Reuben N. Bower

"Unknown" Bower's family was known to the community in Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA. Nine of the children are listed in the notes of the Salem Lutheran Cemetery Association, and seem to be confirmed by census records. This cemetery association record seems to function as much as a genealogy of the community, as a record of the family members buried at Salem Lutheran, and it is curious that the nine children, but not the parents, are listed. As for the family of "Unknown" Bower, it appears that only (2nd son) David Bower & his wife Carolyn S., and an infant son of (1st son) John Bower are buried there.
Three of the siblings of John & David appear to have married in Clarion or Venango counties, and were residing there at age 20's. Charles was still living in Venango County at age 40. At least some of David Bower's children are known to have stayed in Clarion County. But some of the family moved on to Iowa (John & his children), and all or the Bowers seem to disappear from the Clarion County census in 1870.
David died from illness in 1866. At some point between 1860 and 1870 his brother Dr. John Bower lost his wife, presumably to death, and moved to Iowa. His son Giltner Bower, also a physician, lived in IA. in 1870.
We know from the 1880 census for Dr. John Bower in Iowa, that both his parents were born in PA, so "Unknown" Bower & wife were not the immigrant generation. Perhaps the parents also moved west to Iowa with their oldest son; it appears their youngest children would have been mature by 1860, and could be left behind. It is also possible that they died in Clarion County and were buried at Salem without a stone. Being buried at another church in Clarion might explain their not being listed in the Salem Lutheran records. It is less likely that they died in some eastern PA county, as it would be highly unusual for all their children then to migrate to the Clarion Co. area. If they were farmers, they may have been buried in a private cemetery on their farm. The children don't seem to be farmers however. John was educated to be a physician. David started out as a potter. Reuben was a blacksmith. Charles at age 40 is listed as "laborer". More research is needed, both in Clarion County and in Iowa, to locate Unknown Bower and wife.

	Date	Location	Notes	Sources
Birth		PA
Marriage			wife b. PA
Death
Burial

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

Name	Gender	Date of Birth	Birthplace	Spouse	Notes	Sources
Dr. John Bower	M	~1823	PA	Mary Giltner
Rachel Bower	F			John August
David Bower	M	1826	PA	Caroline Snyder	Direct line
Barbara Bower	F	~1830	PA	Reuben Disler
Reuben N. Bower	M	~1835	PA	Lydia Disler
Jesse Bower	M
Charles Bower	M	~1840		Matilda unknown		per 1880 census
Elizabeth Bower	F
Samuel Bower	M

Places of Residence

Location	Dates	Notes	Sources
PA	birth, expect ~ in 1800 +/-
expect Clarion Co, PA	by 1840-1850	children known to community
possibly went to IA		son's family went to IA; grave not yet found in PA

If as expected, the family name was originally "Bauer", then the J. Bauer of Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA on the 1877 Caldwell Atlas may be relevant.

Sources

Ref. Num.	Description	Image of original
1		Date Location Notes Sources Birth PA Marriage wife b. PA Death Burial Ancestry chart segment Generation 4 Generation 5 Generation 6 +-- Unknown Bower	(????-????) +--Reuben N. Bower--+	--+ +-- unknown ( | +-- [ (18) Sources: Children Name Gender Date of Birth Birthplace Spouse Notes Sources Dr. John Bower M ~1823 PA Mary Giltner Rachel Bower F John August David Bower M 1826 PA Caroline Snyder Direct line Barbara Bower F ~1830 PA Reuben Disler Reuben N. Bower M ~1835 PA Lydia Disler Jesse Bower M Charles Bower M ~1840 Matilda unknown per 1880 census Elizabeth Bower F Samuel Bower M Places of Residence Location Dates Notes Sources PA birth, expect ~ in 1800 +/- expect Clarion Co, PA by 1840-1850 children known to community possibly went to IA son's family went to IA; grave not yet found in PA If as expected, the family name was originally "Bauer", then the J. Bauer of Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA on the 1877 Caldwell Atlas may be relevant. Sources Ref. Num. Description Image of original 1