Cynthia (Crescentia) Breimayer, the third known child of Ferdinand and Agata Bauer Breimayer, was born in Freedom Twp, Washtenaw Cty, Michigan, on 1 DEC 1864, baptized 10 Apr 1864, died 23 MAR 1938 at her home, and is interred with her husband in the Smyrna Cemetery, Otisco Twp. She may have been named after her grandmother Maria Creszentia Eisele Braeumayer, and her name was Anglicized to Cynthia.

In an 1882 baptismal record from St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Belding, Michigan Crescentia Breymeier is listed as godmother at the baptism of Josephus (Joseph Lewis) Fisher, her sister Josephine's son.

Cynthia Breimayer is mentioned in Cowles family genealogies. The several Cowles family farms in Keene and Otisco Twps and in neighboring Kent Cty appear to be related family members descending from Solomon and Persis Shaw Cowles from Marion, NY, both interred in the Smyrna Cemetery with many other Cowles family members. Their sons and daughters who settled in this area included Charles Spencer Cowles, Richard B. Cowles, Clarissa Jane Cowles, and Louisa Cowles.

On July 24, 1884, Cynthia Breimayer married Charles Edward Cowles (b. 24 AUG 1863, d. 1926) son of Charles Spencer Cowles. A Cowles family genealogy lists only their first three children and states that she and Charles Edward both died in 1897. However, her Michigan Death certificate indicates that Cynthia died 23 MAR 1938. The St. Mary's Miriam Catholic Church cemetery list provides her date of death as 12 MAR 1938 at age 75 years, which is one year older than her 1 MAR 1864, birth date. The Smyrna Cemetery list includes the interment of Cynthia in 1938 at age 74 in the same plot as Charles Edward Cowles whose date of death is stated as 1926 at age 63 years. I am fairly certain from her death certificate that she and Charles Edward are interred together in the Smyrna Cemetery.

Three children are listed in the 1900 census:

James Rufo Cowles b. 9 MAY 1885, d. 21 MAR 1894, interred in the Smyrna Cemetery;

Leo Cowles b. 28 JUN 1889, d. 18 OCT 1959, interred in St. Mary's Miriam Cemetery; and

Cynthia Adelia (Addia in the 1900 census) Cowles b. 13 APR 1892, d. 1975, interred in St. Mary's Miriam Cemetery.

The 1900 census also lists a niece "Vene" whose mother is listed as born in Germany, living with them. This census listing of Charles Edward, refutes the 1897 death date attributed to him in a Cowles family genealogy.

Cynthia A. Cowles married Hugo J. Gasper, and a Rootsweb posting of Otisco Twp births lists a son Donald J. Gasper born 28 NOV 1911, d. 2004, and interred with his wife in nearby Saranac Cemetery, Saranac, MI.

The St. Mary's Miriam Cemetery also includes children and a grandchild of Leo:

Leo Clare, son of Leo d. 1924;

Paula Jean, daughter of Leo, d. 1933;

Roland J. (Rod) Cowles, son of Leo b. 10 JUN 1919, d. 21 APR 1982, m. Berneice L. Donovan b. 6 JUL 1920, d. 19 AUG 1995; and

Judy A. Cowles, daughter of Rod and Berneice Cowles b. 13 MAY 1943, d. 20 JUL 1991.

According to both the 1910 census and 1920 census, the household of Edward C. Cowles included Leo and Cynthia Adelia or Adell listed above as well as:

James Spencer Cowles – according to his obituary and a Rootsweb listing of Otisco Twp births b. 16 AUG 1908, d. 18 MAR 1989, interred in Smyrna Cemetery with his wife Marie Louise Cowles b. 1919, d. 1993;

John William Cowles - according to the obituary for William Cowles, b. 2 JUL 1904, d. 16 OCT 1954 in an auto accident, m. Merna Pauline Whitefield b. 5 Apr 1904, d. 23 JUN 2001, on 15 Feb 1930, both interred in Smyrna Cemetery; and

Richard Cowles – according to the obituary of William Cowles, he was living in Lansing in 1954 - Find A Grave includes memorials for Richard Cowles b. 1901, d. 1971, his first wife Ceresta b. 1901, d. 1947 and his second wife Pauline P. Cowles, b 1909, d. 1977, all interred in Evergreen Cemetery, Lansing, MI - the 1940 census lists Richard Cowles, wife Ceresta, daughter Mary A., and son Robert C. Cowles residing in Ward 3, Lansing, MI.

This census data, the obituaries, and the birth record therefore establish that they had three more children all born after 1900. The 1900 and 1920 censuses also list the family of Charles Spencer Cowles on the adjoining property.

One son of John W. or William Cowles, Frederick (Fred) A. Cowles, b.13 DEC 1930, died in a well remembered auto accident between Belding and Greenville MI on 27 SEP 1955 about one year after his father's fatal auto accident, and he is also interred in Smyrna Cemetery.