Harley Alfred Rowe Harley Alfred Rowe, born in Bethel, Windsor County, Vermont on October 16, 1866, was one of four children of Lyman Pratt Rowe and Cornelia A.E. Whitmore. 1 In 1870, Harley was living at home with his parents in Brandon, Rutland County, Vermont. At this time, at the age of three years, he was called Charles A. 2 By 1880, 14 year old Harley was a farm laborer and a servant living on a farm in Middlebury, Addison County, Vermont with Philip Cloys, a farmer, and his family. 3 In 1888, Harley A. Rowe was residing in Salisbury, Addison County, Vermont where he was employed in a wood pulp manufacturing mill on the Leicester River. There, at age 21, he married on July 11, 1888 18 year old Addie Eliza Young. S.W. Bidwell, a clergyman from East Middlebury, VT performed the wedding ceremony. 4 Addie was born in Ripton, Addison County, Vermont, the daughter of George L. Young and Eliza A. Culver. 5 For a short time after their marriage, Harley and Addie worked in the Sucker Brook Boarding House that supported the Newton & Thompson Sawmill and logging operation on the east side of Lake Dunmore along Sucker Brook. Around 1890, Harley became a blacksmith and relocated to the village of Forestdale in the town of Brandon. 6 Addie Eliza Young & Harley Alfred Rowe 7 In 1900, Harley and Addie were living in Forestdale where he was a blacksmith. 8. Ten years later, he had his own blacksmith shop there, located at the present site (2013) of Mallory s Automotive on Route 73 in Forestdale, west of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. 9 Rowe, Harley, 16 May 2014 1 Bill Powers
Harley A. Rowe (arms folded) in front of his blacksmith and wheelwright shop Around 1919, Harley's son-in-law, Earle E. Corey, joined him and they conducted the blacksmith shop and garage under the name of Rowe & Corey. They still had the shop in 1920. 11 Harley was still there in 1930 working as a blacksmith, while Earle was a mechanic. 12 10 Brandon Union advertisement, June 1, 1928 Harley A. Rowe died at home in Forestdale on April 3, 1931. Contributing causes were old age, influenza, and pleurisy aggravated by an old injury to the left side of his lung. 13 After his passing, Harley s son in law, Earl Corey, carried on the business. Rowe, Harley, 16 May 2014 2 Bill Powers
Brandon Union advertisement, June 2, 1932 14 Eric Mallory stand in front of present day Mallory s Automotive Former site of Harley Rowe s Blacksmith Shop Rowe, Harley, 16 May 2014 3 Bill Powers
Harley s wife, Addie, died in 1939. Both are buried in the Forestdale Cemetery. Harley's grave is marked by a millstone with "H.A. Rowe" engraved on it. Harley used the millstone at his blacksmith shop to mount the metal rim or tire on a wagon wheel. The wagon wheel hub would fit in the center hole of the millstone, enabling the wheel to lie flat while the hot rim was hammered in place. 15 Millstone used to lay a wheel flat so that an iron tire could be hammered in place. 16 Gravestone of Harley A. Rowe, Forestdale, Vermont Harley A. Rowe left his legacy engraved in stone near the former parking lot for the Falls of Lana just off Route 53 in Salisbury, Vermont. As you walk from the former Rowe, Harley, 16 May 2014 4 Bill Powers
parking lot through a rocky gap toward the pipeline, Harley carved H.A. ROWE. Underneath his name he inscribed the dates July 11, 1888 and Aug 14, 1905. The former date was the day he married Addie E. Young. The significance of the latter date has not been determined. Harley may have also etched his wife s initials above his, but part of the rock has been chipped off. However, above his name the partial inscription A.E. can still be seen. The initials probably stood for Addie Eliza. This inscription wasn't the only one that Harley left indelible in the local countryside. Harley's grandson, Harley A. Holden, recalled that: "In hunting thru the mountains one will find large stones and cliffs with H.A. Rowe carved many years ago. I remember seeing at least one carving, near the forest, back of the Basin Farm. He (H.A.R) told me he carried a chisel and small hammer with him while hunting or walking in the woods." 17 The "Basin Farm" is the farm located at the end of Basin Road. This road leads east from McConnell Road in Forestdale and parallels Route 73 until it reaches a dead end in an area known as "The Basin." This area has long been a favorite location for hiking and hunting. Inscription: H. A. Rowe; July 11, 1888; Aug 14, 1905 Rowe, Harley, 16 May 2014 5 Bill Powers
Cleo Bill Corey, grandson of Harley A. Rowe, visits his grandfather s inscription near the Falls of Lana October 12, 1998. Children, of Harley and Addie Rowe: i. Eva A., b. Apr 1889 in Brandon. At home in 1900. She m. 9 Jun 1908 George E. Holden. Living in 1931. Son - Harley H. Holden, b. 18 Nov 1910. ii. Nettie B., b. Jul 1892. At home in 1900. She m. Earle E. Corey and d. in 1983. Earle E. Corey was born in 1891 and died in 1987. They lived in Forestdale. iii. Lyman George, b. 3 Aug 1894. At home in 1900 & 1910. In 1910, he was working as a farm laborer. On 13 Dec 1923, Lyman drowned in a canal in Newark, NJ. His body was returned to Forestdale where he was buried. 18 iv. Myrtle, b. 16 Jun 1907. At home in 1910 & 1920. She married Eugene Mumford and was living in West Springfield, MA in 1931. 1 Civil War Pension Record, Lyman P. Rowe. Certification numbers 69,779 and 632,206. National Archives, Washington, DC. Rowe, Harley, 16 May 2014 6 Bill Powers
2 Census, 1870, Vermont, Rutland County, Brandon, P.O. Brandon, 9 Jul 1870, p. 314. 297/316 Whitmore, Cyrus R. 68 m Farmer 3,000 600 VT Serviah 67 f Keeping House VT Sidney C. 48 m Carpenter ---- 300 VT Emilus A. 48 m Joiner ---- 300 VT Ada J. 24 f Keeping House VT Osca [sic] J. 1 m VT 317 Rowe, Lyman P. 31 m Farmer ---- 250 VT Cornelia 31 f Keeping House VT Sidney C. 5 m VT Charles A. 3 m VT 3 Census, 1880, Vermont, Addison County, Middlebury, 5 jun 1880, p. 28. 101/106 Cloys, Philip 41 m Farmer -- MA Jennie 38 f wife Keeping House -- VT Fredrick 6 m son MA -- -- Dennie 5 m -- -- -- -- Rowe, Harley 14 m servant Farm Laborer VT -- -- 4 Marriage. Harley A. Rowe, age 21, of Salisbury, VT, wood pulp manufacturer, born in Bethel, VT, m. 11 Jul 1888 Addie E. Young. Parents: Lyman P. Rowe and Cornelia E. Whittimore. S.W. Bidwell, Clergyman, E. Middlebury, VT. Salisbury VT, L.N. Waterhouse, Clerk 5 Vermont Vital Records. Marriage. Addie E. Young, age 19, of Ripton, VT, born in Northfield, VT, m. 11 Jul 1888 Harley A. Rowe. Parents: George L. Young and Eliza A. Culver. S.W. Bidwell, Clergyman, E. Middlebury, VT. Salisbury, VT, L.N. Waterhouse, Clerk. 6 Discussions (1998) between Bill Powers and Cleo Bill Corey, grandson of Harley A. Rowe, Forestdale, VT. Bill Corey said: According to Nettie (Rowe) Corey, Harley and his wife, Addie, worked in the Newton & Thompson boarding house at the Sucker Brook sawmill before he relocated to Forestdale and became a blacksmith. From 1919 on, Harley and his son in law, Earle Corey, worked the blacksmith shop together. 7 Picture courtesy of Cleo :Bill Corey. 8 Census, 1900, Vermont, Rutland County, Brandon, 8 Jun 1900, p. 24. 252/252 Rowe, Harley A. head Oct 1866 33 m 12 VT VT VT Blacksmith (OMH) Addie A. wife Jul 1869 30 m 12 3 3 VT VT VT Emma A. dau Apr 1899 11 s VT VT VT At school Nettie B. dau Jul 1892 7 s VT VT VT At school Lyman G. son Aug 1894 5 s VT VT VT At school 9 Census, 1910, Vermont, Rutland County, Brandon, 4 May 1910, p. 35. 504/514 Rowe, Harley A. head 43 m 21 VT VT VT Blacksmith, own shop (OFH) Addie E. wife 40 m 21 4 4 VT VT VT Lyman G. son 16 s VT VT VT Laborer, farm Myrtle G. dau 2 s VT VT VT 10 Picture courtesy of Larry Holden, 2014. 11 Census, 1920, Vermont, Rutland County, Brandon, Town School District, 10 Jan 1920, p. 28. 31/32 Rowe, Harley A. head (OM) 53 m VT VT VT Blacksmith, public shop Addie E. wife 50 m VT VT VT Myrtle J. dau 12 s VT VT VT 12 Census, 1930, Vermont, Rutland County, Brandon Township, Forest Dale Village, 15 Apr 1930., p. 35. 283/310 Rowe, Harley, 16 May 2014 7 Bill Powers
Rowe, Harley A. head O, 1,500 R 63 m 21 VT VT VT Blacksmith, own shop Addie E. wife 60 m 18 VT VT VT Young, George L. f-i-l 88 wd VT VT VT 13 Brandon, Vermont Vital Records. Death. Harley Alfred Rowe, married, age 64 years, 5 mos., 18 days. Blacksmith; b. in Bethel, VT; Parents: Lyman Pratt Rowe and Cornelia Whitemore; died on 3 Apr 1931 in Brandon. Cause: influenza, pluerisy, old age. Old left side injury of lung. Cardiac dilitation. And Rutland Daily Herald, Monday, 6 Apr 1931. Harley Alfred Rowe obituary. 14 Bill Powers photo 2010. 15 Discussions (1998) between Bill Powers and Cleo Bill Corey, grandson of Harley A. Rowe, Forestdale, VT. Bill Corey said: Harley Rowe used a millstone at his blacksmith shop to mount the metal rim on a wagon wheel. The wagon wheel hub would fit in the center hole of the millstone, enabling the wheel to lie flat while the hot rim was hammered in place. 16 Picture courtesy of Larry Holden, 2014. 17 Information told to Bill Powers in 1999 by Harley A. Rowe s grandson, Harley H. Holden, 333 W. Williams St., Corning, NY 14830-2151. 18 Brandon Union, Friday, 21 Dec 1923. Rowe, Harley, 16 May 2014 8 Bill Powers