History of the French Family (VIII)

by Otto Ervy French

additions by Sylvia French Waack and RosaLee Groleau in italics

My next sister, Ida Rose French, of Parsons, Kansas, met Mr. Charley Thomas Baldwin, also of Parsons, who was a barber by trade.  They were united in marriage March 31, 1897 at Parsons.

Three girls were born to them, Crystobel Flo on January 12, 1898, but died after three weeks.  Gladys Carmea was born July 16, 1899 and Mildred Beatrice Baldwin was born March 19, 1902.

Galena was a tough lead and zinc mining town.  Charley took to drinking and was killed while walking on the interurban electric railway between Galena, Kansas and Joplin, Missouri.  Charley limped when he walked and was very hard of hearing and the conductor claimed he kept ringing the bell and thought Charley would step off the track, but they hit him and the courts only gave Ida $125.00 and paid for the funeral expenses.  His death was in May 1902.  Ida and the children brought his body to Parsons where he was buried in Oakwood Cemetery.

Ida went to work in the dining room of the M. K. & T. passenger depot as a waitress where she became acquainted with Walter William Barnard of Osawatomie, Kansas, a railroad man.  He was a conductor.  Sometime later they were united in marriage, March 9, 1906 and honeymooned at Monroe, LA.  They lived at 423 14th Street, at Alexandria, LA, where Ida still resides.  One son was born to them on March 2, 1907, Walter Douglas Barnard, Jr.  He was married to Margaret Crawford, but divorced after four years.  He later married Helen Hess and had three children, Marylin, Charles and Billie.

Ida’s husband, Walter Barnard, while working as a conductor on the Missouri Pacific Railway passenger train between Alexandria and Monroe, LA, was helping the brakeman (as they were late) uncoupling a car.  The air brake hose hit him in the chest and face, and he was taken to the hospital for several days; then sent home to Alexandria.  He had had heart trouble for about two years.  A few weeks after he was sent home, he had a heart attack and passed away August 21, 1927 and was buried in Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery.

Ida passed away October 28, 1963.

Gladys Carmea Baldwin, Ida’s oldest daughter, was united in marriage to Marvin Roberts, January 4, 1922.  They lived in Logansport, LA and had four children: Kenneth Barnard, born December 16, 1923, Marvin Glenn, born September 26, 1927, Shirley Sue, born January 6, 1930 and Billy Ted Roberts, born January 21, 1938. 

Marvin Roberts passed away in March, 1971, and Gladys Roberts passed away May 20, 1986, after a long illness.

Mildred Beatrice Baldwin, Ida’s other daughter, was united in marriage to Joseph Monroe Bowie, May 15, 1922.  They lived in Tioga, LA.  They had three children: Gladys Beatrice, (called Little Gladys) born November 1, 1923, Anita Faye, born February 24, 1930, and Melvyn Douglas Bowie, born March 27, 1939.

Mildred Beatrice and Joseph Monroe Bowie are both deceased. Mildred died April 1, 1963.

Previous: Maudie’s Family
Coming soon: Otto’s Family (short version)
Contents: History of the French Family (Contents)

Transcribed from History of the French Family.