Earle Kenneth Bawden
Files
Dublin Core
Title
Earle Kenneth Bawden
Subject
Bawden, Earle Kenneth (1904-1991)
Massanutten Military Academy (Woodstock, Shenandoah County, Va.)
Military education - Virginia - Woodstock
Military academies - Virginia - Woodstock
Cadets - Virginia - Woodstock
Description
Portrait of Massanutten Military Academy (MMA) Cadet Earle Kenneth Bawden wearing his school's uniform.
This photograph was used in the 1924 MMA yearbook publication, "Helmet".
Cadet Bawden was born in Oklahoma City, the only child of Joseph Henry (1881-1960) and Clara Bernice (Downey) (1882-1934) Bawden. His father had been born in Michigan; his mother was from Virginia. His early years were spent in Phoenix, Arizona, where his father worked as a bookkeeper. By 1918, the family lived in Seattle, Washington. His father had a bookkeeping job for McDougall and Southwick, a well-known department store, at 24 Pike Place in downtown Seattle.
Two years later, Earl K. Bawden appeared in the 1920 census for San Diego, California, where he lived at the U.S. Naval Station and was an “apprentice seaman”. Although he would have been only 16 years old, the census listed him as being 18 years old.
Cadet Bawden arrived in Woodstock in 1922 and graduated in 1924. His nickname was "Pinky". He was a popular cadet and a strong athlete. The 1924 Helmet yearbook noted he was the captain of the football team, played baseball, and was a member of the Jefferson Literary Society's debate team.
He also had a taste for risks. In May 1923, the Shenandoah Herald reported that Cadet Bawden had “sustained painful injuries when he slipped from the flag pole at Massanutten Academy”. In slipping, he “fell on the spike that holds the rope and seriously lacerated his thigh”. He was attended by Dr. W.C. Ford and Dr. F. Wilson Gearing, then taken to Winchester Hospital for additional medical help.
After graduating from MMA, Cadet Bawden attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. His parents had relocated from Seattle to Roanoke, Virginia, by then.
He did not graduate. Instead, he got a job as a clerk with the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W), which was headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, where his parents lived.
In August 1925, Earl Bawden married Louise (Lehman) Smith, a 21-year old divorcee born in Winston-Salem, NC, and living in Roanoke. The marriage lasted only four years.
Earl may have been musically inclined. A short article in the Roanoke Times on September 30, 1927, (page 10) noted that the “largest social event of the season” was about to take place at the Sandwich Shoppe at Natural Bridge. The article said: “Earl K. Bawden’s nine-piece orchestra will furnish the music.”
In 1930, Earl was still in Roanoke with his parents and working for the N&W railroad. In June, he married again; this time to Mary Clark Bocock, from Roanoke. Again, his marriage did not last. Only two months after his mother died in 1934, Earl divorced for the second time. At that time, Earl lived in Borderland, West Virginia.
Soon after, Earl and his father moved to Chicago, Illinois, and lived with his Uncle, Richard Bowden. The 1940 census found them there. Earl got a job as the assistant manager of an iron foundry, and within two years, Earl had met and married Marguerite Kavanagh.
When Earl registered for the WWII draft in 1942, he worked for International Harvester Company in Chicago and Marguerite was his emergency contact.
In the 1950 census, they were still in Chicago. Earl worked as a “Production Forecaster” for a “Farm Machinery manufacturer”, (probably International Harvester).
The couple did not have children in the years they spent together.
Sometime after his father died, Earl and his wife moved to Maricopa County, Arizona, where they spent their remaining years. Earl is buried in Sun City, Arizona.
This photograph was used in the 1924 MMA yearbook publication, "Helmet".
Cadet Bawden was born in Oklahoma City, the only child of Joseph Henry (1881-1960) and Clara Bernice (Downey) (1882-1934) Bawden. His father had been born in Michigan; his mother was from Virginia. His early years were spent in Phoenix, Arizona, where his father worked as a bookkeeper. By 1918, the family lived in Seattle, Washington. His father had a bookkeeping job for McDougall and Southwick, a well-known department store, at 24 Pike Place in downtown Seattle.
Two years later, Earl K. Bawden appeared in the 1920 census for San Diego, California, where he lived at the U.S. Naval Station and was an “apprentice seaman”. Although he would have been only 16 years old, the census listed him as being 18 years old.
Cadet Bawden arrived in Woodstock in 1922 and graduated in 1924. His nickname was "Pinky". He was a popular cadet and a strong athlete. The 1924 Helmet yearbook noted he was the captain of the football team, played baseball, and was a member of the Jefferson Literary Society's debate team.
He also had a taste for risks. In May 1923, the Shenandoah Herald reported that Cadet Bawden had “sustained painful injuries when he slipped from the flag pole at Massanutten Academy”. In slipping, he “fell on the spike that holds the rope and seriously lacerated his thigh”. He was attended by Dr. W.C. Ford and Dr. F. Wilson Gearing, then taken to Winchester Hospital for additional medical help.
After graduating from MMA, Cadet Bawden attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. His parents had relocated from Seattle to Roanoke, Virginia, by then.
He did not graduate. Instead, he got a job as a clerk with the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W), which was headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, where his parents lived.
In August 1925, Earl Bawden married Louise (Lehman) Smith, a 21-year old divorcee born in Winston-Salem, NC, and living in Roanoke. The marriage lasted only four years.
Earl may have been musically inclined. A short article in the Roanoke Times on September 30, 1927, (page 10) noted that the “largest social event of the season” was about to take place at the Sandwich Shoppe at Natural Bridge. The article said: “Earl K. Bawden’s nine-piece orchestra will furnish the music.”
In 1930, Earl was still in Roanoke with his parents and working for the N&W railroad. In June, he married again; this time to Mary Clark Bocock, from Roanoke. Again, his marriage did not last. Only two months after his mother died in 1934, Earl divorced for the second time. At that time, Earl lived in Borderland, West Virginia.
Soon after, Earl and his father moved to Chicago, Illinois, and lived with his Uncle, Richard Bowden. The 1940 census found them there. Earl got a job as the assistant manager of an iron foundry, and within two years, Earl had met and married Marguerite Kavanagh.
When Earl registered for the WWII draft in 1942, he worked for International Harvester Company in Chicago and Marguerite was his emergency contact.
In the 1950 census, they were still in Chicago. Earl worked as a “Production Forecaster” for a “Farm Machinery manufacturer”, (probably International Harvester).
The couple did not have children in the years they spent together.
Sometime after his father died, Earl and his wife moved to Maricopa County, Arizona, where they spent their remaining years. Earl is buried in Sun City, Arizona.
Creator
Morrison Studio
Source
Morrison Studio Collection - Shenandoah County Historical Society
Publisher
Shenandoah County Library
Date
Labelled "Jan 1925" on box of plates.
Contributor
Identified in 2024 utilizing the 1924 Massanutten Academy yearbook "Helmet."
Additional biographical information was compiled from public records.
Rights
IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED
Relation
Earle K. Bawden appears in Morrison Studio Collection images 008584, 013193, 015500, and 020132.
Identifier
013193
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Glass Negative
Collection
Citation
Morrison Studio, “Earle Kenneth Bawden,” Shenandoah County Library Archives, accessed November 5, 2024, https://archives.countylib.org/items/show/42806.
Comments