Mike Borchardt Sunday, 23 Jan 2000
Homepage: The Borchardt Family

Surnames: ROWLEY, ALDRICH and SHEPARD

Looking for any additional information on, and hopefully descendants of, two families found in the 1870 U.S. census for Fairview Township in Emmet Co. The entry on page 1 is:

Dwelling #3, Family #3: Rowley, Burton 50 M W Farmer 12,000 350 New York
  Rowley, Betsey 50 F W Keeping house     Vermont
  Rowley, Carrie   5 F W       Minnesota
Dwelling #3, Family #4: Shepard, Jerome 29 M W Farm laborer   550 New York
  Shepard, Augusta 23 F W Keeping house     Wisconsin
  Shepard, Burton   3 M W       Minnesota

Our research leads us to believe that "Augusta" SHEPARD mentioned above is Polly D. (Dustin?) ROWLEY, the daughter of Lemuel Burton and Elizabeth ("Betsey" ALDRICH) ROWLEY. According to my great-grandfather, Timothy ROWLEY, in his newspaper articles published under the title, "East Chain Township, Martin County, Minnesota, Historical Narrative covering the period from 1856 - 1929", "(In 1865...) This year marked the closing of the Civil War and Jerome Shepherd, who had enlisted the fall before, came home and married Dustin Rowley, moving onto his claim. But Christian Schultz never came home. He was mustered into the service in time to take part in the battle of Nashville, was wounded and died a month later." (Note: Christian Schultz was married to L.B. ROWLEY's sister, Lucy.)

Also found in the centennial book, "Remembering Armstrong" published in 1993, Burton (a.k.a. L.B.) ROWLEY was listed as one of the first election judges and constables of Fairview Township. J.B. SHEPARD was also noted as having served in elective offices prior to 1880. (Credit goes to our cousin Katherine Edlund for enlisting the help of Mr. William Bryan of the Emmet Co. Historical Society who found this reference and the census information above!)