A few weeks ago I got an email from a lady in Kentucky asking if a Charles J. Bowlus was a member of the Stembel family. She had found an old political pin that had a photo and "Charles J. Bowlus for Mayor" on the front. She had Googled the name and found our Stembel Family History website with a short mention of Charles Bowlus.
Sure enough, my records show that Charles J. Bowlus was a great-great grandson of Frederick Stembel, great grandson of Ann Catherine Stembel Michael, and grandson of Lucinda Michael Bowlus. Charles was born in 1866. The Leiter Family History mentions that Charles served two terms as mayor of Springfield, Ohio. (The pin had a sticker on the back with 1898 written in pen). The 1900 census gives Charles' occupation as "fruit merchant", the 1910 census gives his occupation as "mayor."
I wrote back and told her that the pin and photo is almost certainly that of our Charles Bowlus. She said she would be happy to send the pin to me. I received it a few days ago.
Thanks go to Lori Powers of Owenton, KY, for rescuing the pin and contributing it to our family archives. She told me she is also a family researcher.
Don, I'm so sorry to hear that. I was impressed that she took the time to find a relative of the person pictured on the pin rather than put it on eBay or stuck it in a drawer. I'm sorry for your loss.
Posted by: Trakker | June 28, 2012 at 12:24 PM
I live in Frankfort Kentucky and Lori Powers was my sister. She died on March 15th, 2012 from breast cancer. Thought you'd like to know.
Posted by: Don Taylor | June 27, 2012 at 10:42 PM