Grace Garnet Martz

     Grace Garnet Martz was born on 28 June 1875 at Ralpho Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.¹ She was the daughter of David P. Martz and Rebecca C. Repley. Grace Garnet Martz married, at age 31, William Christopher Bower, age 23, son of George Washington Bower and Catharina Sheets, on Wednesday, 8 August 1906 at Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.¹ Grace Garnet Martz died on 23 December 1941 at age 66 years, 5 months and 25 days.¹ She was buried in the Oak Grove United Methodist Cemetery, located in Ralpho Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.¹
     From Family Group Sheets by Harold Eugene Bower, Jr., 3704 Kingsford Place, Valrico, FL 33594-6901; (813) 657-8673; 24 November 1999.

Recollections of Harold E. Bower, Sr. - 3 May 1999

Reading about Grandmother Grace made me think back to my childhood and what I remember of her and her death. As I remember it, she and Grandfather William lived in the Dewart area. William worked in a foundry as I recall. I don't ever remember him driving. It always puzzled me how he and Grace met. They lived quite a distance apart for transportation at that time. I remember once when Grandmother Grace visited us and a meal was being prepared. An egg rolled off the counter but didn't break. That being so unusual, she made quite a fuss about it so that it stands out in my mind.

I also recall the day Uncle Bob Bower came to deliver the bad news that Grandmother Grace had died. We were living at the house in Pleasant Valley at Ulmer's lane near the four-way stop at Pleasant Valley and Rose Valley Roads. Uncle Bob came to the back door, which was unusual. That was a very sad day as I remember it. Two things stand out in my mind at the viewing. One was Uncle Red (Collins Sykes) getting cousin Bill Sykes and me to touch Grandmother in the casket. The other was father (David George Bower, Sr.) sitting off in a chair crying. As I see the scene in my mind, father wore a tinted pair of glasses at the time, although he didn't wear them in later life. Grandfather William stayed with us for a time after the funeral. At one point, I remember mother (Hattie Fahlfeder Bower Krezmer) and father (David George Bower, Sr.) saying that Grandfather was going to have to get on with his life. It seems he spent lots of time in his room mourning Grandmother Grace. Then he married his second wife. I think her name was Stella.

I had mentioned before that my grandparents, William and Grace, lived on the Chaapel farms on Blessing Mountain west of Warrensville. Father talked of hearing the planks rattling on the Sugar Camp Bridge, above where the old school house was on Warrensville Road, when a vehicle passed over it (horse-drawn or otherwise). One time there was a gathering: the occasion I don't recall. They were talking about Grandmother Grace. They spoke of her not being afraid. It seems a wild cat was crying out in the woods sounding like a child. As the story was told, Grandmother Grace went out into the night to make certain no one was in trouble. All she had with her was a lantern.

Recollections of Joyce Taylor

Joyce has no memory of Grace ever going to church. William always went to church and took Joyce along. Joyce remembers that Grace would be lying down when they came home from church or when Joyce came home from school. She apparently had heart problems.