A special thanks to Carroll J. Jones, Sr. for providing this information. If you have any comments or have an interest in this family, please contact him.
William Walter Novell, Jr. was born June 2, 1867 in Watertown, New York to William Walter Novell and Mary Jane (Retan) Novell. When he was seven years old (1874) his parents moved to Columbus, Platte County, Nebraska where he grew to manhood. When he reached adulthood he became a member of the Presbyterian Church in Columbus. He worked as a farm hand for many years in Schuyler, Colfax County.
The Columbus Journal of December 4, 1901 records the following marriage: "William W. Novell and Miss Alfreda Galbraith of this city were married at the home of Wm. Novell on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m. by Rev. G.A. Luce, pastor of the M.E. church."
The marriage is also recorded in the Marriage Records of Platte County in Book 6, Pg. 591, where Alfred Galbraith, age 24, married William Walter Novell, age 36. Parents of Alfreda are not listed. The parents of William Novell are Wm. Novell and Jennie Ritan; his place of birth is listed as Jefferson Co., N.Y. Jennie Ritan should have read Mary Jane Retan, which was his mother's proper name.
What happened to Alfreda remains a mystery. However it is believed that she died prior to 1918 when he married Johanna Carlson. Searches of cemeteries in Columbus and Schuyler where the couple may have lived have failed to produce the grave of Alfreda.
William married Johanna Carlson at Schuyler, Colfax County, Nebraska on October 8, 1918 where they made their home. Johanna was born February 23, 1901 to August W. Carlson and Emma (Griffitti) Carlson in Schuyler. William and Johanna had two sons, Everett Walter (1920-1944) and William Thomas (1924-1996), both of whom were born in Schuyler.
The family lived in Schuyler where they went into partnership on a turkey ranch. Cold weather wiped them out. They sold what they had and moved. The family arrived in Cheyenne County, Kansas in 1929 where they bought an older house becoming tenant farmers on the J.A. Holliman Farm near Saint Francis, Kansas, nine miles north of Wheeler. William was in failing health for the last fifteen years of his life. He died September 18, 1951 of a cerebrovascular accident and hypertension. He is buried in Bird City Cemetery, Bird City, Kansas. There is no mention of his marriage to Alfreda Galbraith in his obituary.
Following William Walter’s death in 1951 Johanna sold out and moved to Oregon to be near her two brothers, Harold and John Carlson. She bought a house and acreage in Parkdale; sold that and moved to Culver, Oregon; sold that and bought a mobile home on two acres where she lived until her death. Johanna married Leonard Bedford on September 15, 1956. She died of cancer February 4, 1970. Johanna is buried in the Mosier Cemetery, Wasco County, Oregon.
Prepared by:
Carroll J. Jones, Sr., nephew
4895 Galicia Way
Oceanside, CA 92056-5126
760-758-0991
carrolljones@cox.net
July 1, 2003
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