FRANKLIN COUNTY OHIO - BIOS: BOWEN, B. F. (published 1880)
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History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties,  Ohio
Pub by Williams Bros.,  1880

B.F. BOWEN,

county surveyor and civil engineer,  is of Scotch ancestry.  He was born
in Wooster,  Wayne County,  Ohio,  on the twelfth of February,  1827, 
and after receiving a common-school education,  "finished up",  as the
phrase goes,  at the old academy on the hill,  in Springfield,  Ohio. 
But,  as an eminent English lawyer,  who when asked the question,  at
what age he had completed his studies,  replied that he had never
finished them,  and did not expect to do so until he died.  Mr Bowen is
still a student of some of the higher branches of mathematics,  and
particularly so of civil engineering.  He has devoted all his spare time
to them,  and will remain a student while life lasts.  After leaving the
academy at Springfield,  he taught school in Clark and Madison Counties
for several years.   Preferring a more active life,  in 1852,  he became
a resident of Columbus,  where he was a successful contractor and
builder.  Here he commenced business as land surveyor and civil
engineer.  Three years after,  he became connected with the office of
city civil engineer,  and in 1867,  was elected chief of that office, 
which position he held for five years.  During his connection with this
office,  more improvements in main trunk sewers,  wood block pavements, 
etc.,  were made,  necessitating the attention of the city engineer, 
than for any like period either before or since.  In May,  1874,  Mr.
Bowen was appointed county surveyor to fill a vacancy,  and with it, 
that of county civil engineer.  Since then he has been twice elected by
the people as county surveyor,  and is still retained by the
commissioners as county civil engineer,  in which latter office he has
has charge of the bridges erected,  and all other county matters
requiring engineering skill.

At the time of the Ashtabula bridge disaster,  in December 1877,  where
many lives were lost,  and much property destroyed,  by the giving way
of the bridge,  while being crossed by a long train of passenger cars, 
a legislative examination was demanded.  A joint committee of the senate
and house of representatives was appointed,  who visited the scene of
the disaster,  taking with them,  as experts,  three civil engineers of
Columbus,  at the head of whom was Mr. Bowen.  The report of the
committee with diagrams of the bridge by the engineers,  was published. 
The report of the engineers was credited to Mr. Bowen as the author.  A
prominent civil engineer,  residing in Michigan,  sent to the author of
this for a copy,  and in acknowledging its receipt,  pronounced it the
clearest and plainest expose of the defects of railroad bridge building
he had ever read.  The report was widely commented upon in scientific
papers,  and always in terms of highest praise.

In land surveying,  Mr. Bowen has always given satisfaction.  As county
civil engineer,  he has much experience and a thorough knowledge of his
business.  He is a man of positive character,  good morals and strict
integrity,  and has the esteem of all who know him.

Mr. Bowen was united in marriage on July 2,  1868,  to Miss Carrie H., 
daughter of Hon. Charles B. and mary Flood,  of Columbus,  Ohio by whom
four children were born:  Josephine,  Frank,  William K.,  and Charles
who were all living.
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