Fowler & related family ties - NH -> LaSalle & Kane Co, IL Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Copyright 1999 FOWLER PHILLIPS HALE EAGER GERRISH JACKMAN BARNARD FOSTER ROGERS DODGE BROWN BURNHAM SAYERS JONATHAN FOWLER, attorney-at-law, although he is not engaged actively in practice at the present time, was born in Mission Township; LaSalle County, Illinois, July 2, 1850, his birth- place being at Mission Point. He is one of five children of JONATHAN and SARAH E. (PHILLIPS) FOWLER and is of English lineage. The ancestry of the family in America is traced back to PHILIP FOWLER, an early resident of New England, who was probably born in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England, about 1590. He embarked with his family on the Mary and John, of London, ROBERT SAYERS, master, and arrived in New England in May 1634. THOMAS FOWLER, grandfather of JONATHAN FOWLER, was a native of New Hampshire and became a farmer and Baptist minister, though not regularly ordained. Removing westward to Illinois about 1845, he settled in LaSalle county, where he purchased a tract of land and followed farming until old age prevented his further efforts in that direction. He died March 16, 1872, at the very venerable age of eighty-six years, having long survived his wife, Mrs. OLIVE (HALE) FOWLER, who was born July 14, 1790, and died April 19, 1850. They were the parents of three children: OLIVE B. born in 1812; THOMAS MILTON, in 1814, and JONATHAN, in 1817. The last named was born and reared in New Hampshire and followed agricultural pursuits as a life work. He arrived in this state in the '40's and purchased government land in Mission township, LaSalle county. Not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made upon the place but with characteristic energy he began its development and transformed it into a productive farm. He wedded SARAH E. PHILLIPS, a native of New Hampshire, where also occurred the birth of her parents, EBENEZER and HANNAH (EAGER) PHILLIPS. Both of her parents died in the east, her father at the age of seventy-five years and her mother when eighty-one years of age. His birth occurring August 11, 1766, and his death on the 14th of April, 1851, while Mrs. PHILLIPS was born June 9, 1778, and died December 16, 1859. They were the parents of seven children, all now deceased. Mr. PHILLIPS devoted his life to farming and served his country as a soldier of the war of 1812. He too, was of English lineage. The married life of JONATHAN FOWLER and SARAH E. PHILLIPS was of comparative short duration, for the former died in 1850 when about thirty-three years of age. He was a man of considerable local prominence and influence and held various township offices, including that of justice of the peace, in which position he served for several years. His decisions were strictly fair and impartial and he won the respect and honor of all with whom he came in contact. His widow survived him, remaining upon the old home, and later she became the wife of EDMUND S. FOWLER, who though of the same family name, was not a relative of her first husband. She died November 4, 1896, at the age of seventy- nine years and two months. Her second husband passed away in Florida. There were no children by that union, but by her first marriage she had five children, all son, of whom three are now living: CHASE N., a lawyer of Ottawa, Illinois; ALBERT J., a farmer residing near Sheridan; and JONATHAN of Aurora. The last named was reared upon the old homestead farm in LaSalle county and after acquainted himself with the primary branches of learning he attended the Fowler Institute of Newark, Illinois, and subsequently was graduated from the old Battle Ground Collegiate Institute, of Battle Ground, Indiana. Later he engaged in teaching in various places for about eight years and in the meantime was devoting his leisure hours to the study of law, finishing his reading in Ottawa. He was then admitted to the bar there in 1880 and practice for a short time in that city, whence he removed to Nebraska, becoming a member of the bar of Dakota county. There he continued in active practice until 1899, when he returned to Illinois and made his home in Aurora, although he had no office here, for a few years. He afterward engaged in practice at Ottawa until 1906, when he returned to Aurora, but on account of ill health did not open an office. On the 24th of March, 1891, Mr. FOWLER was married to Miss MARY E. BARNARD, a daughter of JOSEPH and MARIA (GERRISH) BARNARD and a native of Hopkinton, New Hampshire. Her parents were also natives of that state. Her paternal grandfather was born at Hopkinton, May 6, 1795, and always resided there. He became noted for his enterprise in the cultivation of improved cattle and sheep and was also an extensive owner of real estate. In community affairs he took an active and helpful part, serving as selectman of his town in 1837-38, while in 1839 and 1840 he was a representative to the general court. In June, 1816, he married Miss MARIAM JACKMAN, of Concord. Mr. and Mrs. BARNARD had five children. The father died March 15, 1870, while his wife passed away September 17, 1869. In the maternal line Mrs. FOWLER traces her ancestry back to Hon. ABIEL FOSTER, who was her great-great-grandfather. He was a resident of Canterbury, New Hampshire, and represented his district in the first, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh congresses of the United States, being a member of the national law making body for the greater part of the time during twenty-one years. He died in 1806. ALBIEL FOSTER GERRISH, the grandfather of Mrs. FOWLER was born at Boscawen, New Hampshire, March 7, 1806 and died at West Creek, Indiana June 10, 1884. He was married January 18, 1830 to ELIZA DODGE, who was born in Boscawen, January 12, 1806, and passed away in Salina, Illinois, September 19, 1881. He lived at West Creek, Lake county, Indiana, from 1856 until the time of his death. Unto Mr. and Mrs. GERRISH were born five children, all of whom came to the West to live except Mrs. MARIA BARNARD, who remained in the East. She traced her ancestry back to JOHN ROGERS, the first Christian martyr, who was burned at the stake at Smithfield, England, February 14, 1555, in Queen Mary's reign. JOSEPH BARNARD, the father of Mrs. FOWLER, was born at Hopkinton, New Hampshire, and always resided there with the exception of a period of three years spent in Massa- chusetts. He learned the stone cutter's trade there, after which he returned to his old home and engaged in clerking in a store for several years. He afterward turned his attention to the lumber business, which he followed in Hopkinton and also carried on farming for a number of years. For a considerable period he resided in Contoocook, where he was for a time associated in business with ABRAM BROWN and JOHN BURNHAM. After the death of his father he resided on the old BARNARD homestead, which he greatly improved. As an agriculturist he was much interested in raising cattle, keeping a herd of Guernsey cattle that had been bred upon the place for more than forty years. He was also building agent of the Contoocook Valley Railroad from Contocook to Hillsboro. During the opening year of the Civil war he served as enrolling officer of the twentieth district of New Hampshire and in 1870-71 was representative to the general court, in 1882 was appointed commissioner of forestry of Merrimack county court, in 1889 was elected a member of the constitutional convention of the state. On the 26th of October, 1849, he married MARIA GERRISH, of Boscawen, and unto them were born nine children. His death occurred upon a farm in Hopkinton. Both his father and his grandfather bore the name of JOSEPH BARNARD and the latter married the widow of Captain JOHN HALE, who fought throughout the Revolutionary War. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. FOWLER has been blessed with one daughter, MARION EDNA. The mother is a member of the First Congregational church, while Mr. Fowler believes more strongly in the Methodist faith. His political allegiance is given the democracy but he had never been a politician in the sense of office seeking. He is well known in Aurora, where he now makes his home and has an extensive circle of warm friends here. ------------------------------------------------------------------ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organiza- tions or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contri- butor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ----------------------------------------------------------------- File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: