This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: melissahillstrom Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.blessington/9.1.4.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I have had a chance to review your information. I can offer some information on Bridget and Catherine. James Tollen b. 12 Aug 1840 County Cork, Ireland d. 1920 Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa James married Bridget Alice Blessington about 1866 b. 1843 Ohio USA d. abt 1872 Iowa or Illinois USA James and Bridget had the following children: Mary Ellen Tollen b. Apr 1867 Raritan, Henderson Co., Illinois d. Iowa Mary married Edward Good 1890-1891 in Montgomery Co., Iowa James Vincent Tollen b. 5 Apr 1870 Raritan, Henderson Co., Illinois d. 1923 Red Oak, Montgomery Co., Iowa James married Clara Reynolds Mar 1896 Montgomery Co., Iowa After Bridget died, James Married Catherine Blessington, (Bridgets sister.) b. 1834 New York, USA d. 1913 Montgomery Co., Iowa USA ??? James and Catherine had the following child: Thomas 'Lee' Tollen b. 22 Sept 1874 Illinois d. Jun 1965 Pottawattamie Co., Iowa USA Lee married Mary Ellen Howard James Vincent Tollen (son of James Tollen and Brigit Alice Blessington) b. 5 Apr 1870 Raritan, Henderson Co., Illinois USA d. 1923 Red Oak, Montgomery Co., Iowa James Vincent married Clara Reynolds Mar 1896 (Daughter of William D. Reynolds and Sarah Ellen Sponsler) b. 14 Jan 1872 Keithsburg, Mercer Co., Illinois USA d. 1921 Red Oak, Montgomery Co., Iowa USA James Vincent and Clara Ann had 8 children, unfortunately, only 4 made it to adulthood. Maude Tollen b. 4 Jul 1897 Montgomery Co., Iowa USA d. 1915 Douglas, Adams Co., Iowa USA (Died at the age of 18 from appendicitis) Guy R. Tollen b. 16 Sept 1898 Montgomery Co., Iowa USA d. before 1900 Montgomery Co., Iowa USA Helen Alice Tollen b. 3 Mar 1900 Montgomery Co., Iowa USA d. 1 Mar 1988 Montgomery Co., Iowa USA Helen Alice Married Thomas J Gray (12 kids?) Bessie Irene Tollen b. 3 Sept 1901 Iowa USA d. 6 May 1990 Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska USA Bessie Irene Married Carl O. McDole (13 kids?) Unknown Tollen's (2 kids, one believed to be William) b. 1902-1907 Montgomery Co., Iowa USA d. 1902-1907 Montgomery Co., Iowa USA Gertrude Ruth Tollen b. 1 Mar 1908 Red Oak, Montgomery Co., Iowa USA d. 19 Aug 1997 Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska USA Gertrude Ruth Married Arthur Scharff ~They had no children. Roy Allen Tollen b. 25 Feb 1910 Red Oak, Montgomery Co., Iowa USA d. 23 Jun 1999 Englewood, Arapahoe Co., Colorado USA Roy Married Helen Jahnke Montgomery Co., Iowa (6 kids) Sorry, I do not know all the children born to Helen and Irene. Roy and Helen Tollen were my grandparents. All but one of their kids are living. Here is a story about Roy. Roy was the 8th child born to James Vincent Tollen and Clara Ann Reynolds. He was born in Red Oak, Montgomery Co., Iowa USA. He lost his mother when was only 11 (1921) and he went to live with his sister Helen Tollen and her husband Thomas J. Gray. In 1923, Roy's father died and Helen became pregnant and thought it was best if Roy went to Father Flannery's Boys Town in Omaha NE. Roy was determined he would NOT stay there so he ran away the very first night! Once they found him missing, they began searching for him in the area around the home. Roy hid under an embankment on Douglas St. until they all had given up the search. He then walked to a bridge and paid 5, of the thirty five cents he had in his pocket, to cross. He found a drug store and called his Uncle Lee (Thomas Lee) who in turn called Roy's Aunt Mary. Mary sent her son Frank to pick him up and bring him to live with her and her husband, Ed Good until he finished High School. While attending High School, ! Roy lettered in both track and football. He graduated with the class of 1928. After graduating, he continued to live with the Good family. (1930 Census). He drove a truck for a paving company and owned a brown Model T Roadster. His cousin ran a pool hall in town and Roy loved to play pool and snooker on his free time. He became quite good at it! He said he sometimes made more money in one night of playing pool than he did a week on the job. On Nov 11, 1932 in a celebration cermony, he married Helen Rosene Jahnke. They were one of three couples married that night. The depression of the 30's were hard on Roy and his family and he came up with creative ways to make money. They raised chickens and rabbits and Roy always had a garden. In about 1942, Roy moved his family out west to Denver, Colorado and eventually took a job with General Iron where he learned to weld which lead to his career as a boilermaker. He worked all over Colorado and was one of the founding members of the Boilermakers Union #101. Roy worked well into his 70's, long after most men retired. During World War II, Roy was in the Army Reserve. Roy was teased at times because his intials spelled RAT and he hated it! As soon a! s he was able, he had his middle name legally changed to Vincent (his father's middle name). Roy was the father of six children all are still living except one, a son, Don, who died in 1968 in a drowning accident. Family was very important to Roy and he made it a point to pile the kids in the car and make trips back to Iowa to visit his relatives. He was still making trips back there in his 80's! On Sunday's, he often took the kids to the mountains. His oldest daughter remembers ice skating and sledding in Evergreen, CO. He also took the boys camping, fishing and hunting. One of his boys passed down the tradition by teaching his sons to hunt, and they still hunt! Roy was a dog man. He always had black labradors and he trained his dogs well and treated them like royalty. They knew how to fetch the paper every morning! His mornings consisted of a cup of coffee, the newspaper and a cigarette at his kitchen table and his faithful dog at his feet. As hardworking and loyal a family man he was, he is also remembered as being somewhat opinionated and set in his ways. He was at times stubborn and cantakerous but he was also a teaser (in a good way) and down right hilarious at times. Roy and his wife, Helen, lived in Englewood Colorado for over 30 years. In his retirement, he loved to go down to the senior center and shoot pool (where he still holds the record to this day). He loved to drive too. Always had his butt in the car going somewhere. In his mid to late 80's, Roy lost his license because his eye sight got so bad and that was the beginning of the end for him. I heard him say that if he made it to 90 he would die happy. His body was slowing down and got to where he needed help up and down. He had an old back injury that gave him pain and it came time to go to a nursing home. When his kids told him, he first concern was for his wife, Helen and who was going to take care of her. They assured him she would b! e well taken care of. His mind remained sharp as tack up until his abrupt death at age 89 on the very day they were going to move him to the nursing home. 21 Jun 1999. They came into the house and found him on the floor. Just as he was determined not to go Father Flannery's all those years ago, he was just as determined not to go to the nursing home! He is buried in the Littleton Cemetery, Littleton, Colorado. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.