Rosa B. Howard

Rosa B. Howard, My Great Great Grandmother, and Mother of Esther Verona Bruce was born on April 25, 1871 in Bridgewater, Vt.  She lived on a farm with her parents, uncle, and three siblings, Lester, Herbert, and Emma.  The surrounding farms held several extended family from her mother's side of the family.

Bridgewater (pictured left) is in central Vermont, and is still a very small town (980 population in 2000).

Rosa married Edward Bruce on March 28th 1888 in Pittsfield, Vt.  They raised five children, George Robert, Frank Herbert, Wilber Erwin, Esther Verona and Kenneth E.

In 1910 they lived in Castleton, Rutland Co., VT but by 1920 Edward and Rosa were divorced, and Rosa was remarried to a Mason named Merton D. Maney.  The couple lived in Rutland in 1920 and Rosa worked as a private duty nurse (unknown if this means simply a caregiver or if she had credentials as a nurse).   Ten years later in 1930 Mert and Rosa were joined by Kenneth, her youngest child, at their home in Rutland.  She was working as a Corsitiere (a person who fits and sells corsets, etc).

Rosa died in Rutland on Oct 28, 1937 from a coronary thrombosis after having suffered with hypertension and chronic heart problems.  She is buried in Rutland.