Jane Mary Costello

F, #8604, b. 29 July 1938, d. 25 January 2019
Last Edited=13 May 2021
Relationships
4th cousin of Steven Harn Redman
4th great-granddaughter of Jeremiah Ellsworth
Jane Costello Wellehan (saved from obituary)
Jane Mary Costello - 1959
     Jane Mary Costello was born on 29 July 1938 at Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine.1,2 She was the daughter of Russell Hill Costello and Jane H. Cassidy. Jane Mary Costello graduated circa 1956 at Lewiston High School, Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine.2 She married Daniel J. Wellehan Jr. on 1 August 1959 at Maine. Jane Mary Costello graduated circa 1960 at Bates College, Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine, B.A. in English.2 She lived in 1960 at Portland, Cumberland Co., Maine.2 She died on 25 January 2019 at Portland, Cumberland Co., Maine, at age 80.1,2 The cause of death was pulmonary fibrosis.2

Following obituary for Jane Costello Wellehan:

Jane Costello Wellehan


PORTLAND – Jane Costello Wellehan, Mother, Grandmother, Life Adventurer, 80, of Portland died Jan. 25, 2019 at home with family following a 19-month journey with pulmonary fibrosis marked by grace, good humor, and abundant love given and received. She was born July 29, 1938, in Lewiston, the youngest of Russell Hill and Jane Cassidy Costello’s three children.

Jane attended Lewiston High School and graduated from Bates College with a B.A. in English. She married Daniel J. Wellehan Jr. of Lewiston in 1959. They were married 40 years. The young couple moved to Portland in 1960. Jane had prayed that her first child would be a girl, and she was blessed with six daughters. The household buzzed with activity; boisterous basement concerts were a favorite winter activity. The family spent every summer since 1967 at Scarborough’s Pine Point Beach, and Jane made the season magical. A ping pong table dominated the living room and a vast assortment of ice cream dominated the freezer.

Jane was a vibrant, passionate woman who saw beauty everywhere. Driving her children in the family station wagon, “Look girls, look!” was her constant refrain as she pointed to an intriguing cloud, a piece of the ocean, or an old cemetery. Every holiday was a cause for merriment. Even Washington’s Birthday was celebrated, with silhouettes of the first president taped to doors and axe-shaped sugar cookies.

Community service at every level was an essential part of Jane’s life. She loved leading Brownie and Girl Scout troops for 13 years. She worked as a volunteer chaplain at Maine Medical Center and Mercy Hospital. Jane was among the first Catholic women to serve communion in Portland and one the first women to read the Epistles to the congregation during Mass at Sacred Heart Parish. A very active member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 35 years, Jane sponsored many other recovering women through the last year of her life. She served on nonprofit and corporate boards including Community Health Services, Community Counseling Center, Portland Ovations, Sebago Inc., and Sweetser. Portland Ovations, which presents a wide variety of performing artists and education and outreach programs, was one of Jane’s deepest commitments. Jane was a board member for 29 years and served as board secretary for 17 years. She created a fund to help ensure the organization’s future. Jane generously supported many arts and social service agencies, both major, established organizations and newer grassroots efforts. She had a special interest in helping women in transition.

Jane was passionate about all the arts. She collected work by Maine artists and donated her significant art collection to Bates College Museum of Art. She also established the Jane Costello Wellehan Endowment to support the Museum. Jane was a talented photographer who took thousands of photographs and studied at Maine Photographic Workshops (now Maine Media Workshops). A committed traveler, Jane explored five continents and six of the seven seas. She loved learning about people, places, and cultures that were new to her. Jane also loved Disney World and delighted in many trips there with her children and grandchildren. One of her greatest joys was her trips with each grandchild when they turned nine and 15.

Jane had a gift for friendship; she nurtured many friendships that spanned decades and developed new friendships her whole life. She had the unusual quality of accepting people as they are. Jane adored animals, especially her beloved Labradoodle Obie. Jane was kind, classy, generous, a fabulous dresser, a fierce game player known to utter an occasional expletive during Skip-Bo or mahjong, and wickedly funny. She was a spiritual searcher, a voracious reader, and an avid gardener and knitter. Her final knitting project was her pink pussy hat, which she wore proudly in the 2017 Women’s March as she marched with friends, daughters, and granddaughters.

Jane is survived by her six daughters, three sons-in-law; and 10 grandchildren: Sheila Wellehan of Cape Elizabeth; Katie Wellehan of West Linn, Ore. and her sons Aidan and Noah Clark; Jane Wellehan and her husband David Ruff of Portland and their daughters Bridget and Maggie; Mary Wellehan of Portland and her daughter Lila; Deirdre Lacambra and her husband Mark of Seattle, Wash. and their children Sophia and Jack, and Shauna Damboise and her husband David of Yarmouth and their children Madeline, Amelia, and Jake. She is also survived by her cousin Joanne Bresciani of Wellesley, Mass., who was like a sister to her. Jane was predeceased by her parents; and her siblings, Alice Dillingham and James R. Costello Sr.

Her family would like to thank Dr. Jennifer Palminteri of Chest Medicine Associates; her Comfort Keepers caregivers, especially Janice Ash and Farah Paradise, and the staff of Hospice of Southern Maine for their devotion and compassion.

Visiting hours honoring Jane’s life will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 1, at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford Street, Portland. Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, at Sacred Heart/Saint Dominic Parish, 65 Mellen Street, Portland. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery, 672 Stevens Avenue, Portland.

https://www.sunjournal.com/2019/01/28/jane-costello-welleha/
Posted January 28, 2019.2 She was buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, Cumberland Co., Maine.1

Citations

  1. [S2545] Findagrave.com website, database and images (Find a Grave, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah ), Jane Mary (Costello) Wellehan, Memorial ID 196407657,
    Birth: 29 July 1938, Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine, USA
    Death: 25 January 2019, Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, USA
    Burial: Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, Cumberland County, Maine
    Source: Find a Grave
    SourceCitation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed 17 February 2021), memorial page for Jane Mary Costello Wellehan (29 Jul 1938–25 Jan 2019), Find a Grave Memorial no. 196407657, citing Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, USA; Maintained by Graver (contributor 49649900).
    Parents Russell Hill Costello 1904–1993 Jane H Cassidy Costello 1901–1988
    Siblings Alice Ann Costello Dillingham 1931–2008 James Russell Costello 1934–2015,.
  2. [S2567] Jane Costello Wellehan, Sun Journal (Maine), https://www.sunjournal.com/2019/01/28/jane-costello-welleha/, 28 jan 2019. Hereinafter cited as Sun Journal (Maine).

Louis Bartlett Costello

M, #8596, b. 14 September 1876, d. 6 May 1959
Last Edited=3 Nov 2025
     Louis Bartlett Costello was born on 14 September 1876 at Wells, York Co., Maine.1,2 He graduated in 1898 at Bates College, Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine.1 He married Sarah May Bracket, daughter of James S. Brackett and Flora Ella Russell, on 14 February 1900 at Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine.1

Wikipedia entry for Louis B. Costello:

Louis Bartlett Costello (September 14, 1876 – May 6, 1959) was an American banker and newspaper publisher who served as general manager and then president of The Lewiston Daily Sun and Lewiston Evening Journal in Lewiston, Maine. He began his career in journalism while still a student at Bates College and, by the end of his life, was a leading press figure in the state.

For nearly a half century, Costello was one of the most prominent members of the Lewiston-Auburn community. In addition to running its largest morning and afternoon papers, he was a longtime trustee of both Bates College and the Androscoggin County Savings Bank, serving as the latter institution's president from 1931 to 1939. He was an active Freemason and member of the United Baptist church.

Early life and education
Costello was born in Wells, Maine on September 14, 1876.[1] His father was Nicholas H. Costello (c. 1842–1885), a sea captain who drowned when Costello and his sister were young.[2][3][4] In 1889, his mother, Annie Hill Costello (1842–1927) remarried William S. Wells, a prominent York County lumberman who later served in the Maine House of Representatives.[4][5]

Costello attended Berwick Academy and gave an oration at the school's 1894 class day.[6][1] Thereafter he attended Bates College, where he was elected president of his senior class. He and Sadie Brackett, a fellow member of the class of 1898, wrote for The Bates Student.[7] He was also a competitive debater and, after graduation, would participate in organizing a chapter of Delta Sigma Rho on Bates' campus.[1][8] Costello and Brackett married in Lewiston on February 14, 1900 and had two children, Louise (b. 1902) and Russell (b. 1904).[9][10]

Career
Newspapers
In 1898, Lewiston publisher George W. Wood purchased the five-year old Lewiston Daily Sun, merging it with his weekly Maine Statesman, and hired Costello as the paper's business manager. Thanks largely to the arrival of Rural Free Delivery in the region, which allowed for wider distribution within the Lewiston-Auburn city and town area, circulation increased from around 2,000 copies per day to 8,000 over the following two decades.[10] In 1926, Wood acquired the Lewiston Evening Journal and promoted Costello to treasurer and general manager of the papers' publishing company.[1] Costello served in this position until Wood's death in 1945, when he took over as owner and president.[11] By this time, the Sun and Journal were the fourth and fifth most-read dailies in the state with circulations of 27,480 and 14,088, respectively.[12]

Costello was generally conservative in his management style.[13] He took interest in new technological developments, investing in a trained photography department in the 1930s, but strongly resisted the growth of non-print media, going as far as firing his general manager, Frank S. Hoy, when Hoy purchased the license for radio station WLAM without permission.[14][15] Though the Sun grew during an era of political domination by the Maine Republican Party and historically embraced an "independent Republican" label, Costello stressed the importance of journalistic objectivity to those who worked under him.[16][13] His papers gained a reputation for being socially progressive but not so much as to alienate readers averse to change.[10][13] Writing under the headline "A Leaf Out of My Notebook," he shared with Sun readers reports of his and Sadie's cross-country travels.[1] All the while, he remained devoted to his home state, with editorials focused on portraying local communities in a positive light.[13] During his tenure, he served for a time as president of the Maine Daily Newspaper Publishers Association and of the Maine Members of the Associated Press.[17][18][19]

Banking
Costello was named a trustee of Androscoggin County Savings Bank in 1916 and remained on the board until 1956.[1] Androscoggin was the largest savings bank by assets held centered in Lewiston and one of the largest in the state.[20] In 1931, Costello was elected president of the bank when incumbent William J. Crawshaw resigned due to ill health.[21][22] He served in this position for eight years, seeing it through the Great Depression, including its accepting of Emergency Banking Act aid in 1933.[1][23]

Civic life
Costello was a United Baptist, a designation common among Maine members of the Northern Baptist Convention into the twentieth century. He was a founding member of the Lewiston United Baptist Church. In the early 1920s, he served on the building committee for that congregation's now-demolished English Gothic home at the corner of Bates and Main streets, where Sadie taught religious school for many years.[1][24] In 1932, he was named second vice president of the Maine United Baptist Convention; that year, convention delegates passed resolutions praising the United States' involvement in the World Disarmament Conference and opposing repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.[25]

He was also a Freemason, having served as a past master of Rabboni Lodge No. 150 and as a member of the Knights Templar fraternal order.[1][10]

Later life and death
On June 15, 1952, in recognition of his achievements, including more than 30 years of service on Bates College's board of trustees, Costello was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by university president Charles Phillips.[7] Other recipients honored at the ceremony were New Jersey Governor Alfred E. Driscoll, financier Frank Altschul, filmmaker Louis de Rochemont, and clergyman Daniel A. Poling.[26]

After a period of prolonged illness, Costello died at Central Maine General Hospital on May 6, 1959. Following services at the Bates College chapel, he was buried in Riverside Cemetery, alongside his wife, who preceded him in death two years earlier.[1] In his will, he left $5,000 each (equivalent to $43,853 in 2019) to Bates and the Lewiston United Baptist Church.[27] As a result, the Costello Room in Bates' Chase Hall was named in his honor.[28]

His son, Russell, succeeded him as president of the Daily Sun company and oversaw the merger of The Sun and Evening Journal into the Sun Journal in 1989. Russell passed the presidency of the paper on to his son, James, upon his own death in 1993.[29] In 2017, the Costellos announced the sale of the Sun Journal to MaineToday Media owner Reade Brower.[30]

The Costello family home at 45 Campus Avenue was purchased by Bates College and provided office and student organization space for a number of years before being torn down in 2014. The site is currently occupied by the school's Bonney Science Center.[7][31]

References:
1 "Louis B. Costello, Prominent Maine Publisher, Dies". The Lewiston Daily Sun. May 7, 1959. pp. 1–2. Retrieved June 15, 2020 – via Google News Archive.
2 "Drowned by Upsetting of His Carriage". Portland Daily Press. June 9, 1885. p. 1. Retrieved June 15, 2020 – via Chronicling America.
3 "He Missed the Road". The Boston Daily Globe. June 9, 1885. p. 1. Retrieved June 15, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
4 "Mrs. Annie H. Wells". The Lewiston Daily Sun. June 27, 1927. p. 2. Retrieved June 15, 2020 – via Google News Archive.
5 "A Leading Citizen of Town of Wells". Biddeford Weekly Journal. June 9, 1916. p. 3. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
6 "Berwick's Class Day". The Boston Globe. July 3, 1894. p. 4. Retrieved May 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
7 Wellehan, Jane (November 15, 2017). "Bates Is A Family Tradition". The Bates Student. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
8 McConville, Emily (Fall 2019). "A (Not So) Great Debate". Bates Magazine. pp. 26–31. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
9 "Brackett-Costello". The Lewiston Daily Sun. February 15, 1900. p. 8. Retrieved October 4, 2020 – via Google News Archive.
10 Hatch, Louis Clinton (1919). Maine: A History. 4. New York: The American Historical Society. pp. 164–165. OCLC 1101997. Retrieved October 22, 2020 – via Internet Archive.
11 "Louis B. Costello Dies; President of The Sun and The Journal in Lewiston, Me". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 7, 1959. p. 33. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
12 "Constantly Climbing". Bangor Daily News. October 15, 1945. p. 5. Retrieved October 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
13 "Pendexter, Faunce oral history interview". Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection. Interviewed by Meredith Gethin-Jones. Bates College. May 14, 1999. pp. 22–23. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
14 "Small Dailies 'Forget' Big Rivals". Editor & Publisher. Vol. 67 no. 50. April 27, 1935. Retrieved October 22, 2020 – via Internet Archive.
15 "Lemieux, Lional "Lal" oral history interview". Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection. Interviewed by Don Nicoll; Brian O'Doherty. Bates College. October 8, 1999. p. 23. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
16 "'Married' 37 Years Ago, Papers Still Competitive". Editor & Publisher. Vol. 95 no. 46. November 17, 1962. p. 65. Retrieved October 22, 2020 – via Internet Archive.
17 "Louis B. Costello; Maine Newspaper Publisher, 82, Dies". The Boston Globe. United Press International. May 7, 1959. p. 28. Retrieved May 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
18 "Maine Dailies Elect". Editor & Publisher. Vol. 59 no. 35. January 22, 1927. p. 48. Retrieved October 22, 2020 – via Internet Archive.
19 "Maine Newspaper Publishers and A. P. Members Re-Elect Officers". Editor & Publisher. Vol. 60 no. 36. January 28, 1928. p. X. Retrieved October 22, 2020 – via Internet Archive.
20 "Statement of Tax Assessments Against Banks". Bangor Daily News. Associated Press. November 12, 1931. p. 9. Retrieved October 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
21 "Crawshaw Retires As Androscoggin Bank Head". The Boston Globe. June 10, 1931. p. 11. Retrieved June 15, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
22 "Purely Personal". Editor & Publisher. Vol. 64 no. 5. June 20, 1931. p. 33. Retrieved October 22, 2020 – via Internet Archive.
23 "Seek To Iron Out Banking Difficulties". Bangor Daily News. Associated Press. March 20, 1933. pp. 1, 12. Retrieved October 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
24 "Mrs. L. B. Costello". Lewiston Daily Sun. April 16, 1957. p. 2. Retrieved October 22, 2020 – via Google News Archive.
25 "Baptist Group Hits Plan for Resubmission". Bangor Daily News. June 24, 1932. p. 18. Retrieved October 11, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
26 "Gov. Driscoll Gets Degree at Bates". The Philadelphia Inquirer. International News Service. June 16, 1952. p. 4. Retrieved June 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
27 "Bates to Benefit". Bangor Daily News. May 14, 1959. p. 20. Retrieved October 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
28 "In Memoriam: Jane Costello Wellehan". Bates Magazine. Fall 2019. p. 88. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
29 "Russell H. Costello, 88". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. June 10, 1993. p. 59. Retrieved June 15, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
30 Skelton, Kathryn (July 17, 2017). "Sun Journal sold to MaineToday Media owner Reade Brower". Sun Journal. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
31 Hubley, Doug (March 7, 2019). "Campus Construction Update: March 8, 2019". Bates College. Retrieved October 12, 2020.1


Louis Bartlett Costello died on 6 May 1959 at Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine, at age 82.1,2 He was buried at Riverside Cemetery, Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine.1,2

Children of Louis Bartlett Costello and Sarah May Bracket

Citations

  1. [S2570] Louis B. Costello in WIikipedia, online https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_B._Costello. Hereinafter cited as Louis B. Costello in WIikipedia.
  2. [S2545] Findagrave.com website, database and images (Find a Grave, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah ), Louis Bartlett Costello, Memorial ID 120721849,
    Birth: 14 September 1876, Wells, York County, Maine, USA
    Death: 6 May 1959, Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine, USA
    Burial: Riverside Cemetery, Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine
    Source: Find a Grave
    SourceCitation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120721849/louis_bartlett-costello: accessed November 3, 2025), memorial page for Louis Bartlett Costello (14 Sep 1876–6 May 1959), Find a Grave Memorial ID 120721849, citing Riverside Cemetery, Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine, USA; Maintained by OO (contributor 47130320).
    Parents
    Capt Nicholas H Costello unknown–1885
    Annie Hill Wells 1842–1927
    Spouses
    Sarah May "Sadie" Brackett Costello 1874–1957 (m. 1900)
    Siblings
    Sadie May Costello Hanscom 1878–1956
    Children
    Louise Costello Wickman 1902–1990
    Russell Hill Costello 1904–1993
    Image URL: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/131/120721849_5af7c127-c152-43d2-ad2e-2f504f1c6c1c.jpeg,.

Louise Costello

F, #8597, b. 27 May 1902, d. 9 December 1990
Last Edited=3 Nov 2025
Relationships
3rd cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
3rd great-granddaughter of Jeremiah Ellsworth
     Louise Costello was born on 27 May 1902 at Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine.1 She was the daughter of Louis Bartlett Costello and Sarah May Bracket. Louise Costello married Elis Johanes Wickman in 1925. Louise Costello died on 9 December 1990 at Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California, at age 88.1 She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Cypress, Orange Co., California.1

Citations

  1. [S2545] Findagrave.com website, database and images (Find a Grave, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah ), Louise (Costello) Wickman, Memorial ID 83314940,
    Birth: 27 May 1902, Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine, USA
    Death: 9 December 1990, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA
    Burial: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Cypress, Orange County, California
    Source: Find a Grave
    SourceCitation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83314940/louise-wickman: accessed November 3, 2025), memorial page for Louise Costello Wickman (27 May 1902–9 Dec 1990), Find a Grave Memorial ID 83314940, citing Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Cypress, Orange County, California, USA; Maintained by Just Me ? (contributor 49246664).
    Parents
    Louis Bartlett Costello 1876–1959
    Sarah May "Sadie" Brackett Costello 1874–1957
    Spouses
    Elis Johanes Wickman 1899–1985 (m. 1925)
    Siblings
    Russell Hill Costello 1904–1993
    Image URL: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2012/10/83314940_132634248985.jpg,.

Maureen Ann Costello

F, #8613
Last Edited=15 Sep 2021
Relationships
4th cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
5th great-granddaughter of Jeremiah Ellsworth
     Maureen Ann Costello is the daughter of James Russell Costello Sr. and Janice Callahan. Maureen Ann Costello married David Lincoln Wedge on 3 November 1990 at Maine.

Russell Hill Costello

M, #8599, b. 22 October 1904, d. 8 June 1993
Last Edited=3 Nov 2025
Relationships
3rd cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
3rd great-grandson of Jeremiah Ellsworth
     Russell Hill Costello was born on 22 October 1904 at Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine.1 He was the son of Louis Bartlett Costello and Sarah May Bracket. Russell Hill Costello married Jane H. Cassidy on 5 May 1928 at Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. Russell Hill Costello died on 8 June 1993 at Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine, at age 88.1 He was buried at Riverside Cemetery, Lewiston, Androscoggin Co., Maine.1

Sun Journal Newspaper - About Us (2018)

Sun Media Group’s origins date back to the May 20, 1847 publication of a weekly newspaper called the Lewiston Falls Journal. Dr. Alonzo Garcelon, later a governor of Maine, was one of the founders, along with William Waldron, a printer by trade. Francis Lane edited what started out as a literary journal, and subscriptions in that first year sold at $1.50.

In February 1857, the Journal published a 27-day run as a daily newspaper to cover the Auburn murder trial of George Knight, who was accused of stabbing his wife Mary while she slept at their home in Poland. It went into full-time daily publication in April 1861 under Nelson Dingley Jr., a former employee who had become owner and publisher in 1857.

The Civil War years gave the new Lewiston Daily Evening Journal added impetus as Lewiston-Auburn readers hungered for news of the turmoil wracking the nation. The community had grown rapidly in the industrial revolution and new textile mills were supplying uniforms to the North’s soldiers.

By the turn of the century, 70 percent of the community’s workforce were mill employees.

The Journal Magazine was added to the Saturday afternoon paper in the late 1890s, a literary venture that enjoyed great popularity almost 100 years later.

In the early days, the magazine circulated throughout New England and even to Washington, D.C. It was also in the 1890s — Feb. 20, 1893 — that a new paper was born in Lewiston-Auburn, The Lewiston Daily Sun, founded by Henry Wing of Lewiston.

Lewiston-Auburn was then a community of 40,000 people. The Sun, in a first-day editorial, had kind words for its competitor, but a few years later the competition for readers brought about an intense rivalry.

Neither paper lacked for news in the turbulent years that followed the Spanish-American War and World War I, but each paper continued to place a high priority on community news, sometimes throwing in dashes of gossip that made good conversation topics. The industrial base and population grew, and workers had a paper when they woke up in the morning and also when they left the mills in the afternoon.

George B. Wood became owner of The Sun in 1898 and, soon after, brought his nephew Louis B. Costello into the business as general manager.

The offices moved that year from Lisbon Street to 104 Park St. where Sun Media Group newspapers are still located.

In 1926, Wood and Costello bought the Journal from the Dingley family and moved the operation from the Dingley Building on Lisbon Street to the Park Street location.

L.B. Costello’s son, Russell H. Costello, joined the company as production manager in 1930. L.B. Costello inherited the paper when Wood died in 1945.

Russell H. Costello succeeded his father as president and publisher in 1959. He died in 1993.

His son, James R. Costello Sr., joined the company in 1952 and was named president and publisher in 1993. He died in 2015.

A fourth generation of Costellos, the children of James Sr., managed the company until 2017. James R. Costello Jr. as vice president, production; Stephen Costello, vice president, advertising and marketing; David Costello, vice president, technology; and Maureen Wedge, vice president, human resources.

Advances in computer technology brought an end to the “hot metal” linotype, or lead process, era beginning in 1971 and the newspapers have experienced constant change since then to improve and quicken writing, editing and production processes. By the end of the 1990s, Sun Journal editors were “paginating,” or composing, entire pages on computer screens and sending them directly to production.

The 1980s saw historic changes in the newspapers’ product. In October 1983, following an extensive study involving many employees, a new Sunday newspaper was born, called “Sunday/Sun Journal.”

The new product concentrated on providing news and features to readers in the Sun Media Group circulation area, putting emphasis on color photography and graphics.

On June 3, 1989, 128 years of rich tradition and history ended when the Journal merged with The Sun into a virtually new morning paper called the Sun Journal. Declining readership of the afternoon paper, brought about mainly by changing lifestyles and reader habits, were among causes for the merger.

The desire, according to Publisher James R. Costello Sr., was to make better use of staff while producing a better newspaper.

Prior to the merger, the Journal went through a redesign process that made greater use of color, becoming a trendsetter and award-winning paper among New England dailies.

The new Sun Journal, and its Sunday edition, stressed community news coverage within their circulation areas of Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties.

The Sun Journal has continued to be a leader in local news and, over the years, has received numerous awards for writing, investigative reporting, editorials, photography, graphic design and advertising as well as Maine and New England Newspaper of the Year awards.

The Sun Journal was also named one of the “World’s Best-Designed” newspapers and listed as one of the top ten in the United States by the Society of News Design in 2000.

The Sun Journal is one of Lewiston-Auburn’s largest employers and is committed to the economic and cultural improvement of the region it serves. Many of the company’s employees play an active role in service to their communities.

The company has focused on diversification efforts over the years. Several weekly newspapers, commercial printing and other print and web-based products were added to its portfolio to offer customers various options for receiving local news and information, as well as marketing their businesses.

A new name — Sun Media Group — was announced in 2007 to serve as an umbrella to unify the Sun Journal with all of the individual companies owned by the Costellos, including Sun Press, The Bethel Citizen, The Forecaster publications, Rumford Falls Times, Advertiser Democrat, The Franklin Journal, Livermore Falls Advertiser, The Rangley Highlander, The Penobscot Times, American Journal, Lakes Region Weekly, Maine Women Magazine, 95 North and My Gen.

On Aug. 1, 2017, Sun Media Group was sold to Reade Brower, a mid-coast media executive and entrepreneur who also owns MaineToday Media, which includes the Portland Press Herald, Waterville Sentinel and the Kennebec Journal. He is also the owner of Alliance Press, a commercial printing company in Brunswick, and publishes four weeklies in midcoast Maine: The Free Press in Rockland, The Courier-Gazette in Rockland, The Camden Herald and The Republican Journal in Belfast.

In 2016, Brower and Chris Harris, former president of Upper Valley Press in New Hampshire, purchased The Rutland Herald and Barre-Montpelier Times Argus in Vermont.

When the Sun Media Group sale was announced, Brower said “these are landmark Maine institution newspapers. We’re really all excited about creating a family of newspapers in Maine that the community can rely on for news they can trust.”

https://www.sunjournal.com/aboutus/.2

Children of Russell Hill Costello and Jane H. Cassidy

Citations

  1. [S2545] Findagrave.com website, database and images (Find a Grave, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah ), Russell Hill Costello, Memorial ID 120721733,
    Birth: 22 October 1904, Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine, USA
    Death: 8 June 1993, Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine, USA
    Burial: Riverside Cemetery, Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine
    Source: Find a Grave
    SourceCitation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120721733/russell_hill-costello: accessed November 3, 2025), memorial page for Russell Hill Costello (22 Oct 1904–8 Jun 1993), Find a Grave Memorial ID 120721733, citing Riverside Cemetery, Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine, USA; Maintained by OO (contributor 47130320).
    Parents
    Louis Bartlett Costello 1876–1959
    Sarah May "Sadie" Brackett Costello 1874–1957
    Spouses
    Jane H Cassidy Costello 1901–1988 (m. 1928)
    Siblings
    Louise Costello Wickman 1902–1990
    Children
    Alice Ann Costello Dillingham 1931–2008
    James Russell "Jim" Costello Sr 1934–2015
    Jane Mary Costello Wellehan 1938–2019
    Image URL: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2019/131/120721733_f971add8-a3b5-474f-91b1-120567d3746c.jpeg,.
  2. [S2571] Sun Journal Newspaper (Maine) - About Us, Sun Journal Newspaper (Maine), https://www.sunjournal.com/aboutus/, n/a, na. Hereinafter cited as Sun Journal Newspaper (Maine).

Stephen Costello

M, #8610
Last Edited=13 May 2021
Relationships
4th cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
5th great-grandson of Jeremiah Ellsworth
     Stephen Costello is the son of James Russell Costello Sr. and Janice Callahan. Stephen Costello married Mary Ellen Ciak on 7 June 1986 at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Endicott, Broome Co., New York.

James Adam Cotter

M, #12074
Last Edited=27 Oct 2025
     James Adam Cotter is the son of James Franklin Cotter and female (?) James Adam Cotter married Crystal Louise Gross on 28 May 2017 at Bexar Co., Texas.

James Andrew Cotter

M, #12075
Last Edited=27 Oct 2025
     James Andrew Cotter is the son of James Franklin Cotter and female (?)

James Franklin Cotter

M, #9080, b. 18 August 1933, d. 25 January 2017
Last Edited=30 Oct 2025
James Franklin Cotter in 2007
James Franklin Cotter inext to his statue in Oklahoma City
James Franklin Cotter (saved from obituary)
     James Franklin Cotter graduated at Walla Walla College, Walla Walla, Walla Walla Co., Washington. He was born on 18 August 1933 at Boise, Ada Co., Idaho. He began military service on 1 September 1953. He ended military service on 1 June 1955. He married Lorretta Marie Ziegenbalg, daughter of Ernest Hans Ziegenbalg and Estrella Harn Booher, on 4 September 1955 at Seventh-Day Adventist Church, San Antonio, Bexar Co., Texas.1

Boisean and Bride Live in Walla Walla
Mr. and Mrs. James Franklin Cotter (Loretta Ziegenbalg) are now making their home in Walla Walla, Wash., following their recent wedding which took place in the Seventh Day Adventist church in San Antonio. Texas. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hans Ziegenbalg of San Antonio, and the bridegroom is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Cotter of route 1, Eagle.     
Miss Gladys Ziegenbalg sister of the bride, was maid of honor; Miss Sandra Holub of San Antonio, junior brides-
Maid, and the Misses Peggy French and Betty Hamilton were bridesmaids.
Tom Scott of Fresno was best man. The ushers included Jerrel Jacobs, San Antonio; Stanley Boyd, Waco and Ernest Ziegenbalg. Elder Charles Keymer performed the ceremony.
A reception was held in the Seventh Day Adventist Service center in San Antonio following the ceremony.
The Idaho Statesman (Boise, Idaho)
Sun, Oct 23, 1955 ·Page 18.1


James Franklin Cotter was a Seventh-Day Adventist. He and Lorretta Marie Ziegenbalg were divorced on 9 July 1982 at Sonoma Co., California. James Franklin Cotter lived in December 1982 at Sebastopol, Sonoma Co., California. He married female (?) circa 1986. James Franklin Cotter married Bettye Ruth Shaw circa November 2012 at Oklahoma.2 James Franklin Cotter died on 25 January 2017 at Edmond, Oklahoma Co., Oklahoma, at age 83. The cause of death was Cardiac Arrest on 25 January 2017.

James Franklin Cotter
August 18, 1933 – January 25, 2017

Born from humble beginnings, ever faithful to his Boise, Idaho roots. James Franklin Cotter is survived by his companion and wife of over 25 years, Ruth; sons: James Val Cotter of San Antonio, TX, James Adam Cotter of San Antonio, TX, and James Andrew Cotter of Orland, CA; daughters, Vivian Mulier of Kerrville, TX, and Valeri Sharri Cor’de lane, ID; seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a beloved pet, Mutt Mutt.

His extraordinary love for farming as a child grew throughout his adulthood. He loved riding on an old Ford 9n tractor, planting almond orchards, walnut trees, owning hundreds of farm animals, and looking upon the sunsets from his porch with his wife Ruth. Their view of over 1000 acres in California was like heaven on earth to James.

James served with in the 82nd Airborne with love for his country and his fellow man. He took great pride in serving the United States Army in the Korean War.

Establishing himself over 50 years ago, while attending college, he began his legacy by developing and building affordable homes for local Walla Walla residents. Although he had a passion for building, his ambitions were not limited to construction.

A progressive businessman, he redeveloped the Walla Walla City bus line. James pursued the banker at a small-town café and followed him back to the bank for a loan. As the banker came into the bank from the back-door James came in the front asking to speak to the banker once again. The banker saw James and said, “Weren’t you just in the coffee shop eating a hamburger?” Yes, and that was café talk; he had come to the bank to talk business. He wanted to acquire the bus line. The banker’s response was, “You couldn’t fill those buses if you let them ride free.” James stated, “That’s exactly what I planned on. Have you ever heard of Sear’s and Roebucks department store? If the patrons walk to the back of the store to get their ticket stamped, Sears pays 25 cents to my company and it increases their revenue.” James convinced the banker to finance 100% of the progressive project. James believed he could redevelop the Walla Walla city bus line by allowing patrons to ride “free of charge” and incorporating all the stores of their choice, if the stores validated their bus fare. Soon the failing bus line became a profitable endeavor, turning out to be the beginning for James. He owned the bus line until it was the last privately held bus line in the state of Washington.

After graduating from Walla Walla College, James moved to northern California where he continued to build houses and soon purchased his first nursing facility under the name of Cotter Health Centers. James expanded his nursing operations and commercial real-estate to ultimately amass 40 different facilities, employing more than 2200 employees.

James also played a key role in negotiating and developing senior health care legislation in California, along-side former Governors Jerry Brown and Ronald Reagan. Although senior health care was an important stepping stone in Mr. Cotter's success, his real passions remained in real estate and development.

His love for Oklahoma and Real Estate made him pursue and acquire the largest building at the time in Oklahoma City, OK. It was truly his jewel in real-estate. His love for the west and the building inspired James to cast a horse with himself sitting high, looking upon his Cotter Tower Building in which he saw his greatest accomplishment in real-estate.

James enjoyed collecting Native American Art. He had an extensive antique car collection and he would tell you his enjoyment in life was that he loved to travel with his companion and wife Ruth to foreign countries only to purchase art work, antiques and fashion for Ruth.

He believed that contrary to the idea that doing what you love makes work effortless, a passion puts you to work. It’s what you're willing to sacrifice lesser leisure and pleasures for. He stated that all his life he worked and that is what he knew best. He loved farming and working with his hands in the dirt; planting and watching the animals graze. He loved his children and family, his passion was to give his children a foundation and strong work ethic. When asked, “What is the passion and love in your life?” and he answered “Ruth is the greatest love in my life.”

James Cotter was a Seventh-Day Adventist and he believed strongly in working a full six-day week and keeping the Sabbath day holy.

He believed that his success was due to the many blessings God bestowed upon him. On January 25, 2017, he began his journey home as Ruth walked into his room for the final kiss upon his eye as he closed it.

In the care of Memorial Park Funeral Home & Cemetery.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/oklahoma-city-ok/james-cotter-7282700.3



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Downtown Oklahoma City's Cotter Ranch Tower future uncertain following death of owner
By: Steve Lackmeyer 21Jul2017

The looming presence of James Franklin Cotter at one of downtown's most visible office towers may be coming to an end amid legal battles between his heirs over control of the former Liberty Bank tower.

Cotter, who died Jan. 25, bought the tower at 100 N Broadway in 2004 for $27,890,000 at a time when the property enjoyed a healthy occupancy with 15 floors leased to Devon Energy and Bank One, successor to Liberty Bank, as the anchor tenant.

But the tower has languished since with the latest report by Price Edwards showing occupancy at 63 percent.

Cotter was not someone who made a lot of local appearances even though his holdings also included Lakepointe Tower and Lake View Tower in northwest Oklahoma City. His last publicized appearance at his namesake tower came in 2009 when he unveiled a statue of himself, on horseback, at the tower's north plaza.

It was a happy moment for Cotter, who decked out the plaza with chuck wagons and displays that would fit well in the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

He cast a larger-than-life figure, naming all three sons after himself. And according to his obituary, Cotter Ranch Tower, one of more than 70 office properties, was Cotter's favorite. His ranch logo is seen by visitors checking in at the front desk where the building security officers are stationed wearing western attire and Texas-sized cowboy hats.

Cotter was 83 when he died, and court records indicate he was living in Oklahoma City at the time, though his residence remained in San Antonio in a mansion once owned by country western star George Strait.

“The last few years he lived here with (wife) Ruth because he loved this building,” said Mark Stonecipher, attorney for Cotter's widow Bettye Ruth Cotter. “He was really fond of it.”

Family feud

Discord among his heirs started soon after between the sons and daughters from Cotter's first marriage and Bettye Ruth Cotter.

An initial will submitted by son James Adam Cotter and sister Valeri Marie Cotter Zaharie was disputed by Bettye Ruth Cotter. At the time, James Adam Cotter, who for a time called Oklahoma City a second home, was overseeing the tower's operations as vice president of the family company.

The probate hearings resulted in changed locks and passwords and appointment of San Antonio attorney Marcus Rogers as estate administrator. The estate is now working with CBRE to oversee the sprawling real estate portfolio.

Bexar County Court records show a series of property sales by the estate over the past few months. The estate also has sought to restructure loans as a means to avoid bankruptcy and at least one local lender, Bank SNB, has filed interests in the Oklahoma County litigation.

All of this has the downtown real estate community, including respected broker Jim Parrack with Price Edwards, expecting the property to “change hands” within the next several months.

If that occurs, it will end the legacy of a man who did not play well with the downtown crowd as he imprinted his personal country and western brand on one of the city's landmark downtown office towers.

Cotter Ranch Tower was a demonstration of the city's effort to reinvent its downtown when the 36-story building was built in 1971 as home to Liberty Bank and Trust Co. Liberty at the time was, along with First National Bank, the bedrock of Oklahoma City's banking community and a major employer.

The oil bust hit both banks hard. First National collapsed, but Liberty survived only to be bought out by Bank One in 1997. That transaction, in turn, led to Chase Bank becoming the anchor tenant with a greatly reduced footprint.

Difficulties downtown

The former Liberty Tower was a personal favorite as noted in his obituary:

“His love for the west and the building inspired James to cast a horse with himself sitting high, looking upon his Cotter Tower Building in which he saw his greatest accomplishment in real estate.”

The sculpture still can be seen, facing the tower and turning its back on another nearby Native American sculpture that stands between the tower and the Skirvin Hilton Hotel.

The positioning wasn't lost on downtown civic leaders, who frequently voiced frustration with what they saw as a stubborn unwillingness to cooperate with area improvements. Such moments included what would have been a showstopping entrance for The Underground Tunnels designed by architect Rand Elliott.

Cotter also was one of the only downtown property owners not to include the tunnels under the tower in the extensive makeover of The Underground led by Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. Cotter also declined to cooperate with a desired makeover of the plaza as part of improvements made to the neighboring city-owned Santa Fe Garage.

An uneasy relationship marked the final years of Devon's time in the building, and when the company moved its operations to its new headquarters in 2012, it left a void on several floors of the tower. Chase Bank, meanwhile, consolidated its operations at a rebuilt drive-thru a block north, leaving the tower without a banking anchor for the first time in its history.

Cotter, however, did follow through on improvements to the tower that included converting the former first-floor bank space into a lobby that doubled as event space for weddings and special gatherings. The Petroleum Club was recruited to open a ground-floor deli that has proved popular with daytime office workers.

Stonecipher isn't sure what's next for the tower. He notes improvements were ongoing through Cotter's death, and Globe Life Insurance is among recently added new tenants.

The property isn't without potential buyers should it be listed, though any purchase could include conversion of part or all of the tower into housing as has transpired with similar properties in other states.

At that point, the only question remaining will be whether the likeness of Cotter on his horse with remain along with the horseshoe marks leading to the tower Cotter loved most.
https://www.oklahoman.com/story/business/columns/steve-lackmeyer/2017/07/21/downtown-oklahoma-citys-cotter-ranch-tower-future-uncertain-following-death-of-owner/60586661007/



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *.4 He was cremated

at Memorial Park Cemetery, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Co., Oklahoma.5,6

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Real estate tycoon Cotter leaves behind tangled empire, fight over assets after his death
By Patrick Danner, Staff Writer Updated June 13, 2018 2:30 p.m.

Local real estate tycoon and cowboy extraordinaire James F. Cotter died as he lived, sowing confusion among the people he loved.
Keep Watching

Since his death from cardiac arrest Jan. 25, 2017, his estate has been the subject of much dispute and legal maneuvering among his surviving widow, five children, his lenders, creditors and the IRS.

Cotter died at 83 without a valid will. The bulk of his estate, valued at about $288 million 13 months before his death, comprises a vast real estate empire of 66 properties in six states. Locally, it includes the twin Alamo Towers along Northeast Loop 410 and the two Petroleum Towers just around the corner on Tesoro Drive.

After Cotter’s death, Bexar County Probate Judge Tom Rickhoff appointed San Antonio attorney Marcus Rogers as the independent administrator to oversee the estate.

Rogers called it “the case of a lifetime” but would not discuss it further, saying he considered it a family matter.

The probate case is further complicated by the fact that the Cotter companies’ books were left in disarray, Rogers noted in a March court filing.

The balance sheets reflect “substantial intercompany-related accounts that did not balance and had not been reconciled for what appears to be many years,” he said.

As a result, Rogers added, “balance sheets cannot be relied upon to represent the true book value of the assets, liabilities and equity accounts.”

The loans on the real estate were personally guaranteed by Cotter, so his death “resulted in an event of default on virtually every mortgage,” one court document reads.

The companies that own Petroleum Towers, Alamo Towers and a 36-story Cotter Ranch Tower office building in Oklahoma City, considered the Cotter portfolio’s crown jewel, were put into bankruptcy after his death. The latter two bankruptcies were filed to stop lenders from foreclosing on the properties.

Other Cotter entities narrowly skirted bankruptcy themselves, a lawyer for the companies recently said in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in San Antonio. Many of Cotter’s properties have been put up for sale.

“This is a good example of how you don’t want to exit,” attorney Randall Pulman quipped. Pulman, managing partner of Pulman, Cappuccio, Pullen, Benson & Jones in San Antonio, represented Cotter in a dispute with a janitorial company that sued Cotter and some of his companies for unpaid cleaning services.

‘Self-made man’

Cotter was born “from humble beginnings” in Boise, Idaho, one of his obituaries reads.

Cotter served in the 82nd Airborne Division during the Korean War and attended Walla Walla College in Washington state after leaving the Army. Before graduating, he made his foray into the real estate business by developing a 36-lot subdivision, he told the San Antonio Express-News in 2007.

He later moved to Northern California and bought his first nursing facility under the name Cotter Health Centers.

Cotter was “a self-made man and had very strong religious and Christian principles,” San Antonio attorney Richard Jenkins, who had represented the real estate magnate, said in an affidavit in the probate case last year.

BJ Corp., a cleaning company that sued Cotter and his companies to collect on allegedly unpaid bills, had a different take.

“The Cotter defendants have a reputation for failing to pay their debts when due in an effort to cheat small businesses and to gain an advantage,” BJ Corp. said in its lawsuit.

Cotter was a colorful character, often clad in a cowboy hat and boots, and even required his building security staff to wear similar western attire, the Oklahoman newspaper reported. He bought what’s now known as the 36-story Cotter Ranch Tower, his prized office tower in downtown Oklahoma City, in the 2000s. A bronze statue in front of the building depicts Cotter astride a horse.

“He always had a story, sort of like a mix between visiting with Forrest Gump and the Marlboro man,” Pulman said. “He had a story about all sorts of significant events in history and how he was a bystander.”

Cotter is survived by his third wife, Bettye “Ruth” Cotter, two daughters and three sons.

Cotter’s marriage to his first wife, Loretta, produced three children: Vivian Mueller, 61; James Val Lee Cotter, 59; and Valeri Zaharie Glauser, 53. The couple divorced in 1981 after 26 years of marriage.

Four years later, the then-53-year-old Cotter remarried to a woman more than half his age. The union lasted less than three years but produced his two youngest sons, James Adam Cotter, 31, and James Andrew Cotter, 29.

Why he gave each of his three sons the same first name is somewhat of a mystery.

“He wondered about that himself,” said Ruth Cotter, 81, his longtime companion whom he married in 2012.

No planning

For all of his accomplishments in life, Cotter apparently wasn’t much of a planner or very organized. In dying without a will, or at least one that was declared valid, his final wishes for his vast real estate portfolio are unknown.

Even the value of his estate is in dispute.

Cotter’s assets were valued at $287.9 million 13 months before his death, with his real estate holdings representing all but about $41 million as of Dec. 31, 2015, according to a “Statement of Financial Condition” submitted in the probate case. His liabilities were listed at $181.7 million.

Yet in April 2017, while the probate estate was being contested, Rickhoff wrote a letter to estate administrator Rogers and other attorneys in the case letting them know that he had been informed by another judge who had briefly filled in for him that the “value of this estate is somewhat speculative in nature.”

“In such cases, I often prefer to determine whether or not the estate is solvent and then after the dollar signs in the parties’ eyes disappear and they get realistic about the decisions that need to be made to resolve the real issues in the case, set relevant matters for hearings,” Rickhoff wrote.

The judge then added, “Set everything you want, but I sense a bankruptcy which will stay anything I do anyway.”

Rogers valued Cotter’s assets at $54 million in a May 1 court filing. But that doesn’t take into account what’s owed to lenders and other creditors. It also doesn’t include properties outside Texas that are being worked out in other states. A court filing from last year valued those assets at about $69 million.

Sorting things out has been time-consuming. Ryan Reed, Pulman’s law partner and attorney for Cotter’s two youngest sons, speculated that all the heirs are “slightly unhappy” about how the probate case has been proceeding.

“The family business assets are no longer Mr. Cotter’s to run as he pleases, but now have to be administered to pay taxes, debts and ultimately be distributed to the respective heirs,” Reed said. “It’s simply a different dynamic, and they are all trying to figure out how to transition.”

Cotter’s largest creditor was Loma Linda University, a Seventh-day Adventist health sciences university in California. It’s owed more than $42 million in secured debt on various properties, according to a court filing.

The IRS is owed up to $30 million in estate taxes, Reed said, adding that the agency authorized the sale of some property to pay the estate taxes and keep the real estate business running.

Rogers is “selling properties, but there’s no money coming to me,” Ruth Cotter complained in a recent phone interview. She was receiving a monthly $25,000 “family allowance” from the estate until April. In court papers seeking to continue the payments, she accused Rogers of “engaging in financial dealings” with the estate’s other beneficiaries. Rogers denied the allegations in a brief response filed with the court.

“He was strong-willed and he worked hard,” Ruth Cotter said of her late husband. “And I’d hate to see all of that hard work just go away.”

San Antonio lawyer Jason Davis, who in the probate case represents the three children from Cotter’s first marriage, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Cotter’s death was unexpected, according to a bankruptcy court document, though he complained of various ailments in a 2014 deposition. He cited heart trouble, diabetes and neuropathy, or damage to nerves that often causes weakness, numbness and pain.

Probate battle

Three weeks after Cotter’s death, Ruth Cotter filed an application asking the probate court to appoint her the temporary administrator of his estate. The five children immediately contested her appointment, contending that they were the sole beneficiaries.

Daughter Valeri Glauser and second son James Adam Cotter wanted to be named the estate’s co-administrators. They also filed a handwritten will that Cotter crafted in 1981 — before his two youngest sons were even born. The will named his three oldest children and his mother, among others, as beneficiaries.

“Being of sound mind, gangled (sic) nerves, and nothing but pitie (sic) on those that read this and especially those that must carry on in my stead. Weep not for me; weep for your selves,” Cotter wrote in the disjointed document.

Ruth Cotter opposed the will. She said her husband left behind a more recent will and provided affidavits from three women who worked at Cotter companies and vouched for the document. If it exists, it has never turned up.

Last June, the parties reached a mediated “Family Settlement Agreement.” Under the plan, one-sixth of the estate — after debt, taxes and other expenses are paid — will be used to fund a trust to support Ruth Cotter for the rest of her life. An independent trustee agreed upon by the parties will administer the trust.

Ruth Cotter said documents Rogers provided during the mediation “were misleading and in retrospect were not a sound basis for a negotiation of such magnitude,” a court filing states. She also contends that other heirs have attempted, through Rogers, “to underfund (her) share with assets that have been significantly overvalued.”

Rogers disputed the allegations. The judge has yet to take up the issue.

Assets awarded to Ruth Cotter include the couple’s Dominion home, some vehicles (he had more than 120, including a 1905 Franklin Runabout), home furnishings and $126,2225 in cash, court documents show.

The Dominion estate was sold last month. It had been listed for more than $1.2 million, but Ruth Cotter said the return was “quite small.” James Cotter had purchased the property on Cotswold Lane from country music star George Strait in 1994, county records show.

“There was quite a bit of debt on it,” Ruth Cotter said, adding that she had to make a lot of repairs. She declined to say where she’s living now.

In August, Rickhoff awarded each of Cotter’s children a 20 percent interest in the property that James Cotter didn’t jointly own with his wife. The children also stand to receive 20 percent of their father’s share of the community property, subject to Ruth Cotter’s share while she’s still alive.

The actual amount each will receive isn’t known yet because the disposition of many of Cotter’s properties is still underway.

Unwinding the empire

Commercial real estate brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield is selling nine office properties totaling more than 1 million square feet in San Antonio and Houston.

At a May 16 bankruptcy court hearing involving Alamo Towers, attorney H. Anthony Hervol said there were three prospective bidders for the buildings. A sale would require court approval.

Cotter Ranch Tower, the Oklahoma City office building, is under contract to BancFirst of Oklahoma City for $23 million, Hervol said during a bankruptcy court hearing Wednesday. A higher offer could still be submitted. Any deal also requires the court’s approval.

It’s an outcome that Cotter may not have wanted, if his 1981 handwritten will is any guide.

Cotter urged his heirs to “be careful about selling anything.”

“It did not come easy,” he wrote. “I earned it the hard way.”

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | pdanner@express-news.net | @AlamoPD
June 11, 2018|Updated June 13, 2018 2:30 p.m.

https://www.expressnews.com/real-estate/article/Real-estate-tycoon-Cotter-leaves-behind-tangled-12985560.php


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Children of James Franklin Cotter and female (?)

Citations

  1. [S3336] Boisean and Bride Live in Walla Walla, The Idaho Statesman (Boise, Idaho), newspapers.com, 23 October 1955, 18. Hereinafter cited as The Idaho Statesman.
  2. [S3334] Records, The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), newspapers.com, 28 November 2012, 34, James Franklin Cotter, 79, and Bettye Ruth Shaw Jeffers, 75.. Hereinafter cited as The Daily Oklahoman.
  3. [S3331] James Franklin Cotter, Dignity Memorial, https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/oklahoma-city-ok/james-cotter-7282700, 27 Jan 2017, n/a. Hereinafter cited as Dignity Memorial.
  4. [S3332] Downtown Oklahoma City's Cotter Ranch Tower future uncertain following death of owner, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma, OK), https://www.oklahoman.com/story/business/columns/steve-lackmeyer/2017/07/21/downtown-oklahoma-citys-cotter-ranch-tower-future-uncertain-following-death-of-owner/60586661007/, 21 Jul 2017, n/a. Hereinafter cited as The Oklahoman.
  5. [S2545] Findagrave.com website, database and images (Find a Grave, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah ), James Franklin Cotter, Memorial ID 176112452,
    Birth: 18 August 1933
    Death: 25 January 2017, Oklahoma, USA
    Burial
    Source: Find a Grave
    SourceCitation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176112452/james_franklin-cotter: accessed October 25, 2025), memorial page for James Franklin Cotter (18 Aug 1933–25 Jan 2017), Find a Grave Memorial ID 176112452; Maintained by Sondra 'Sandy' Pitman Morrison & LaDeana M Moore (contributor 47138259).
    Image URL: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2017/37/176112452_1486505850.jpg,.
  6. [S2545] Findagrave.com website, James Franklin Cotter, Memorial ID 270166347,.
  7. [S3333] Real estate tycoon Cotter leaves behind tangled empire, fight over assets after his death, San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio, TX), https://www.expressnews.com/real-estate/article/Real-estate-tycoon-Cotter-leaves-behind-tangled-12985560.php, 13 Jun 2018, n/a. Hereinafter cited as San Antonio Express-News.

James Val Lee Cotter

M, #12070
Last Edited=30 Oct 2025
Relationships
4th cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
5th great-grandson of John Hearn
     James Val Lee Cotter is the son of James Franklin Cotter and Lorretta Marie Ziegenbalg. James Val Lee Cotter and Tracy Jean Plikuhn were engaged circa November 1982 at Sebastopol, Sonoma Co., California. James Val Lee Cotter married Tracy Jean Plikuhn on 30 January 1983 at Seventh Day Adventist Church, Santa Rosa, Sonoma Co., California.1 James Val Lee Cotter married Burcu Berk on 11 May 2004 at Bexar Co., Texas. James Val Lee Cotter and Burcu Berk were divorced on 22 May 2008 at Bexar Co., Texas.

Citations

  1. [S3337] Cotter/Plikuhn wed, Sonoma West Times and News (Sebastopol, California), newspapers.com, 18 February 1983, 12. Hereinafter cited as Sonoma West Times and News.

Valeri Zaharie Cotter

F, #12071
Last Edited=27 Oct 2025
Relationships
4th cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
5th great-granddaughter of John Hearn
     Valeri Zaharie Cotter married Ron Glauser. Valeri Zaharie Cotter is the daughter of James Franklin Cotter and Lorretta Marie Ziegenbalg.

Vivian Claudette Cotter

F, #12068
Last Edited=27 Oct 2025
Relationships
4th cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
5th great-granddaughter of John Hearn
     Vivian Claudette Cotter is the daughter of James Franklin Cotter and Lorretta Marie Ziegenbalg. Vivian Claudette Cotter married Steven Allen Mueller on 4 June 1988 at Walla Walla Co., Washington.

Children of Vivian Claudette Cotter and Steven Allen Mueller

Carol Ann Cotterill

F, #1795, b. 25 April 1947, d. 3 August 2016
Last Edited=2 Feb 2021
Relationships
4th cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
8th great-granddaughter of Francis (1) Purdy
10th great-granddaughter of Joris Jansen De Rappalje
     Carol Ann Cotterill was born on 25 April 1947 at Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York.1 She was the daughter of Leslie Vernon Cotterill and Virginia Marie Reyna. Carol Ann Cotterill died on 3 August 2016 at Buffalo, Erie Co., New York, at age 69.

Citations

  1. [S891] Paul Bradley Purdy (321), A branch of the Purdy family descending from David and Eliza Ann Purdy with David's line from Francis Purdy of Fairfield 1595-1658. FHL Call Number 929.273 P972, pg 27 (Flint, Michigan: Purdy self-published, c1962). Hereinafter cited as The David Purdy Family.

Glenn Edward Cotterill

M, #7224, b. 25 April 1895, d. 5 November 1962
Last Edited=10 Sep 2014
     Glenn Edward Cotterill was born on 25 April 1895 at New York. He married Hazel Marie Nickerson circa 1924. Glenn Edward Cotterill died on 5 November 1962 at age 67.

Child of Glenn Edward Cotterill and Hazel Marie Nickerson

Karen Marie Cotterill

F, #1797
Last Edited=31 Aug 1997
Relationships
4th cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
8th great-granddaughter of Francis (1) Purdy
10th great-granddaughter of Joris Jansen De Rappalje
     Karen Marie Cotterill is the daughter of Leslie Vernon Cotterill and Virginia Marie Reyna.

Leslie Vernon Cotterill

M, #1366, b. 31 December 1925, d. 31 January 1996
Last Edited=10 Sep 2014
     Leslie Vernon Cotterill was born on 31 December 1925 at Dryden, Tompkins Co., New York.1 He was the son of Glenn Edward Cotterill and Hazel Marie Nickerson. Leslie Vernon Cotterill married Virginia Marie Reyna, daughter of Albert Edward Reyna and Martha Aileen Brewer, on 28 September 1946 at Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York.2 Leslie Vernon Cotterill died on 31 January 1996 at Spring Hill, Hernando Co., Florida, at age 70. He was buried at Willow Glen Cemetery, Dryden, Tompkins Co., New York, Plot: Lot 22 Section 97.

Children of Leslie Vernon Cotterill and Virginia Marie Reyna

Citations

  1. [S401] Paul Bradley PURDY (321), A branch of the Purdy family descending from David and Eliza Ann Purdy with David's line from Francis Purdy of Fairfield 1595-1658. FHL Call Number 929.273 P972, pg 27 (Flint, Michigan: Purdy self-published, c1962). Hereinafter cited as The David Purdy Family.
  2. [S891] Paul Bradley Purdy (321), A branch of the Purdy family descending from David and Eliza Ann Purdy with David's line from Francis Purdy of Fairfield 1595-1658. FHL Call Number 929.273 P972, pg 27 (Flint, Michigan: Purdy self-published, c1962). Hereinafter cited as The David Purdy Family.

Nancy Lee Cotterill

F, #1796
Last Edited=31 Aug 1997
Relationships
4th cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
8th great-granddaughter of Francis (1) Purdy
10th great-granddaughter of Joris Jansen De Rappalje
     Nancy Lee Cotterill is the daughter of Leslie Vernon Cotterill and Virginia Marie Reyna.

Helen Louise Cotton

F, #4166, b. 10 August 1908, d. 21 September 1971
Last Edited=5 May 2025
     SOURCE: Letter from Robert Doud Martin Jr.,16Jul1996. Helen Louise Cotton was born on 10 August 1908 at Mentor, Clark Co., Wisconsin.1 She married Thomas L. Connally Jr., son of Thomas L. Connally Sr. and Anna Mabel Harn, on 23 July 1945 at King Co., Washington. Helen Louise Cotton died on 21 September 1971 at Seattle, King Co., Washington, at age 63.1 She was buried on 25 September 1971 at Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park, Seattle, King Co., Washington.1

Child of Helen Louise Cotton and Thomas L. Connally Jr.

Citations

  1. [S2545] Findagrave.com website, database and images (Find a Grave, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah ), Helen Louise (Cotton) Connally, Memorial ID 15184724,
    Birth: 10 August 1908, Mentor, Clark County, Wisconsin, USA
    Death: 21 September 1971, Seattle, King County, Washington, USA
    Burial: Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park, Seattle, King County, Washington
    Source: Find a Grave
    SourceCitation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15184724/helen_louise-connally: accessed May 5, 2025), memorial page for Helen Louise Cotton Connally (10 Aug 1908–21 Sep 1971), Find a Grave Memorial ID 15184724, citing Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park, Seattle, King County, Washington, USA; Maintained by Karen Sipe (contributor 46846911).

    Parents
    William Cotton 1884–1943
    Ida Blanche Tennant Cotton 1886–1916
    Spouses
    Thomas L Connally Jr 1918–1988 (m. 1945)
    Siblings
    Zelma Mae Cotton Rose 1913–1957
    Evelyn Cotton 1914–1915
    Children
    Carolyn Louise Connally 1940–1949
    Image URL: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2006/218/15184724_115501305336.jpg,.

Jeffrey A. Cottrell1

M, #7181
Last Edited=29 Feb 2020
     Jeffrey A. Cottrell married Laurie Lynn Squires, daughter of Robert Gordon Squires and Anita Rae Nicely, on 21 June 1980 at Hennepin Co., Minnesota.1 Jeffrey A. Cottrell and Laurie Lynn Squires were divorced on 27 May 1981 at Hennepin Co., Minnesota.2

Citations

  1. [S2307] Minnesota, Marriage Collection, 1958-2001 about Laurie L Squires: Minnesota, Marriage Collection, 1958-2001
    Name: Laurie L Squires
    Gender: Female
    Birth Date: abt 1961
    Age: 19
    Spouse: Jeffrey A. Cottrell
    State: Minnesota

    Source Information:

    Ancestry.com. Minnesota, Marriage Collection, 1958-2001 (database on-line). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.
    Original data: •Minnesota Department of Health. Minnesota Marriages, 1997-2001. Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, Minnesota.
    •Minnesota Center for Health Statistics, Office of the State Registrar. Minnesota Marriage Index, 1958-1995. Minnesota Center for Health Statistics, Office of the State Registrar, St. Paul, Minnesota., Ancestry.com website, Ancestry, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah. Hereinafter cited as Minnesota, Marriage Collection, 1958-2001.
  2. [S2308] Minnesota, Divorce Index, 1970-1995 about Laurie L Cottrell, online www.ancestry.com, Minnesota, Divorce Index, 1970-1995
    Name: Laurie L Cottrell
    Gender: Female
    Estimated birth year: abt 1961
    Age: 20
    Spouse Name: Jeffrey A Cottrell
    Gender: Male
    Estimated birth year: abt 1960
    Age: 21
    Divorce Date: 27 May 1981
    Divorce County: Hennepin

    Source Information:
    Ancestry.com. Minnesota, Divorce Index, 1970-1995 (database on-line). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
    Original data: Minnesota Statewide Divorce Index, 1970-1995. St Paul, MN, USA: Minnesota Department of Health.. Hereinafter cited as Minnesota, Divorce Index, 1970-1995.

Johanna Viola Coulson

F, #10478, b. 28 October 1896, d. 29 February 1972
Last Edited=19 Dec 2024
     Johanna Viola Coulson was born on 28 October 1896 at Snohomish Co., Washington. She married Clarence Russell Perkins, son of Jonathan Raymond Perkins and Alfrieta Twombly, on 26 August 1913 at Everett, Snohomish Co., Washington. Johanna Viola Coulson died on 29 February 1972 at Tacoma, Pierce Co., Washington, at age 75. She was cremated.

Children of Johanna Viola Coulson and Clarence Russell Perkins

Thresa Counsil

F, #4677
Last Edited=5 Oct 2022
     Thresa Counsil married Steven Jay Nichols, son of Arthur S. Nichols and Eva J. Maddox, between 1977 and 1978 at Oklahoma.

Child of Thresa Counsil and Steven Jay Nichols

Citations

  1. [S2372] Steven J. Nichols (November 11, 1959 – January 20, 2016), Sweetwater Now, http://sweetwaternow.com/101561-2/, 21 Jan 2016, n/a. Hereinafter cited as Sweetwater Now.

Nancy Ann Counts1

F, #5103, b. 1858, d. 1887
Last Edited=3 Feb 2025
Relationships
3rd great-grandmother of Terresa Ann Struck
4th great-grandmother of Kristin Lynn Legerski
     Nancy Ann Counts was born in 1858 at Reynolds, Reynolds Co., Missouri. She married William Thomas Christopher in 1874.1 Nancy Ann Counts died in 1887 at Jeff, Perry Co., Kentucky.

Children of Nancy Ann Counts and William Thomas Christopher

Citations

  1. [S1705] Web site of Merrill and Sharon Sanders, online http://www.pilotindexpeak.com/. Hereinafter cited as Web site of Merrill and Sharon Sanders.

Gary Duane Couse1

M, #5019, b. 6 February 1930, d. 25 May 1994
Last Edited=19 Mar 2024
Relationships
1st cousin 1 time removed of Jody Ann Redman
Great-grandson of Adin Fellows
     Gary Duane Couse was born on 6 February 1930 at Nebraska.2,3 He was the son of Phillip Andrew Couse and Garnet Fellows.1 Gary Duane Couse married Ruth Anna (?) on 10 October 1952. Gary Duane Couse died on 25 May 1994 at age 64.3 He was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff Co., Nebraska.3

Census

CensusDatePlace
Census12 April 1930Willow Grove, Red Willow Co., Nebraska, list as 2/12 years old and born in Nebraska.
Census5 April 1940Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff Co., Nebraska4

Citations

  1. [S1698] Ruby Fellows, "Redman and Fellows Family Information", ca. 1973 (Caldwell, Idaho). Hereinafter cited as "Redman and Fellows Family Information."
  2. [S2130] Fellows, 05 Apr 1940 census, Ancestry, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah, 1940; Census Place: Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska; Roll: T627_2264; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 79-25A, Ancestry.com website 1940 United States Federal Census (database on-line). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, 1940; Census Place: Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska; Roll: T627_2264; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 79-25A.
  3. [S2545] Findagrave.com website, database and images (Find a Grave, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah ), Gary Duane Couse, Memorial ID 116387313,
    Birth: 6 February 1930
    Death: 25 May 1994
    Burial: Fairview Cemetery, Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska
    Source: Find a Grave
    SourceCitation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/116387313/gary_duane-couse: accessed March 19, 2024), memorial page for Gary Duane Couse (6 Feb 1930–25 May 1994), Find a Grave Memorial ID 116387313, citing Fairview Cemetery, Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, USA; Maintained by buffalotable (contributor 48813362).

    Parents
    Phillip Andrew Couse 1898–1952
    Garnet Fellows Coe 1907–1946
    Spouses
    Ruth Anna Lougee Couse 1932–2009 (m. 1952)
    Siblings
    Richard Couse 1927–1935
    Half Siblings
    Charlotte R Coe Shaw 1937–2008
    Roland Boyd Coe 1939–2020
    Image URL: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2017/218/116387313_1502094496.jpg,.
  4. [S2130] 05 Apr 1940 census, Ancestry, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah, 1940; Census Place: Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska; Roll: T627_2264; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 79-25A, 1940 United States Federal Census
    Name:     Garnet Coe
    Respondent:     Yes
    Age:     32
    Estimated Birth Year:     abt 1908
    Gender:     Female
    Race:     White
    Birthplace:     Nebraska
    Marital Status:     Married
    Relation to Head of House:     Wife
    Home in 1940:     Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska
    Map of Home in 1940:     
    Street:     Second Avenue
    House Number:     1415
    Inferred Residence in 1935:     Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska
    Residence in 1935:     Same Place
    Resident on farm in 1935:     No
    Sheet Number:     6B
    Attended School or College:     No
    Highest Grade Completed:     High School, 4th year
    Weeks Worked in 1939:     0
    Income:     0
    Income Other Sources:     No
    Household Members:     
    Name     Age
    Clarence Coe 37
    Garnet Coe 32
    Gary Coe 10
    Charlotte Coe 2
    Roland Coe 11/12

    Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska; Roll: T627_2264; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 79-25A.
    Source Information:
    Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census (database on-line). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
    Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

Phillip Andrew Couse1

M, #5017, b. 1900, d. 1952
Last Edited=25 Nov 2020
     Phillip Andrew Couse was born in 1900 at Nebraska. He married Garnet Fellows, daughter of George Elbert Fellows and Minnie Inez Lilly, circa 1925.1 Phillip Andrew Couse died in 1952.2 He was buried at Riverview Cemetery, McCook, Red Willow Co., Nebraska.2

Census

CensusDatePlace
Census12 April 1930Willow Grove, Red Willow Co., Nebraska, listed as 31 years old and born in Nebraska.

Children of Phillip Andrew Couse and Garnet Fellows

Citations

  1. [S1698] Ruby Fellows, "Redman and Fellows Family Information", ca. 1973 (Caldwell, Idaho). Hereinafter cited as "Redman and Fellows Family Information."
  2. [S2545] Findagrave.com website, database and images (Find a Grave, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah ), Phillip Andrew Couse, Memorial ID 13684201,
    Birth: 1898, Red Willow County, Nebraska, USA
    Death: 1952
    Burial: Riverview Cemetery, McCook, Red Willow County, Nebraska
    Source: Find a Grave
    SourceCitation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed 25 November 2020), memorial page for Phillip Andrew Couse (1898–1952), Find a Grave Memorial no. 13684201, citing Riverview Cemetery, McCook, Red Willow County, Nebraska, USA; Maintained by Oldergraver (contributor 46781826).
    Parents Edgar Fulton Couse 1858–1911 Louise B Butler Couse 1864–1928
    Siblings Elvin Troy Couse 1889–1937 Paul Harrold Couse 1891–1958 Owen Fulton Couse 1893–1946 Roger Butler Couse 1900–1983
    Children Richard Couse 1927–1935 Gary Duane Couse 1930–1994,.

Richard Couse1

M, #5018, b. 5 November 1927, d. 2 May 1935
Last Edited=19 Mar 2024
Relationships
1st cousin 1 time removed of Jody Ann Redman
Great-grandson of Adin Fellows
     Richard Couse was born on 5 November 1927 at Nebraska.2 He was the son of Phillip Andrew Couse and Garnet Fellows.1 Richard Couse died on 2 May 1935 at age 7.2 He was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff Co., Nebraska.2

Census

CensusDatePlace
Census12 April 1930Willow Grove, Red Willow Co., Nebraska, listed as 2 years old and born in Nebraska.

Citations

  1. [S1698] Ruby Fellows, "Redman and Fellows Family Information", ca. 1973 (Caldwell, Idaho). Hereinafter cited as "Redman and Fellows Family Information."
  2. [S2545] Findagrave.com website, database and images (Find a Grave, 1300 West Traverse Parkway, Lehi, Utah Co., Utah ), Richard Couse, Memorial ID 106207333,
    Birth: 5 November 1927
    Death: 2 May 1935
    Burial: Fairview Cemetery, Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska
    Source: Find a Grave
    SourceCitation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106207333/richard-couse: accessed March 19, 2024), memorial page for Richard Couse (5 Nov 1927–2 May 1935), Find a Grave Memorial ID 106207333, citing Fairview Cemetery, Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, USA; Maintained by buffalotable (contributor 48813362).

    Parents
    Phillip Andrew Couse 1898–1952
    Garnet Fellows Coe 1907–1946
    Siblings
    Gary Duane Couse 1930–1994
    Half Siblings
    Charlotte R Coe Shaw 1937–2008
    Roland Boyd Coe 1939–2020
    Image URL: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2017/85/106207333_1490606047.jpg,.

Ada Grace Cousland

F, #5643, b. 17 May 1890, d. 28 May 1983
Last Edited=13 Jun 2024
     Ada Grace Cousland was born in May 1890 at Kansas info from 1900 Kansas Census. She was born on 17 May 1890 at Miltonvale, Cloud Co., Kansas.1 She was the daughter of Henry Roger Cousland and Nellie (?) Ada Grace Cousland married Owen Lancaster.1 Ada Grace Cousland married Otis Starkey.1 Ada Grace Cousland died on 28 May 1983 at age 93.

Census

CensusDatePlace
Census1 June 1900El Dorado Twsp., Butler Co., Kansas, Ada Grace listed as born May 1890 in Kansas

Citations

  1. [S1775] George Everett Cousland, "Joseph Cousland Family," e-mail message from e-mail address (255 Spring Creek, Branson, MO 65616) to Steven Harn Redman, 21 Jan 2007. Hereinafter cited as "Joseph Cousland Family."

Archibald Cousland1

M, #5656, b. 15 January 1852
Last Edited=21 Jan 2007
     Archibald Cousland was born on 15 January 1852 at Ottawa, Carleton Co., Ontario, Canada.1 He was the son of Joseph Cousland and Jeannette White.1

Citations

  1. [S1775] George Everett Cousland, "Joseph Cousland Family," e-mail message from e-mail address (255 Spring Creek, Branson, MO 65616) to Steven Harn Redman, 21 Jan 2007. Hereinafter cited as "Joseph Cousland Family."

Brennan Cousland

F, #10426
Last Edited=17 Sep 2024
Relationships
5th cousin of Steven Harn Redman
9th great-granddaughter of Francis (1) Purdy
11th great-granddaughter of Joris Jansen De Rappalje
     Brennan Cousland is the daughter of Craig Roger Cousland and Nancy Jo Hensley. Brennan Cousland married Ryan Eilert.

Children of Brennan Cousland and Ryan Eilert

Cornelius W. Cousland1

M, #5659, b. 24 December 1856
Last Edited=21 Jan 2007
     Cornelius W. Cousland was born on 24 December 1856 at Ottawa, La Salle Co., Illinois.1 He was the son of Joseph Cousland and Jeannette White.1

Citations

  1. [S1775] George Everett Cousland, "Joseph Cousland Family," e-mail message from e-mail address (255 Spring Creek, Branson, MO 65616) to Steven Harn Redman, 21 Jan 2007. Hereinafter cited as "Joseph Cousland Family."

Craig Roger Cousland

M, #2510
Last Edited=15 Sep 2024
Relationships
4th cousin 1 time removed of Steven Harn Redman
8th great-grandson of Francis (1) Purdy
10th great-grandson of Joris Jansen De Rappalje
     Craig Roger Cousland is the son of Leon Roger Cousland and Helen Marie Purdy. Craig Roger Cousland married Nancy Jo Hensley in 1972.

Children of Craig Roger Cousland and Nancy Jo Hensley