Revision as of 00:45, 4 February 2007

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)

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:

Sources

Ref. Num.	Description	Image of original
1	1860 United States Federal Census, Salem Twp., Clarion Co., PA, Page 20, lines 5-9 lists David Bower, 34, married to Caroline Bower, 29. They live with three children: son Paris A. Bower, 7; daughter Laura Bower, 4; and son Arthur Bower, 2. David Bower is a farmer. Everyone was born in PA. Paris A. Bower and Laura Bower attended school within the census year. This census is dated July 4, 1860.
2	Gravestone for David Bower and Caroline S. Bower reads: "David Bower, 1826-1866, Caroline S., His wife, 1831-1905"
3	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 Sheakley), Olive Bower (m. James Beals), Irvin Bower, and Laura Bower (m. [unknown] Tyler).	transcription
4	History of Clarion County , edited by A. J. Davis, 1887, 'History of Salem Township' p.610, "The doctors that have practiced in Salem township are in order, five: Dr. Meaker, Dr. Bower, Dr. Knight, Dr. Clover, and Dr. Fitzgerald."
5	Personal correspondence from Elizabeth Wilson Williams.	N/A

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 married Olive Bower's son), owned land in Upper Milford township, (in then Northampton, later Lehigh County) in 1806, near land of a Henry Bauer. Also a land transaction by one Joseph Klein in October of 1865 mentions land of the "late John Bower', in Salisbury township.