Difference between revisions of "Biography: David Bower"

Revision as of 05:48, 1 November 2006

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.

He grew up the second of nine children, in a family that recognized education as an opportunity, as his older brother became a doctor in the community. David practiced farming in Salem Township. He married Carolyn Snyder, probably by 1852, and they had six children. When they had been married less that ten years, the Civil War began, and a series of unfortunate events 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, no doubt causing him to regret the contract. furthermore,David soon fell ill and in 1866 died of "white swelling". His wife Carolyn was left with six children to raise, a farm to run, and this overwhelming $400 debt to repay. Daughter Olive Bower was subsequently raised as a foster child in the home of Jacob and Clara Beals.

The gravestone of "David Bower and Caroline S. his wife" is at Salem Lutheran cemetery. Nearby is the stone of a child of "J. and M.E. Bower Died Mar. 1, 18(55/35)." (Gravestones transcribed in 1991 by Elizabeth W. Williams; dates found at times to conflict with those of the cemetery association book. )

By the name of Caroline Snyder in the cemetery record is the unexplained notation "exhumed".

Olive Bower's granddaughter Ella Wilson wrote memories of the children of Paris Bower and Maria Rugh, who would have been her father's cousins: "Arthur Bower married Mattie and had twin daughters Zoe and Zora. One was a doctor; the other trained in elocution and entertained the 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 township, and sent us fantastic boxes of gifts. My first coat with hat to match came from them. Aunt Effie had been a telelphone operator when she was younger.

Minnie Bower married Jake Minich; they had no children. Dee Bower wore a glass eye. Loy Bower married Lettie; they ha no chldren. He worked for the railroad all his life. They lived in Canton, Ohio, and we visited htem there while I was in high school. Later they lived in Pittsburgh. He had been hurt oat his job and was retired. He made a miss-step between trains and had a bad leg injury. I adored them. Uncle Loy carved for me a monkey out of a peach seed once. Later they moved to Florida."

She also noted that six of the twelve children of Tacy Bower and Peter Shakely died in infancy, of diphtheria; and that Ila Bower and Rex McElhatten resided at the Peter Shakely homestead at Crossorads, between Salem and Nickleville.

These notes were compiled by Olive Bower's great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Wilson Williams, who now has the peach seed monkey.