19 May 1986 Hughson, California

Ann dropped out of school after the eight grade. Sometime in the 1920's she moved to Santa Cruz where she worked at the Santa Cruz Packing Company in Seabright. She lived with her grandmother Kaiser at 28 Arbor Street. After her grandmother's death, the house was sold and Ann purchased another. In 1972, she sold that house and moved to Hughson to live with her sister Phoebe. Ann never married.

BOWLES, William Nelson b 5 Sep 1901 d 24 Apr 1968 Santa Cruz County, California

From 1925-1929, William served in the U.S. Navy. When World War II started, Nelson joined the Merchant Marine and served until the end of the war. When he returned home, he worked a dairyman on his father's ranch until it was sold in 1958. He then went to live with his mother and sister Ann in Santa Cruz.

BOWLES, Charles Anderson (Andy) b 24 Feb 1904 d 16 Jan 1997 Novato, California

m 30 Oct 1933 Reno, Nevada Dorothea Anna Dierssen b 8 Oct 1907 California d 20 Nov 1992 San Francisco, California

• Barbara Anne b private
• Robert Alan b private
• Charles (Chuckie) Anderson b private

The family lived in San Francisco where Charles was a longshoreman. In 1994, Andy sold his home and went to live with his sister, Phoebe.

BOWLES, George (Jake) William b 2 Nov 1906 d 24 Mar 1984 Stanislaus County, California

m 18 Mar 1935 Margaret Louise Alexander b 28 April 1914 California d 18 Jan 2006 Stanislaus County, California

• George Lindsay b 24 Nov 1937, Glenn County, California d 27 Mar 2007 Ceres, Stanislaus County, California

George was living with his mother in 1930 and may have continued to do so until his marriage. In 1940 he and his wife lived next to his mother on La Grange Road in Waterford. Living with them was his maternal uncle, Charles E. Kaiser. George and Margaret later moved to Modesto, California where George was a truck driver. A Margaret Bowles was an office manager for the same company as Syble Bowles below. George and Margaret are buried in Modesto Acacia Memorial Park Cemetery.

BOWLES, Phoebe Jane b 7 Apr 1909 d 15 Dec 1999 Hughson, California

m 10 Jan 1937 Hickman, California Raymond Edward Camagna b 2 Mar 1902 France d 11 Sep 1971 Stanislaus County, California

• Yvonne Marie
• Raymond Edward
• Richard Oliver
• Janet Elaine
• Annette Cecelia

According to daughter Annette, her mother attended local school through her second year at Hughson Highschool. She then went to live with her sister in Santa where she attended another year of high school and worked with her sister at the Santa Cruz Packing Company.

At some point she returned to Hickman to marry Raymond. After their marriage, they lived on Raymond's father's orchard. They would live there for the rest of their lives. Raymond is buried at the Lakewood Cemetery in Hughson.

BOWLES, John Samuel (Sam) b 30 Jun 1915 California d 13 Dec 1987 Alameda County, California

m unknown

m Syble Crete Drake b 17 Jun 1923 Oklahoma d 10 Feb 1987 Stanislaus County, California

Information about John's first marriage is sketchy. John was listed as married in the 1940 census, but living with his parents without his wife. In the same census Sybil Drake was single living with her parents in Oklahoma. This confirms John was married to someone prior to his marriage to Syble. It is unclear who that is. Annette Camagna Stransky, Sam's niece, mentions a Syble Bissell in her research. Another name uncovered was Helen Arlberg.

On 21 March 1941, Sam enlisted or was drafted into the U. S. Army as a Private. He is shown as still being married. After the war, the family lived in Waterford, Delhi, and Ceres all in Stanislaus County, California. John worked as a handyman. Syble worked as a bookkeeper at Foster Farms. They are buried in the same plot in the Modesto Citizens Cemetery. They didn't have children.