Adlow Parrow

Adlow Parrow

1875-1960

Adlow Parrow was born October 4, 1875 in Dakota Territory, near what is now Wild Rice in Cass County.  His baptism is recorded in October, 1877, through St. Joseph Catholic Church records in Moorhead, MN.  His original name was Phildelem LeTourneau, named after his father who was one of the earliest wheat farmers in Ransom Co.  His father sold his land there in the early 1870's and returned to Quebec where he married Odile Dumas in 1874.  Their first child, Mary Ann (Mariantine) was born in Quebec in 1874 before they moved to Dakota Territory.  On Oct. 25, 1877, the senior LeTourneau's death was recorded in the church records in Moorhead.  We only have oral family history to tell us that Odile took in laundry for the Red River oxcart trail drivers and that is how she met Edward Parrow (Perrault).  They married February 17, 1878 in St. Joseph Catholic Church records.

By the time Adlow was 10 years old, he already had six younger brothers and sisters.  Adlow (Phidelem) and his sister soon became known as two of the Parrow kids.  Adlow probably helped his stepdad with farm work as he grew older and probably also hired out to other farmers.  Does anyone know where the name "Adlow" came from?  He was also known as Edlore, but his original name of Phidelem disappears early in life.

On September 20, 1904, Adlow married Louise Bertha Baumann (known as Bertha) in Lidgerwood, ND.  Their first son, William, was born May 5, 1905 in Havana, ND.  The second son, Alfred, was born November 2, 1906, followed by Virginia on November 9, 1907, Florence on February 26, 1909 and Vernon on December 12,1910.  In following the births of Adlow's children, we found a record for an unnamed female child at the Sargent County Courthouse born to Adlow and Bertha.  The birthdate was listed as January 11, 1911, kind of impossible considering Vernon's birth in December, 1910!  We guess that the county clerk work 1911 instead of 1912; most of us have a little trouble when the year changes.  Next came Lucille, born August 10, 1912, LuGene born February 4, 1914 and Alvina born December 5, 1915.

Oral family history next tells us that Bertha had her younger sister, Rosetta (Rose) came to help her with the growing family and workload.  For reasons not made clear, Bertha and Adlow were divorced during 1916.  Adlow married Rosetta Baumann on September 4, 1916.

The children from Adlow's 2nd marriage are Dorothy on March 25, 1917, Veloris on April 11, 1918, LaVern in 1919, Rosena in 1923, Walter in 1924, Bernard in 1926, LaClair in 1928, Robert in 1931, Gloria in 1932, Marvelton on March 9, 1934 and Lorraine in 1936.  Whew!  Twenty children all told- how to feed, clothe and house them all?  Good thing that some were grown and on their own before the youngest came along.  Because of the time gap between Lavern and Rosena we speculate that Adlow and Rose lost a child during that time or that Adlow spent some time away from the family.

Adlow's families never had much in material goods and from most accounts not much in fatherly affection.  Adlow's children were often farmed out to his and his wife's relatives simply because there wasn't enough room at home.  This practice enabled William to meet his future bride in Alexandria, MN.  William and Vernon married their spouses before their youngest half sister was even born.

After Bertha and Adlow divorced, she moved to Michigan, remarried and had 2 more children.  Bertha died December 12, 1954 in Homer, MI.

Adlow and Rose moved at some point to the Clinton, MN area.  Adlow died March 19, 1960 in Fergus Falls, MN and is buried in Clinton, MN.  Rose lived until December 5, 1990 and is buried with Adlow in Clinton.

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