William Hayden Poncelow

STINSON, HASTINGS, COULTER, UTTERBACK

Posted By: Barbara Lewellen (email)
Date: 8/7/2021 at 11:10:23

I'm having difficulty determining how many times William Hayden Poncelow was married.

His first wife May Retta Stinson, age 18, first married John H. Snyder, age 21, May 20, 1886 in Davis County, Kansas. They had one child named Annie E., born 1887 in Kansas and enumerated as Annie E. Poncelow in the 1900 census.

William H. Poncelow married Retta, (aka Mrs. May Snyder) in Pueblo, Colorado on December 4, 1893, at the home of his sister Mrs. Frank (Mary Ellen) Stapleford. (name mispelled Ponclow in Colorado Marriage records)

By 1910 William and May Retta are living in Council Bluffs with two adopted children: Gladys and Merle. The Omaha Bee, Aug 01, 1906, (Chronicling America) states that Merle, age 8, the son of Flo Stinson was adopted by Wm H. Poncelow and wife. When Gladys Poncelow married Clarence E. Beckman on May 18, 1924 in Council Bluffs her marriage certificate states she is also a daughter of Charles W. Stinson and Flora B. Hart. Charles is the brother of May Retta Stinson, he died January 15, 1907.

William and May Retta Stinson divorced on Nov 12, 1912 in Council Bluffs then remarried six months later, on May 8, 1913 and subsequently divorced on November 11, 1913. The Omaha Bee newspaper of Nebraska reported: "1913 Nov 23, Page 11-A. COUNCIL BLUFF NEWS. Judge Rockafellow granted a divorce to Wm H. Poncelow from his wife Mary R Poncelow to whom he was married a second time within a few months after securing a divorce."

In between the two marriages to Wm H., May Retta is found marrying Edward Welch on Nov 27, 1912 in Tacoma, Washington: The following marriage record is found in the Washington State Archives:

Pierce County. Marriage record 16618. 1912 Nov 27. Edward Welch, of Tacoma, WA, born New York, son of Clinton Welch and Harriet Spring, married May R. Poncelow, maiden name Stinson, of Bellingham, WA, born Minnesota, daughter of G. W. Stinson and Mary Waldo. Witnesses Mrs. Etta Rose of Seattle and Kathleen Brazell of Tacoma.

In 1914 May Retta Stinson's father George W. Stinson died:

1914 June 18, Thursday, page 1. DEATH OF CAPTAIN STINSON. The sad news reached here Tuesday morning of the death of Mrs. J. D. Flaxberd's father, Captain Stinson, age 72, of Council Bluffs, Iowa. About three weeks ago Captain Stinson suffered a paralytic stroke along with a siege of lung fever. He served his country during the Civil war and was mustered out with the rank of Captain. Street car foreman in Council Bluffs for many years. Survived by his wife, and two daughters Mrs. Birdie Toay of Council Bluffs and Mrs. J. D. (Emma) Flaxbeard of Smith Center. Mr. and Mrs. Flaxbeard and little Paul Toay left Tuesday afternoon to attend the funeral services. The son Paul Flaxbeard is in Council Bluffs working on a street car and was at the bedside of his grandfather when the end came.

Neither May Retta or her brother Charles are named in the above death notice. Assume May Retta is deceased, her brother Charles having died in 1907.

After William divorced May Retta in 1913 he then married Alice Rebecca Hastings in April of 1917 in Omaha, Nebraska. Alice is the daughter of Byard Turner Hastings and Sarah J. Gallion. Alice died December 6, 1917 in Council Bluffs. Alice's death certificate states she was buried Bedison, Nodaway, Missouri on Dec. 8th.

In 1930 Byard Hastings is living in the household of Wm H. Poncelow in Council Bluffs.

Byard T. Hastings died June 25, 1932 in Council Bluffs. His death certificate states his body was shipped to Maryville, Nodaway, Missouri for burial, though I could not find his gravestone in that county.

William next married Minnie Coulter on January 16, 1919 in Maryville, Nodaway, Missouri. Minnie, born Sept 8, 1883 in Missouri, died June 7, 1928 in Council Bluffs and was buried in Barnard, Nodaway, Missouri in the Swinford Cemetery.

Sometime before 1930 William married Susan Eva Utterback, a teacher for 40 years. She died
Sept 21, 1945, and was buried in the Walnut Hill Cemetery in Council Bluffs.

William H. Poncelow died April 5, 1950 and was buried in the Cedar Lawn Cemetery in Council Bluffs.

Thus in summary I have Wm H. Poncelow being married five times: Twice to May Retta Stinson (1893 and 1913), Alice R. Hastings (1917), Minnie Coulter (1919), and Susan E. Utterback, sometime between 1930-1940.

Any feedback would be appreciated