1942 - OBITUARY
J. H. Vowels Dies at Residence at Age of 91 -
James Henry Vowels, 91, died unexpectedly at his home at 205 North Stoddard Street Saturday at 7:55 p.m. after suffering a heart attack. He had been in apparent good health earlier in the day before being taken suddenly ill.
A resident of Sikeston 26 years, Mr. Vowels was born in Anderson County, Kentucky, March 10, 1851, the son of the late Henry and Liza Ice Vowels. He moved to Southeast Missouri as a boy, farming in Mississippi county and residing in Oklahoma prior to his residence in Sikeston. He was a member of the Methodist Church here for many years.
Funeral services were conducted this Monday from the home by the Rev. E. W. Bartley, pastor of the Methodist Church here. Burial was in Armer Cemetery with Welsh service.
Besides the widow, Mrs. Susan J. Vowels, the retired farmer is survived by four daughers, Mrs. Nora Minner, Sikeston; Mrs. Ross Humphrey, Tulsa; Mrs. Wessie Warner of Sikeston and Tulsa; Mrs. Una V. Tanner, Sikeston; five sons, Arthur, William T. of Tulsa, and Harry of Shreveport, Don G. of Sikeston and Oscar Franklin Vowels of Dallas; two grandsons, James Neal Minner of Port Arthur, Tex.; and Elmo M. Minner, Beaumont, Tex., and one great grandson, James W. Minner of Port Arthur, Tex.
[s. Sikeston Weekly Standard, Sikeston, MO, August 25, 1942, page 1]

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1942 - OBITUARY
Funeral Held Monday for Aged Sikestonian
Hall and hearty as he approached his 92d birthday and looked back over an unusually long and full lifetime, James Henry Vowels of Sikeston died at 7:55 o'clock Saturday night. He had suffered a heart attack a half hour before and his death came quickly.
Mr. Vowels had been in good health and had been down town in the family automobile earlier in the evening. He had retained all his faculties and his eyesight was unusually good for a man of his age. One of his daughters recalled that on his last birthday, he handed her several cards of congratulations to read and when she was unable to do so because she had left her glasses at home, Mr. Vowels, without the benefit of "specks," read them to her.
Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the family home on North Stoddard street with Rev. E. W. Bartley, pastor of the Sikeston Methodist church, officiating. Interment was made in the Armour cemetery, a family burying ground near Blodgett, with Welsh service.
Born on March 10, 1851, in American county, Ky., Mr. Vowels came to Southeast Missouri in early boyhood, and, with the exception of several years in Oklahoma, lived here the remainder of his long life.
He and Mrs. Vowels, to whom he was married on Christmas Eve, 1876, would have celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary next December.
Well known in farming circles of this section, Mr. Vowels took active part in farming activities and was a charter member of the Grange, one of the earliest farmers movements. Beginning 1867, the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, the word "grange" was selected as the name for a local chapter, and the entire movement became known by that title. The movement eventually became of political importance in the Mid-west.
Mr. Vowels was also a member of the Methodist church and in his younger days took an active part in its program.
Besides his widow, Mrs. Susan Josephine Vowels, Mr. Vowels is survived by nine children, 23 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. His five sons are Don Vowels of Sikeston; Arthur Vowels and Wm. T. Vowels of Tulsa, Okla., Harry Vowels of Shreveport, La., and Oscar Franklin Vowels of Dallas. The daughters are Mrs. Sayers Tanner, Mrs. Nora Minner and Mrs. Wessie Warner of Sikeston and Mrs. Ross Humphreys of Tulsa. Five of the grandchildren live in Sikeston -- Charles and Susan Tanner and Geraldine, Modez and Bob Vowels.
[s. Sikeston Herald, Sikeston, MO, August 27, 1942, page 1]
(The newspaper article stated Mr. Vowels was born in American County, Kentucky but his death certificate states his was born in Anderson County, Kentucky. The obituary are typed as they appeared in the newspapers.)
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