«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:» THIS MESSAGE IS FORWARDED TO YOU FROM THE BOWER-L. PLEASE DO NOT HIT REPLY TO RESPOND TO IT. Instead, please address your reply to Merry Ann Simmons <[email protected]> «:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:» -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [BOWER] Thank you for all the letters and help Resent-Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 22:11:11 -0800 Resent-From: [email protected] Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 23:09:00 -0700 From: Merry Ann Simmons <[email protected]> To: [email protected] I just want to thank all the wonderful people who have replied to my posting for help with answers and web sites for research. I just wanted to let you know how far we have made it into this dark hole, haha. This is what I have : Edna May Bowers was born 10-5-1933 she died 9-3-1966 and is buried in Sunset Cemetery at Canton Ohio. (Another one of her sons is going to see if he can find her grave the weekend after Thanksgiving). She married Richard Ellington Sr. who died in Ft. Nalton Beach Fla and maybe buried there. We don't know if she was married to Charles Bailey or just had the three kids by him at this time. He is believed to have died around 1963 burial location unknown. She then married Charles Longwell from the Clarksburg WV area. He died within the last 4 years in NY. Edna's mother was Bertha Louise Bibie who married Jewell Bowers on January 7, 1932 in Spencer WV. She then married a man with the last name Ball and then another with the last name Purcell. The Purcell was possible a police officer in Moundsville Wv at one time. Bertha had two other daughters by the Ball gentleman and they were named Virginia and Viola. We believe that Bertha's mothers name was Ella Fay Freeland(probably maiden name) and is buried in the Moundsville area. Apparently Bertha married the Purcell and moved back to the Ellenville area. Edna May had nine children by the age of 33 when she died of an aneurysm. I was able to reach the oldest sibling who is trying to track down the baby of the family Waymond Paul who's dob is 12-16-1964. She is driving from little town to little town in WV, talking to any lead she might have on him. She said the best Christmas gift they could have would be to know their baby brother was all right. For those who suggested the Social Services, I called Wetzel Co office since that was the last county that the foster family was in where Andy was placed. They said that since that family was not with them and had not been with them for almost 20 years they wouldn't have anything there but he was entitled to what info they would have if they could find it. They suggested Charleston. Placed a call and was told that they would have "no idea" where his record would be in storage, that the county would have to find out "how" they stored it so they would know where to look. Also said it might have been purged. I suggested that they might consider giving each child when they turned 18 a copy of his file in the future so this wouldn't happen again. He said there were alot of foster kids placed in WV that were in the system until adulthood. Comforting thought. The sister, Kathy, that I talked to said her foster parents burned any correspondence from her grandparents, mother, aunts, etc, that they received. She had one letter that they found where apparently there was a Aunt questioning the care that they were getting from this foster family. The mildest complaint was they reported locking the one boy in the trunk as punishment. I questioned Andy and he said that was true. Said he was raised by the "Bible belt" method, Bible in one hand and Belt in another. I am just sick to think that this was a small community that I grew up in and no one knew what was going on or worse they knew and chose to ignore it. Talk about falling through the cracks. The good thing is the kids have connected, live within driving distance of each other and have established a some what functional family unit. Except for "Paul" whom they want for a Christmas gift. Reminded me of asking Santa for the horse one year, I would have stood a better chance at a sister. So I am enclosing a Christmas wish along with this email, one lost brother, birth name Waymond (certificate has typo of Wazmond) Paul born in Glendale WV on December 16, l964 and adopted in May of 1967. There is a possibility he was adopted by a family with the last name Dunn. Kathy was able to track down the sister-in-law of the Longwell who said he told them he was adopted by Dunn's. Why none of these kids were placed with family is a good question and one Kathy even asked me why. Wouldn't even want to hazard a guess at that. So I want to thank all of my genealogy "family" for the help that you have given me. My husband jokingly tells all my friends that I am "addicted" to genealogy, well I couldn't pick a better bunch of "addicts" to hang out with! God bless you all, Merry Ann ==== BOWER Mailing List ==== The Bower Family Homestead, homesite of the Bower mailing list -- http://bowercommunity.com/homestead