E. Adele Bowden was born to William John Bowden and Alice Estell (Schoonover) Bowden in Emmettsburg, IA. Her mother died two years later due to a tubal pregnancy. Adele grew up in Emmettsburg with her widowed father and his mother Elizabeth (Gibson) Bowden. Her paternal grandparents had come to America from Ireland. Adele accompanied her Grandma Bowden to Ireland when she was about 9 years old. She later became good friends with Alice Cordelia Bragg. Alice had a brother named Chester Homer Bragg. Eventually, Chester and Adele began to court, and they were married in a double wedding with Alice Cordelia and her groom Guy Campbell on June 20, 1912. Adele and Chester moved to the Chicago area after their wedding. Their first daughter Alice Adele Bragg was born December 21, 1913. Next came two sons Robert Chester and John Bowden. John only lived one year and died of an unknown cause, but Adele was afraid he had been dropped in the hospital when he was first born. Elizabeth Lorraine was born in 1920 and was followed three years later by their last child, Margaret Louise, in 1923. In 1924, Chester, Alice, and Robert were in a tragic car/train accident, and Robert was killed. It was a horrific experience for the family, especially the parents and Alice. In 1925, Adele's husband Chester was involved in a citizen's raid on Al Capone's speakeasy and their lives were endangered. Adele went through many harrowing experiences through her life. However, she remained a loving, cheerful wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. During the depression years, Adele decided to make a Nougat Cake. However, because she didn't have some of the ingredients, she renamed it a "No-Got Cake." The family later relocated to South Bend, Indiana, following great financial losses of the depression. Their son-in-law Amon L. Loy (married to their oldest daughter Alice) encouraged them to join them in the northern Indiana town. Their two younger daughters were still young and living at home during this time. As a result of moving, they were able to be an active part of their Loy grandchildren's lives.
Adele played the violin as a young girl. It was her father's violin. When Adele's own son, Bobby, died in the car/train crash, Adele gave it to her nephew, Ralph Campbell, who was about the same age as Bobby. She had hoped Bobby would play it. Ralph Campbell played the violin and still does (1999). He remembers his Aunt Adele very fondly. She visited him in Georgia in the year following Chester's death. She had wonderful conversations with Ralph. (per correspondence between the late Ralph Campbell and Sandra Clauser Culp). Adele died of congestive heart failure within one year of the loss of her husband Chester. She was considered a "true lady" by all who knew her and was deeply loved by her family.
Obituary from the South Bend Tribune Jan. 5, 1970:
MRS. E. ADELE BRAGG
Mrs. E. Adele Bragg, 83, of 1010 Hudson Ave., died at 2:45 p.m. Sunday in Memorial Hospital after an illness of three months. Born Jan. 11, 1886, in Emmetsburg, Iowa, she had lived her since 1936, coming from Berwyn, Ill. On June 20, 1912, in Emmetsburg, she was married to Chester H. Bragg, who died June 12, 1969. She is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Amon L. Loy of South Bend, Mrs. Ward C. Barley of Liberty, Ind., and Mrs. Clifford I. Markham of Lynnfield, Mass.; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Welsheimer Funderal Home, where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, with Rev. Charles Ellinwood, pastor of St. Paul's Memorial United Methodist Church, of which she was a member, officiating. Burial will be in the Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Berwyn, Ill.
Obituary from the Lynn, Mass., newspaper on January 8, 1970:
MRS. ADEL BRAGG
Mrs. Adel (Bowden) Bragg, 83, of South Bend, Ind., mother of Mrs. Clifford I. Markham of Lynnfield, died Sunday after a lengthy illness.
Born in Emmetsburg, Iowa, she was a former Chicago resident. She was the widow of Chester H. Bragg who died last summer shortly before the couple's 57th anniversary.
Besides her daughter in Lynnfield, Mrs. Bragg also leaves two daughters in Indiana, 10 grandhcildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services were held yesterday in South Bend and burial was in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Berwyn, Ill.
Adele played the violin as a young girl. It was her father's violin. When Adele's own son, Bobby, died in the car/train crash, Adele gave it to her nephew, Ralph Campbell, who was about the same age as Bobby. She had hoped Bobby would play it. Ralph Campbell played the violin and still does (1999). He remembers his Aunt Adele very fondly. She visited him in Georgia in the year following Chester's death. She had wonderful conversations with Ralph. (per correspondence between the late Ralph Campbell and Sandra Clauser Culp). Adele died of congestive heart failure within one year of the loss of her husband Chester. She was considered a "true lady" by all who knew her and was deeply loved by her family.
Obituary from the South Bend Tribune Jan. 5, 1970:
MRS. E. ADELE BRAGG
Mrs. E. Adele Bragg, 83, of 1010 Hudson Ave., died at 2:45 p.m. Sunday in Memorial Hospital after an illness of three months. Born Jan. 11, 1886, in Emmetsburg, Iowa, she had lived her since 1936, coming from Berwyn, Ill. On June 20, 1912, in Emmetsburg, she was married to Chester H. Bragg, who died June 12, 1969. She is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Amon L. Loy of South Bend, Mrs. Ward C. Barley of Liberty, Ind., and Mrs. Clifford I. Markham of Lynnfield, Mass.; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Welsheimer Funderal Home, where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, with Rev. Charles Ellinwood, pastor of St. Paul's Memorial United Methodist Church, of which she was a member, officiating. Burial will be in the Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Berwyn, Ill.
Obituary from the Lynn, Mass., newspaper on January 8, 1970:
MRS. ADEL BRAGG
Mrs. Adel (Bowden) Bragg, 83, of South Bend, Ind., mother of Mrs. Clifford I. Markham of Lynnfield, died Sunday after a lengthy illness.
Born in Emmetsburg, Iowa, she was a former Chicago resident. She was the widow of Chester H. Bragg who died last summer shortly before the couple's 57th anniversary.
Besides her daughter in Lynnfield, Mrs. Bragg also leaves two daughters in Indiana, 10 grandhcildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services were held yesterday in South Bend and burial was in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Berwyn, Ill.
E. Adele Bowden was born to William John Bowden and Alice Estell (Schoonover) Bowden in Emmettsburg, IA. Her mother died two years later due to a tubal pregnancy. Adele grew up in Emmettsburg with her widowed father and his mother Elizabeth (Gibson) Bowden. Her paternal grandparents had come to America from Ireland. Adele accompanied her Grandma Bowden to Ireland when she was about 9 years old. She later became good friends with Alice Cordelia Bragg. Alice had a brother named Chester Homer Bragg. Eventually, Chester and Adele began to court, and they were married in a double wedding with Alice Cordelia and her groom Guy Campbell on June 20, 1912. Adele and Chester moved to the Chicago area after their wedding. Their first daughter Alice Adele Bragg was born December 21, 1913. Next came two sons Robert Chester and John Bowden. John only lived one year and died of an unknown cause, but Adele was afraid he had been dropped in the hospital when he was first born. Elizabeth Lorraine was born in 1920 and was followed three years later by their last child, Margaret Louise, in 1923. In 1924, Chester, Alice, and Robert were in a tragic car/train accident, and Robert was killed. It was a horrific experience for the family, especially the parents and Alice. In 1925, Adele's husband Chester was involved in a citizen's raid on Al Capone's speakeasy and their lives were endangered. Adele went through many harrowing experiences through her life. However, she remained a loving, cheerful wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. During the depression years, Adele decided to make a Nougat Cake. However, because she didn't have some of the ingredients, she renamed it a "No-Got Cake." The family later relocated to South Bend, Indiana, following great financial losses of the depression. Their son-in-law Amon L. Loy (married to their oldest daughter Alice) encouraged them to join them in the northern Indiana town. Their two younger daughters were still young and living at home during this time. As a result of moving, they were able to be an active part of their Loy grandchildren's lives.
Adele played the violin as a young girl. It was her father's violin. When Adele's own son, Bobby, died in the car/train crash, Adele gave it to her nephew, Ralph Campbell, who was about the same age as Bobby. She had hoped Bobby would play it. Ralph Campbell played the violin and still does (1999). He remembers his Aunt Adele very fondly. She visited him in Georgia in the year following Chester's death. She had wonderful conversations with Ralph. (per correspondence between the late Ralph Campbell and Sandra Clauser Culp). Adele died of congestive heart failure within one year of the loss of her husband Chester. She was considered a "true lady" by all who knew her and was deeply loved by her family.
Obituary from the South Bend Tribune Jan. 5, 1970:
MRS. E. ADELE BRAGG
Mrs. E. Adele Bragg, 83, of 1010 Hudson Ave., died at 2:45 p.m. Sunday in Memorial Hospital after an illness of three months. Born Jan. 11, 1886, in Emmetsburg, Iowa, she had lived her since 1936, coming from Berwyn, Ill. On June 20, 1912, in Emmetsburg, she was married to Chester H. Bragg, who died June 12, 1969. She is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Amon L. Loy of South Bend, Mrs. Ward C. Barley of Liberty, Ind., and Mrs. Clifford I. Markham of Lynnfield, Mass.; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Welsheimer Funderal Home, where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, with Rev. Charles Ellinwood, pastor of St. Paul's Memorial United Methodist Church, of which she was a member, officiating. Burial will be in the Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Berwyn, Ill.
Obituary from the Lynn, Mass., newspaper on January 8, 1970:
MRS. ADEL BRAGG
Mrs. Adel (Bowden) Bragg, 83, of South Bend, Ind., mother of Mrs. Clifford I. Markham of Lynnfield, died Sunday after a lengthy illness.
Born in Emmetsburg, Iowa, she was a former Chicago resident. She was the widow of Chester H. Bragg who died last summer shortly before the couple's 57th anniversary.
Besides her daughter in Lynnfield, Mrs. Bragg also leaves two daughters in Indiana, 10 grandhcildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services were held yesterday in South Bend and burial was in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Berwyn, Ill.
Adele played the violin as a young girl. It was her father's violin. When Adele's own son, Bobby, died in the car/train crash, Adele gave it to her nephew, Ralph Campbell, who was about the same age as Bobby. She had hoped Bobby would play it. Ralph Campbell played the violin and still does (1999). He remembers his Aunt Adele very fondly. She visited him in Georgia in the year following Chester's death. She had wonderful conversations with Ralph. (per correspondence between the late Ralph Campbell and Sandra Clauser Culp). Adele died of congestive heart failure within one year of the loss of her husband Chester. She was considered a "true lady" by all who knew her and was deeply loved by her family.
Obituary from the South Bend Tribune Jan. 5, 1970:
MRS. E. ADELE BRAGG
Mrs. E. Adele Bragg, 83, of 1010 Hudson Ave., died at 2:45 p.m. Sunday in Memorial Hospital after an illness of three months. Born Jan. 11, 1886, in Emmetsburg, Iowa, she had lived her since 1936, coming from Berwyn, Ill. On June 20, 1912, in Emmetsburg, she was married to Chester H. Bragg, who died June 12, 1969. She is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Amon L. Loy of South Bend, Mrs. Ward C. Barley of Liberty, Ind., and Mrs. Clifford I. Markham of Lynnfield, Mass.; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Welsheimer Funderal Home, where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, with Rev. Charles Ellinwood, pastor of St. Paul's Memorial United Methodist Church, of which she was a member, officiating. Burial will be in the Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Berwyn, Ill.
Obituary from the Lynn, Mass., newspaper on January 8, 1970:
MRS. ADEL BRAGG
Mrs. Adel (Bowden) Bragg, 83, of South Bend, Ind., mother of Mrs. Clifford I. Markham of Lynnfield, died Sunday after a lengthy illness.
Born in Emmetsburg, Iowa, she was a former Chicago resident. She was the widow of Chester H. Bragg who died last summer shortly before the couple's 57th anniversary.
Besides her daughter in Lynnfield, Mrs. Bragg also leaves two daughters in Indiana, 10 grandhcildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services were held yesterday in South Bend and burial was in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Berwyn, Ill.
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