October 1929 is noteworthy in American history, for the start of the Great Depression.
But John Gowell — a young resident of Westport — would remember it for another reason.
That’s the month he appeared in an advertisement in Farm & Fireside, a semi-monthly national magazine.
It’s not clear what the ad — photographed by Warren Boyer — was for. The caption says: “Who wants to come over and play football with John Gowell of Westport, Connecticut.”
Farm & Firewide — founded in 1877 — lasted another 10 years, after the Depression began.
I have no idea what happened to John Gowell.
But his ad is still around, 96 years later.
And it can be yours for just $24.99, on eBay. (Hat tip: Seth Schachter)
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Just around the corner: Ancestry main hit plus associated records (paywall) — https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/4124/records/1547619?tid=&pid=&queryId=88245eb1-7383-423b-acb3-f2d98c6240f7&_phsrc=Rag3054&_phstart=successSource.
Public Record:
Name John D Gowell Jr
Gender Male
Marital Status Widowed
Birth Date 6 Jan 1920
Birth Place Bangor, Maine
Address 22 BLACK BIRCH
Residence Wilton, Fairfield, Connecticut
Death Date 6 May 2008
Death Place Norwalk, Connecticut
Age 88
Father’s Surname Gowell Sr
State File # 11451
Findagrave:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120749140/john-deering-gowell
As middle name is Deering & he was born in Maine, likely Mom or Grandmother was a Deering — a Maine family from early 1600s.
Has this been a Challenge the Readers Game play, Dan?
Deering High School is in Portland, Maine. My freshman year college roommate went there.
Forgot to include the info at Findagrave:
Mr. Gowell, 88, was the husband of the late Helen W. Gowell. He was also predeceased by his daughter, Margaret E. Gowell.
He was a 1938 graduate of Norwalk High School and resided in Wilton for over fifty years. He served in the Merchant Marines as a Chief Engineer during World War II.
Mr. Gowell was survived by a son, a daughter and a grandchild.
I don’t know about the ad or publication, but what comes to mind are my own memories of moving to Westport just twenty years after 1929. Like young John we could step outside and simply holler to see who in the neighborhood wanted to play.
We need your stories! 🙂 and photos!
The old photo here, esp. the clothing, reminds me very much of early photos of of my parents as
children,then growing up in the Depression.
I remember Sally White ,in her ‘Sally’s Place’ store , telling me : ‘she grew up (in South Norwalk) So poor, her parents couldn’t afford a camera;she,consequenty, had Very Few photos of herself,growing up, back then.’