Person:Oliver Rowles (1)

"O. P.," as he was generally known, was a political sort of person. Within a couple years of his arrival in the county with his parents and siblings, he had become a trustee of the first Methodist Episcopal Church established in Albia, and he served on the county's first grand jury in 1847. He eventually held during his life almost every township and county office available. He served on the County Board of Supervisors in 1866-67, and was elected to a single term in the Iowa State Legislature, 1861-63.^S4

In February 1848, he patented two parcels of land: the South 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 2, Township 71 North, Range 17 West -- 80 A., for $100, sold 7 Dec 1846; and the Southeast 1/4 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 3, Township 71 North, Range 17 West -- 40 A., for $50, sold 3 Feb 1848.^S5 In September 1863, he sold only half of the second parcel to the Burlington & Missouri Railroad for considerably more than he had paid originally for both entire parcels.^S6

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Monroe County, Iowa, 1850 Census:^S8

Rowles, Oliver P. 29 yrs Farmer (real estate = $1000) b. New York

      Louisa wife 24 yrs b. Indiana

      Elizabeth dau 3 yrs b. Iowa

Monroe County, Iowa, 1852 State Census: "O. P. Rowles" appears in the index but has not been located in the enumeration.

Monroe County, Iowa, 1856 State Census:

Rowles, Oliver P. 35 yrs (11 yrs in state) b. Kentucky[!] Farmer

      Louisa 30 yrs (12 yrs in state) b. Indiana

      Elizabeth J. 9 yrs (9 yrs in state) b. Iowa

      Wm. T. 3 yrs (3 yrs in state) b. Iowa

Monroe County, Iowa, 1860 Census:^S10

Rowles, Oliver 38 yrs Farmer (real estate = $8,750; personal estate = $1,090) b. New York

      Louisa wife 34 yrs b. Indiana

      Elizabeth J. dau 13 yrs b. Iowa

      William T. son 8 yrs b. Iowa

McRoberts, Louisa J. 18 yrs b. Indiana Domestic Labor

Monroe County, Iowa, 1870 Census:^S11

Rowls, Oliver P. 48 yrs Farmer (real estate + $9,000; personal estate = $1,400) b. New York

      Louisa wife 44 yrs b. Indiana

      William T.A. son 16 yrs b. Iowa Farm Laborer

      Harlan son 7 yrs b. Iowa

McRobert, Louisa (f), 28 yrs b. Indiana Domestic Servant

Monroe County, Iowa, 1880 Census:^S12

Rowles, Oliver P. 59 yrs Farmer b. New York (father, b. Maryland; mother, b. New York)

      Louisa wife 53 yrs b. Indiana (parents, b. Virginia)

      James H. [Harlan] son 17 yrs b. Iowa Works on farm

      Jennie E. dau 8 yrs b. Iowa

Monroe County, Iowa, 1885 State Census:^S13

Rowles, Oliver P. 63 yrs Farmer b. New York

      Louisa 59 yrs b. Indiana

      James H. 22 yrs b. Monroe County

      Jennie E. 13 yrs b. Monroe County

Monroe County, Iowa, 1895 State Census:^S14

Rowles, Oliver P. 73 yrs b. New York Farmer M.E. [Methodist Episcopal]

      Louisa 68 yrs b. Indiana Keeping House M.E. [Methodist Episcopal]

      James H. 34 yrs single b. Monroe County Cheese Maker M.E. [Methodist Episcopal]

      Jennie 23 yrs single b. Monroe County Keeping House M.E. [Methodist Episcopal]

An interesting item from the Albia Union of 26 July 1898:^S7

"Sammie Gray, arrested last week on a charge of petty larceny for stealing a watch at the residence of Hon. O. P. Rowles, was found guilty and fined $5.00 and costs. It was proved beyond a doubt that Sammie stole the watch, but as his mind is not of the 13-inch calibre, the Squire made the fine small."

Note: In regard to the reference to Sammie's lack of a "13-in calibre" intellect, remember that this story was written in the middle of the War with Spain. . . .

Monroe County, Iowa, 1900 Census:^S15

Rowles, Oliver b. Mar 1821 New York Landlord (marr. 56 yrs) parents, b. New York

      Louisa wife b. Mar 1826 Indiana (marr. 56 7rs) parents, b. Virginia

Monroe County, Iowa, 1905 State Census:^S17

Rowles, Oliver P. 84 yrs b. New York (parents, b. Maryland [ERROR]) Retired Farmer 60 yrs in Iowa

Monroe County, Iowa, 1910 Census:^S16

Rowles, Oliver P. Head 79 yrs marr. 47 yrs b. New York (father, b. New York; mother, b. CT[!]) "Own Income"

      Louiza Wife 75 yrs 4 child, 4 liv b. Indiana (parents, b. Virginia)

      Harlan Son 45 yrs b. Iowa Salesman (Book Store)

1. ↑ David Rowles, Rejected Pension Application, War of 1812.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Hindman, Sarah; Iowa) Monroe County Genealogical Society (Albia; Iowa) Albia republican (Albia; and Iowa) Iowa Genealogical Society (Des Moines. Monroe County, Iowa, Albia Republican newspaper, abstractions and index: 1900-1922. (Des Moines, Iowa, United States: Iowa Genealogical Society, 1987-1993)
   21 Aug 1913, p. 1.

   Oliver P. Rowles was born Mar. 25, 1821 at Bath, N.Y., and moved with his parents, David H. & Rebecca Rowles, to Covington, Indiana, at age 1. In 1844, they came to Monroe County. He married Louisa Lower, Dec. 7, 1843, who died 2 years ago. They moved to Albia in 1900. They had four children: Mrs. Elizabeth J. Enix and J. H. Rowles of Chugwater, Wyo.; W. A. Rowles, and Mrs. Jennie Pierson of Albia. He was aged 92 years, 4 months, and 15 days.

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Grave marker, Oakview Cemetery, Albia, Monroe County, Iowa.
4.   Hickenlooper, Frank. An illustrated history of Monroe County, Iowa: a complete civil, political, and military history of the county, from its earliest period of organization down to 1896: including sketches of pioneer life, anecdotes, biography, and long-drawn reminiscences spun out by the "oldest inhabitant". (The Author, 1896)
   p. 156.
5.   Monroe, Iowa, United States. Deeds.

   Original Entries, Vol. 29, p. 3.

6.   Monroe, Iowa, United States. Deeds.

   (loose)

7.   Hindman, Sarah; Iowa) Monroe County Genealogical Society (Albia; Iowa) Iowa Genealogical Society (Des Moines; and Iowa) Albia Union (Albia. Albia newspaper extractions, Monroe County, Iowa : the Albia Union. (Des Moines, Iowa, United States: Iowa Genealogical Society, 1986- .)
   26 July 1898.
8. ↑ Monroe County, Iowa. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   Dist. 13, p. 320.
9. ↑ Iowa, United States. Iowa 1856 state census
   Mantua Twp, p. 1070, house/family 14/14.
10. ↑ Monroe County, Iowa. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule
    Monroe Twp, p. 385.
11. ↑ Monroe, Iowa, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule
    Monroe Twp, p. 374.
12. ↑ Monroe, Iowa, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule
    ED 141, p. 249.
13. ↑ Monroe County, Iowa. 1885 Iowa State Census
    Troy Twp, 12/12, Twp 71 R17 S3 (SE 1/4 of NE 1/4).
14. ↑ Monroe County, Iowa. 1895 Iowa State Census
    Monroe Twp, [no page no.], house/family 11/11.
15. ↑ Monroe County, Iowa. 1900 U.S. Census Population Schedule
    Troy Twp, ED 91, p. 149B.
16. ↑ Monroe County, Iowa. 1910 U.S. Census Population Schedule
    ED 105, p. 19A, house/family 383/395.
17. ↑ Monroe, Iowa, United States. 1905 Iowa State Census
    Albia, Ward 3, card #461.
18.   Election Results for Iowa State Legislature, in Sioux City (Iowa) Register
    p, 3, 9 Nov 1861.

    

19.   Ottumwa (Iowa) Courier
    p. 6, 14 Aug 1913.