Will and Lena's 65 Years Together

The following article was published in the Nebraska State Genealogical Society quarterly publication Nebraska Ancestree, Vol 44, #3, 2022. 

Lena and Will taken at Harken &
Perry, Peotone, Ills
Photo from Kathy Schaefer

The 65-year marriage of William and Lena Roscoe began in the home of his parents, David and Mary Roscoe in DeWitt, Nebraska on May 4, 1882. William's mother, Mary Roscoe, is listed on the certificate as witness. The Roscoe family had recently moved to Nebraska and Lena possibly came along with them. Presumably before they left Illinois, Will and Lena had their photo taken. In Illinois, the Roscoe's owned land in Section 28 of Will Township and Lena's father Ole Jorgenson owned a parcel in Section 32, a mile away as the crow flies. The 1880 Federal census lists both families in Will County, Illinois where Will was enumerated in the household of his parents. Lena was a "servant" in the household of Michael Collins, a disabled merchant in a dry goods store and father of three children under the age of 10. Lena had left school after the fifth grade. 

Lena was born in Copenhagen, Denmark on April 10, 1858. Her father was Ole Jorgenson, but no record of her mother has been found. When Lena was eight, Ole (age 29) married Caroline Peterson (age 19) on November 2, 1866 in Holbaek, Denmark. They immigrated to the United States around 1867 and Ole learned to master the English language by spending every spare moment reading his Danish-English Bible and other books. Lena grew up with six half-siblings, but after her move to Nebraska the local newspapers social columns give no indication that there were visits from any of them. She may have enjoyed receiving mail from Algona, Iowa, Los Angeles, California or Chicago, Illinois where they all lived. Only one "step-sister" is mentioned in her obituary as a survivor when there were also two half-brothers still living. 

Photo marked "Dad and Mother",
believed to be Lena and Will

While Lena was herself an immigrant, William Harlow Roscoe's roots ran deep in colonial America. His mother Mary Fero was a descendant of Mayflower passenger Richard Warren through two of his granddaughters, Sarah Bartlett Rider and Rebecca Bartlett Harlow. Will's ancestor, Asa Corbin fought in the Revolutionary War. Will's father's side descends from William Rusco who arrived in 1635 on the ship "Increase". Will's own life started out in Frankfort, New York, where he was born March 6, 1859. He was the oldest son with seven brothers and two older sisters. The family moved to Will County, Illinois by 1870. 

During their 65 years together, Will and Lena lived in southeastern Nebraska. In the fall of 1883 David and Will started a windmill business together in DeWitt. David's death in May of 1884 left Will in charge. To provide for his family, he erected windmills, installed pumps and put down wells. He also served the community of DeWitt as a constable. They were members of the Congregational church in DeWitt. About 1904 they moved to Clatonia and he became the manager of the grain elevator there and served as Justice of the Peace. 

Believed to be taken from the top of a windmill, 
showing the home place of Will and Lena Roscoe

Lena, of course, was in charge of their home and taking care of their eight children. They lost their youngest, Cecil Marvin, at the age of five from pneumonia in 1906. The second youngest, David Harlow Roscoe, was a special needs boy who never attended school and lived with his parents until his death at age 51. Son Charles was a victim of mental illness and drank a bottle of poison to end his suffering at 23 years old. He is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery in DeWitt along with Cecil, but his grave was left unmarked. 

Three other sons served during World War I. Oliver was in the Army, stationed for several months in Vancouver, Washington. From there he was sent to Camp Funston for discharge on December 23, 1918. The next day he fell ill with influenza which developed into pneumonia and he died on January 1, 1919, at the same as as his brother Charles. 

Frank and Cleve both served in the Expeditionary Forces in France. Following the war, Frank was single and living with his parents in 1920, but by April of 1923 he was married with a child on the way when he became ill with Typhoid fever. He died on May 16th at 34 years old. His daughter, Frankie Mae Roscoe, came to visit her grandparents in 1941, possibly for the first and maybe only time.

Will and Lena with their grandson, Lawrence Menke,
who served in the Army during World War II

Cleveland Crosby Roscoe served on the Kansas City, Missouri police force for several years and was a special agent for the Wabash Railroad. He married Josephine Cox, they had no children. When he retired they moved to Lincoln. Following Will's death, Lena lived her final years with Cleve and Jo. Cleve died of injuries suffered in a car accident north of Beatrice in 1961.

Of Will and Lena's two daughters, Charlotte "Lottie" Roscoe was my Great Grandmother. She married Albert Menke and they raised 13 children in Gage County, eight boys and five girls. Just before her father died, Lottie bought her parents' home for $1. She lived there until her death at age 87.

Laura May Roscoe, the oldest child of Will and Lena, was married in Wilber and then moved with her husband Joseph W Kyle to Carman, Manitoba, Canada where they had 7 children. She remained in Canada until her death in 1980. She lived 3 years short of a century, outliving all of her siblings.

65 years on earth together ended with Will's death at age 88 on September 2, 1946. Their son David Harlow died on Christmas Eve in 1948 and Lena died on October 2, 1949. They are all buried in the Clatonia Cemetery, along with sons Frank and Oliver, though David's grave is unmarked. Lottie and Albert Menke are also buried there. 

L-R Lottie Menke, Joseph W Kyle, Lena Roscoe, David
Harlow Roscoe, Reggie Kyle, Laura Kyle, date unknown

Will and Lena's 65 years of the Good Life together was the beginning of currently six generations of Nebraskans. In my direct line, their daughter Lottie and her husband Albert were married one month short of 59 years at his death. My Grandparents were married for 64 years and 4 months, and my parents recently celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary. 

Lena and William Roscoe