Bollen Family

John Bollen, who to within the last fifteen years was one of the active farmers of Loraine township, and is now living retired in a very pretty home in Geneseo, was born in Ohio July 13, 1835 and is the son of John and Sarah (Hooks) Bollen, both natives of the Buckeye state. The father was born July 22, 1805, and came to Henry county, Illinois, in 1836, securing land in Loraine township. At the time of his advent here wild game of all kinds, but especially deer, abounded, and the Indians were frequent visitors at the white men’s houses. He lived to see these conditions become no more than a memory, for when he died, January 2, 1888, Henry County was well advanced toward the condition it now enjoys. He participated in this progress, for he was a man of public spirit who filled in turn all the offices of his township. When the republican party was organized he joined its ranks and was fired by the discussions that preceded the Civil war. He was twice married. His first wife. Miss Sarah Hooks in her maidenhood was born November 16. 1813. and died November 3, 1843. having borne four children: Mary who married James Armstrong; John, the subject of this sketch; William, who lives in Bayard, Iowa; and Fletcher, who died in February. 1908. Mr. Bolien’s second wife was Mrs. Parmelia Loomis, by whom he also had four children, all living: George, of Orchard. Nebraska ; Heman and Lucretia. twins, the former a resident of Prophetstown, Illinois. and the latter the wife of David Parker of Seattle. Washington; and Thomas, who lives in Nebraska. Mrs. Parmelia Bollen died about ten years ago in Prophetstown, Illinois. John Bollen received his education in the common schools of Henry county He remained with his father on the farm until he was seventeen, when he started in life for himself. For several years he worked at anything that presented itself and then rented land in Loraine township, on which he lived until 1862. when he purchased two hundred and ninety acres in Phenix and Loraine townships. This he still owns, although it presents an appearance much different from the unim­proved tracts he purchased almost fifty years ago. He set to work immediately to make the farm a profitable investment, following a general agriculture and stock raising. In 1894 he decided to abandon the more arduous of his duties and retired to the comfortable house he had purchased. It is situated on North Aldrich street, Geneseo. On the 4th of July, 1859, Mr. Bollen married Miss Caroline Heller, who was born in Loraine township and was a daughter of David and Catherine Heller. She died in August, 1872, survived by three of her four children. William, the eldest, born April 13, 1861, married Miss Minnie Phelps. After her death he married Miss Anne Sieben. He lives in Geneseo and has three children-Donald, Ralph and Irene. Sarah Catherine, born December 2, 1864, became the wife of Adam F. Hines, of Phoenix township. They have three children : Floyd B., Ethel Gertrude and Lois Irene. John W., born January 13, 1868, married Miss Alice Rapp and lives in Osco township. They have two children : Melba Irene and Christine Dorothy. On the loth of September, 1873, Mr. Bollen was united in marriage to Miss Mandana Adams. She was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, September 2, 1849, and is a daughter of Charles and Sarah (Derling) Adams, the former a native of Massachusetts, the latter of Pennsylvania. Mr. Adams came to Illinois in the early ’50s, settling in Henry county, where he lived a few years, until his death, which occurred when Mrs. Bollen was a very young girl, leaving his widow to rear their family of nine children. They were Lucy, the wife of John Logan. both deceased; Emily, deceased, who was the wife of Benson McHenry, and lives in Henry county; Norman, who married Miss Rachel Henniger and lives in Kansas; Stewart, who married Miss Louise Bunn and lives in Leverne, Minnesota; Achsah, the wife of Alvin Lyon, both deceased; Mandana, who is Mrs. Bollen ; Ellen R., deceased, who was the wife of Charles Holmes and lived in Nebraska ; Daniel, who married Miss Fannie Holmes and lives in Belle Plaine, Iowa; and Wilmina, the wife of E. D. Thomas, of Geneseo. Mrs. Adams reared this large family with care and ability and was a devout member of the Methodist church as was her husband. Mr. Bollen is a republican in his political views and has held all the township offices. He belongs to the Methodist church as does his wife, who is a very active woman and has been of great assistance to her husband. Mr. Bollen has managed his own affairs since he was seventeen years of age, and the substantial position he has now attained attests to what excellent principles guided him. He is surrounded by the comforts that contribute to an enjoyable old age and has the respect of his fellow citizens and all who know him.

John was born July 22, 1805 in Guernsey County, Ohio and died January 2, 1888 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. He married twice. His first marriage was on March 3, 1831 in Guernsey County, Ohio to Sarah Hooks. Sarah was born November 16, 1813 in Ohio and died November 3, 1843 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. Their children:

• Mary Bollen was born about 1833 in Ohio. She married twice, first on June 12, 1850 in Henry County, Illinois to James Armstrong (1821-1881). They had at least five children: Richard, Eleanora, Minnie, James Edward and John. She married second to John Walton (1835-1910) on April 15, 1896 in Waupaca, Wisconsin.
• John Bollen, Jr. was born July 16, 1835 in Ohio and died January 14, 1920 in Henry County, Illinois. He married first to Caroline Heller (1840-1873) and they had three children: William, Sarah Catherine, and John W. Bollen. John married second in September 10, 1873 in Illinois to Mandana Adams (1849-1925).
• William Bollen
• Fletcher Bollen was born July 21, 1841 in Henry County, Illinois and died February 22, 1908. He married Rebecca Stakes (1837-1885) and they had three children: Nettie I., Walter Wesley, and Clarence Leroy Bollen. He married second to Hattie Welch Edson and they had one daughter, Blanch Bollen.

John’s second marriage was October 15, 1845 in Whiteside County, Illinois to Parmelia Bowman. Parmelia was born August 4, 1817 in Kingston, Luzerne, Pennsylvania and died April 9, 1896 in Henry County, Illinois. Parmelia’s first marriage was to Joel Loomis in 1837 and they had three sons: Alfred E., John B., and Joseph “Joel” Loomis.

John and Parmelia had three children:

• George Leland Bollen was born November 24, 1847 in Henderson, Illinois and died April 11, 1921 in Norfolk, Madison, Nebraska. He married Ella Loomis (1851-1935) and they had five children: Clement, Alice Melissa, Florence, Floyd, and Leland Bollen.
• Heman S. Bollen was born April 20, 1849 in Illinois and died February 24, 1914 in Illinois. He married Minnie H. Winkler (1885-1941) and they had three children: Sadie, Earl C. , and Hazel L. Bollen.
• Lucretia J. Bollen was born in April 1849 in Illinois and died December 27, 1921 in Long Beach, Los Angeles, California. She married David L. Parker (1843-1923).
• Thomas Jefferson Bollen was born August 18, 1852 in Henry County, Illinois and died June 2, 1921 in Laurel, Cedar, Nebraska. He married February 7, 1876 in Henry County, Illinois to Rosena Katharine “Katie” Goreth (1857-1888) and had five children: Bertha C., Wilber Roy, Maude B., Lenora, and Eugene R. Bollen.
• Lewis Bollen died young.

Thomas Jr. was born December 13, 1813 in Jefferson/Harrison County, Ohio and died November 3, 1896 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. He married twice. His married on August 4, 1836 in Muskingum, Ohio to Mary Ann Davis. Mary Ann was born March 17, 1818 in Virginia and died November 25, 1842 in Henry County, Illinois.

Thomas was a pioneer of Loraine Township in Illinois. His mother died when he was just 3 years old. At age 13 his father died and he lived with his uncle for two years in Guernsey County, Ohio. At 15 he apprenticed himself to a gunsmith in Centerville, Carroll, Ohio. He became a journeyman and worked in various cities in the U.S. until 1840 when he arrived in Henry County, Illinois. In Loraine he entered land on section 7. He cut logs and building a clapboard cabin with locally sourced wood. He built a blacksmith shop 4-5 years later and opened business. It was a benefit to the community and a successful endeavor for him. On April 1, 1850 he set out at the head of a party to cross the plains to California during the gold rush. They arrived in Council Bluffs and then left there on May 1st, and arrived August 2nd in Georgetown, California, which was the northeasternmost town in the California Mother Lode. His blacksmith and gunsmith skills helped him find work easily. Family oral history said he had been there when they drove the Golden Spike.

In 1852 he returned to Henry County by the way of the Isthmus. (I’m not sure where that was unless they mean Panama? Anyone care to comment?) By 1854 he was back in California using the same route out as he took in as it was easy traveling. While in Georgetown again he opened a shop providing interior establishments with materials. He was made Deputy Sheriff of his community in 1855 for three years. He resigned and returned to Henry County and stayed there working as a blacksmith20 years and a gunsmith for 40 years. He hired his farm work done by others more proficient in that line of work. He had 120 acres but at one time owned 200. He also owned 160 acres in York County, Nebraska. He held the office of Constable for several years and also the School Director.

Thomas was a Mason and helped establish at least 4 Masonic lodges in Whiteside and Henry Counties. Bollen Lodge No. 412 , A . F . & A . M . chartered in 1864 was situated in Spring Hill, Henry, Illinois.

Thomas and Mary Ann had three children:

• Julia Ann Bollen was born September 7, 1837 and died October 15, 1918 in Walla Walla, Washington. Never married.
• William Thomas Bollen was born April 2, 1839.
• Mary Ann Bolen was born October 30, 1842 in Illinois and died March 4, 1867 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. She married October 18, 1857 in Henry County, Illinois to S.H. Cain.

Thomas Jr. married secondly to Lydia Potts on September 16, 1844 in Jefferson, Ohio. Lydia was born September 28, 1807 in Jefferson, Ohio and died June 2, 1892 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. Lydia married first to John Cain. See more about the Cain/Kane family below. Their children:

Thomas and Lydia’s children:

Washington Rhodes (Rhoads) Bollen

Washington Rhodes Bolen/Bollen was born December 29, 1845 in Henry County, Illinois and died May 17, 1926 in Wilbur, Lincoln, Washington. Washington married April 9, 1872 in Henry County, Illinois to Mary Brittain who was born in 1853 in Illinois and died April 2, 1892 in Nebraska.

Washington and Mary’s children:

• George Washington Bollen was born March 4, 1874 and died March 24, 1927. He married in 1908 to Gertrude Malinda Walker and they had 5 children.
• Marion Ernest Bollen, Rev. was born June 5, 1876 in Henry County, Illinois and died in 1947 in Seattle, King, Washington. He married Harriett Suzanne Prest (1875-1976) and had 6 children.
• Lydia Ethyl Bollen was born February 1, 1879 in Genesee, Whiteside, Illinois and died August 24, 1936 in Wilbur, Lincoln, Washington. She married July 18, 1902 in Jesse F. Bartlett (1876-1944). They had 2 children.
• Emma Harriet Bollen was born December 8, 1883 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died March 11, 1937 in Port Angeles, Clallam, Washington. She married July 15, 1909 in Waterville, Douglas, Washington to William Harry Johns (1888-1980). They had 5 children.
• Hilda Imogene Bollen was born in May of 1887 in Nebraska (or Washington?) and died May 31, 1950 in Wilbur, Lincoln, Washington. She married Joseph Levi Smith (1880-1947). They had 3 children.
• Lillis Iantha Bollen was born Sep 1889 and died November 25, 1954 in Wilbur, Lincoln, Washington. She married on June 25, 1915 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington to Louis Joseph Bowen (1887–1954). They had 5 children.
• Mary Irene Bollen was born January 25, 1892 and died April 1, 1892 probably in Washington.
• Wilbur Bollen

Lydia J. Bollen

Lydia was born May 2, 1848 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died December 8, 1899 in Henry County, Illinois. She is buried with Elias with her maiden name on the stone in Kemmis Cemetery in Henry County, Illinois. She married first on January 1, 1866 at Morrison, Whiteside, Illinois to Elias Clifton. Elias was born November 14, 1839 in Montgomery, Indiana and died April 6, 1876 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois.

Their children:

• Gertrude Clifton born August 10, 1866 Sharon, Henry, Illinois, died August 11, 1866.
• Clarissa Clifton born March 17, 1867 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died March 17, 1871.
• Thomas E. Clifton born February 22, 1869 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died June 4, 1896.
• Pearl Clifton born December 28, 1871 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died August 29, 1872.
• Myrtle R. Clifton (Myrtle was the only surviving child from this marriage)

Myrtle R. Clifton

Myrtle was born January 26, 1874 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died July 5, 1949 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois. She married October 1, 1889 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois to Frederic Horace Cole (1870-1933. Myrtle married May 22, 1905 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa to Daniel Considine (1867-1932).

Myrtle and Fred Cole had two daughters:

Ruth Naomi Cole was born October 28 1890 in Prophetstown, Whiteside County, Illinois and died March 17, 1966 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois. She married on January 8, 1912 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois to James Reginald Sullivan (1887-1942). Their children:

• John Cole Sullivan was born December 12, 1913 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois and died August 10, 1976 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois. He married Ruth Phyllis Morehead (1915-1992). They had two sons.
• James Edward Sullivan was born August 7, 1916 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois and died January 1985 in Clinton, Clinton, Iowa. He married Shirley Jean Gates (1920-2004) and they had one daughter.
• Hugh William Sullivan was born July 12, 1918 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois and died March 28, 1980 in Missoula, Missoula, Montana. He married Patricia Pelikan.
• Twins Sullivan (died young)

Rena Cole was born October 5, 1892 in Prophetstown, Whiteside County, Illinois died July 13, 1916 in Savanna, Carroll County, Illinois.

After Elias Clifton’s death, Lydia married Fayette Martin on March 18, 1880 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois. They had two daughters. See more about their family>>>

Nancy Rosetta Bolen

Nancy was born August 28, 1850 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died in 1904. She married May 5, 1867 at Loraine, Henry County, Illinois to (Phillip) Edward Somers. He was born July 25, 1846 at Portland, Henry, Illinois and died July 13, 1937 in Geneseo Township, Henry, Illinois. Edward was a Civil War Vet having served in Co F, 9th Regiment, Cavalry, Illinois. After Nancy’s death, Edward married Mary A. Green.

The name is spelled Somers and Sommers depending on the record.)

Their children (all born in Loraine, Henry, Illinois):

Cora Janette Sommers born March 1868 and died April 4, 1953 in Geneseo, Henry, Illinois. She doesn’t appear to have married.

Frederick William Sommers born December 9, 1869 in Spring Creek, Henry County, Illinois and died in July 25, 1964 in Ennis, Madison, Montana. He married June 1, 1910 in Twin Bridges, Madison, Montana to Gertrude May Thornton (1879-1919). They had one son, Jack L Sommers (1917-2007). Write up from findagrave.com: Fred came to Twin Bridges in 1890 from Lorraine Township, Illinois. He was hired as a horse trainer at the Armston Ranch (now the Bayer Ranch). His job was caring for the mare that foaled Spokane, the Kentucky Derby Winner in 1889.We then worked as a hoisting engineer at the mines in Rochester. Then he worked on the dredges at Alder Gulch. In 1898, he became a carpenter-contractor and he built numerous buildings in the Twin Bridges area. This is the job he kept for the next 60 years. Fred married Gertrude Willett Thornton June 1, 1910 in Twin Bridges.

Francis (Frank) Roy Sommers born October 1, 1872 and died June 18, 1948. He married May 7, 1894 in Henry County, Illinois to Ethel Kempster (1874-1909). He married on August 30, 1919 to Mrs. Lottie Miller Johnson in Davenport, Scott, Iowa. In 1940 he married Sadie Byrd in Moline, Illinois.

John Anderson Sommers born January 17, 1875 and died October 20, 1968 in Moline, Rock Island, Illinois. He married September 2, 1907 In Clinton, Clinton, Iowa to Ida Luella Cherry (1883-1987). They lived in Moline, Rock Island, Illinois. John was a veteran of Company I, Regiment 70 Illinois. They had one son: Kenneth born 1920.

Emma Lutitia Sommers born about 1875 married November 30, 1899 in Henry County, Illinois to William A. Mazingo (Mozingo).

Bernard Edward Sommers born July 13, 1878 in Loraine, Henry, Illinois and died April 14, 1963. He married November 30, 1899 in Henry County, Illinois to Elsie M. M. Clapper. Elsie died in 1903. They had one child Myrna I. Sommers (1900-1902). After Elsie’s death, he married second to Maud E. Pomeroy on October 24, 1906 in Davenport, Scott, Illinois. She died April 9, 1954. They had one son, Stanley O. Sommers (1918-1979)

Harriet (Hattie) Irene Sommers born August 30, 1883 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois and died March 28, 1968 probably in Geneseo, Henry, Illinois. She married January 17, 1906 in Henry County to Frank Brokaw (1880-1947). Their children:

• Charles A. Brokaw (1907-1991)
• Rosetta Edith Brokaw (1910-2004)
• Alice Lorane Brokaw (1912-1978)
• Faye Irene Brokaw Shippee (1919-2002)*

Edith Lydia Sommers born January 7, 1889 in Loraine, Henry, Illinois and died April 13, 1988 in Geneseo, Henry, Illinois. She married in February 3, 1923 in Naperville, Illinois to Fred P. Weber (1888-1975).

Elmer Clifton Sommers born February 4, 1899 in Henry County, Illinois and died October 21, 1986 in Nebraska. He married June 4, 1922 in Henry County, Illinois to Claretta Buella Williamson (1902-1958). They had at least one son, Edward Dean Sommers (1924-1980)

The biographical sketch below shows a different line up of children. (Cora, Frederick, Frank, John, Bernard, Lutitia and Hattie.) I built the family above from several censuses. They must have farmed the children out to other farms here and there as the children do not always show up on the Somer’s household census. Also, the name can be shown as Sommers or Summers.

Francis Summers was born in 1820 in Germany. His wife, Catherine was born in 1836 in Pennsylvania. They had 5 children by the 1860 census: Edward, Sarah E., Peter O., Francis R., and Catherine M.

At the Oakwood Cemetery in Geneseo, Henry, Illinois there is an infant buried with 1916 as the death date.

From “Whiteside County Biographical Sketches”, page 384

Edward Somers, farmer, section 27, Portland Township, cultivating the Youngs farm, which comprises 197 acres, is a son of Frank and Mary (Baker) Somers, and was born July 25, 1846 in Portland Township, this county. His father, a farmer, was a native of Pennsylvania. his parents came to this western country in 1836, and were therefore among the earliest settlers here. His mother died when he was very young, and his father again married, and now resides in Kansas. Of the four children of his mother three are living, namely: Sarah, who is the wife of Edward Ott, a farmer in Kansas; Peter, a farmer.

The subject of this sketch is the oldest of the children, and remained at his parental home until he was 18 years of age, when he was employed by the month, and then took a rented farm, which he cultivated for a time. In 1882 he bought a farm of 120 acres in Portland Township, kept it a year, and then sold and rented his present farm of 197 acres.

He was married in Loraine Township, Henry Co., Ill., May 5, 1867, to Miss Nancy Bollen, daughter of Thomas and Lydia Bollen. She was born in that township in August, 1850. They have seven children: Cora, Frederick, Frank, John, Bernard, Lutitia and Hattie.

Double Cousins
Thomas Bollen, Jr. was the son of Thomas Bollen Sr. and Mary Potts. Mary was the daughter of John Potts. John Potts was the brother of Jonathan Potts who was Lydia’s father. This makes Thomas and Lydia second cousins. See Potts family

Obituary:

Thomas Bollen, a well known citizen of Portland, died at the home of his son in Nebraska last Tuesday. The remains were taken to Erie Thursday and were laid to rest in a private cemetery near his old home. He was a prominent Mason, being one of the organizers of the Masonic lodge in Portland, and also in Erie, Prophetstown and Lyndon.

Source: Sterling Daily Gazette, Sterling, Illinois, Wednesday, November 11, 1896, p. 1.

Thomas is buried at the Bowman Cemetery in Loraine Township, Illinois: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/97654264/thomas-s.-bollen.