Columbia County PA Archives Biographies.....BOWER, Hiram W. 1854 - 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 July 7, 2005, 8:55 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. HIRAM W. BOWER, who is engaged in contracting in masonry and plastering work, is one of the enterprising and successful business men of the borough of Berwick. He is a son of William and Sarah (Stephens) Bower, and was born in Center township, Columbia County, Pa., March 11, 1854. Michael Bower, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Saxony, Germany, and came to this country at the age of thirteen years. After his marriage he located in Kutztown, Berks County, but later came to Columbia. County, and the family has since been closely identified with the county's growth and development. It was in the latter part of the last century that Michael came to Columbia County and purchased a small clearing in Briarcreek township and became one of the substantial agriculturists of that community. He also cleared a 120 acre tract, which is now owned by John Fester. His wife's maiden name was Hill and they reared the following children: Jacob; Michael; Solomon; Daniel, the father of Francis W. Bower, of Berwick; Philena; Catherine; and Abraham, the grandfather of our subject. Abraham Bower was born in Kutztown. Berks County, and was a young man when he came with his father to Briarcreek township. He learned the trade of a mason, but after his marriage he bought a farm which he operated, although he still made masonry his chief means of support. He was united in marriage to Helen Remley, a daughter of Michael and Susan Remley of Berks Comity, but later of Columbia County, and they were the parents of the following children: Samuel, deceased; Phebe, whose first union was with Daniel Miller, and second with Abraham Culp; Elizabeth, who married Caleb Fowler: William, the father of our subject; Abraham, who died young; Susanna, who also died in infancy; Lavina, who married George Johnson; Catherine, the wife of Thomas Evans: Ellen, deceased; Rev. Aaron, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now retired: Hiram, who is living in retirement at Berwick; and Matilda, who also married George Johnson, becoming his second wife. In political belief Mr. Bower was a stanch Democrat and served his town as supervisor and school director. He passed into the unknown beyond at the age of seventy-eight years and his worthy wife died at the advanced age of eighty-four years. William Bower, the father of our subject, was born in Center township, Columbia County, April 27, 1818, and with his father learned the trade of a mason and plasterer. He followed that trade for about forty years, the latter of which were spent in Berwick where he erected a fine home on Fifth street. After passing a long and useful life he folded his hands in final rest, April 12, 1897. Religiously he was an adherent to the doctrines promulgated in the Union Evangelical Church. He and Sarah Stephens took the marriage vows and their union was blessed by the birth of the following children: Flora Delilah, who married Dr. M. E. Brown and is a resident of Seattle, Wash.; John S., born March 16, 1844, and died February 16, 1853; Lavina. born April 19, 1846, is the wife of G. P. Stiner of Orangeville; Emeline, born February 5, 1848, is the wife of George Herring of Orangeville; Catherine, the wife of William F. Kline of Kansas, born December 30, 1849; Elizabeth, deceased, born March 9. 1852, and married A. Kisner; Hiram W.. the subject of this personal history; Mary N., who was born March 3, 1856, and died August 23, 1877: Elwood. born December 26, 1858; Ida, who died in infancy; Isaac Scott, who was born February 12, 1862, and is a resident of Salina, Kans.; Sarah M., born May 3, 1864; and Eva May, born August 5, 1867, who married Wesley Cool of Nanticoke, Pa. Mrs. Bower passed to her eternal rest March 18, 1888, aged sixty-seven years, one month, and twenty-two days. Hiram W. Bower attended the public schools until he was nineteen years of age, and then he learned the trade of a mason and plasterer. In 1878 he moved to Ellsworth, Kas., and after spending a year at his trade there, returned home. He soon after went to Nanticoke, where he clerked in the grocery store conducted by George O. Welliver, but being fond of travel and favorably impressed with Kansas on his first trip there, he decided to return to that state. After clerking there for some time he received an appointment as detective on the Union Pacific Railroad and during his service in that capacity he had several narrow escapes and thrilling experiences which were enough to test the bravery of any man. He performed the duties faithfully and was rewarded by a position in the general offices at Wallace, Kans., where he learned telegraphy. Later he was advanced to foreman of the mason, constructing and building department of two divisions extending from Brookville to Denver, a distance of some four hundred and thirty-nine miles. In 1882 he returned to his home in Berwick in order to enter the realms of matrimony, and has since made that borough his home. He has since been engaged in contracting in masonry and plastering. He has had years of experience in that line of business and has had the contract for many of the largest buildings in his section of the county. He has done the masonry and plastering on the following buildings: The opera house of Berwick, the beautiful residence of C. R. Woodin of Berwick Heights, the wheel foundry of the Jackson & Woodin Company, and the residence of J. W. Evans, and many of the residences of Berwick and vicinity. Mr. Bower's honesty in dealing with others has never been questioned and he is firmly established in the good-will and friendship of his fellow-citizens. On January 3, 1882, our subject formed a matrimonial alliance with Hattie Suit, a daughter of James Suit of Berwick, and their happy union has been blessed by the birth of the following children: Odell S., who was born in Salem township, Luzerne County, September 3, 1883; Randall, born in Berwick in December, 1884; Blanche, born October 24, 1886; Ralph, born May 17, 1888: one who died in infancy: Arthur, deceased, born February 7, 1891; Martha, born June 24, 1892; and Lewis, born November 18, 1893. In religious attachments, the family are Methodists. Our subject is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party. He is a member of the P. O. S. of A.; past chief of the Knights of the Golden Eagle; past commander of the Knights of Malta; and a member of Bloomsburg Lodge, No. 436, Elks. 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: 7.1 Kb