OTWELL Family Photos on Flickr

Niagara Falls, 1921
Barney CRAIG, Edna and Gertie OTWELL, Lillian CRAIG

Visit:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/29363572@N07/albums/72157675105060460

Oh You Kids! Children of Edwin and Mary OTWELL

Edna and Lillian, Aug 1929
Photo courtesy of Aunt Delores S.



Edna’s Siblings

Lillian Edith CRAIG (1892-1977) had a 5th grade education. She married Byron CRAIG (1888-1947) before 1916 and settled in Lackawanna, Erie County, NY. Byron was a brakeman on the New York Central Railroad’s Knickerbocker and Missourian passenger trains and he died suddenly one day while taking a nap. They had at least 3 children (Robert, James and  Byron Jr.).  On the 1930 census we also found a Fred Craig, age 4, listed as a son.  Fred is not listed on the 1940 census and would not have been born to be on the NYS 1925 Census.  Further research is needed.  She and Byron are interred at Hillcrest Cemetery, Hamburg, NY.

Visit Lillian's on-line memorial.

Gravestone -Photo courtesy cousin Tracy O.

Irene Alice MCMAHON (1894-1920) married Howard MCMAHON (1893-1931) before 1914 and had at least 3 children (Howard, Catherine GROFF and Edith May). She died of influenza at the age of 26 and is interred in the OTWELL family plot at Ridgelawn Cemetery. Their children were reared by the MCMAHON grandparents.

Visit Irene's on-line memorial.

Gertie and Jack SIM (with a bowl haircut)
Niagara Falls, 14 July 1929

Gertrude Emma O’CONNELL (1895-1962) had an 8th grade education. She married Joseph O’CONNELL (1892-1968) on 18 June 1928 and they settled in Buffalo. Joseph was an apprentice at a wallpaper factory in the 1940 census. No children. They are interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Lackawanna.

 Visit Gertie's on-line memorial.

Marian (1897-1898) died in infancy. We have not found any documents for her. She is listed as a sibling in Lillian’s obituary. We have not been able to locate her grave.  



Edna, Fred, Olive, Harold and Gertie, circa 1915
On the back is written "The Gang" and "Oh You Kids!"
Photo courtesy of Aunt Pat H.

Harold (1898-1976) had a 9th grade education. In his 1917 WWI draft card, he is described as short and slender with blue eyes and brown hair. In the 1920 census, he was living in his aunt Mary HALEY’s household in Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan. His grandmother Jane ASH was living there at the time, too. His occupation was timekeeper at a forge company. He returned to Buffalo and married Hazel M. GARRISON (1901-) on 26 September 1924 and they lived with Hazel’s brother according to the 1925 New York State census and 1930 federal census. No children. They were divorced by the 1940 census and Hazel later remarried. In the 1940 census, his occupation was watchman for the city parks system and his brother Fred was living with him. Harry enlisted in the military during WWII. He died at age 77 of a heart attack on 12 July 1976 and was interred in the OTWELL family plot at Ridgelawn Cemetery.

Visit Harry's on-line memorial.

Lillian, Olive and Edna, Woodlawn Beach, 1929
Photo courtesy Aunt Pat H.

Olive and friend Aunt Mazy
Family Picnic, Chestnut Ridge

Olive May MCKENNA (1900-1985) had a 6th grade education. She married James MCKENNA (1893-1953) on 20 September 1922 and they settled in Buffalo. James’ occupation on the 1940 census was oiler at a construction job. They had at least 3 children (Frederick, Arlene ROLA and Janet SIEKMAN).

Visit Ollie's on-line memorial.

Fred OTWELL, 1923
Photo courtesy of cousin Jim O.

Frederick (1902-1992) had an 8th grade education, was a brakeman for the South Buffalo Railway and a member of the St. Patrick’s Club. He purchased the speakeasy on 17 Wadsworth from John SIM (see previous post). After his father’s death in 1920, he became the head of the household according to the 1930 census. In 1940, he was living in his brother Harry’s household and listed as married though his wife was not residing there. He had married Elizabeth GRIFFITH and they had 9 children (James, John, Maureen, Kevin, Thomas, Eileen, Kathy, William and Faith). In 1965, he was injured when the bus he was travelling in overturned near Toledo, Ohio during a tornado. He filed suits against the bus company and the railroad claiming permanent disability. He died in 1992 and was cremated.

Visit Fred's on-line memorial.

Edwin James Jr. (1905-1915)-see previous post about Edna’s twin brother.

Dorothy's gravestone, Photo courtesy cousin Tracy O.

Dorothy (1907-1908) died in infancy of “Acute and Supp. Adenitis” according to the Ridgelawn Cemetery card. Adenitis is the inflammation of a gland.

Visit Dorothy's on-line memorial.

Edwin James OTWELL, Jr. (1905-1915)

Edwin OTWELL
Photo courtesy of
Aunt Pat H.

Edna OTWELL's twin brother

Tin type photo of the twins
Photo courtesy of Aunt Pat H.

Edwin and Edna were born on 23 May 1905 in Buffalo, Erie County, NY. As children, Edna was taller and had olive skin, brown eyes and dark hair. Edwin was shorter and of fair complexion with blue eyes and blonde hair.

On 28 September 1915, 10 year old Edwin was walking to the candy store when he was struck and killed by an automobile. Cause of death was a fractured skull.  His death was devastating to the family. Verbal family history says that the driver was drunk at the time of the accident. The newspaper article portrays the driver as a hero.

Buffalo Courier, 9/29/1915
(Found on Old Fulton NY Postcards)

Father KELLY continued on as a Catholic priest, but had been relocated from the Buffalo parish soon after the accident.

Edwin's Obit
Buffalo Courier, 1915
(Old Fulton NY Postcards)

Gravestone, Photo courtesy cousin Tracy O.

Cousin Tracy O. contacted the Ridgelawn Cemetery to locate Edwin’s grave. The cemetery documents indicated that Edwin was first buried in one plot on 1 October 1915, but a few months after, the “family came into some money” and decided to purchase plots so that the family could be near each other. Edwin was moved to the new location along with baby Dorothy on 16 May 1916. Gravestones were purchased for each. The other two plots were reserved for Edwin and Mary Jane. Son Harry bought the 3 remaining plots and these were eventually used for his sister Irene MCMAHON, brother-in-law George W. SIM and himself. (Yes, George rests with the OTWELLs while his wife Edna rests with the nearby SIMs.)

The family gathered during the exhumation of Edwin’s coffin. As the coffin was moved, it fell and the lid opened. Gramma Edna said that she saw his “little blue shoe”.

This sad poem was published by the family one year after his death:

Buffalo Evening News, 28 September 1915
(Old Fulton NY Postcards)

The phrase “family came into some money” could be explained by a document found in Bill SIM’s photo album. It is a life insurance policy taken out for Edna by her mother in 1910. It is likely that Edwin had a similar policy. 

 We recently found probate records for Edwin dated 27 October 1915 (case #51897), but have not found the files on-line, yet. This file should confirm if the money was obtained through the life insurance policy or through a lawsuit.

Probate records index, Buffalo 1915

Edwin, Harry and Edna, circa 1915, Buffalo