Life History

Other facts

Notes

• In the 1930 census, Robert O Knowlton, Jr., is listed as Oregon Knowlton, Jr.  His gravestone has Robert O Knowlton, Jr.  Both he and his father commonly went by their middle name Oregon.  His birth record gives full name as his father:  Robert Oregon Knowlton.
  
  1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 18 April, Prairie Township, District 15, page 2A, Hse/Fam #22
  Knowlton, Oregon  Head M W 28 AR MS AL Farmer
  Knowlton, Malissa E  Wife F W 23 AR AL AL
  Knowlton, Oregon Jr  Son M W 3 AR AR AR
  
  1920 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 28 April, Prairie Township, District 16, page 4A, Ethel-St Charles Rd, Hse #65, Fam #67
  Knowlton, Oregon Head M W 37 AR MS AL Farmer
  Knowlton, Malissa Wife F W 33 AR MS MS
  Knowlton, Oregon Jr Head M W 12 AR AR AR Farm Laborer
  
  In 1930, Oregon has been married for about two years, but he and his wife Ruth do not seem to have any children yet.
  
  1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 21 April, Prairie Township, District 7, Page 6B, Ethel & Chute Rd, Hse #115, Fam #116
  Knowlton, Oregon Jr Head M W 23  married at 21  AR AR AR Farmer
  Knowlton, Ruth A Wife F W 19 married at 17  AR AR USA
  Noble, Lorene Niece F W 4yrs 11mos AR AR AR
  McSwain, Marvin Brother-in-Law  M W 16 Single  AR AR AR
  
  This indicates Oregon and Ruth married in about 1928.  They have been married between two and three years at this census.  I learned the identity of Oregon's wife Ruth only in April 2008, when Ken McSwain, son of Wirt Barnard McSwain, made reference to his aunt Ruth McSwain's marriage to Oregon Butler [before she married Ray Recroft].  I was only then able to see the connection between these two family lineages through this marriage.  Ruth was the daughter of James Magnus McSwain and Ruth L Lowry.  This is confirmed by the report of Marvin McSwain in this census, who is shown as Oregon's brother-in-law.
  
  Oregon's grandson, Claude Rice, Jr., left a message in my genealogy guest book on 22 January 2011 telling me of a daughter of Oregon and Ruth, and his children with Emmie West, Oregon's second wife:
  "My Grandfather was Oregon Knowlton, Sr.  Oregon Jr. also had a daughter with Ruth McSwain. She is my first cousin.  Her name is Betty Ruth. Last I knew she lived in Minn. Joyce, Jo Ann, James Robert, & also a daughter by Emmie, named Bonnie Gail, born around 1955."
  
  We know now that Ruth married Ray (Oswald Eugene) Recroft in 1935.  This indicates that she and Oregon were divorced not long after this 1930 census.  You can find details of Ray and Ruth under the entry for Oswald Eugene Recroft in this genealogy.
  
  Lorene Noble is reported here as a niece.  Her mother was Bernetta Octavia McSwain, who divorced Lorene's mother, Benmjamin Noble, before this census.  Ben is living with his parents on their nearby farm in the Ethel community.  I have not located Bernetta in the 1930 census.  But in 1940 Lorene is with her mother in Stuttgart, and they are both reported under the name of McSwain.
  
  In 1940, Oregon is with his second wife Emmie West.
  
  1940 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 19 April, Ethel, District 1-26, page 10A, Oak Flat School and Church Rd, Hse #152, Rents $500
  Knowlton, Oregon head M W 28 Grade 8 b Arkans as same place in 1935 Farmer
  Knowlton, Emmie Wife F W 52 Grade 8 b Texas same place in 1935 Housekeeper
  Scruggs, Ed Hired Hand M Neg 2 Single Grade 6 b Arkansas same place in 1935
  
  Social Security Death Index
  Oregon Knowlton
  Born 4 Jan 1907, Died May 1971
  Last Residence Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas, 72048
  SSN 429-72-5012 issued Arkansas (1956)

Sources

• 1. 1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 18 April, Prairie Township, District 15, page 2A, Hse/Fam #22
• 2. Gravestone of Robert Oregon Knowlton Jr and Emmie H Knowlton, Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Ethel, Arkansas
• 3. 1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 21 April, Prairie Township, District 7, Page 6B, Ethel & Chute Rd, Hse #115, Fam #116
• 4. Family Data Collection - Births
• 5. 1940 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 19 April, Ethel, District 1-26, page 10A, Oak Flat School and Church Rd, Hse #152, Rents $500
• 6. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
• 7. Social Security Death Index
• 8. RootsWeb Trees
• 9. 1920 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 28 April, Prairie Township, District 16, page 4A, Ethel-St Charles Rd, Hse #65, Fam #67
• 10. Arkansas Marriage Index, 1933-1939
• 11. Various Sources
• 12. Website Guest Book Entry