David Bower & Caroline Snyder Descendants

DAVID BOWE/CAROLINE SNYDER FAMILY NOTES by Ella Beals Wilson

When David Bower was conscripted for the Civil War, he hired another person to serve in his place, which was legal at that time. The substitute was to have $400. David took white swelling (?) and died, and though the war soon ended, Caroline was obligated to pay off the debt. She had to give her children out for others to raise. One child, Olive Samantha, was raised by the Jake Beals family, parents of James Francis Beals, whom she eventually married.

A gravestone at Salem Lutheran cemetery may be theirs:
David Bower (1825-1866), Caroline, his wife (1831-1905).

Children of Paris Bower/Maria Rugh:
Arthur Bower married Mattie, and had twin daughters Zoe and Zora. One was a doctor; the other was married and adopted a daughter who trained in elocution and entertained troops during World War II.

Effie Bower married Arthur Kaltenborn. He was a salesman for a company that made catalogues, and they lived in Pittsburgh. They often spent weekends at our farm in Richland Twp. and sent us fantastic boxes of gifts. My first raincoat, with hat to match, came from them. Aunt Effie had been a telephone operator when she was younger. Their children were:
1. Ethel, who married Clarence Muntz. He worked for the government, measuring the water in rivers. At one time (1939) they lived in Washington D.C. They had two daughters.
2. Arthur Jr. ("Bus")played the organ for a church in Pittsburgh. He taught at the college level in Colombia S.C. Later he taught at the Univ. of Tenn. at Knoxville and at Kent State, Ohio. He had been married but was divorced and lived with his mother.
3.Jack was the youngest. He looked like Jackie Cooper. He was full of the dickens. I think he was married, but never heard much about him.

Minnie Bower married Jake Minich; they had no children.

Dee Bower (male) wore a glass eye; that's all I know of him.

Loy Bower married Lettie; they had no children. He worked for the railroad all his life. They lived in Canton, Ohio, and we visited then while I was in high school. Later they lived in Pittsburgh. He had been hurt at his job and was retired. He made a miss-step between trains, and had a gad leg injury; never worked again. I adored them. Uncle Loy carved for me a monkey out of a peach seed once. Later they moved to Florida."



Note: The peach seed monkey is now owned by Ella's daughter Elizabeth Ann Wilson