Albert "A.R." was the oldest of 3 sons born to George Washington and Jennie ELDRIDGE BAWDEN in Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, where his lawyer father was president of the Iowa Mortgage Company.

In 1895 the family moved back to Davenport (parents natives) where AR graduated from Davenport [Central] High School in May 1905...two months after his father's death in March in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, of diabetes.

He began his career as a clerk with the First National Bank of Davenport until he purchased the newsstand of the I & I Interurban station at 217 Brady St. In 1908 his brother, George Ray "Ray" and in 1912, another brother Harry ELDRIDGE joined him in the business.

Albert married Mabelle/Mabel Maude BUFORD on 15 Oct 1913 in the home of her sister, George and Ella Mathilda SCHWENKER in Rock Island, Rock Island, Illinois. She was the daughter of John R., born Nov 1847 in Sweden and Mathilda OKERBERG BUFORD.

Mabelle was born 14 April 1886 in Moline, Illinois, and graduated from Moline High School. She was a member of Davenport's First Presbyterian Church, Women's Club and Ladies of the Davenport Rotary. She died 6 Nov 1940 of breast cancer and is buried in Davenport's Oakdale Cemetery public mausoleum.

On 24 May 1945, Albert married Margaret Theresa "Tess" HART in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. She was born 26 Feb 1904 in Davenport to Leonard and Mary MULVAHILL HART, a descendant of Peter and Mary Margaret DOUGHERTY HART, who came to Davenport from Ireland with their children in 1854. Tess graduated from Smart Junior High School, formerly West Intermediate School, then from ELLIOTT FISHER Bookkeeping/Machine School in Rock Island. She was employed in the office of Davenport Locomotive works before becoming bookkeeper and cashier at BAWDEN Bros. Inc, the business her husband and 2 brothers founded from the I&I Interurban ticket office.

AR watched his business grow from a small newsstand in the interurban waiting room into a photo engraving and printing firm; he was president at his death on 1 Jan 1949.

He was director of the Davenport Chamber of Commerce and president of Davenport Rotary Club 1933-34. In 1942 he was elected to the highest layman office in the Presbyterian Church as Ruling Elder. Albert is interred in Davenport's Oakdale Cemetery public mausoleum. Tess died 12 Aug 1991 in Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois' St. John's Hospital and is buried in Davenport's Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

Tess lived in their home at 29 Edgehill Terrace in Davenport with mother-in-law Jennie ELDRIDGE BAWDEN.

AR and Mabelle had 4 children all in Davenport: Virginia Jane born 6 Aug 1915 and died 6 August 1915; Marian Jane born 12 Jan 1920 (seperate bio); Robert Albert born 2 Jan 1927 (seperate bio).
AR and Tess had 1 child in Davenport: Ralph ELDRIDGE born 13 Aug 1946 (seperate bio)

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BUFORD INFO:
1. Ella Mathilda was born 13 Oct 1880 in Moline, she died 7 Nov 1963 in Moline. She married George SCHWENKER 25 Nov 1912.
2. Mabelle and Ella had a brother, LeRoy BUFORD, no BMD.
John and Mathilda OKERBERG were married 9 Nov 1879 in Rock Island, Illinois.