Richmond Roe Fowler, a.k.a. Rich, was born about five miles northeast of Marion on November 28, 1860. He was the son of Joseph W. Fowler and Elizabeth Davis.
After taking advantage of the schooling offered by the district schools, Judge Fowler attended Ewing College for two years, and then for two years engaged in teaching.
He worked as a clerk in the store of Thomas Dunaway and from 1886 to 1888 was a Deputy Circuit Clerk for Williamson County. He was Justice of the Peace from 1890-1892, per his obituary, although the 1905 Souvenir History book placed him in that position in 1904.
He studied law in the office Duncan and Rhea and was admitted to the bar in 1890, after which he practiced law at the Williamson County Bar.
In 1892, when Ed M. Spiller passed the bar, he joined Fowler in a partnership which was dissolved after three years.
Rich Fowler was married November 22, 1893, to Emma Lena Bundy in Williamson County.
His obituary noted that at one time he was a Deputy Sheriff, but no dates were given and no further information related to this was found.
Rich was elected States Attorney in 1896-1900 for a period of four years.
When the 1899 Carterville mine riots occurred and five non-union black miners were killed at the Carterville Illinois Central train station, the trials were held on a change of venue in Vienna, Illinois. Rich Fowler was the Williamson County State’s Attorney and a brilliant array of counsel appeared on both sides.
In the 1900 federal census, the Fowlers were living at 106 N. Liberty near James C. Jackson. Rich was 35 and Emma was 25. They had two daughters by then, Ailene Fowler, age 5, and Frances Fowler, age 2. They owned the home but it was mortgaged and Rich’s occupation was listed as State’s Attorney.
In the period of time at the turn of the century, D.T. Hartwell entered into a partnership alliance with R. R. Fowler. The firm was known as that of Fowler & Hartwell.
Fowler was again elected States Attorney for the period of 1904-1908.
A 1907 Marion Directory indicated that Fowler was an officer of the Marion Building and Loan Association located at 201 Public Square and served as their treasurer.
The 1910 census found the couple at the same location on N. Liberty Street. Rich was then 45, and Emma, who goes by Lena, was 35. Their children were Ailene 16, Frances 12 and a son born in 1906 named Richmond Roe Fowler Jr., aged 3.
Fowler became City Attorney in 1912, serving two years, per his obituary, but I am not sure that this date is correct, since Walter Skaggs obit also said he held that position then.
During WWI, 1917-1919, he served as Chairman of the Four Minute Men, which was a group who spoke publicly on the behalf of the government to allay any fears the public may have about the war. He was chairman of the speaker’s bureau for the United War Work Campaign and as State’s Attorney served as the governmental appeal agent for the local Marion Draft Board.
By 1919, he was engaged in a law practice in the firm of Fowler & Reid with John M. Reid and was also still serving as States Attorney of Williamson County, having been again elected to that office in 1916 to finish out the term of Ed M. Spiller.
When the 1920 census was taken, the couple had moved to 106 E. College Street to live. Rich was 55, Emma 45, Ailene 25, Frances 21 and Rich Jr. was 13. There is a widowed, 65 year old male named Charley Davis who is listed as Rich’s brother, but that isn’t likely with his last name. He is likely his mother’s brother since she was a Davis.
A 1927 city directory located the couple at yet another address, this time 1207 N. Glendale Street. Rich is working at Fowler and Reid Law Firm located in their offices at the Marion State and Savings Bank, rooms 34 and 35. This building was, in its time, always loaded with several law firms on the third floor.
The 1928 through 1929 city directories indicated that the couple moved to live at 207 W. College Street. Rich is no longer listed with the Fowler-Reid partnership so it must have ended in 1927. He did, however, still list his offices in the same place and for these two years was listed as Marion City Judge.
In the 1930 census, the Fowlers have moved yet again and this time are living at 508 S. Virginia which they rent for $60 per month. Rich is now 65 years old, Emma is 55 and their children having moved on with their lives, except, they now have two grandchildren living with them. Ailene’s children, Charles B. Garrigus, 15 and Hope E. Garrigus, 12, are living with the Fowlers. There is also a boarder living in the home, a divorced, male, Greek, restaurant waiter named Chris Coras.
Richmond Roe Fowler, Sr. died at 7 a.m. Sunday, February 3, 1935, in St. John’s Hospital St. Louis After several weeks illness at his home at 503 S. Askew Street here, Judge Fowler was removed to St. John’s Hospital in January. A transfusion of blood was resorted to in an effort to save his life without avail.
At the time of his death, Mrs. Ailene Garrigus, daughter of Judge Fowler, was on the way to the hospital from Marion to submit to a blood transfusion in another attempt to revive the sinking jurist. Death was attributed to blood poisoning resulting from an abscess of the aorta. He was 74 years, 2 months and 5 days of age.
Surviving his death were his wife and two daughters, Mrs. Ailene Garrigus, Marion, and Mrs. Robert (Frances) Brown, Champaign and one son Richmond Roe Fowler, Jr. Chicago, one brother John V. Fowler, Marion and four grandchildren, also survived. The grandchildren are Charles Byford Garrigus, Hope Estelle Garrigus, Robert Brown Jr., and Mervin Brown.
Emma Lena (Bundy) Fowler passed away in 1947. Both are interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Sam’s Notes:
Ailene Mayre (Fowler) Garrigus, born December 18, 1898, died in Fresno, California on December 9, 1980. Two children, Charles Byford Garrigus and Hope Estelle Garrigus. Graduated Marion High School in the class of 1913.
Frances (Fowler) Brown, born December 1900 ?, married Robert Brown. Two children, Robert Brown Jr., and Mervin Brown. Death date unknown. Graduated Marion High School in the class of 1915.
Richmond Roe Fowler Jr., born June 24, 1906 at 103 N. Liberty St. in Marion, by Dr. Lorin Fowler assisted by Hope Bundy. He graduated from Marion High School in 1924.
In 1924, with his Illini-Guide in hand, Roe enrolled in the University of Illinois. It is here that he receives his journalistic skill as a sports writer for the Daily-Illini and graduates to the Chicago Tribune from 1928-1935 where he was the assistant managing editor of seven Myers newspapers, plus a copy writer in two Michigan Avenue advertising agencies.
Roe courted his wife, Patsy, during this time and married her on February 8, 1931. After six weeks of marriage, he was forced to endure her tragic death.
Roe enlisted in the Army Air Corp on January 12, 1942 and served in WWII in the Eighth and Ninth Air Forces, going from private to major, on General Eisenhower’s G-5 Staff in Versailles and Frankfurt-am-Main after V-E Day. He was discharged March 27, 1946.
After the war, he moved to California, settling at first in Los Angeles. While there, he wrote and composed for the movie industry. He also wrote technical materials for corporate clients in aerospace, electronics and computers. Without a wife or children, he moved to Fresno to be closer to his nephew, Charles Garrigus, and his family.
In 1971, Roe retired from The Fresno Bee as a news editor. At the age of 65, Roe joined Congressman Sisk’s staff in their Fresno office. He worked there for eight years and when Sisk retired in 1979, so did Roe. Not one to be idle, Roe volunteered to work for the local U.S. Probation office in their Senior Volunteer program. Before Roe died, he commissioned BRC Printing to complete and publish his memoir, “My 91 Trips around the Sun” from his hand-written notes and private papers. Roe was an established poet and a few short poems are sprinkled throughout his memoir.
He died in Fresno, California on January 7, 1998.
(Data extracted from Marion Daily Republican obituary, February 3, 1935; 1905 Souvenir History; Williamson County in the World War, 1919; Marion City Cemetery Records; Federal Census Records; Marion City Directories; Pioneer Folks and Places, Barbara Barr Hubbs; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 09/15/2013)