Journey to His Past

These four humble headstones are known as the Dollaway babies in Kirk's family.  They are Clarence, Herold, Lula and Edward Dollaway, the children of Willis G. and Francis (Denny) Dollaway from Lowell, Kent, Michigan.

I received the above copy from a 'cousin' of Kirk's who is a Dollaway descendant and lives in Lowell, Michigan.  She wrote on the picture "Tombstones made out of marble candy boxes in candy factory where their father Willis worked".

The Dollaway babies are buried in Rolfe Cemetery, Lowell Township, Kent, Michigan, which is located at 9790 E. Fulton Street (M-21), to the west of Lowell.  Rolfe Cemetery has been known as Roth Coons Cemetery, Simpson Cemetery and Mathews Cemetery.

The tombstones and their inscriptions from top left to bottom right are:

The Dollaway surname can be found on Kirk's maternal line of ancestors.  I am not sure of the origin of the name, but I believe it may be English in origin.  The Dollaway's can be found in the United States as early as 1762.  Kirk's line of Dollaway's came from New York (Dutchess, Orange, and Schuyler counties) and Lowell Township, Kent, Michigan.

Here is Kirk's lineage of Dollaway's:

Kirk
Elizabeth
Leona Adelia Dollaway (30 May 1905-2 July 2005)
Willis George Dollaway (29 October 1863-28 June 1940)
Andrew Dollaway (1840-)
Isaac Dollaway (1810-1861)
Andrew Dollaway (about 1762-27 May 1826)