James W. Fowler Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1318-1319 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JAMES W. FOWLER, one of the prominent and influential members of 
the bar of the state, was born in the city of Brooklyn, New York, on the 
1st of August, 1845, and is a son of Peter and Margaret (Corcoran) 
Fowler, both of whom were born and reared in Kilkenny, Ireland, the 
Fowler family being of staunch Scottish lineage, the paternal 
grandfather of the subject having been born in the land of hills and 
heather, while the Corcoran line is traced back through many generations 
in Ireland, the maternal grandfather, Michael Corcoran, having been born 
in Kilkenny, where he passed his entire life. He was a clergyman of the 
Presbyterian church and was a man of high attainments and marked 
influence. 

	Peter and Margaret Fowler immigrated to the United States, in 
1845, the subject, who is the only son, having been born a few months 
after their arrival. They remained here two years, and then returned to 
the Emerald Isle, where they continued to make their home until 1853, 
when the father again came to America, locating in the city of 
Cincinnati, Ohio, where he became interested in the St. Clair Pork 
Packing Company, which made extensive shipments of pork to Ireland and 
France. He there continued to make his home until his death, which 
occurred in 1886, his wife passing away in 1852. They had one son and 
two daughters. The elder daughter, Margaret, died in 1875, in 
Cincinnati, and the younger is Mrs. Alice Bennett, of Rawlins, Wyoming. 
The subject of this review received his early education in the schools 
of Cincinnati, and when but nine years of age, in 1854, he left the 
parental home and went to Butler county, Ohio, where he worked on a farm 
and attended school as opportunity presented, and he continued to be 
engaged in farming and teaming until about 1867, usually giving his 
attention to freighting hogs to the Cincinnati market during the winter 
seasons. After leaving the farm he went to Illinois and located in Mason 
City, in which place and vicinity he passed the ensuing four years. 
While still a resident of Ohio he had given careful and assiduous 
attention to the study of law, making such progress that in 1867 he 
secured admission to the bar of the state. In 1871 he went to Nebraska, 
locating in Saline county, where he made his home for nine years, having 
been engaged in the hardware business for the greater portion of the 
time, while from 1877 forward to 1880 he was there established in the 
practice of his profession, in which he met with gratifying success. In 
the year last mentioned he came to the Black Hills district of South 
Dakota and took up his residence in Rapid City, where he was engaged in 
practice until the spring of 1899, when he came to Deadwood, which has 
since continued to be his home and professional headquarters. He is 
recognized as the leading corporation lawyer in this section of the 
state, and has won many notable victories in important litigations, 
among which may be noted the following: That of McGuire versus Rapid 
City, a case involving the powers of a municipal body, and Mr. Fowler 
appeared for the plaintiff, finally winning the case after it had been 
carried to the supreme court of the state. He appeared for the defense 
in the case of Humphreus versus the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley 
Railroad Company, in which suit was brought for thirty thousand dollars; 
the lower court rendered a verdict for ten thousand dollars, but Mr. 
Fowler carried the case to the supreme court, which reversed the 
decision. In the case of Gay against the same railroad company he again 
appeared for the defendant, the litigation being one of great import as 
defining the exact legal status of a railroad and a cow, both being 
"without any enclosure," and the result was that the railroad company 
was held to be not culpable unless gross negligence was proved. Mr. 
Fowler is interested in a number of most promising mining properties in 
the Black Hills, and is secretary and treasurer of the Holy Terror 
Mining Company, whose properties are located at Keystone, Pennington 
county, the mines being now in operation and known as good producers. 
Mr. Fowler is a staunch Republican in his political proclivities, and 
while he takes a deep interest in the party cause and in the general 
welfare of the state he has never sought official preferment of any 
order. He was a member of the state constitutional convention in 1885, 
held in Sioux Falls. Fraternally he is identified with the Benevolent 
and Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the Fraternal 
Order of Eagles. 

	On the 15th of October, 1871, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Fowler to Miss Helen Montross, who was born and reared in Pennsylvania, 
being a resident of Mason City, Illinois, at the time of her marriage. 
She is a daughter of Elijah Montross, whose grandfather was a surgeon in 
the command of General LaFayette during the war of the Revolution, and 
who remained in America after the victory was gained, locating in 
Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler have three children, namely: Alice, who is 
the wife of Fred H. Whitfield, of Rapid City; and Henlen and James W., 
Jr., who remain at the parental home.