David Bower
The name Bower may have come from the German name Bauer, meaning farmer. The Bowers lived in a community of predominantly German heritage. The parents and ancestry of David Bower are unknown as yet.
David grew up the second of nine children, in a family that recognized education to be an opportunity, as his older brother became a doctor in the community. David practiced farming in Salem Township. He married Caroline Snyder, probably by 1852, and they had six children. When they had been married less that ten years, the Civil War began, and a combination of unfortunate choice and fate led to family tragedy.
Family tradition has it that before the war was over David was drafted to serve. He paid another man to go in his place, as was acceptable practice at the time. The war ended shortly after this agreement was made. Furthermore, David soon fell ill and in 1866 died of "white swelling". His wife Caroline was left with six children to raise, a farm to run, and the overwhelming $400 debt to repay. Her two sons were only eight and thirteen years old. Caroline gave the children to be raised by other families. Daughter Olive Bower was subsequently raised as a foster child in the home of Jacob and Clara Beals.
(Click here to read the full biography of David Bower)
| Date | Location | Notes | Sources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | calc. (before 7 Aug) 1826 | PA | [1][2] | |
| Marriage | 22 Sept 1852 | To Caroline Snyder | [3][4][7][9][10] | |
| Death | 1866 | see Source Notes | [3][7] | |
| Burial | 1866 | Salem Lutheran Cemetery, Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA | [3][4][7] |
Ancestry chart segment
Generation 4 Generation 5 Generation 6
+-- Unknown Bower
| (????-????)
+-- David Bower --+
| (1825-1866) |
Olive Samantha Bower --+ +-- [unknown]
(1862-1895) | (????-????)
+-- Caroline Snyder
(1831-1905)
Sources:
Children
Children with Caroline Snyder:
| Name | Gender | Date of Birth | Birthplace | Spouse | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris A. Bower | M | Sept 1853 | Maria S. Rugh | 5 children (in 1905): Arminta, Effie, John D., L. E. & Arthur Bower | [2][4][7][8] | |
| Laura Bower | F | ~ 1856 | James Tyler | [2][4][6][7][8] | ||
| Arthur I. Bower | M | ~1858/6 Dec 1862 | Martha H Snyder | reside Crestline OH Obituary date 12 May 1939, Mansfield OH |
[2][4][7][8][9][11] | |
| Emma Bower | F | between 1860 - 1866 | Emlenton PA | [unknown] Tyler | [7][8] | |
| Olive Samantha Bower | F | 1862 | James Francis Beals | Direct Line | [4][7][8][11] | |
| Theresa "Tase" Bower | F | 1864/65 | Peter E. Shakely, reside Knox PA |
[4][7][8][9] |
Places of Residence
| Location | Dates | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA | birth in 1825 | [1][2] | |
| Richland Twp, Clarion Co, PA | by 1850 | [1] | |
| Salem Twp, Clarion Co, PA | by 1860 - death in 1866 | [2][3]
|
Photos
MYSTERY PHOTO- Please help us identify these individuals. (See "About Mouser Ancestry" at bottom of page for contact information).
In this image, Joe Dittman and Minta Beals Dittman are the 2nd & 3rd figures from the right. (Minta is a daughter of Olive S. Bower) The house in the photo is that of the James F. Beals farm where Minta grew up, and not the Dittman house, so it is expected that the other unidentified persons are related to Minta Beals rather than to Joe Dittman. Costumes appear to be about turn of the century. Minta & Joe were married in 1901, so distant family may be visiting the newlyweds. The dark stylish clothes and hats suggest perhaps Minta's "city" cousins from Pittsburgh, some of the Bowers.
Sources
| Ref. Num. | Description | Image of original |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. Census 1850 Clarion Co. PA, Richland Twp., pg 31. Date of census 7 Aug 1850. Lines 11-16 show John Bower age 27, physician, Mary E. age 24, daughter (illegible)____ usa C. age 2, daughter Louisa H. age 1; David Bower age 24, potter; Lovina Neely (female) age 29. All born PA |  |
| 2 | 1860 United States Federal Census, Salem Twp., Clarion Co., PA, Page 20, lines 5-9 lists David Bower, 34,Farmer, real estate value 1,800, personal estate value 400, married to Caroline Bower, 29. They live with three children: son Paris A. Bower, 7; daughter Laura Bower, 4; and son Arthur Bower, 2. Everyone was born in PA. Paris A. Bower and Laura Bower attended school within the census year. This census is dated July 4, 1860. (1860 Census counted: everyone living in this family on June 1, 1860) |  |
| 3 | Gravestone transcription, Salem Lutheran Cemetery, Sept. 1991 by Elizabeth Wilson Williams.
| |
| 4 | Cemetery Association Record, Salem Lutheran Cemetery, transcribed Sept. 1991 by Elizabeth Wilson Williams. Records included:
|
transcription |
| 5 | History of Clarion County , edited by A. J. Davis, 1887, p. 610 'History of Salem Township'.
| |
| 6 | 1880 U. S. Federal Census, borough of Emlenton, Venango Co. PA, pg 39, ancestry.com pg. 13. Date of census 23 June 1880. Ln. 36: Laura Bower age 23, servant, she & parents born PA. Living in home of Elias Widle, 71; wife Louisa M., 63 born NY; son Bert,21, occupation miller. |  |
| 7 | Research Manuscript of Ella May Beals (Wilson) researched 1975-1985, including personal knowledge and interviews of her siblings Robert Beals and Bertha Beals (Chambers), and of her aunt Mary P. Kline (Fillgrove). Ella May Beals (Wilson) was a granddaughter of Olive S. Bower. | |
| 8 | Personal correspondence from Elizabeth Wilson Williams. | N/A
|
| 9 | Obituary of Carolyn Snyder Bower submitted by Nancy Beals Walls 2008, clipping without date or news source, expect 1905. Carolyn Snyder died "Saturday" at the home of granddaughter Arminta Bower of Oakdale. Age 76, born in Venango Co.; married David Bower in 1857. "He was killed during the war, leaving her with 5 small children." Member Evangelical Lutheran church of Lamartine PA. Survived by 2 daughters, Mrs. Jane Tyler of Oil City & Mrs. P. H. Shakely of Knox; 1 son Arthur Bower of Crestline OH; 5 grandchildren, Arminta, Effie, John D., L. E., & Arthur Bower of Oakdale. |
 |
| 10 | Marriage Certificate for David Bower and Caroline Snyder, contributed June 2008 from document collection of children of Donald Dittman (deceased). David Bower and Caroline Snyder were wed 22 Sept 1852, by Ephraim (Keiffer?), minister. Location not specified. |
 |
| 11 | 1870 U. S. Federal Census, Rockland Twp., Venango Co. PA, pg 7. Census date 24 June 1870. Lines 21-26: Family of John & Mariah Hetzler, and Irvin Bower age 12, born PA, attending school. |
 |
| 12 | 1870 U. S. Federal Census P.O. Shippenville, Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA, pg 23. Census date 20 aug 1870.
|
 |
| 13 | U.S. Census 1850 Clarion Co. PA, Richland Twp., pg 31. Date of census 7 Aug 1850.
|
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| 14 | Record books for Salem Lutheran Church, Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA. This collection of church record books was in the keeping of then pastor Kathleen Anderson, and was partially extracted in March 1995 by Elizabeth Ann Wilson Williams and Nancy Elizabeth Beals Walls. Transcriptions were incomplete due to time limitations and the quantity of material. Note: #Bower individuals whose connection not yet known. See full transcription link at right. I. Untitled, dated "Feby 20th 1846 , an old narrow handwritten record book. Church members (alphabetical listing):
|
Records of Salem Lutheran Church, partial transcription 1995 |
| 15 | Obituary of A.I.Bower, 12 May 1939 Mansfield News Journal, Mansfield OH, extracted on Ancestry.com Died age 76, at Crestline; Born 6 Dec. 1862, at Emlenton PA. Predeceased by parents David Bower and Carolyn Snyder Bower: three daughters Zona (sic. Zora) Morkel, Mae Bauer & Zoe Bower buried Canton OH; Spouse Martha Snyder | |
| 16 | Salem Lutheran Cemetery Association Record listing the siblings of David Bower, 1826-1856. It also lists his wife, Caroline Snyder, 1881-1909, and their children Paris Bower (m. Maria Rugh), Theresa (Tacy) Bower (m. Peter Shakley), Olive Bower (m. James Beals), Irvin Bower, and Laura Bower (m. [unknown] Tyler). | transcription |
Source notes
- Obituary of Caroline Snyder lists the marriage date of her and David Bower as 1857. The marriage certificate lists 1852, and children were born in 1853 and 1856. We assume the obituary to be in error.
- Records of Salem Lutheran Cemetery Association erroneous death date (1856) for David Bower likely comes from miss-transcription of gravestone. Other sources give the date as 1866, which corroborates the story of his death near the end of the Civil War. He appears in the 1860 census.
Also listed, a child of David & Caroline Bower named Irvin Bower. no additional information, but not an Arthur Bower. Ella Beals (Wilson), with origins in that community, lists Arthur Bower, but not Irvin.
- The obituary of A. I. Snyder suggests Arthur Irwin. The name "Irwin" was often pronounced "Irvin". This spelling-pronunciation confusion is also seen with others of our ancestry.
- Source 12: 1870 Census Rockland, Venango, PA: Irvin Bower, age 12, attending school. When David Bower died young, his wife Caroline had to ask other families to help raise the Bower children. Arthur Irwin "Irvin" may have been raised by the Hetzlers, of he may have been a farm worker, or both.
- Obituary of Caroline Snyder Bower lists daughter Jane Tyler of Oil City. Two daughters, Laura & Emma, married Tylers; we have not as yet determined which was named Jane & resided in Oil City.
- The connection between the Bower and Shakely families is interesting. There is a gravestone at Salem Lutheran Cemetery for a John Bower Sheakley, 1849-1905.
In the 1850 census, Dr. John Bower is the neighbor of the Shakely family whose children include 1 year old John B. Shakely. It is possible that the Shakely family simply named a son for their neighbor, who possibly helped deliver the infant. However, we wonder if John is perhaps an adopted child of Dr. John Bower's brother David Bower, many of whose children were raised by other families after his death in 1864. John Shakely appears out of age order among the Shakely children in the 1870 census. He does not seem to be a son of Dr. John Bower, who did have a son named John M. Bower but born in 1853.
Conjecture
Since so many families is the Clarion-Venango Counties border area migrated from Lehigh County, it is worth noting that Michael Brey, (whose daughter Elizabeth Brey was Olive Bower's mother-in-law), owned land in Upper Milford township, Northampton (now Lehigh) County in 1806, near land of a Henry Bauer. Another land transaction by one Joseph Klein in October of 1865 mentions land of the "late John Bower", in Salisbury township.
Research
The material in this section is for research leads only. We do not wish to imply any connection to our family at present, nor suggest its use without additional confirmation.
- Using the Ancestry.com search engine, the 1850 census was searched for the younger siblings on David Bower. No persons could be clearly identified as likely candidates although there were a number with all the given names except Jesse. Without this, we have currently no way to identify the parents of David Bower and thus no way to extend the census record back before 1850.
