DR. W.H. APLIN (HIS STORY)
Dr. W.H. Aplin
His Story
William Higginson Aplin was born Sept. 26,1847 in Guernsey Co. ,Ohio to Albert C. and Elizabeth Anna(Miller) Aplin. Albert b.1817-1897) and Anna (b1821-1904). In the 1850 census the family lived in Ohio, also in 1860 census. By the 1870 census the entire family had moved to Iowa, and William H. was teaching school.
In 1873, on October 15, William was married to Mariah Ann Earp, age 26 of Marion Co. Iowa. [side note this is close to Pella, Iowa, home of Wyatt Earp, Morgan and Virgil of the O.K. Corral fame in Tombstone, Arizona. Mariah Ann Earp was 1st cousin to the famous Earp Brothers. He father Lorenzo Dow Earp and the Earp brothers father Nicholas Porter Earp were brothers. A child was born to Nicholas Earp , named Mariah Ann in 1838, and died in 1839, so possibly Mariah Ann Earp Aplin was named in her honor ]
Mariah was born in 1844- she passed away on July 23,1874, 9 months after their marriage.(possibly childbirth complications, although unable to find any information to this effect.)
In the 1880 census William is listed as a widower and still teaching school. He is living with his brother Benjamin, who is a farmer. In the 1885 Iowa Census a profession is not listed, but he is still living with brother.
In William’s obituary it states that he chose to become a physician, as many of his ancestors had. He studied at the “University Medical College of Iowa”. He located to Hamilton, Missouri to practice his profession in 1887. He lived with his sister Mrs. W.C. McCoy for 3 years. In his immediate family were 6 brothers, of which 4 were Physicians.
On June 4, 1890, occurred his 2nd marriage to Miss Louisa Belle Eggleston, at her fathers home in Daviess Co, Mo. Her obituary states she was born on a farm North of Marian, Iowa August 29th ,1864, the daughter of Oliver d. and Louise (Miles)Eggleston. She was graduated from the Hamilton High School in 1882.
They made their home in Hamilton, and in the 1900 census they were listed as having two 9 year old daughters. In 1910 census the daughters were 18yrs old and a 4 yr old adopted daughter named Bernice was also listed along with William and Belle.
William passed away at his home in Hamilton, Mo on Sept. 14,1912. His body is in a mausoleum in the Highland cemetery, with the name Aplin over the door. In the obituary this is how his survivors were listed; “the wife and two daughters, Olevia Elizabeth, and Lola Eleanor survive him”. No mention of Bernice.
With further investigation I have found that Belle, Lola, Olevia and Bernice show up in 1920 census in Battle City, Michigan. All living together. In 1927 Bernice worked at the Battle City Sanitarium, and in 1930 census was listed as a roomer at a different address from mother and sisters.
She was married in 1947 in Alabama.
Belle lived with daughter Olevia and husband Harold Williamson, also Lola lived with them. Apparently Lola never married, her death cert. is listed under name Lola Aplin (Michigan 1986)
Mrs. Belle Aplin widow of Dr. W. H. Aplin ,one of the first women to engage extensively in the real estate business in Battle Creek, died at 4:35 P.M. at the home of her son-in-law and daughter in Battle Creek , Michigan on Friday, Nov. 19th, 1943. She operated her real estate business from home until 1935, when she and another daughter moved to Florida. Mrs. Aplin was active in establishing a museum in Cocoa Beach, Florida. In July 1938, her health failed and she moved back to Battle Creek, to live with daughter. Internment was in the Highland Cemetery, Hamilton Missouri. Besides the two daughters, Mrs. Williamson and Miss Aplin, who were twins, Mrs. Aplin is survived by two grandchildren, Mary Jane and William A. Williamson, both of Battle Creek, Michigan, a brother Orlen Eggleston of Abilene, Kansas, a sister-in-law, Mrs. Elmer Eggleston of Battle Creek. Mrs. Aplin’s services were held at the family vault in the Highland Cemetery.
