Columbia County PA Archives Biographies.....BOWER, Hiram R. 1831 - living in 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com June 30, 2005, 1:34 am Author: Biographical Publishing Co. HIRAM R. BOWER. This highly respected citizen of the town of Berwick is a retired merchant, now enjoying the fruits of his early toil and living quietly in his comfortable home on West Second street. He was born in Center township, Columbia County, Pa., October 30, 1831, and is a son of Abraham and Ellen (Remley) Bower, and a grandson of Michael Bower. Michael Bower was a native of Germany, and at the age of thirteen years he left his home in Saxony, Germany, and came to America, and located in Kutztown, Berks County, Pa. After his marriage to a Miss Hill he moved to Columbia County and purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres of Mr. Desser, which is now the property of John Fester. He successfully .carried on the pursuits of an agriculturist and was one of the prominent men of Berks County. He was the father of the following children: Jacob; Michael; Solomon; Daniel; Philena; Catherine; and Abraham. Abraham Bower, the father of our subject, was born in Kutztown, Berks County, Pa., and during his early manhood he moved to Center township, Columbia County, where he purchased a farm of fifty acres, which is now the property of Mr. Wolverton. He immediately erected a set of new buildings and successfully carried on general farming. He also followed the occupation of a stonemason, which trade he had learned in his youth. He was joined in wedlock to Ellen Remley, a daughter of Michael and Susan Remley, both natives of Berks County, Pa. Later they moved to Columbia County and located in Center township where they spent the remainder of their days. Mrs. Bower's father died at the age of eighty-nine years and her mother passed from this earth at the advanced age of ninety-six years. To Mr. and Mrs. Bower were born the following children: Samuel, deceased; Phoebe, deceased, who was the wife of Daniel Miller; Rachel, who wedded John Sloan; Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of Caleb Fowler; William, deceased; Abraham and Susanna, deceased, who reached maturity; Lavina, deceased, who was united in marriage to George Johnson; Catherine, deceased, who was the wife of Thomas Evans; Ellen, deceased; Aaron, a Methodist minister residing at Mattamora, Ill.; Hiram R., the subject of this sketch; Matilda, deceased, who twice married,—her first husband was George Johnson and after his death she was wedded to Daniel Bahr. Mr. Bower died at the age of seventy-eight years. The mother of our subject died aged sixty-four years. Mr. Bower was an unwavering Democrat and served his fellow-citizens as supervisor and as a school director. Our subject was educated in the common schools and remained under the parental roof until he attained the age of twenty-two years, during which time he was preparing himself for the ministry, but, on account of poor health, he was obliged to give up his studies. Later he entered a mercantile store and was engaged as a clerk for ten years. In 1864 he associated with Isaiah Bower and M. E. Jackson, and under the name of I. & H. R. Bower they conducted a mercantile store on the corner of Front and Mulberry streets. The firm conducted the business under the above name until 1870 when Mr. Jackson retired. In 1880 our subject became sole proprietor and successfully carried on the business until 1891 when he wisely concluded to retire from active labor and care and leave the field open to younger and more vigorous men. Mr. Bower has bought and sold considerable property and is still the owner of several fine tenement houses; he also owns a handsome residence on West Second street which he makes his home. Mr. Bower has served in the town council a number of years and has been secretary of the council for six years; president of the board of health; and secretary of the Berwick Cemetery Association twelve years. He chose for his life companion Rebecca Martz, a daughter of John Martz, a resident of Briar-creek township, Columbia County. As a result of this union five children were born to them,, namely: Layman F., treasurer of the Dickson Locomotive Works of Scranton, Pa., who united in marriage to Gertrude Henninger who bore him four children,—Florence, Russell, Harold, and Layman, Jr.; Aaron B., a Methodist minister residing at Scranton, Pa., who wedded Harriet Carney and three children were born to them, namely,—Helen. Harriet, and Wallace; Frank, who died aged three years; Minnie, who is the wife of William C. Smith of Tarrytown, N. Y., and has one child, Lenora; and Elizabeth, who wedded Luther W. Mendenhall of Pittsburg, Pa., and is the mother of one child, Luther W. Our subject is a member of the Berwick Lodge, No. 246, I. O. O. F., and is also past grandmaster of the same. Mr. Bower and family are all members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject occupies an enviable position in his community as a good citizen, and is held in high esteem by his neighbors and acquaintances. Mr. Bower has served one year as president of the County Sunday School Association and is now holding the office of county fieldsman. At the State Sunday School Convention of 1898 he was elected president of the Sixth District, comprising Columbia, Luzerne and Wyoming counties. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 5.9 Kb