John Ross Fowler, Sr.

John Ross Fowler was born May 1, 1905, in Grant County, South Dakota to Frederick O. Fowler and Melissa I. (Atkins) Fowler. In the 1910 census they were living in Hudgins, Perkins County, South Dakota, and were listed as follows in the census record: Fred O., 39, Melissa, 25, Luella M., 7, John R., 5, and Wilma, 2 years old. Fred and Melissa had been married for eight years and had given birth to three children. Fred was born in Wisconsin and his parents in Pennsylvania, Melissa in South Dakota, her father in Illinois and her mother in Minnesota. All their children were born in South Dakota. Fred was working as a farmer, and he owned his farm free from a mortgage.

According to a 1932 U.S. City Directory listing, John Ross Fowler and his wife Martha Helen Stone Fowler were living at 5107 Queen Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and he was working as a greaser at Nu Way Auto Wash. In a 1934 listing they were living at 3132 40th Avenue South, and John was working as an auto mechanic. By 1939 John and Martha were living at 510 Irving Avenue North in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and he was working as an attendant at the Foshay Tower Motor Park.

In the 1940 U.S. Federal Census, they were listed as follows: John, 35, Martha, 31, with children Louella, 9, Alice, 7, Barbara, 5, and John, 1 year old. Also living in their home on Irving Avenue were Charles Freeman, 38, Alice Freeman, 27, and George Freeman, 8, listed as a lodger with his wife and son. John was renting the home for $25 per month. John was born in North Dakota, (according to this census record), and Martha and their children in Minnesota. Charles Freeman was from England and his wife and son were born in Minnesota.

John had an 8th grade education, Martha, one year of high school, Louella was in the 4th grade and Alice in the first grade. Charles Freeman had 3 years of high school, his wife, Alice, one year and their son George was in the third grade. John was working as a car washer in a public garage and Charles as an auto tire salesman. For the 52 weeks that John worked at 44 hours per week in 1939 his income was $1,320. For the 52 weeks that Charles worked at 48 hours per week his income was $1,080.

At some point John and Martha moved to California and John passed away May 27, 1973, and was buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California. His headstone there reads, "His role in life as husband and father was one of inspiration, guidance and companionship."

John and Martha must have divorced sometime in the 1960's or earlier, since a California Marriage Index record showed that John R. Fowler, born in 1905, married Fay M. Beck, May 14, 1966, in Los Angeles County, California. At the time of their marriage, John was 61 years old and Fay was 54 years old. Fay was originally from Kansas. She was living there in the 1930 census in Wild Cat, Riley County, Kansas, with her parents, Arthur G. and Nora B. Beck, and their eight children. Fay was their oldest child at 18 years of age.

At one point Martha was living in Victorville, California, and she passed away June 14, 1996, while living in San Bernardino County, California, and her last residence was in Apple Valley.