Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/365

Rh church, Charleston. In December, 1804, he accepted the rectorship of St. Michael's. His labors during the five following years were very arduous, but proved to be of the highest value for the interests of the Episcopal church in South Carolina. In 1809 he became the rector of Grace church. New York city, and discharged the duties of that office with great acceptance until 1818. Early in 1818 Dr. Bowen was elected bishop of South Carolina, and also rector of St. Michael's church, Charleston. He was consecrated in Philadelphia, 8 Oct., 1818, and for the last twenty years of his life gave himself to his work with untiring fidelity. Bishop Bowen published occasional sermons, addresses, etc., together with six sermons on "Christian Consolation" (1831). Two volumes of his "Sermons" were published after his death.

BOWEN, Oliver, naval officer, b. in the last century; d. in Providence, R. I., in August, 1800. He was a revolutionary patriot of Augusta, Ga., and was successful, in the early days of the war, in seizing a large quantity of powder stored on Tybee island, near Savannah, 10 July, 1775. He joined the unsuccessful expedition against Wilmington in 1778. He was a member of the provincial congress of 1775, and of the council of safety.

BOWEN, Thomas M., senator, b. in Iowa, near the present site of Burlington, 20 Oct., 1835. He was admitted to the bar at the age of eighteen, and began practice in Wayne co., where he was elected to the legislature in 1856. In 1858 he removed to Kansas. In June, 1861, he joined the volunteer army as captain, and subsequently he raised the 13th Kansas infantry and commanded it until the end of the war, receiving the brevet of brigadier- general, and having command of a brigade during the last two years of hostilities on the frontier, and afterward with the 7th army corps. He was a delegate from Kansas to the national republican convention of 1864. After the war he settled in Arkansas and was president of the constitutional convention of that state, and for four years a justice of the state supreme court. In 1871 he accepted the appointment of governor of Idaho territory, but resigned, returned to Arkansas, and was a candidate for U. S. senator in opposition to S. W. Dorsey, of the same party, who defeated him in an open contest before the legislature. In January, 1870, he removed to Colorado, and resumed the practice of the law. When the state government was organized in 1876, he was elected a district judge, and was four years on the bench. He afterward engaged largely in mining operations. In 1883 he was elected to the state legislature, and served as chairman of the committee of ways and means, until he was elected to the U. S. senate, where he took his seat on 3 Dec, 1883.

BOWERS, Elizabeth Crocker, actress, b. in Stamford, Conn., 12 March, 1830; d. in Washington, D. C., 6 Nov., 1895. She was the daughter of an Episcopal clergyman, and when sixteen years old she appeared in the character of Amanthis at the Park theatre, New York. On 4 March, 1847, she married David P. Bowers, an actor on the same stage. A week later she appeared in the Walnut street theatre, Philadelphia, as Donna Victoria in &ldquo;A Bold Stroke for a Husband.&rdquo; Afterward she became very popular at the Arch street theatre in the same city, and remained there until her husband's death in June, 1857. In December of that year, after a period of retirement from the stage, she leased the Walnut street theatre and retained its management until 1859. She then leased the Philadelphia academy of music for a short dramatic season. Soon after this she married Dr. Brown, of

Baltimore, who died in 1867, and in September, 1861, she went to England and made her appearance at Sadler's Wells theatre, London, as Julia, in &ldquo;The Hunchback.&rdquo; She soon became a favorite with the English, and played as Geraldine d'Arcy, in &ldquo;Woman,&rdquo; at the Lyceum theatre. In 1863 she returned to this country and acted at the Winter Garden, New York. After a few years she retired from the stage, and lived quietly in the neighborhood of Philadelphia until October, 1886, when she organized a new dramatic company, and visited the principal cities of the United States, playing many of her old and favorite characters.

BOWERS, Theodore Shelton, b. in Lebanon county. Pa., 10 Oct., 1832; killed at Garrison's Station, N. Y., 6 March, 1866. When very young he removed to Mount Carmel, Ill., and there learned the printer's trade. When the civil war began he was editor of the "Register," a local democratic journal. After the defeat of the national forces in the first battle of Bull Run, he raised a company of volunteers for the 48th Illinois infantry, declined its captaincy because of the taunts of his former political associates, and went to the front as a private. He was soon sent home on recruiting service, and on his return to his regiment was detailed as a clerical assistant at Brig.-Gen. Grant's headquarters (25 Jan., 1862). In this capacity he went through the campaigns of Forts Henry and Donelson. He was again offered the captaincy of his old company, but declined on the ground that the first lieutenant deserved the place. He was, however, commissioned first lieutenant, 24 March, 1862, and on 26 April following was detached as aide-de-camp to Gen. Grant. He acted as Maj. Rawlins's assistant in the adjutant's office. On 1 Nov., 1862, he received the regular staff appointment of captain and aide-de-camp, and was left in charge of department headquarters while the army was absent on the Tallahatchie expedition. The confederates under Van Dorn seized the opportunity to make a raid to the rear of the federal advance, and captured the department headquarters at Holly Springs at early dawn of 20 Dec, 1862. Capt. Bowers had but a few moments' warning; but, acting with great presence of mind, he made a bonfire of all the department records, and when the raiders burst into his quarters everything of value to them was destroyed. Capt. Bowers refused to give his parole, and succeeded in making his escape the same evening. The officer commanding the rear-guard was severely censured by Gen. Grant, while Capt. Bowers was highly complimented, and was presented with a sword in acknowledgment of his services. He was appointed judge advocate for the department of Tennessee, with rank of major, 19 Feb., 1863. After the fall of Vicksburg he was assistant adjutant-general in place of Col. Rawlins, promoted. His services had become so valuable that Gen. Grant procured his appointment as captain and quartermaster on the regular staff' (29 July, 1864), and assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of major, U. S. army, 6 Jan., 1865. His final promotions as brevet lieutenant-colonel and colonel, U. S. army, are dated 13 March, 1865. He was with Gen. Grant in the field until the surrender of the confederate forces, and was retained on his personal staff after the close of the war. He was instantly killed while attempting to board a moving train on the Hudson river railroad. His military career is remarkable since he rose by sheer force of character, having no family influence or special training, from a private of volunteers to one of the highest staff appointments within the gift of the commanding general.