Luke ROWLES

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: 12 Jun 1849, Arrived in Boston
• Census: 1860, Living in Chester, Dodge County, Wisconsin
• Occupation: 1860; Farmer
• Census: 1870, Living in Chester, Dodge County, Wisconsin
• Occupation: 1870; Farmer
• Census: 1880, Living in Chester, Dodge County, Wisconsin
• Occupation: 1880; Farmer

Notes:

Biographical sketches from the book
"History of Dodge County Wisconsin 1880"

Rowells, Luke
page 642
LUKE ROWELLS, farmer, Sec. 18; P.O. Waupun; was born May 10, 1815, in County Limerick, Ireland, and was the son of George and Sarah Griffin Rowells. Was married, April 16, 1849, to Margaret O'Brien, who was born May 12, 1825, daughter of Brian and Bridget O'Brien, of County Limerick. Mr. Rowells came to America in the spring of 1849, and located in the town of Easton, Washington Co., N.Y., where he followed farming till the fall of 1854, when he moved to Wisconsin and settled in the town of Chester, Dodge Co., on his present farm, which consists of 181 acres of land, valued at about $7,000. Mr. Rowells was the first of his father's family to emigrate to America, but was followed soon after by his brother, George, and in June, 1852, his parents came over; his mother died at his house in Washington Co., N.Y., about three months after landing in America, and his father died in Chester, Dodge Co., Wis., 1860; Mr. Rowells has ten children living-George B., born Sept. 1, 1850, in Washington Co., N.Y.; Sarah, born Feb. 13, 1851 (now Mrs. Michael O'Donovan, of Chester, Wis.); John G., born March 25, 1853; Bridget Ellen, born Feb.27, 1855; Luke W., born Oct. 24, 1857 (now in the law office of H. W. Frost, in Waupun); Maggie J., born July 16, 1859; Jennie A., born April 1, 1861; Mary, born Feb. 12, 1863; Dennis, born Jan. 29, 1865; Richard E., born Jan. 9, 1867; Nellie was born Jan. 1, 1870, and died the 21st day of the same month.

Obituary: "DIED - ROWELLS - In the town of Chester, Dodge Co., on Sunday, Nov 16, 1884, Luke Rowelss (sic), aged 69 years, 6 months and 6 days. The death of Mr. Rowells adds another to the list of old settlers, who one by one are entering upon that bourne from which no traveler returns. The respect with which the deceased was regarded by those who knew him best was told by the unusual large number who followed him to his last resting place and whose sympathies now reach out to the bereft family in this their hour of affliction. Card of Thanks. Mrs. Rowells and family tender their heartfelt thanks to their friends and neighbors who were more than kind to them in their time of need." (Waupun, WI newspaper, Nov 18, 1884)

Luke married Margaret O'BRIEN on 16 Apr 1849. Margaret (daughter of Brian O'BRIEN and Bridget MERRIGAN) was born on 12 May 1825 in Doon, Limerick, Ireland; died on 11 Jan 1905 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin; was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. George Benjamin ROWELLS was born on 01 Sep 1850 in Easton, Washington County, New York; died on 10 Oct 1896 in Waupun, Dodge County, Wisconsin; was buried on 12 Oct 1896 in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Dodge Co., Wisconsin.
2. Maggie J. ROWELLS was born on 16 Jul 1859 in Chester, Dodge County,Wisconsin; died on 29 Mar 1941 in London, Ontario, Canada.
3. Helen ROWELLS was born on 01 Jan 1870 in Chester, Dodge County,Wisconsin; died on 21 Jan 1870 in Chester, Dodge County,Wisconsin; was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Fond Du Lac Co., Wisconsin.
4. Jennie A. ROWELLS was born on 01 Apr 1861 in Chester, Dodge County,Wisconsin; died on 21 Aug 1933 in Waupun, Fond Du Lac County,Wisconsin; was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Wisconsin.
5. Richard Edward ROWELLS was born on 09 Jan 1867 in Chester, Dodge County,Wisconsin; died in May 1944.
6. Ellen Bridget ROWELLS was born on 27 Feb 1855 in Chester, Dodge County, Wisconsin; died on 08 Apr 1939 in Waupun, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, USA; was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin.
7. John G. ROWELLS was born on 25 Mar 1853 in Easton, Washington County, New York; died before 1905.
8. Sarah ROWELLS was born on 13 Feb 1852 in Schuylerville, Saratoga County, New York; died on 19 Jan 1939 in Norton, Norton County, Kansas; was buried on 22 Jan 1939 in Norton Cemetery, Norton, Norton County, Kansas.
9. Mary Edith ROWELLS was born on 12 Feb 1863 in Chester, Dodge County,Wisconsin; died on 13 Dec 1927 in Waupun, Fond Du Lac County,Wisconsin; was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Fond Du Lac Co., Wisconsin.
10. Dennis A. ROWELLS was born on 29 Jan 1865 in Chester, Dodge County,Wisconsin; died on 26 Apr 1899 in San Antonio, Texas; was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Waupun, Fond Du Lac Co., Wisconsin.
11. Luke W. ROWELLS was born on 24 Oct 1857 in Chester, Dodge County,Wisconsin; died on 16 Jun 1903 in Chester, Dodge County,Wisconsin.

Notes:

Excerpt from "Descendants of George Rowles" by Ann Moloney Lamb:

George Rowles and Sarah Griffin came to America from the townland of Cloonteen which was located at that time in the civil parish of Doon, which lies in the northeast corner of County Limerick, Ireland, right next to the Tipperary border......

George and Sarah came on a Norwegian ship from Dublin to New York in the fall of 1852 with their son John and daughter Margaret, and joined their sons Luke and George who had come there earlier with their wives. They were living and working on farms in Easton township, Washington County, which lies along the Hudson River near to the town of Schuylerville and about 35 miles north of Albany. Sarah died about three months after they arrived and in buried near some friends who also came from Cappamore with her. The rest of the Rowles family lived in New York about three and half years more before moving to Waupun, Wisconsin in about early 1856.

Only one Rowles family was left in Doon after they left, that of Michael Rowles and his wife Bridget Ryan. Michael and Bridget had 7 children between 1845 and 1861, named William, Edward, John, Mary, Alice, George and Bridget but since the family did not emigrate with the others and cannot be traced, we have no idea what became of them.

All of Rowles family moved to Wisconsin, probably at or near the same time. The most likely route would have been west along the Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo. The Canal was built in about 1825 under Governor DeWitt Clinton and was called familiarly "Clinton's Ditch". From Burfalo they probably went by boat through the Great Lakes to Wisconsin.

George married Sarah GRIFFIN about 1814. Sarah was born about 1795 in Doon, Limerick, Ireland; died about Sep 1852 in Easton, Washington County, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
In June of 182 George and Sarah immigrated. She died at Luke's house in Easton, Washington Co., about three months after landing in American (abt. Sept 1852).

She is buried in Schuylerville, New York,near Eliza Bourk (sic) Benton and John Maher, with whom she came to America. Unfortunately ,the church is Schuylerville does not have information for that period.