Biography of Harry Roughton

Henry Roughton was born January 9, 1869 in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England to Police Sergeant, James Roughton( b.1838) and homemaker Louisa Ashton (b.1838). Henry had two brothers and a sister; Susannah born, February 23, 1867, Frederick, born February 16, 1874 and James born August 10, 1875.

Henry marries Margaret Amy Plater, (b.1869) at Baptist Chapel, Wisbech, and Cambridgeshire on December 19, 1886. They produce one son, James Frederick Roughton, born January 7 1887 or 1888. James is raised by his maternal grandparents; cattle dealer Frederick Plater (b.1836) and homemaker Martha Ann Patterson (b.1842).

Henry leaves his young wife and son for America, arriving on June 27, 1888. Taking up residence in Grand Rapids, MI.

Henry, now Harry marries Gertrude Nyhoff (b.1873) in Grand Rapids, MI on January 17, 1895. The marriage is short lived lasting only 5 years they divorce on September 30, 1899. They do not have any children.

Harry then marries Adele Eliza Stroub (b.1871) on October 12, 1899 in Grand Rapids. Just weeks after his divorce from Gertrude. Della and Harry have one son, Marion Edward Roughton born February 2, 1902. . Marion Edward dies on February 19, 1906, from burns he received from a kitchen stove on the day of his 4th birthday Party. Marion’s death certificate indicates he was adopted

Harry becomes a prominent businessman in Grand Rapids, MI. establishing Ridgeway Dairy, a reputable dairy delivery business. This business is said to have been bankrolled by money brought to the marriage by Della. Harry and Della have a rocky marriage with Harry frequenting the cities saloons. On May 1, 1911, Harry assaults Della with a milk bottle and she spends two days in Kent County Detention Hospital. Della swears out a warrant on Harry for “Assault with the intent to Murder”.

At this time Harry leaves for Chicago, IL. to visit his brother Frederick Roughton. Frederick had emigrated to America in 1905, staying for a short time in Grand Rapids, and then moving on to Chicago, IL., were he was a shoe salesman.

Sometime in the early part of 1911, while they were living together as husband and wife, Della secures a divorce from Harry and in the divorce she is awarded the dairy business located at 259 Plainfield Ave and real estate located on Cottage Grove Ave and Palmer Ave. (lending credence to the rumor the money to build the business was brought to the marriage by Della). When Harry returns from Chicago, he now works for his wife at the business he built.

Della has since moved into rooms at the Aldrich Block at the corner of Ottawa and Monroe Streets in Grand Rapids. Harry visits Della at her rooms on July 11, 1911, and after an altercation between the two Della is mortally wounded, dying the next day at the Butterworth Hospital from three gunshot wounds to the face.

Harry walks always from the murder scene and travels by foot 50 miles to the farming community of Iona, MI. He is employed as a farm hand on Charles Andrews farm taking the name Frank Brown.

Harry is retrieved from Iona on Feb.2, 1912, to stand trial in the murder of his ex-wife Della Roughton.

The trial starts on March 18, 1912 with much speculation, calling Della’s sister Madge King to give testimony as she was present at the shooting. The trial continues for 12 days where testimony is given that Harry has a violent temper and had entered an asylum in Evansville, IN and taken the Keely Cure for alcoholism. Harry is acquitted on April 1, 1912. The jury is out for one and half hours with a verdict of not guilty.

Harry soon remarries again this time to 17 year old, Clara Brown (b. 1896) from Iona, MI. Clara is from the same community that Harry hid in after Clara’s murder. Harry and Clara wed in Windsor, Canada on December 9, 1912.
They produce 7 sons and one daughter;
James born, May 23, 1912
William born, August 26, 1913
Frederick born, February 26, 1917
Miriam born, January 2, 1919
Robert born, ABT 1921
Paul born, August 15, 1925
Edward June 29, 1929
Kenneth born, May 11, 1192

An interesting note is that the their oldest son, James is born May 23, 1912. Meaning he was born 7 months before his parents’ marriage and 10 months after Della’s murder.

Harry continued his milk delivery business in Ionia and then farmed in the Hadley township of Lapeer, MI, He dies in Lapeer on July 11, 1933, of brain cancer. He is buried in Grand Rapids next to Della and Marion.

Clara moves to Toledo, OH, with her children until her death in 1965.

James Frederick, his oldest son born 1887, comes to America in June 1, 1905, and is listed in the Grand Rapids City Directory in 1907. He reappears in 1910 in Portland, OR. Where he lives until his death in 1960.

Margaret Amy Plater continues to reside in England leaving her son from her marriage to Harry to be raised by her parents. She marries Charles Hayes on January 30, 1893 and is charged with bigamy on October 4, 1893. She pleads guilty and her father- in-law James Roughton bails her out of jail. Margaret Amy Plater gives birth to her child with Charles Hayes in early 1894, the infant dies in 1895. She names her daughter, Margaret Amy Roughton.

Gertrude Nyhoff remarries March 1, 1902 to Harry J Neal. She is not known to have had children.

This information from this biography is taken directly from birth, marriage and death certificates, newspaper articles and public documents. I have not added any information that does not have a documented source, most of the information comes from The Grand Rapid's Press. These articles can be found on my public tree.

Lorri Roughton