Obituary from the 14 Jan 1925 edition of a newspaper
in Washington, Iowa, for Ella May Gwin Bartholomew

FUNERAL THURSDAY
Mrs. Bartholomew

Mrs. Fred Bartholomew passed away yesterday afternoon at one thirty-five o'clock at the Bartholomew home on East Main Street, after an illness of seven years.  They were seven years of suffering of the most intense character, attendant upon a trouble of a cancerous nature. Yet this tells only half the story, for they were years when there was exhibited before family and friends a patience that was marvelous and a thought for children on the part of a mother which cannot be surpassed. They were seven years of search for some relief, and while none that permanent was ever found, no word of complaint, and very few, which have any idea of the terrible suffering, ever escaped her lips. When last fall, Mrs. Bartholomew yielded to what seemed to be the inevitable, her one wish and prayer aside from the thought of what the separation would mean to her family, was that she might be called to her long home, so anxious and so ready to meet her Maker. Yesterday she slipped off very quietly, surrounded by all of the members of her family, after a few hours of unconsciousness. This picture, together with that of the wonderful devotion of the husband and father, who took all the care of her through her long illness save for the last two weeks, is the one that stood out this morning in the minds of the children. They have the memory of a mother who was always devoted, unselfish, thoughtful, and patient.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow, Thursday afternoon, at the late residence on East Main Street at two o'clock. Rev. J. D. Kern, assisted by Rev. A. J. Unthank, will conduct the service, and members of the Baptist choir will furnish the music. Burial will be in Elm Grove. The casket will be open at the home after ten o'clock tomorrow morning for the friends who care to call.

Ella Gwin was born at Richmond, on February 3, 1862, the daughter of William W. and Catherine Bush Gwin. Her home continued in the neighborhood until her marriage to Fred Bartholomew on November 24, 1881, when they took up their new home on a farm twelve miles northwest of Washington, and on which they continued to live until Mr. Bartholomew retired and the family moved to Washington twelve years ago. They were the parents of four children, George L., at home, Mrs. O. K. (Nellie) Scott, residing on the home farm, Mrs. Earl (Nina) Smith of the Prairie Flower neighborhood, and Mrs. B. C. (Esther) Crozier of Clinton. These survive with the husband and with eight grandchildren, who were the objects of the devotion of the grandmother. She was one of a family of seven children, N. A. Gwin and Mrs. Violet Fessler, deceased, W. D. Gwin of Horton, Missouri, Mrs. Edgar Heigho, Boise, Idaho, Mrs. Edward Wright, Spokane, Washington, and O. D. Gwin, White Bluffs, Washington.

Early in life, Mrs. Bartholomew was converted and always lived a most sincere Christian life. She was a charter member of the Prairie Flower Baptist Church and transferred her membership to the local church when moving here. She was always found at work in the different organizations as long as health permitted. She was also a member of the I. G. White Women's Relief Corps.

           This information came from a family tree done by Orley Bush Gwin and through conversations of my grandfather Walter Carter Gwin told to my grandmother, his wife, Monica Grell Gwin.
          The family tree and information states that Isam (as spelled on this chart) had a brother named Moses (Mosam, Mosom). They came from a family line in Ireland who came to Virginia in the 1700's (exact date unknown).
          According to this family tree done probably in the early 1900's, Isam (Isom, Isham) had seven children with Mary. As was the case back then, always more information on the sons than the daughters!  His children as documented by my Great-Grandfather, Orley Bush Gwin, were: Isam, first son. Isam was reportedly very short.  He became a ship builder in Mobile, Alabama. William, second son, was supposedly 6'1" tall, and that is all my g-grandfather knew about him!   John, the third son, was 6'3" tall, and that is all on him, too!
          Richard Ward was the 4th son (this is my lineage) and grandfather to Orley Bush Gwin (generator of this tree and information).  Richard Ward was born on January 31, 1805 and died January 1885. He married Nancy Watkins, daughter of John and Polly Watkins. She was born March 15, 1807, and died July 1885. They were married April 15, 1824.
          The only other children of Isam's, as recorded by Orley Bush, were:
Mahala, who married a Henderson of Indiana;
Minerva, who married a Lincoln of Indiana, formerly of Kentucky;
Mary, who married John Denton of Indiana.
           Orley does not mention the other two daughters (I do not know why). Richard Ward and Nancy Gwin had at least 16 children as documented by Orley Bush Gwin.
          The thirdborn child of Richard and Nancy, William Watkins Gwin, was born September 29, 1827 and died, according to Orley, on October 17, 1907.  (All the internet family sites state the year as 1904). He married Catherine Bush on 2 Nov 1851.  It is not clear if William and Catherine were divorced or not and if William might have been married twice. The only thing that Orley documented was his direct lineage.
          For some reason Orley wrote his mother's death date as 22 Jun 1865 (sic).  I believe her actual death date was October 8,  1914.  Her family history was told by her to her son, Orley, in 1906 and recorded then.
          Orley Bush Gwin was born on April 19, 1873 and married twice, although the second marriage was childless.  He married Mary Loyd (Loid) who was born in 1880 and died in 1965.

          Here one of the family skeletons comes into play. It is believed that Orley and Mary had two sons, Robert Loyd Gwin and Walter Carter Gwin, my grandfather.  Orley and Mary divorced, and Mary took off to Alaska, leaving her two sons with their father at ages 7 and 8.  Mary evidently had a lover,  Albert Traeger, who fathered Robert.
          Orley became a very bitter and angry man, and my grandfather, Walter Carter Gwin, never forgave his mother, who did marry Albert Traeger.  Years later she would return to my grandfather's home when she was in her 70's needing a place to live.  My grandfather refused, and she ended up living in a trailer on the property of her granddaughter, my Aunt Mary and daughter to Walter Carter Gwin. 
          Walter Carter Gwin was born on April 13, 1901. He died in 1999-2000 ( I have the exact date, just not in front of me).  He married in 1923, my grandmother, who died in 1998. They were married 75 years.
          Walter and Monica had four children:
Mary,
Walter Thomas (my father),
Patricia, and
Susan (born in 1948,  my aunt and only two years older than I). 
          My father, Walter Thomas Gwin, was born on July 23, 1927.  He married Laura Arlene Brown (born April 3, 1924) on July 4, 1947.   I am the only child of Walter Thomas and Laura Arlene Gwin. So I am the end of this line.

Sharon Gwin Day