The Tree
The Apple Boys
[Jack, Edward, Charles]
FROM ARISTOCRAT TO RAGTAG
[Maxwell Willis, Nancy Fowler, Lucy, Polly, Hosea, and Cornelia]
Our lineage dates back to the War of the Roses and King Edward —an aristocratic line that came through our ancestor, Nancy Fowler. Our blueblood inheritance didn’t make it much past this happy bunch.
Who Upset the Apple Cart?
[Otto Apple and Alice Mae]
The proverbial fruit fell a bit far from the royal tree. My father's family, the Statons, were a group of hucksters.
We’ll start with my grandmother, Alice Mae Apple. She grew up in an area around the capital of Indianapolis, at a time when log cabins were everywhere.
As the story goes, the family next door had a dog named Mabel, same as
The proverbial fruit fell a bit far from the royal tree. My father's family, the Statons, were a group of hucksters.
We’ll start with my grandmother, Alice Mae Apple. She grew up in an area around the capital of Indianapolis, at a time when log cabins were everywhere.
As the story goes, the family next door had a dog named Mabel, same as my grandmother’s at birth. So, of course they had to change it. Couldn’t walk around with the same name as a dog.
Alice Mae grew up to be a character nevertheless. She had a few rackets in the works. For starters, she collected child support payments from her first husband, Auto Apple.
[Arthur Ambrose Stewart on right]
Well, the kid wasn't his, and, of course, he knew it. I dug up the court records detailing how she took him to court and made him cough up some cash because he couldn't prove that the kid wasn't his.
Well, Alice Mae gave birth to my father while she was still married to Otto Apple, but the ink on the birth certificate wasn't even dry bef
Well, the kid wasn't his, and, of course, he knew it. I dug up the court records detailing how she took him to court and made him cough up some cash because he couldn't prove that the kid wasn't his.
Well, Alice Mae gave birth to my father while she was still married to Otto Apple, but the ink on the birth certificate wasn't even dry before she filed for divorce. The process took a while, but guess who stepped into the picture? Arthur Ambrose Stewart. Oh, he and Alice Mae weren't just passing acquaintances. She met Arthur while he was renting a room from my great grandma, and the rest, as they say, is scandalous history.
There’s more to this craft lady. Besides making poor ole Auto Apple pay child support, she had a knack for falling in front of trolleys. Miraculously, an attorney in the family would whip up a letter to the trolley company claiming they were liable. They would pay her just so she would go away.
I can't count how many times she pulled that stunt, but one thing's for sure—Alice had a steady cash flow coming in.
William F. Apple (...or Stewart)
William F. Apple (...or Stewart)
I can tell you, this Apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Though, as it turns out, we’ve discovered we’re actually Stewarts.
The other side of the fence
David Owens
My great grandfather
Husband of Thelda West, father of Ethel.
Thelda West (Owens)
My great grandmother
(Eileen's Grandmother and Ethel's Mother)
Interesting fact: when Thelda entered the marriage with David Owen, she already had a daughter named Bertha. No one ever said a word about it not being David's, and the child was raised along side the other four children she and David conceived.
To this day, we don't know who Bertha's father was.
Ethel Owens as a youngster
Ethel Owens as a youngster
1915
The youngster is my grandmother, Ethel.
What we have in this photo is Florence Owens, the eldest, Mother, Sara Wolven and father David Owens.
David also father of Ether Owens holding her daughter Eileen Owens’ hand. Mother is Thelda West, Floyd is also Ethel’s brother.
Ethel and Eileen have recently moved from Pike County, Indiana to
1915
The youngster is my grandmother, Ethel.
What we have in this photo is Florence Owens, the eldest, Mother, Sara Wolven and father David Owens.
David also father of Ether Owens holding her daughter Eileen Owens’ hand. Mother is Thelda West, Floyd is also Ethel’s brother.
Ethel and Eileen have recently moved from Pike County, Indiana to Indianapolis. Floyd recently discharged from the US Army having served in France during the First World War, having been is several major battles in France against the Germans.
( records obtained)! Ethel soon met Arnold Hoppe at church and they married, he never adopted Eileen Naomi Owens. Arnold was a very loving father to Eileen and she loved him dearly. She did not learn he was not her biological father until she was in her mid 20s and had two of her 3 boys. That was a traumatic event. An aunt, maybe Florence told her Arnold Hoppe was not her biological father! Her father was Nobel Mays, a school teacher in a neighboring county. Eileen and I both wrote Noble and wanted to meet him, however we received our letter back with a note, he had no interest in meeting with up and not to contact him! He did on deny Eileen was his child. He did clear the period he was in the University of Indiana! And was Graduated from there! On his application for Social Security, he stated he was illegitimate and his father was Ira Hartley! I believe Nobel was in the first and second world war and set up the VFW Organization in his home town, Tarhaut Indiana. He and Ethel were about 15 when they Met and Ether had lost both parents and was living with an aunt and working in the mellon field!
Meet Eileen Owens (Apple)
"Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies."
According to the infamous words of my grandmother, Ethel Owens, my mom's history wasn't without its secrets.