Biography of Ira B. Bowen, Sr., 1902, Baker Co. Oregon: Surnames: Bowen, Matthews, Dooley, Seymour, Miller, Virtue, Anderson

***********************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced
in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or 
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must 
obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative
of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of 
this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives 
to store the file permanently for free access. 
<http://files.usgwarchives.net.> 
***********************************************************************
Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
W. David Samuelsen - December 2001
************************************************************************

An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, pub. 1902
by Western Historical Pub. Co. of Chicago. page 295

Ira B. Bowen

Our subject was born in the vicinity of Ypsilanti, Michigan, May 28, 1825, his
parents being Zolvia and Ann (Matthews) Bowen, natives of the Empire state. He
was early taken to New York state, in the public schools of which he received
his educational discipline. When he reached the age of eighteen he became
second engineer on the steamer Edith, which plied between Buffalo, New York
and Chicago. After two years' service he was promoted to the post of first
engineer, and he served as such until, some three or four years later, when
his vessel was wrecked, sinking so rapidly that her crew had but three or four
minutes in which to effect their escape.

Our subject then accepted a position as locomotive engineer on the Galena &
Chicago Union Railway, now the Northwestern, and after three years had been
spent in that he was made master mechanic. He continued to discharge the
duties of this responsible position until 1862, when he resigned that he might
be free to come west and try his fortunes in Baker county, Oregon. He crossed
the plains in a train made up of both ox and horse teams and consisting
largely of his own relatives. They were very fortunate in crossing the wide
prairies and traversing the mountain passes in that they had no trouble with
the Indians, though the trains just ahead of them lost heavily in conflicts
with the reds.

Upon reaching his destination Mr. Bowen located at Auburn, where, the same
year, in company with a Mr. Leveridge, he purchased a sawmill. This was the
first mill of its kind operated by steam which was ever imported into the
country. They ran it at Auburn until May, 1863, then removed it to Idaho City,
where they kept it in operation both at night and day steadily for about
fifteen months. At the end of that period Mr. Bowen sold his interest and
returned to Auburn, where he embarked in the mercantile business in company
with E. P. Cranston. The firm later established a branch store at Clark's
creek. Having sold his interest in 1868, he moved with his family to Salem,
where he was engaged in a like business for the ensuing three years. Returning
then to Baker City he established here a mercantile business, putting in a
store also at Sparta and purchasing, as a species of side issue, the Eagle
Canal Company's water ditch. In 1880 he sold out and invested a portion of the
proceeds in the Arlington hotel, of which he was proprietor until the date of
his death, May 11, 1881.

Mr. Bowen always manifested a vital interest in the political and general
welfare of his town and county, and to him belonged the honor of having been
chairman of the first city council. He was married in Chicago, January 2,
1850, the lady being Miss Anna Dooley, daughter of Mark and Anora (Seymour)
Dooley, and to their union the following children have been born, namely:
Lilac, wife of E. P. Cranston, of Baker county; Catherine A., wife of Judge
Miller; Amelia, wife of J. W. Virtue; Mary, deceased; Francis A., in Portland;
Ira B., Jr., editor of the Morning Democrat; J. Frederick, deceased; Ned;
Edward C.; Harry S.; Clinton, deceased; Edith E.; Ella A., wife of J. T.
Anderson, of Boise, Idaho; and J. Clifford. Mrs. Bowen has a very pleasant
home at 1667 Washington street and some other city property, also a fine farm
of four hundred and forty acres about three miles south of Baker City.