*Obituaries

Last Updated: June 1999

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Following are postings of obituaries for various family members, some of them amounting to full biographies or family histories.  Please send yours for inclusion! (No, not your  obituary; copies of those you've saved in scrapbooks and Bibles, that relate to the Towse family.


Ann Towse 1799-1886  
William Walter Towse 1840-1918
Eunice Griffen Towse 1848-1929
Ollie Towse Grice 1869-
Edward Armstrong Towse 1867-1931
Eliza Ann Towse Toft
Daniel Webster Towse 1850-1910
Thaddeus Toft
Frank J Towse 1869-1939
John Melville Lincoln Towse
Ruth Warrington Bauder  1907-1991
Alma Noreen Towse Vrooman Hawthorne  1896-1983
J Rankin Towse  1845-1933
William George Towse  

Frank P Towse, Jr.  1877-


Obituary of Ann Towse

Front page of Carlinville Newspaper January 28, 1886

"Ann Towse was born in Yorkshire, England, 1799 and came with her husband, Simpson Towse Sr., to America in 1850. She was the mother of ten children, all born in England, eight who are still living and are called to mourn the death of a dear Mother. On their arrival in America they took up their abode in New York State, where they remained two years when they resumed their journey westward and came to Chesterfield where her husband took sick and died in the fall of 1865.

"She has lived in or near Chesterfield ever since she came to the state. She was admitted to the membership in the Episcopal Church in early life, but changed tothe Methodist Church 1866 or 1867. She joined the class at Long Point of which she remained a faithful member until death, which took place at the home of her daughter, Mrs Bielby, January 14, 1886....

"...Her descendants are eight children, 40 grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren. Her family is one of influence in this county, are all good citizens...Mother Towse was about 87 years old. As a shock of corn fully ripe, she has gone to rest. Funerall service on Sunday in Methodist Church in Chesterfield."


Westland newspaper, Brandon, Colorado Thurs Feb 14, 1918:

"William Walter Towse was born at Lubec, Maine, Dec 25, 1840. He departed this life at his home south of Chivington Feb 11, 1918, leaving a wife and four children; Edward Towse of Honolulu, Mrs Ollie Grice of Nampa, Idaho, George E Towse and Mrs Inez Dawson of Chivington...

"Mr Towse was converted to the Christian faith at the age of 45 years, and for 32 years had been an elder in the Presbyterian Church...At the age of twelve he went to sea and followed that life until he was 21, when he went by the way of Cape Horn to California, engaged for two years in gold mining, came to Nebraska, thence at the end of thirteen years from the time of going to California, he returned to Maine. In 1874 he moved with his family to Colorado, railroaded at River Bend for two years, moved to Denver and from there to Pueblo where for eleven years he was foreman of the steel works. Nineteen years ago the family came to Kiowa county where they have since resided on their homestead three miles south of Chivington."


Eads, Kiowa County, Friday Dec 13, 1929:

"Eunice Griffin Towse was born June 17th, 1848 at Grand Manan, New Brunswick. In 1873 she was united in marriage with Mr WW Towse at Whiting, Maine.

Having the pioneer spirit in their veins they decided to come West and have a part in the settlement of this great territory. In 1875 they moved to Colorado where they continued to make their home. They settled at a little station known as River Bend, near Limon, Colorado. Later they lived in Pueblo for a number of years and in 1898 they came to the Chivington community and established their home here.

Mr Towse died Feb 11, 1918 and since that time Mrs Towse has continued to live in the old home with her daughter, Mrs. Dawson.

Mrs Towse was one of the pioneers of this state and of the Western Territory. She left the comforts of a settled and established community in the East to mingle her fortunes with those of a host of others who have heard the call of the great open spaces and the challenge of undiscovered countries. During those early days, there was danger and privation . Indian raids were common dangers. Probably her most dread danger of all was sickness. Many times there were miles and miles of open spaces between the frontier home and the nearest doctor. Mrs Towse was always ready to help whenever there was sickness and many a home has been blessed by her presence when sickness and death were there.. That her place as a pioneer mother was recognized was evident when last year she received an invitation to be the guest, along with a few other members, at the unveiling of the monument to pioneer mothers at Lamar.

Mrs Towse was a member of the Presbyterian Church and her fine Christian character made her a lover of all who endeavored to serve the Master. She was untiring in her devotion as a mother..."


"Death Notice: Mrs. Ollie Grice...died at the home of her daughter, Mrs Walter Coyle. She leaves two daughters by a former marriage, Mrs. Coyle of Nampa and Mrs CC Warrington of Cheyenne Wyo, 3 grandchildren, Miss Ruth Warrington of Wamigo Kan and HC Warrington of Chicago, and Viola Mae Coyle of Nampa. She was a communicant of the Episcopal church and a member and past officer of Nampa Chapter No.30 OES and of Colfax Reb Lodge No24 of Nampa. Also member of Nile Temple No.40 of Boise...Mr & Mrs Grice came to Nampa in 1913.


"Honolulu Advertiser" Thurs Dec 17, 1931:

BUSINESSMAN, HERE SINCE 1893, DIES FOLLOWING AN OPERATION MONDAY

"Ed. Towse, president and manager of the Mercantile Printing Co., died at the Queen's hospital at 5:45 pm Wednesday. Death was the result of complications following an operation Monday for a ruptured gastric ulcer.

"Mr. Towse, familiarly known for many years as the "Mayor of Kaimuki", and only recently selected as chairman of a special tax reduction committee of the Chamber of Commerce, was born Sept 10, 1867 at Lubec, Maine, [sic] and was 64 years old. He was the son of Walter W., descendant of a Yorkshire family, and Clara C. (Miller) Towse.

"On Sept 22, 1899, Mr Towse married Catherine Marie Bon at Cheyenne, Wyoming. Two children were born, Edward Armstrong and Bon Kapiolani. The widow and children survive. "The daughter Bon is an examination teacher of English at the teacher's college of Columbia University, New York City. The son is a student at the University of Hawaii before going to Virginia.

"By an earlier marriage Mr Towse had one daughter, Florence, who is now Mrs. Crichton, living in San Francisco, and who has a son, seven years old, the only grandchild.

"An adventurous spirit, attracted to Hawaii by the revolution of 1893, Mr Towse remained i Honolulu to engage first in the newspaper and then in the printing business by purchasing the Mercantile Printing Co., to take an active part in civic and municipal affairs, and also to become president of the Territorial Building and Loan Association.

"He also became a vice president of the Honolulu Gas Co. and the Ideal Finance and Mortgage Co., director of the Pacific Engineering Co., and vice president of the Moses Office Equipment Co., of which he was president and manager at the time of his death.

"A pioneer in the now extensive residential section of Kaimuki, Mr Towse was prominent as a leading member and officer of the Kaimuki Improvement Club in the movement to obtain street and other improvements for the district. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives for the 1911 session, and was one of the organizers of the Republican Party in the islands.

"Mr Towse did considerable writing and travelling , and also served for seven years in the national guard, retiring as a Captain. He was educated in the high schools of Wyoming, where his father was a pioneer with a record as an Indian fighter. "Mr Towse was noted for his civic work in many spheres. Much of this was done through the Honolulu Rotary Club, of which he was a charter member and past president. He served as head of the club in 1916/17.

"In connection with Rotary's international work he went to Japan several years ago as a member of a delegation to a Pacific Rotary conference. "Few men in Hawaii have been more active in writing and speaking on public causes and issues. In the later years of his residence here, this interest in affairs became international.

"His books included "Masonic History", "Revolution of 1893"m "Japan: Era of Peace Through Justice" and "Cruise of the Tetuatua."

"Mr Towse was a Mason and Past Master....buried in Masonic plot."


Lubec, Maine

"Eliza Ann Toft... daughter of Mr/Mrs William Towse of Edmunds, whose ancestors were natives of England, coming to Baie Verte from Yorkshire, and thence to Edmunds, where the family was reared...married Charles Toft of Tower Hill, NB... six children born to them, all but one, Mrs. Clara Seeley, are now living......removed to Lubec, where he has been engaged here in the business of a miller and manufacturer of short lumber...survived by her husband, three sons, Thaddeus, Jesse and John, all of Lubec, and two daughters, Mrs. Laura Wheeler of Lubec and Mrs. Charles Phinney of Edmunds, and several grandchildren. Mrs. Toft was cared for during her last illness by her sister, Mrs A U Davis of Somerville, Mass. A brother, Thaddeus Towse of N Lubec, and another, Daniel W Towse of Colorado, died a few years ago, both being well known in this vicinity."


Compiled from obituaries in Maine and Colorado:

"After an illness of several months, Daniel Webster Towse, one of the old time cowboys and stockmen of Elbert County died at his home near River Bend, on Jan 18, aged 60 years...member Limon Lodge Knights of Pythias...Mr. Towse was born in Lubec, Maine, on May 6th, 1850, where he lived until 1869, when he moved to Rawlins Springs, Wyoming. In the spring of 1874, he came to River Bend, where he lived for 37 years...the deceased was active in Elbert County politics. He owned a large tract of land near River Bend, and held a considerable interest in the Limon State Bank, of which he was a director. He was one of the few men who knew the old time cattle range from Texas to Montana.

"Mr. Towse was born in West Lubec and at the age of eight years his parents moved to Edmunds where he received a common school education. At the age of 20 he moved to Colorado and took up ranching. He was deputy sheriff for many years and at one time in trying to break up a gang of cattle thieves was quite seriously wounded.

"He went west in 1869, and entered the business of ranching, at which he was successful. Later he entered the political field and was elected sheriff of Elbert Co. During his career in this capacity, he was connected with some stirring raids against the cattle thieves that infested that locality, and was once wounded by a desperado at close quarters, when attempting to round up a gang that had taken refuge in a house.

"Mr Towse leaves to mourn their loss, a wife, who was a Chicago lady, two brothers, Thaddeus of North Lubec, and Walter of Chivington, Colorado, three sisters, Mrs. N A Smith of Edmunds, Mrs. C A Toft of Lubec and Mrs. M A Davis of Boston...Mr Towse who was in Lubec some seven years ago, will be remembered by many people here."

per Death Cert: Ranchman; chronic Bright's Disease; born Maine; parents WG Towse, Nancy McPhee; informant WW Towse; married;lived River Bend 30 years [since1881]


from Obit: "...Mr Thaddeus Toft was born in Edmunds...From early manhood until a few years ago, he was engaged in the boating business with his brother Jesse, being part owner, first of the sailing vessel "Annie", later of the tug boats "Quoddy" and "Dolphin". At the outbreak of the War, the demand for tug boat service was lessened, and Mr Toft with his brother Jesse entered a partnership with Mr Will Baker of Lubec, and erected the Eagle Theatre, Mr Toft being operator of the moving picture machine until the time of his sickness...Member of the Knights of Pythias, also the Red Men.


New York Times 24 Nov 1939

"Frank J Towse Fulton, NY 23 Nov (AP) Frank J Towse, former assistant superintendent of the Ontario Division of the New York Central Railroad, died here tonight at his home at the age of 70. He began as a telegrapher when he was 18 and resigned in 1920.


New York Times " John M L Towse Killed

New York Publisher in an Automobile Accident at Ipswick, Mass

"John M L Towse, 65, vice-president of the Towse Publishing Company, which issues The Furniture World, was killed in an automobile accident in Ipswick, Mass., on Thursday, it was learned here yesterday. Mr Towse had been spending his vacation in Seabrook Beach, N H. His cousin, a young woman, and his chauffer were injured when the car ran down an embankment and turned over. Mr Towse was born in Maine but had lived in this city, having been with The Furniture World for more than thirty years. He travelled for the publication and was well known to the furniture centres of the country. "


Ruth Warrington Bauder

Richmond, California Dec 28, 1907--March 20, 1991

"Ruth Warrington Bauder was retired as a Latin teacher after 24 years with Laramie County School District No1. She was past chairman of Mary Martha Circle of United Methodist Church; member of Pinole Senior Citizens, Pinole Aftican Violet Society, Cheyenne Pioneer Club, American Assoc. of University Women, 50-year member of Oakleaf Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, Cheyenne, Wyom; Life member Nat'l Education Assoc and Wyoming Education Assac; and University of Kansas Alumni Assoc; past local and State Pres of Alpha Delta Kapa (Wyoming); and was a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome (1964). She grduated cum laude from the University of Kansas and did graduate work at the Univ of Wyoming, Univ California, Berkeley and Univ of Kansas."


Whittier, California January 1983

"HAWTHORNE Alma N passed away January 8, 1983. Former long-time resident of the Whittier area. Mother of Eunice Durham, Lois Givan and Howard C Vrooman; sister of Charles Dawson; 21 grandchildren; several great- and great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services Thursday, 11:30 am Sky Church, Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier."


New York Times, April 1933

"J Rankin Towse, Editor, Dies at 88

"London, April 12--J Rankin Towse, former dean of New York dramatic critics, died today in suburban Streatham at the home of a sister. "Mr Towse, who resigned as a member of the staff of The New York Evening Post in 1927, after fifty-seven years with that newspaper, was 88 years old. "His son, Percy Towse, a salesman, of ...Yonkers, had received information to the effect that his father was suffering from a severe cold. Since his retirement Mr Towse had lived with his sister at his native Streathem. "A book of Mr Towse's reminiscences of dramatic work, 'Sixty Years in the Theatre" was published in 1916. "During the period from 1870 to 1927 Mr Towse served as reporter, city editor, assistant editor, foreign editor, or dramatic critic for the New York Evening Post. Fifty-four of those years he spent as dramatic critic, retiring on pension in 1927, when he was 82 years old. Mr Towse was born on April 2, 1845. After attending school at Highgate, he studied at Cambridge University. In 1869 he came to the United States. His entrance ito journalism came when he submitted tothe Evening Post an article describing the disgraceful conditions in the penal institution at Blackwell's Island. They were printed, much to the indignation of Tammany Hall, and Mr Towse was thereupon engaged as a reporter. "In that capacity he covered the trial of Henry Ward Beecher. He reported the Westfield ferryboat disster and the Tweed ring exposure and he was the first newspaperman to be admitted to the scene of the Nathan murder." [Remainder illegible]


This obituary of William G Towse was sent to me by the late Mary Toft Walton. It is from a 1905 Sackville newspaper; I dont know which one.

TOWSE FAMILY

Death of the Last Member of the Old Family in Maine Recalls Some Interesting Facts

The death of William Towse, a former resident of Sackville, occurred at his home in Lubec, Maine, on the 11th inst., aged 87 years. Deceased was the last member of the old Towse family and had a large number of relatives living in this part of the country.

The Towse family, it may be interesting to note, came to Sackville in 1812 [sic] from Yorkshire, England. They landed at Baie Verte in a sailing vessel which occupied 13 weeks in making the voyage. Mr and Mrs ??? were also on board the same vessel. After living for a long time at what is now Sackville proper, Mr Towse moved to Tolar's Island, at Upper Sackville. About 11 years later he make another move this time to what is now known as Aboushagan Road. He died at the age of 84. His widow survived about four years and died living with her youngest son, Robert, at the old homestead aged 87 years.

They had eight children, five[sic]born in England and three in Sackville. They are as follows:

Charlotte, who married David Cook and was one of the pioneer settlers at Cookville and raised a large family. Their descendants are scattered all over America.

John was steward at the Academy at Sackville for many years and his family was the late Capt ES Towse, Mrs Doull and Mrs Estabrooks.

Daniel was a farmer and made a nice farm at Cookville.

Betsy married John Wilson in Albert Co. One of their sons carries on a lumber business in Demonselle, A Co.

Christopher was a sea captain and died at sea. He left two sons, one of them an editor of a paper in New York.

James was never married and spent a good part of his life at sea.

Mary Ann married John Lund and lived a long time in Cookville later moved to North West but some of their family still live in Sackville.

William moved to the States about 54 years ago and raised a large family which live in different states, the oldest [Walter William] is at present one of the city fathers in a city in Colorado and another son [Daniel Webster] is ranching out West.

The late Robert H Towse was the youngest of the family and was well known in Sackville."


The Furniture Worker/Chicago, 21 Quincy St., Chicago Telephone: Auto, 9918; Harrison, 1298

Frank P. Towse, Jr., Advertising Manager

On Sunday, November 26, at one o'clock, in the afternoon, Frank P. Towse, Jr., the manager of the Furniture Worker's Chicago and Northwestern Department--the young and loyal advertising business representative, who had achieved such excellent success for his journal and won such wide-spread popularity for himself--departed this life at his home on Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, in his twenty-ninth year. In chronicling this loss of a faithful and valued member of its staff, The Furniture Worker knows that it tells also of a loss to the furniture world at large, where his presence and influence will long be missed. Every furniture man in this part of the country knew him. In Chicago or Grand Rapids or Rockford, they welcomed him. He was always good company, and possessed a certain dry but gentle humor, peculiar to himself, that endeared him to all who knew him. His refined, modest, genial way obtained for him a wide circle of friends, and his conscientious treatment of everyone whose business he secured, also made friends for the Furniture Worker. Mr. Towse was first taken seriously ill last June, in one of the Exhibition Buildings on Michigan Avenue, and was forced to spend several weeks in the hospital. He seemed to recover rapidly, and went from the hospital to the country home of his brother-in-law near Grand Rapids for a month to recuperate. He came back to business, and was to all appearances making good progress, when complications suddenly set in, and for the last few weeks he was confined to his bed and daily losing strength. Only a week before he died it was again thought there was some improvement. Then the worst came, and for the last two days he was unconscious most of the time, only rallying a little and knowing those about him a short while before he died.

Mr. Towse's death can be traced directly to injuries sustained while serving with the Signal Corpos in Porto Rico during the war with Spain. Ever since the war he had been a great sufferer, but he bore his affliction with the courage and patience of a soldier, and stood bravely by his family and his work until the very end. Frank P. Towse, Jr., was born May 1, 1877, at Boston, Mass., where he received his early education. At the age of fifteen, he removed to New York, and was employed on the American Cabinet Maker, under his uncle, Mr. John M. L. Towse, now with the Furniture World. From New York he went to Grand Rapids, and worked for James Byne & Co., as commercial photographer. Later he came to Chicago, and continued in the same line with D. Kepperling. On April 26, 1898, Mr. Towse enlisted as private in Co. H, 32d Michigan Volunteers, for service in the war with Spain. While temporarily stationed at Tampa, Fla., he was chosen, through competitive examination, as one of a select body of men from his regiment, and transferred, June 25 to Volunteer Signal Corps, D.D. He went at once to Porto Rico and saw active service. He participated in the most severe campaigning of the war, won for himself an enviable record, and was promoted for bravery. He was discharged on December 4, with the rank of corporal. At the close of the war,w Mr. Tose returned to Chicago, and became local correspondent for the Furniture Worker. From the very beginning of his connection with the Furniture Worker, he began to bring in new business and to make plans for the building up of a large department, and so successful was he that in less than a year from the date of his appointment that it was decided to increase the number of pages allotted in each issue to Chicago, and to appoint a special associate editor for the department. In Rockford also, Mr. Towse made many friends, and built up enough business to justify the engagement of a paid resident correspondent in that city. It was Mr. Towse's fondest wish to create a representative showing in the paper for this territory. Quietly and systematically and always persistently he went about it. How well he succeeded there is ample proof, and just as his illness came upon him his hopes were high and his prospects bright of speedily fulfilling all that he had planned. It was his splendid will that kept him working when most men would have given up the struggle. In December, 1900, Mr. Towse was married to Miss Charlotte Shepherd, of Ionia, Mich. Three children were born to them. His widow and two children, Oswin, aged three, and Elizabeth, barely one, survive. He also leaves relatives residing in New York and in Grand Rapids. His father is photographer for Berkey & Gay, Grand Rapids. Aside from various Chicago commercial bodies, Mr. Towse belonged to only one organization, the Royal Arcanum. The funeral was held from the home on Tuesday, November 28. A beautiful and touching address was made by the Rev. Mr. Gale. Interment took place in Forest Home Cemetery.

                                         ---contributed by Patricia Towse Harrison


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