Person:Rosa Ruggles (1)

Newspaper article identified birth place as Gray, IA. Constant debates about year of her birth 1881 or 1882 (a woman thing?). Also see Warren County article regarding her marriage (source of date here) to Louis Riley with sheriff escorts. Undocumented 2006 report from Ancestry.com claims that there was also a child named "Freddie" b. 1918. Although I had not previously found mention of this child between Elizabeth and June, the date She owned and operated at least one nursing home on 21st near Forest Ave., Des Moines, IA during WWII. Buried in Merle Hay Rd. Cemetery, Des Moines, IA.

Her grandparents were likely named Lee (her middle name).  For a few years she served as nanny and lived with her youngest daughter, Fran (Mrs. Garner Taylor) in Rockford, IL.  She was supported and lived her later years with her daughter, Elizabeth (Betty) Ann and Dr. Ralph Braught.  She was residing in a Pella, IA nursing home under their care and expense when she died.  She was very dear to me.

Use caution regarding another Rose Riley SS 480-80-6686, b. in IA 15 Jan 1896 and d.Jan 1978 in Des Moines, Polk, IA. If SS data is correct on children, there is obvious concern that the children did not begin arriving for nearly 9 yrs. after marriage (which we know was not correct and more likely 1909). She was sometimes known as Rosa Patterson, which bears cause for added research. Indianola (Warren Co., IA) Criminal Court Record No.24 Vol XVIII: "Milo, Iowa Thursday Oct. 18, 1900" Monday last week Lew Riley was arrested on a warrant charing him with ve__?__ of seduction: the complaining ____ss being Rosa Ruggles, better known as Rosa Patterson. Riley was taken to Indianola by Marshal Patterson the same day to secure a marriage license, but on account of the girl being under age, it was found necessary to secure the consent of her father. This was done as soon as he could be located, and the marriage ceremony was performed by a Justice of the Peace at Indianola" Recorded in the Indianola Record Newspaper found on file at the Iowa Genealogy Society Library. Also found at that repository was reference in 1892 Farmer's Directory of Ankeny, IA a listing for J.J. Riley. I have several photos of gramma Rose; a few of granpa Lew; but none of them together as they divorced about 1930 and she refused any contact with him thereafter. Many of her children, however, kept contact with them both and they both remained in or near Polk Co., IA throughout the rest of their lives. Because my parents remained close to her and had total her care for about 14 of her last years, I saw her regularly. I attended her funeral and burial.

I met granpa Lew's second wife once (I think it was at their home in Clive, IA), but did not have much contact with him (I think mostly out of courtesty to gramma Rose, because I rather liked him).

What were the obviously close connections of this family to the Minnesota area (see documented birth locations of their children)?

1. ↑ Rosa was buried in Des Moines, Polk Co., Chapel Hill Gardens Cemetry on Merle Hay Road.