We have a marriage record for John Bowles and Josie Leonard in Chicago, married on 26 Sep 1905. The marriage license shows John's age as either 27 or 29 as the unit digit could be either (I think it is a 7). Josie's age is given as 23. They were married by the Father Hassett of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church. We have located this couple in the 1920 census, still in Chicago, with two sons. 1920 Federal Census: Illinois, Cook County, Chicago Ward 26, District 1568, Page 21, Household 135/289, 3626 Southport Ave. Bowls, John - head, M W 49 md, born IL, parents born IL, railroad laborer Bowls, Josephine - wife, F W 35 md, born IL, parents born IL Bowls, John Jr. - son, M W 11, born IL Bowls, Richard - son, M W 9, born IL We know this is the right family, even though the ages seem off, because we have located the birth record for Richard Bowles who was born 23 Nov 1910 to Josie Leonard Bowles and her husband John. This record shows that Richard was the second of Josie's two children. It also shows that Josie was born in Chicago; that John was born in Decoyne IL, which we think was near Springfield IL; that Josie was 33 years old; and that John was a freight checker. We are seeking additional information about this family and its ancestry. Charlie

Charlie, I don't know anything about this family, but I looked up John Bowles/Bowls/Boles in 1880, looking for children 5 and under. I didn't find a Decoyne, IL, and I am not familiar with the geography of Illinois. I found 5 John Bowles and 2 John Boles, who could be this man. I haven't got time to check out each family. These are the families I found. 1880 Mt. Pulaski, Logan Co. IL Page 172 Bowles Daniel, W M 34, VA VA VA Hannah, W F 42, Wife, IL OH NY Lizzie Ann, W F 18, Daughter, IL VA IL Ruth, W F 12, Daughter, IL VA IL Mary, W F 10, Daughter, IL VA IL John, W M 5, Son, IL VA IL 1880 Fall Creek Township, Adams Co, IL Page 126A 113 Bowles Jesse W M 28, farmer, IL KY IL Louisa W F 27, wife, IL KY IL William W M 7, Son, IL IL IL John W M 4, Son, IL IL IL Previous household was William Bowles, 49 KY KY KY; wife Amanda 44, IL, son Charles, 24 IL and daughter Lucy, 20, IL 1880 Turnbridge Township, DeWitt Co. IL Page 152A 159 Bowles John A, W M 39, Farmer, IL KY VA Mary E, W F 34, Wife, IL KY TN Charles N, W M 14, Son, IL IL IL Joseph W., W M 13, IL IL IL Ora F, W F 11, daughter, IL IL IL Alva M, W M 10, Son, IL IL IL Ida F., W F 8, Daughter, KS IL IL John K, W M 3, Son, IL IL IL Albert B., W M 1, Son, IL IL IL 1880 Normal, McLean Co. IL Page 319 Bowles Joseph W, W M 29, Teacher, IL KY KY Ardena, W F 23, Wife, IL KY KY Lura P, W F 3, Daughter, IL IL IL John E., W M 1, Son, IL IL IL 1880 Assumption Township, Christian Co. IL Page 460 Bowles Wilk, W M 30, Farmer, OH OH OH Hettie, W F 28, Wife, IL VT KY Luro B, W F 4, Daughter, IL OH IL John W, W M 1, Son, IL OH IL 1880 Sandusky, Alexander Co., IL Page 118 Boles, J G, W M 32, Merchant, IL IL IL Isabel, W F 30, Wife, IL Maud I, W F 4, Daughter, IL John, W M 2, Son, IL 1880 Unity Township, Piatt Co, IL Page 309 Boles James A, W M 34, Farmer , KY PA PA Lucy, W F 23, Wife, Canada England England Charles S, W M 5, Son, IL KY Canada John W, W M 3, Son, IL KY Canada James A, W M !, Son, IL KY Canada On 10/25/09, Charles Hartley <hartley@iglou.com> wrote: > We have a marriage record for John Bowles and Josie Leonard in Chicago, > married on 26 Sep 1905. The marriage license shows John's age as either 27 > or 29 as the unit digit could be either (I think it is a 7). Josie's age is > given as 23. They were married by the Father Hassett of Our Lady of Good > Counsel Church. > > We have located this couple in the 1920 census, still in Chicago, with two > sons. > > 1920 Federal Census: Illinois, Cook County, Chicago Ward 26, District 1568, > Page 21, Household 135/289, 3626 Southport Ave. > Bowls, John - head, M W 49 md, born IL, parents born IL, railroad laborer > Bowls, Josephine - wife, F W 35 md, born IL, parents born IL > Bowls, John Jr. - son, M W 11, born IL > Bowls, Richard - son, M W 9, born IL > > We know this is the right family, even though the ages seem off, because we > have located the birth record for Richard Bowles who was born 23 Nov 1910 to > Josie Leonard Bowles and her husband John. This record shows that Richard > was the second of Josie's two children. It also shows that Josie was born in > Chicago; that John was born in Decoyne IL, which we think was near > Springfield IL; that Josie was 33 years old; and that John was a freight > checker. > > We are seeking additional information about this family and its ancestry. > > Charlie > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BOWLES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >

Du Quoin Illinois is in Perry Co., that is south, kind of west Illinois.  It is south & east of St. Louis., about half way between St. Louis & Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mary Ann Charlie, I don't know anything about this family, but I looked up John Bowles/Bowls/Boles in 1880, looking for children 5 and under.  I didn't find a Decoyne, IL, and I am not familiar with the geography of Illinois.  I found 5 John Bowles and 2 John Boles, who could be this man.  I haven't got time to check out each family.  These are the families I found.

I found this family in 1910: 1910 Federal Census: Illinois, Cook County, Chicago Ward 24, District 1010, Page 12, Household 67/142, 1330 Nelson Street (surname should be Bowles) Bownes, John - head, M W 38, md1/5yrs, born IL, parents born Ireland (English speaking), odd-job laborer Bownes, Josephine - wife, F W 33, md1/5yrs, 1 child, born IL, parents born Ireland (English speaking) Bownes, John - son, M W 2, born IL I know this is the right family because they were living in the same location when their son Richard was born later in 1910. It's interesting that in 1920 he indicated that his parents were born In Illinois, but in 1910 he said they were from Ireland. Regarding Decoyne IL, I found no reference that said this was a suburb of Springfield IL, but I have not been able to confirm this.