Jane Douglas, 1816 – Daughter of Rev

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Jane Douglas, daughter of Rev. William Douglas & Mary Douglas (née Atkin) By Jennifer Douglas

Jane Douglas was born in 1816 in Ireland. She had two sons and six daughters with Robert Nesbitt between 1841 and 1866. She died on September 3, 1896, in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland aged 80 years. She and Robert Nesbitt were married 6 December 1839 in Lowtherstown (Irvinestown), Fermanagh, Ireland.

Picture of Jane Douglas in the care of John Douglas.

Picture of Robert Nesbitt in the case of John Douglas

Robert Nesbitt was a School Inspector, and was born abt 1812 in Ireland and died 29 June 1877 in Belfast, Antrim, N Ireland. He and his family were members of the Methodist Church. We believe, but must still find a baptism entry to prove this, that he was the son of Rev. John Nesbitt as Wesleyan Methodist Minister.

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Rev. John Nesbitt was born abt. 1776 in Donaghmore, Donegal, Ireland and was married to Margaret (last name unknown). We know that they had a son named Rev. Thomas Nesbitt (Methodist Minister) who was born abt. 1809 and died 13 June 1832 in Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Ireland. They also had a son William Nesbitt who was born abt. 1824 in Enniskillen, Fermanagh and died 26 November 1881. William was a well-known professor of Latin at Queens College, Ireland. From what little we know, we see that Robert will have been born between Thomas and William, so John and Margaret being his parents is possible. Robert and William shared similar professions, which is another clue of a family relationship. Our researcher friend in Ireland, who has helped us a lot in our research, does think that we can tentatively connect the Robert to this family, but would like to find more siblings.

Jane and Robert’s marriage entry in church records in Irvinestown.

1851 - From REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONERS of national education

From the baptism records of Jane and Robert’s children, as well as his work references, we know that they lived in Londonderry for a number of years. They then settled in Belfast. Jane died at an asylum in Scotland, and we have not been able to find out why she was there. She is buried with her family in Belfast.

1856 – From 23rd Report of Commissioners

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Copy of Jane and Robert’s marriage certificate. Original in the care of John Douglas

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From: The Northern Whig, Belfast. 26 May 1867

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Jane and Robert are buried in City Cemetery, Belfast and rest next to her sister & brother-in-law Eliza and John Hazelton.

The resting place of Rev John Hazelton, Eliza and their son William Douglas Hazelton and family. The grave to their right is

the resting place of Jane Douglas and Robert Nesbitt.

According to Maud Hamill, who took this picture for us, the headstone is so worn she was not able to make out any writing. You can see the name ‘Nesbitt’ at the base of the Belfast Newsletter 2 July 1877 stone.

From “Wills & Administrations 1877”

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Alice and Arthur’s notes for Jane and her family tell us the following:

Our research has found the following children for Jane and Robert:

1. Elizabeth Mary Nesbitt: Born 7 August 1841 in Irvinestown, Fermanagh, N Ireland. She died aged 75, unmarried, 9 November 1916 at Bangor, Down, N Ireland. 2. William Douglas Nesbitt: Born 13 December 1842 in Irvinestown, Fermanagh, N. Ireland. He died in Irvinestown at ‘ the residence of his grandfather’, the Rev. William Douglas, in Irvinestown on 9 July 1852. William Douglas Nesbitt is buried with his family in the Douglas grave in Irvinestown. 3. Agnes Maxwell Nesbitt: Born 21 November 1844 in Irvinestown, Fermanagh, N. Ireland. She died 15 October 1935 in Dublin, Ireland. She was married to Joshua William Keohler (Keller). 4. Margaret Douglas Nesbitt: Born 24 June 1847 in Londonderry, N Ireland. She died 22 January 1909 in Hampshire, Surrey, UK. She married Robert David Fowler. 5. Catherine (Kate) Georgina Nesbitt: Born 1 November 1850 in N Ireland ( location unknown). She died 21 December 1884 at 31 Brookhill Terrace, Cliftonville, Belfast, N Ireland. Kate married William Douglas Hazelton, her cousin. You can read about her family in our chapter about our Hazelton family. 6. Jane (Jennie) Charlotte Nesbitt: Born about 1851 in Belfast, Antrim, N Ireland. She died 25 April 1936 at Mount Royal, Banbridge, Down, N Ireland. 7. Douglas Nesbitt: born about 1852 in Belfast, Antrim, N Ireland. Died 19 September 1881 in Muscotah, Kansas, USA

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8. Henrietta Grace Nesbitt: born about 1866 in Belfast, Antrim, N Ireland. Died 6 March 1933 in Belfast, Antrim, N Ireland.

More about the children of Jane and Robert:

1. Elizabeth Mary Nesbitt

Elizabeth did not marry, but she does seem to have had a close friendship with Edward Samuel Wesley De Cobain, whose father was a Methodist Minister. Edward was a colorful character who was accused of inappropriate behavior in 1892 . In October 1895 we find that she was at his home the day he was accused of assaulting another lady. She is named in his will, dated March 1897, and referred to as his “devoted friend”. She is also listed as a ‘visitor’ in the 1901 census of E D W De’Cobain’s household. Edward died in 1908 and I have not been able to find where Elizabeth was during the 1911 census. While her name has not been added to Edward’s headstone, Elizabeth is buried with him at the Bangor New Cemetery, Down, N. Ireland. A google search for Edward will allow to find out more of his story.

Extract with Elizabeth’s testimony from article in ‘The Freeman’s Journal’ – 2 October 1895

Extract from Edward’s will, dated 1897. Full will can be found at PRONI.

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De’Cobain’s obituary.

The Daily Express,

24 September 1908

The resting placeof Edward De’Cobain and Elizabeth M Nesbitt. Bangor New Cemetery,

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Baptism Entry for Elizabeth Mary Nesbitt, found in the Irvinestown Church records.

Title : Date of Death : 9 November 1916

Surname : Nesbitt Date of Grant : 8 January 1917

Forename : Elizabeth Mary Reseal Date :

Registry : Belfast Effects : Effects £9 17s.

No Image

Full Abstract :

Probate of the Will of Elizabeth Mary Nesbitt late of 27 Gray's Hill Bangor County Down Spinster who died 9 November 1916 granted at Belfast to Samuel McKee Grocer and Robert E. Darragh Evangelist

The above will extract is from PRONI.

The picture is of Gray’s Hill, Bangor. This was taken about 1912 when Elizabeth Mary Nesbitt was living there. The avenue runs right down to Bangor Bay.

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2. William Douglas Nesbitt

Born 13 December 1842 in Irvinestown, Fermanagh, N. Ireland. He died in Irvinestown at ‘ the residence of his grandfather’, the Rev. William Douglas, in Irvinestown on 9 July 1852. William Douglas Nesbitt is buried with his family in the Douglas grave in Irvinestown.

From family archives, in the care of John Douglas. This note tells us that William Douglas Nesbitt is buried in the family vault in Irvinestown.

Londonderry Sentinel – 16 July 1852 3. Agnes Maxwell Nesbitt:

Born 21 November 1844 in Irvinestown, Fermanagh, N. Ireland. She died 15 October 1935 in Dublin, Ireland. She was married to Joshua William Keohler on 24 July 1867 . They were married by her Uncle Rev. John Hazelton at the Wesleyan Methodist church, Donegall Square in Belfast.

In the 1901 census Joshua listed his occupation as ‘Cashier for Life Assurance Co.’ The family were Methodist.

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Belfast Weekly News – 27 July 1867

The church where Agnes and William Keohler married. The building is now a bank (Ulster Bank)

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The children of Agnes and Joshua (note, with the onset of WWI some of their children changed their surname to “Keller”):

 Martha Maud Keohler – born July 6, 1870, in Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. She married Henry Herbert MacMahon in 1912 who was a Methodist minister. She died on August 22, 1955, at the age of 85. Martha is buried at Deansgrange Cemetery in Dublin and this is the Inscription on her headstone (from IGP archives): Left side: - In Loving Memory | of | Rev. H. H. MacMAHON | Methodist Minister who passed on | into the sunshine | of God's perfect day | 11th Jan. 1927 | "At rest with the Lord" Right side: - Also | In Loving Memory | of | MARTHA MAUD MacMAHON | née KEOHLER |his Widow | who died on | 22nd August 1955 | I know that my Redeemer liveth.  Jane Kathleen Keohler (also Keller) - born on June 17, 1872, in Bangor, Down, Northern Ireland. She died on June 29, 1957, in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, at the age of 85. Jane did not marry.  Thomas Goodwin Keohler (also Keller) - born in 1874 in Antrim, Antrim, Northern Ireland. He married Agnes Margaret (Marguerite) Baxter in March 1904. Agnes was the sister of Alice Mary Baxter who married Samuel Henry Douglas (who was the son of William Henry Douglas). They had one child, Katherine Frances G Keohler. He died on May 26, 1942, in Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland, at the age of 68, and was buried in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. o Frances married George Eric Hetherington and they had two children – Frank G Hetherington and Lucy Hetherington. o Thomas was a Poet and Author: connected with the Irish Literary Renaissance Movement Books: "Songs of a Devotee". He was friends with AE (who was from Lurgan). Thomas is buried at Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin. More about Thomas is included a little further down.

Picture from IGP archives Picture in the care of John Douglas

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 Robert Nesbitt Keohler (also Keller)- born on June 20, 1875, in Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. He married Edith Maria Thompson on January 31, 1900, in Wexford, Wexford, Ireland. They had one child during their marriage. He died on October 8, 1958, in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, at the age of 83, and was buried there. Robert was an attorney / solicitor and was the original member of Whitney, Moore & Keller. It is still going in Dublin as “Whitney, Moore”. (Per Christiaan Clotworthy, Great Grandson of Robert and Edith). Edith died 30 August 1902 in Wexford. Robert later married Ethel Marian (last name not known at this time). Robert and Ethel are buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin. o Their daughter was Pauline Cecily Elizabeth Keller, born on May 17, 1912, in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. She married Neil Desmond Clotworthy in September 1940. She died on December 22, 2004, in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, at the age of 92. Pauline founded the Grafton Academy of Fashion Design. More about Pauline is included further down.

From the Belfast Journal

Picture from IGP archives

In December of 1900 Charles James Douglas (son of William Henry Douglas) used his cousin Robert Nesbitt Keohler’s services in regards to his own will and settling the affairs of his mother.

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 Elizabeth Ethel Keohler was born on April 18, 1878, in Bath, Somerset, England. She had two sons & two daughters with James Walter Beckett. She died on November 21, 1955, in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, at the age of 77. Their sons were Walter Keohler Beckett and J David Douglas Beckett. Perhaps the name Douglas was used in remembrance of the family’s Douglas roots, an indication that the lineage had not been forgotten?

From the Irish Architectual Archive. Directory of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

 Victoria Mabel Keohler was born in 1879 in Dublin, Ireland. She died on April 2, 1955, in Wicklow, Ireland, at the age of 76.

4. Margaret Douglas Nesbitt

Margaret Douglas Nesbitt was born on June 24, 1847, in Londonderry, Londonderry, Northern Ireland. She married Robert David Fowler on July 12, 1866, in Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. They had eight children in 12 years. She died on January 22, 1909, at the age of 61 in Hampshire, Surry, England. Robert died 3 May 1892 at the age of 54 at Kensington, London, England.

R D Fowler was one of 7 brothers and a sister, children of George Fowler and Ann Anderson of Fermanagh, N Ireland. George was a merchant dealing in Butter and Cheese. His sons took his business and expanded it first to England (Manchester) forming Fowler Brothers, and then further expanded to the United States. There the brothers founded a business that was to become one of the largest Meat Packing Businesses in the States, Anglo American Prov Co. based in Chicago, Illinois. More about the history of the family can be found at the end of this section on our Nesbitt family.

Margaret and Robert were married by Robert’s brother Rev. James Thomas Fowler. The family were Methodist and Robert’s brother, Anderson Fowler, was married to Emily Arthur the daughter of a prominent Methodist Minister the Rev William Arthur.

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Dover Express – 15 July 1892

Liverpool Mercury – 7 May 1892

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Margaret and Robert had the following children:

 Anna Fowler was born on May 8, 1868, in Manchester, Lancashire, England. She married Philip Sheridan Shufeldt in 25 June 1892 in London. I don’t have Margaret’s date of death. They had two children:

 Margaret Douglas Shufeldt born 1893 in Minnesota, USA and died 26 August 1964 in Surrey, England. She was not married.

Anna Fowler, picture from her passport application.

Interesting to note that RD Fowler’s brother Rev J T Fowler named his daughter using Margaret Douglas.

 Philip Robert Douglas Shufeldt (2nd Lt.) born 15 July 1896 at St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. He died 26 January 1949 and was unmarried.

 Ellie Fowler was born about 1869, in Manchester, Lancashire, England. I do not have anything

more for her.

 Baby Fowler was born about 1871, in Manchester, Lancashire, England.  Henry (Harrie) Fowler was born about 1873. I haven’t researched his line. We do know he is alive in 1892 as he is named in his father’s will.

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 Lieut. Robert Nesbitt Fowler was born on March 31, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois. He died on February 26, 1902, in Calvinia, Northern Cape, South Africa, at the age of 26, while fighting in the Anglo Boer War.

The Graphic – 22 March 1902

Fowler. — Lieut. Robert Nesbitt Fowler, 16th Lancers, died Feb. 26th, 1902, near Calvinia, of

wounds received in action the previous day. He was

the second son of the late R. D. Fowler, Esq., of Liverpool, and of Mrs. Fowler, Bentley, Hampshire.

He was born March, 1875, educated at Leys School, Cambridge, and Brasenose College, Oxford, where he took his B.A. degree in 1897. He entered the 16th Lancers from the 4th Batt. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Jan., 1899, being promoted lieut. the following October. Lieut. Fowler went to South Africa with his regiment in Feb., 1900, and

saw much service during the war.

He was at one time Transport Officer to a column, and was mentioned in despatches by Lieut. -Gen. Lord Kitchener, March Sth, 1902, for " gallantry in bringing in a dismounted man under heavy and close fire, Dec. 22nd, 1901." A relief bronze and oak tablet

has been erected to his memory in Brasenose College, Oxford, by his brother officers.

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The photograph’s of Robert’s grave were kindly given to me by Michael Clark in Scotland:

“For 2-3 years I've been trying to locate the burial site of a young officer, the son of a prominent local family, killed in South Africa in late 1901. The newly appointed museum curator in Calvinia managed to find the grave - an amazing piece of detective work that all came together a few days ago.

She sent me a load of photos and included the grave of Lt.Fowler. I did not think that I would be able to contact anybody related to Lt.Fowler 111 years after his death, however I Googled his name and one of the hits was the forum you posted on.That was as equally astonishing as finding the joint burial site. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission in SA had no idea where these graves were, so I've alerted them, and they plan to visit in due course - they will assume responsibility for the maintenace and upkeep etc.

I was also interested to learn that Lt.Fowler had joined the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders on being commissioned in 1896 - that is our local regiment, their traditional home, Stirling Castle, is a few miles from here.He transferred to the 16th Lancers as their Adjutant - seems strange to me that an infantry subaltern would move over to a cavalry regiment.”

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 Mary Jane (Maie) Fowler was born on March 26, 1877, in Chicago, Illinois. She married Ernest Harold Elliot Pyle in 1898. Ernest died in late 1941 at Kensington. London, England. I don’t have Maie’s date of death at this time. She had five children by the time she was 29: o Desmond Elliot Pyle o Terence Douglas Elliot Pyle o Angela Kathleen Helen Margaret Pyle o Geoffrey Dalziel Elliot Pyle o Valerie Maie Elliot Pyle  Kathleen Fowler was born on April 12, 1879, in Cook County, Illinois  Douglas Alexander Fowler was born on August 21, 1880, in Cook County, Illinois. He married Ruth Webster Pullin and they had one daughter, Naomi Patricia Douglas Fowler, together. He then married unknown in 1909 in Watford, Hertfordshire. He died in December 1936 in Surrey, at the age of 56. Douglas also records his name as Alexander Douglas Fowler in later life. We are in touch with a cousin from his family.

5. Catherine (Kate) Georgina Nesbitt

Catherine (Kate) Georgina Nesbitt was born on November 1, 1850. She married her cousin, William Douglas Hazelton in 1877 in Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. They had two children during their marriage. She died as a young mother on December 21, 1884, at the age of 34. You can read more about her family under the Hazelton chapter of our family history.

6. Jane (Jennie) Charlotte Nesbitt

Jane (Jennie) Charlotte Nesbitt was born about 1851, in Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. She died on April 25, 1936, in Banbridge, Down, Northern Ireland, at the age of 85. We suspect that her ‘sister’ Henrietta Grace Nesbitt is actually her daughter. Jane Douglas will have been 50 years old when Henrietta was born, making it unlikely that she is her mother. I have searched the Birth records at GRONI and her birth is not listed, however, for the year when she would have been born, there is a Nesbitt girl born whose mother is not named and girl’s name is not given either. In addition to this, the two do not consistently state their ages in the 1901 and 1911 Irish census’.

Below is information that Maud Hamill in Ireland very kindly researched for us, which gives us a good summary on Jane and Henrietta and our thoughts on their relationship:

Henrietta Grace Nesbitt was the first of the two ladies to die in March 1933. Written in the Probate of the Will is her age (this seemed to have been added later) written with a different pen and different writing. Age 62 which puts her birth at 1871.As you know I checked for her birth last week at births/Deaths and Marriages/Belfast but could not locate.

Henrietta left all her worldly goods to her 'sister' Jane Charlotte and the w ill mentioned that they were tenants in common of the house in Banbridge which they had purchased in 1903. She also owned along

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with Jane, 10 parlour houses in Eia Street, Belfast, and 10 Parlour Houses in Trainfield Street in Belfast. In the 1901 census, both ladies say they lived off private dividends. So this explains where the money came from.

In the will of Jane Charlotte who died 1936, she leaves several legacies to family members as listed below. (this has assisted in filling in a few gaps and I know that you will complete the rest): Jane leaves a legacy of £400 to St. Dunstan's home for the Blind (i have an attachment to send you on this) to her nieces - Kathleen Thomas and Ethel Beckett - £200 each. See note on Ethel below. The balance of her estate goes to Maud MacMahon, Kathleen Keller (note the spelling) Victoria Graham, and nephew Thomas Goodwin Keller. Her silver teapot, sugar basin and cream jug goes to her nephew Robert Nesbitt Keller - again the spelling which should be Keohler. (NOTE: Christiaan Clotworthy has confirmed that this tea set is still in the family’s possession).

As with Henrietta, Jane was ill and required nursing care - for she leaves £200 to a Jane Turner of Frederick Street, Belfast who as she says 'was particularly kind to me'.£300 goes to Margaret Carey of Rugby Road. Belfast. (NOTE: This is Cousin Margaret Carey, daughter of Rev James Carey and Margaret Douglas) The Will says that apart from the 20 parlour houses in Belfast, she had stocks in England. The house in Banbridge was sold on 11th November 1936 by Public Auction and the houses in Belfast were sold to realise the instructions of her Will. Nowhere in the Will was her age registered. The line on the Probate where her age should have been completed was blank - she had no living parents or siblings alive.

More About Henrietta Grace Born approx. 1871. I have some thoughts on her and would like to share these. We know from Births/Deaths and Marriages in Belfast that Jane Charlotte's age which had been registered with them was 85 when she died. I can only 'assume' that solicitor, Robert Nesbitt Keohler knew exactly what age she was at the time of her death and would be obviously very aware of that information as his mother, Agnes Maxwell Nesbitt, was Jane's sister. Not sure why he didn't complete that for Probate

If you look at the 1911 census form for Newry Road, even the enumerator is baffled by the ages that the two ladies gave and placed a ‘?’ against each name. At this date Henrietta was the older lady at practically the same age as she was in 1901. If all ages given later are correct, then Jane at this time should have been 61 and Henrietta would have been 40 hence, possibly the reason for the question mark and the failure to get the ages correct. Also you will notice that the ladies have changed their churches...... Methodist in Belfast and Church of Ireland in Banbridge.

5 of Robert Nesbitt and Jane Douglas's children have been clearly identified with PRONI records. 1841 - Elizabeth Mary who ended her life in Bangor and is buried in the grave of DeCobain. 1842 - William Douglas Nesbitt who died in 1852 1845 - Agnes Maxwell Nesbit who married Joshua Wm. Keohler, the solicitor. 1847 - Margaret Douglas Nesbitt who married Robert David Fowler

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1850 - Catherine Georgina Nesbitt who married W.D. Hazelton. I think the next child who followed was Jane Charlotte Nesbitt who remained a spinster.(1851) Following the death of William Douglas in 1852, another child was born, Douglas who went to America and died in 1881 in Kansas.

What about Henrietta Grace Nesbitt? If we believe the birth in 1871...which would prove that she is not the child of Robert Nesbitt and Jane Douglas (she would have been 55).

Here are my thoughts: Would she have been the child of Robert Nesbitt and 'another woman'? Would she indeed have been a very late child of Robert and Jane? or would she have been the child of a relationship of Jane Charlotte who would have been 20 when she was born? Hence the reluctance to give ages to the enumerators the census and the saying that they were 'sisters'. I have seen this scenario before where mother and daughter are listed as sisters.

From the Will of Jane Charlotte Nesbitt, I have been able to find the following:- the children of Joshua Keohler and Agnes Maxwell Nesbitt Jane Kathleen who is mentioned in Jane Charlotte's will and who may not have married. Thomas Goodwin also mentioned in the Will, married in quarter ending March 1904 an Agnes Baxter. Thomas Goodwin Keohler died on 26th May 1942 in Rathmines, Dublin and his will was to George Eric Hetherington and his wife Francis. Elizabeth Ethel married James Walter Beckett- she is also mentioned. Victoria Mabel married a 'Graham' - Again mentioned in Will Robert Nesbitt Keohler , the solicitor, who received Jane's silver, oversaw her Will. Martha Maud, who was a teacher and who married Henry Herbert MacMahon in the quarter ending December 1912, in Dublin South.

The Tudor homes to the left, are Mount Royal. Grace and Jane lived in one of those homes.

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7. Douglas Nesbitt was born about July 1852, in Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. He died on September 19, 1881, in Muscotah, Kansas, at the age of 29. Douglas worked for his Brother-in-law R D Fowler and for the Fowler Brothers. Dale Eisele who lives in Kansas has kindly shared with me his research into Douglas Nesbitt, who caught his attention as he researched the town of East Atchison. East Atchison no longer exists, it is now all farmland! Here is some of what Dale has shared with me:

The Fowler Brothers began building their humongous East Atchison (Winthrop, Missouri) pork plant in the summer of 1878. I am unsure when Douglas Nesbitt came to America, but he appears in the Atchison newspapers in the second half of 1878. The plant was finished later that year, opening in mid-December. The Fowlers Brothers put Robert’s young brother-in-law, Douglas Nesbitt, in charge of their entire new plant. The plant opened with seven hundred employees. Many, if not most, transferred from Chicago, a long distance away where the Fowler Brothers had their massive plant, the granddaddy of them all. Atchison, Kansas and East Atchison/Winthrop, Missouri got to a combined population of about 17,000 at this time. Atchison was the second largest city in the state of Kansas. Now Atchison is about 10,000 population and not in the top 30. From reading the three Atchison newspapers of 1878, the people were amazed at what the Fowlers had created, the large scale of it. We can see from the attached 1878 Atchison newspaper article, the speed of the Fowlers’ (dis)assembly line flipped out the people who got to witness the slaughtering. Many days the Fowlers’ plant slaughtered, cut up, packaged and shipped out well over a thousand hogs. Refrigerated railroad cars were brand new at that time, so the Fowlers shipped a lot of East Atchison pork meat to England and Ireland. Their East Atchison plant was also on the cutting edge of new technology for that time in history. And, Douglas Nesbitt was in charge of it all. The last three years of his American life, 1878-1881, were fascinating. I don’t know what his health problem was, but he certainly did a lot - had a lot of energy. I think he was very smart too. Plus, he had a lot of money in order to do what he wanted to do.

“The fact that Mr. Douglas Nesbit, now in Florida, has regained his health, and will be home next month, is associated with the rumor that he is to take sole charge of the packing house here after his return, and that he will operate it after the Fowlers have moved to Kansas City. Every stock dealer in the entire country tributary to Atchison will be glad if this is true, for they all esteem him as a gentleman and have many pleasant recollections of his scrupulous honesty and fairness in business transactions.” - The Globe of Atchison, KS February 24, 1880

Notes: Douglas Nesbitt’s sister was Robert Fowler’s wife. Robert’s American brothers and business partners were George and Anderson Fowler. Douglas Nesbitt was the Fowlers’ first East Atchison manager, their top employee at the plant. Due to health reasons, he resigned and was soon replaced by George Fowler. George had moved to Atchison about four months prior to the above article. Douglas Nesbitt was around twenty-seven years old at the time of this article. The rumor mentioned above continued into the next year, up to the very day of Douglas Nesbitt’s death at his Muscotah, Kansas farm.

8. Henrietta Grace Nesbitt was born about 1866, in Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. She had two brothers and five sisters. She died on March 6, 1933, in Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland, at the age of 67. You can read more about Henrietta under Jane Charlotte Nesbitt above.

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1880 US Census:

Charles Ffrench. Biographical history of the American Irish in Chicago http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/charles-ffrench/biographical-history-of-the-american-irish-in-chicago-erf/page-34-biographical-history- of-the-american-irish-in-chicago-erf.shtml

ANDERSON FOWLER.

Anderson Fowler, the managing director of the interests of the celebrated Fowler Bros. (Limited), belongs to that hardy class of American citizens who claim a heritage of Irish-Scotch ancestry. His father, George Fowler, of County Fermanagh, in the North of Ireland, traced his ancestry to a reverend member of the Fowler family, who was a chaplain in Oliver Cromwell's army, and who came to Ireland with that leader and located in that section of Northern Ireland in which our subject was born. The Fowler family was celebated in England long before this, as one of its members, Charles Fowler, was knighted during the time of the Crusades.

He was born in County Fermanagh, North Ireland, on June 16th, 1843. His school education was obtained in the public schools of his native section. When but twelve years of age, he began his business career by entering his father's business, which had been established in 1842. This business was in the wholesale provision line, a line he has followed, with slight variations, ever since. In 1858 George Fowler, our subject's father, retired from mercantile life, and seven of his sons formed a co-partnership and succeeded to their father's business, organizing under the name of Fowler Brothel's, and conducting a general provision business.

Although but a lad of fifteen at this time, Anderson Fowler was made a full partner, and shared the profits equally with his brothers.

The eldest of the sons of George Fowler, James, is a canon in the Church of England, and was never interested in the mercantile pursuits of his brothers. Upon the death of his father, his brothers having relinquished all their claims in the property to him, he became possessed of his father's landed estates. This estate is composed of farm lands located in North Ireland, in which George Fowler had invested his fortune when he retired from business in 1858. Tliis property has never been a profitable investment.

In 1862 the Fowler Brothers began operations in the United States, and at that time were the largest dealers in butter in the world. In 1863 they commenced business in Chicago, and since then our subject has divided his time between Liverpool, New York and Chicago. They have branches or agencies in all of the large cities of Europe and America, and the supervision that he has been compelled to give these different foreign agencies has forced him to make no less than seventy-seven trips across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Fowler Brothers have always transacted their business upon sound business principles, and have always believed that a cash basis was the best for all concerned. Therefore, they have never purchased a dollar's worth of stock on credit. They have always been successful, and have ever been esteemed by the mercantile community as good and shrewd business managers, who have invariably conducted their business in the manner that brings the best and most remunerative returns.

In 1890 the firm decided to dispose of a large share of their business to a company, and listed their stock in the different exchanges throughout Europe and America. Although several American houses had previously done a similar thing, which had proved disastrous to the investors, the high esteem in which the Fowler Brothers were held caused the first issue of $3,750,000 of stock to be applied for more than twice over. No more fitting testimonial of the high respect the public has for the business principles and honor of this firm can be cited. The name of the company upon its incorporation became known as the "Fowler Bros., Limited," and of this gigantic company, with capital stock of $3,750,000 (with privilege of increasing same to $4,500,000), our subject, Anderson Fowler, is managing director and controlling spirit. All of this capital stock, excepting $750,000, is held by European investors. One cannot realize the magnitude of the business that this corporation conducts. They have large interests in the different cities of the United States and Europe, but the center of all is in Chicago. They transport their products from the West to the coast in their own refrigerator cars, which they manufacture themselves under patents of which they have the control.

The distributive sales of this company exceed the immense sum of twenty-five millions of dollars annually an amount so large that it cannot be grasped by the average mind.