Missouri Fox Clowser was the oldest of Levi Fox and Sarah Hartley's children and was born on December 16, 1851 in St. Clair Township, Butler County, Ohio.
She married James Monroe (Doc) Clowser (Clouser) in Iowa when she was seventeen and he was 23 on September 16, 1868. James was born on April 25, 1844 in Ohio. His parents were Henry Clowser and Mary Gookin. James Clowser was a farmer.
James and Missouri lived in Benton Township, Lucas County, Iowa. Their children were: William Martin (Mart) Clowser (1869),
Alburton (Burt) B. Clowser (1870-1896),
Nevada Clowser (1873-1892),
Charles Edwin Clowser (married Grace Josephine Gillham in 1897),
John Elvin Clowser (1876),
and Virgil M. Clowser (1879-1918).
At the time of the 1880 census, the Clowser children were not living with their parents. Alburton (Albertin Clouser) was age nine and working as a servant in the R. B. Hammond home in Washington Township. Nevada age seven was living with the Nimrod Wood family in Benton Township. The Woods were Clara Fox Wood's parents-in-law. Charles (Clouser) age seven and Virgil (Clouser) age one were living with the Gookin family in Washington Township, Lucas County.
Missouri died on January 16, 1880 when she was 28. She was buried in Confidence Cemetery in Wright Township, Wayne County with her husband, daughter Nevada, and son Alburton.
After Missouri died, James married Ann Elizabeth (Annie) Hodges who was born in 1858 in Ohio. James and Annie had a son, Henry Rezin Clowser who was born in 1885 in Iowa.
James died on January 16, 1888. Frank Myers wrote in his blog, The Lucas Countyan on October 22, 2008
the small headstone to the left of the larger stone marks Missouri's grave. The inscriptions on the main stone are very hard to read unless the light is just right. Missouri and James are on the north side of the stone; A. B. and Nevada, on the south.
St.
Clair Township, Butler County, Ohio was organized in 1803. It included the present
townships of Oxford, Milford, Wayne, Reily and Hanover and was bounded
on the north by Preble County, on the east by Lemon Township, on the
south by the Miami River and Ross Township, and on the west by the State of
Indiana.
Lucas County is in south central Iowa. It was founded in 1846 and the county seat is Chariton.
In the 1830s settlers began arriving in Iowa from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia. Iowa became a state in 1846.
New Hampshire was first settled by Europeans in 1623. It was separated from Massachusetts in 1679.
from A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, p. 371
. . . Henry Clowser, also a native of the Buckeye State, was a son of John and Mary Magdalene (Keckely) Clowser, the former a native of Virginia and of German origin and the latter of Virginia birth. In their old age they came to Iowa to be with their children and lived in Lucas County for 1855 to 1862. Both died in 1862 and are buried in Douglas cemetery. The names of their children are nine in number, are as follows: Peggy, Sarah, Henry, Betsey, Rachel, John, Benjamin, Rebecca and Isaac.
Henry Clowser was married in Ohio to Miss Mary Gookin, a native of New Hampshire, born November 16, 1815, daughter of Samuel and Rachel Gookin, also a native of New Hampshire; and in 1853, accompanied by his wife and children, he made the jorney by wagon from Ohio to Iowa. In 1855 they took up abode in Benton township, Lucas county. Here the father died in 1856, at the age of forty-two, leaving a widow and seven children.
William Martin Clowser
Relatives here have been apprised of the death of Mart Clowser a former well known resident of this county, which occurred at his home in Otis, Colorado, on Wednesday morning December 24, 1930, at the age of 61 years, 7 months and 13 days following a stroke of paralysis. Funeral services and interment took place in Otis on December 26th.
William Martin Clowser, son of James M. and Missouri Fox Clowser, was born in Appanoose county, Iowa on May 11, 1869. He was the eldest of six children all of whom have preceded him in death except one brother, Edwin Clowser who resides north of Chariton.
When quite young he came to Lucas county and on April 3, 1891, he was married to Miss Emma White, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paris White. To this union three children were born. Mrs. Gladys Daugherty, who preceded him in death on December 1918, at the age of 25 years, Mrs. Leta Hall and Keith Clowser of Otis, Colorado. Mrs. Clowser died on April 26, 1906, at the age of 25 years.
On January 10, 1910 he was married to Mrs. May [Glass] Littleton. To them two children were born, Thelma and Donald. He is survived by his wife, four children three stepchildren, seven grandchildren, and by one brother, C. E. Clowser of Lincoln township, this county.
About thirteen years ago Mr. Clowser and family moved from Lucas county, Iowa, to Otis, Colorado where they have since resided. Mr. Clowser was a man of strict integrity and genial disposition, and had a host of friends in this vicinity who will learn of his demise with sorry and will extend sympathy to the sorrowing ones who survive.
The 1918 influenza pandemic was also called the Spanish flu. It was caused by an unusually deadly strain and most victims were healthy, young adults. The pandemic lasted from March 1918 to June 1920. One third of the world's population, became infected.
C. E. Clowser
November 22, 1934 Patriot
Ed Clowser, for many years a resident of Lucas county, died at his home in Lincoln township on Monday morning, November 19 at the age of 60 years, 1 month and ? days after an illness of but a few hours with a heart attack.
Funeral services conducted by Chas. Hollingshead, were held at the family home on Wednesday afternoon at 1:20 o'clock, followed by burial in the Chariton cemetery.
Charles Edwin Clowser, son of James and Missouri Clowser was born in Wayne county, Iowa on July 11, 1874. When quite a small he came with his parents to Lucas county and his home has since been in this vicinity. He was married on August 18, 1897 to Grace Gillham. To this union five children were born, two of whom preceded him in death. He leaves to mourn his departure his wife and three children. Gail Clowser and Mrs. Thos. Reid of Lincoln township, and Olan Clowser of Los Angeles, Calif. also a half brother, Henry Clowser of Omaha, Nebr., and nine grand children. His parents, one sister, Vada [Nevada] and four brothers preceded him in death.
Mr. Clowser was converted during a tent meeting held near the Oxford church in June, 1914 and continued to live a faithful and consistant christian life until called to his eternal home. He was a regular attendant at church services which he greatly enjoyed, and will be greatly missed in the church and family circles.
Among those present at the funeral services were his half brother Henry Clowser, of Omaha, Neb., and Mrs. Gillham's sister, Mrs. Rachel Morris and daughter, Mrs. Inez Sutton of Corning; and her brothers, Ira Gillham and Jesse Gillham and wife and son and daughter of Chicago, Ill.; also her nephews and niece, Howard, Leonard and Gladys Gillham, all of Des Moines.
Charles & Grace
Mrs. Grace Clowser
Mrs. Grace Clowser passed away at the home of her brother, Arthur Gillham, on Wednesday morning April 24, 1940, at the age of 60 years, 2 months and 18 days, after an extended illness of several years.
Grace Josephine Gillham, daughter of Isaac and Nancy Gillham, was born in Monmouth, Ill., on Feb. 16. 1880. When quite young she came with her parents to Iowa and settled in Lucas county where she has since made her home.
She was married on August 18, 1897, to Charles Edwin Clowser. To this union five children were born, two of whom have preceded her in death. Her husband also preceded her in death five years ago.
Her remaining children are Gail Clowser and Mrs. Thomas Reid of Chariton and Olan Clowser of Los Angeles, Calif.; there are also eleven grandchildren. Her parents, five sisters and two brothers also preceded her in death. Two sisters and four brothers survive her, Mrs. Maude Walthall of Promise City, Mrs. Ella McKinley of Waterloo, Jesse and Ira Gillham, of Chicago, Ill, Alfia Gillham of Promise City, Arthur Gillham of Chariton; and a host of relatives and friends.
She was converted into the Pentecostal faith and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and lived a faithful and consistent christian life until called to her heavenly home, and will be greatly missed in the family circle. The last year she made her home with her brother Arthur and wife and was tenderly cared for until the Lord saw fit to call her where sickness never enters and no tears dim the eyes.
Funeral services, conducted by Rev. Chas. Hollingshead of Des Moines, and Rev. Harry McCarty, of Confidence, were held at the Miley funeral home Saturday afternoon at two o'clock and burial was in the Chariton cemetery.
For a tour of the Fox family land and resting places see "Fox Hunting at New York" from October 22, 2008 in The Lucas Countyan by Frank Myers.
