Cecelia Anna Marie (Nolan) Rowley (1872 - 1945)

Born 10 May 1872 in Wellesley Township, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Wife of Charles Burt Rowley — married 27 Feb 1900 in Brainerd, Minnesota

Died 27 Dec 1945 at age 73 in Backus, Cass, Minnesota, United States

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Celia (Nolan) Rowley has Irish ancestors.

Biography

Although her name was Cecelia, probably named after her mother's mother, she was known by her family as Celia. She was the oldest surviving sibling in the Nolan family, born between her two sisters who died in childhood. She grew up on the family farm in Wellesley township.^[1] After the Nolans lost their farm when Celia was 13, they moved to Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario. After finishing school, Celia worked as laundress^[2]before the family moved to Brainerd, Minnesota in 1891.

In Brainerd she met her husband, Charles Rowley, a carpenter who became a successful building contractor. Perhaps in a sign of changing times, she lived at a hotel instead of at home with her parents. The 1895 state census shows several young people with various occupations, from "driving girl," and domestic, to ball player, and actor, living at the Closterman hotel in Brainerd.^[3] Charles Rowley was then 36, Celia, 23 1/2. Celia worked as a clerk at L. M. Koop Dry Goods. They didn't rush into marriage but had "a courtship of seven years." They were married in the Nolan home at 208 1st Avenue N.E., by the Reverend D. W. Lynch. The Groomsman was Edward Donahue, and the bridesmaid was Mary Ellen Burns. Marie Adair was the flower girl and Miss Allie Burns played the wedding march.

After a honeymoon in Iowa at Charlie's old home they made their home at 323 South 5th Street, in Brainerd.^{[4][5][6][7][8]} The Rowley's oldest child died at the age of one; and their third baby died at birth, but their daughter Ione^[9] grew to adulthood.

Celia was Republican Party Chairman in the first ward for several years; Secretary of the Library Board for eight years; a charter member of the Red Cross and on its Board of Directors. She was active in the St. Francis Catholic Church.^[10]

She died of a heart attack at age 73 at the home of friends in Backus, Minnesota.^[11][12] She is buried in the Rowley family plot in Evergreen Cemetery, in Brainerd.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ 1881 Canada Census, Waterloo North, Wellesley, Ontario, p.12
2. ↑ 1891 Canada Census, Waterloo North, Berlin Town No. 3, p. 6
3. ↑ "Minnesota, State Census, 1895," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11708-162917-71?cc=1503031 : accessed 08 May 2014), Crow Wing County > Brainerd city, Ward 01 > image 1 of 30; citing State Library and Records Service, St. Paul.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9S3-737 : accessed 11 May 2017), Celia Rowley in household of Charles Rowley, Brainerd city Ward 1, Crow Wing, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 55, sheet 1B, family 30, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,761.
5. ↑ "Minnesota State Census, 1905," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPSK-MXM : 1 August 2017), Celia Rowley, Brainerd, Ward Number: 01, Crow Wing, Minnesota; citing p. 453, line 35, State Library and Records Service, St.Paul; FHL microfilm 928,774.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWY7-QZK : accessed 15 May 2018), Cellia M Rawley in household of Charley B Rawley, Brainerd Ward 1, Crow Wing, Minnesota, United States; citing ED 116, sheet 6A, line 24, family 100, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 829; FHL microfilm 1,820,829.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X3ZM-NKV : accessed 11 May 2017), Celia M Rowley in household of Charlie B Rowley, Brainerd, Crow Wing, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 4, sheet 5A, line 31, family 89, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1084; FHL microfilm 2,340,819.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KSKX-25K : accessed 11 May 2017), Cecil Rowley in household of Charley Rowley, Ward 1, Brainerd, Brainerd City, Crow Wing, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 18-4A, sheet 3A, line 5, family 52, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1916.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2LL-QB2 : accessed 11 May 2017), Celia M Rowley in household of Chas B Rowley, Brainerd Ward 1, Crow Wing, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 30, sheet 1B, family 15, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 694; FHL microfilm 1,374,707.
10. ↑ Oral history given by Mr. and Mrs. Rowley, Recorded by Rose Parker, February 1937.
11. ↑ "Mrs.C. A. Rowley Dies Suddenly in Backus, Minn." Brainerd Dispatch, n.d.
12. ↑ "Minnesota Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FDWX-TFH : 4 December 2014), Cecelia Ann Rowley, 27 Dec 1945; citing Backus, Cass, Minnesota, reference 195; FHL microfilm 2,243,495.
13. ↑ Cecelia Anna Marie “Celia” Nolan Rowley at Find A Grave #72176915.