Joseph Hunter TOWER

                   1900 census Lee, Polk, Iowa
1910 census Lee, Polk, Iowa 9 children 7 living
1920 census Guymon, Texas, Oklahoma living with Grace A. her daughter
                  

                   Tombstone sighted at Mount Moriah Cemetery just outside of Douds, Van Buren
County, Iowa.

Memorial program for funeral says she was born in Vincennes,
Indiana.  However, Vincennes is in Knox County, Indiana, and contradicts the
Jefferson County History which says she was born in Ripley County, Indiana,
and bears out the reported birthplace in other records of Delaware which is
in Ripley County, Indiana. The Weston Behner funeral home in Fairfield, Iowa,
was the site of the funeral and Dr. M.A. Gable of the Methodist Church of
Fairfield, Iowa, conducted the services.  The interment at Mt. Moriah Cemetery
was also conducted by the Weston Behner funeral home.

History of Jefferson County, Iowa (pub. 1912), Vol. II, page 67, shows her name
as "Miss Ella M. Tower, who was born in Ripley county, Indiana, on the 24th of
February, 1852, and came to Jefferson county, Iowa, November 1, 1854, with her
parents, J. H. and Philena (Burton) Tower."

- Handwritten entries found in Family Bible in possession of Ellis Clark
Rail as of June 1995, reporting marriage of Mont to Martha Cronick, as well as
birth and death information. Original bible appears to have belonged to Thomas
Jefferson Carr and Julia Josephine Tower Carr as it reports only information
about them and their children

Slip of paper found in Bible says " Sibbyl Sophia Tower was born Monday, March
th 18, 1850)  Mary Ella Tower was born Wednesday Feb the 24, 1852) Julia
Josephine Tower was born Saturday May the 20 1854) Franklin Burton Tower was
born Friday Oct th 2 1857) William Everrett Tower was born January th 4
1860) Infint stelborn (?) born May 30 1863"  In different writing on reverse of
paper is written " Emma Orpah Tower born Wednesday August 3d 1864"

Slip of paper found in Family Bible of Joseph Hunter Tower has the following
notation: "D A R  194247 - Ella Tower Clark
                    252897 - Inez Clark Rail"
                  

                   1900 census Lick Creek, Van Buren, Iowa
1910 census Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA mother of 3, 1 alive
1930 census Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California living with sister Emma Bishop
                  

                   Never married.

Slip of paper found in Bible says " Sibbyl Sophia Tower was born Monday, March
th 18, 1850)  Mary Ella Tower was born Wednesday Feb the 24, 1852) Julia
Josephine Tower was born Saturday May the 20 1854) Franklin Burton Tower was
born Friday Oct th 2 1857) William Everrett Tower was born January th 4
1860) Infint stelborn (?) born May 30 1863"  In different writing on reverse of
paper is written " Emma Orpah Tower born Wednesday August 3d 1864"

Bible of Joseph Hunter Tower in possession of Ellis Clark Rail as of 1995
records marriages, births, and deaths.  This bible reports death date as Jan
9th, 1950.  There is also an obituary from a newspaper in the records
section of the Bible which indicates that he was born near Ottumwa,
Iowa, places interment in Pomona, California, and that he spent later years in
Highland Park (between Los Angeles and Pasadena). Still need to find out where
the "local hospital" referred to in the obituary was.

Robert Dudley Rail, a grand nephew of Franklin Burton Tower, says oral
family history holds that Franklin Tower never married.
cremated
                  

                   Handwirtten entries found in family bible in possession of Ellis Clark Rail as of June 1995 reporting marriage of  Mont to Martha Cronick as well as birth and death info 
original bible appears to have belonged to Thomas Jefferson Carr and Julia Josephine Tower Carr as it reports only info about them and their children
1860 census Pleasant , Wapello, Iowa
1880 living in Kiesauqua, Iowa  signed autograph book Julia Carr
1883 living in Keosquaua,Iowa
Dec 7, 1886 living in Centerville, Iowa  Orpha's autograph book.
                  

                   Slip of paper found in Bible says " Sibbyl Sophia Tower was born Monday, March
th 18, 1850)  Mary Ella Tower was born Wednesday Feb the 24, 1852) Julia
Josephine Tower was born Saturday May the 20 1854) Franklin Burton Tower was
born Friday Oct th 2 1857) William Everrett Tower was born January th 4
1860) Infint stelborn (?) born May 30 1863"  In different writing on reverse of
paper is written " Emma Orpah Tower born Wednesday August 3d 1864"

Bible of Joseph Hunter Tower in possession of Ellis Clark Rail as of 1995
records marriages, births, and deaths.  This record shows an unnamed son in
births 30 May 1863 and deaths an unnamed son died 30 May 1863
                  

                   California death record
1930 census Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Ca
Mortuary record lists Sep 18, 1956
24 Sep 1956  interment
                  

                   Bible of Joseph Hunter Tower in possession of Ellis Clark Rail as of 1995
records marriages, births, and deaths.  This record shows an unnamed daughter in
births 12 Dec 1867 and deaths an unnamed daughter died 12 Dec 1867lived a few hours
In  Emma Orpha Tower's funeral service book it says baby son born Dec 13, 1867 buried with mother Dec 15, 1867