Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/387

 BOWEN.

BOWERS.

preacher, but possessed great executive ability and personal magnetism. He printed and issued " Six Sermons on Christian Consolation,"' and two volumes of his sermons and addresses were published after his death, which took place in Charleston, S. C, Aug. 2.j, 1839.

BOWEN, Sayles Jenks, philanthropist, was born at Scipio, Cayuga county, N. Y., Oct. 17, 1813. He was appointed to a clerkship in the treasury department at "Washington in 1845, and remained in this position imtil 1848. He was afterwards engaged in the prosecution of claims against the government, and in 1861 was ap- pointed conunissioner of police for the District of Columbia. He was also made disbursing officer for the U. S. senate in 1861, collector of internal revenue for the District of Cohunbia in 1862, and postmaster of Washington in 1863. In 1868 he was elected mayor of Washington, serv- ing two years. He was the first to suggest the establishment of public schools for colored chil- dren in the city, and he drew up bills wliich after- wards became laws. The city authorities op- posed the schools, and refused to obey the act of Congress reqmring them to pay a share of the school fund. Unwilling to have the schools discontinued, Mr. Bowen used his private means to defray the expenses, sustaining the schools for nearly a year, and expending over twenty thousand dollars of his own money. He was the first executive officer in the district to bestow offices of trust on colored men, and he prepared every biU passed by Congress which had for its object the amelioration of the condition of the colored race. Mr. Bowen was a regent of the Smithsonian institution. He died in Washing- ton, D. C, Dec. 16, 1896.

BOWEN, Thomas M., senator, was born near Burlington, Iowa, Oct. 26, 1835. In 1853 he was admitted to the bar and was elected to the legis- lature of his native state in 1856. In 1858 he removed to Kansas, where, on the breaking out of the civil war, he was captain of a volunteer company and afterwards organized and com- manded the 13th Kansas regiment and served in the southwestern campaigns. In 1863 he was brevetted brigadier-general for meritorious con- duct, and commanded a brigade in Arkansas up to the close of the war. He was chosen a dele- gate from Kansas to the national Eepublican convention in 1864. In 1865 he settled in Arkansas and was president of the constitutional convention of that state. After its readmission into the Union he was elected an associate judge of the supreme court of the state. In 1871 Presi- dent Grant appointed him governor of the terri- tory of Idaho, which position he resigned, returned to Arkansas, and was an unsuccessful candidate for U. S. senator in 1873. He then removed to

Colorado and was elected a district judge, serv- ing four years. He became interested in mining property and accvimulated valuable properties. In 1882 he was elected to the state legislature and in 1883 to the United States senate, serving to the end of his term in 1889, when he retired to private life.

BOWERS, Edward C, naval officer, was born at Middletown, Conn., June 7, 1809. He went to sea as a boy, and, after serving in the merchant marine for a number of years he served in the Peruvian and Greek navies, respec- tively, and on his return to the United States was appointed midshipman on the sloop-of-war St. Lonifi, attached to the Pacific squadron, Feb. 2, 1829. In 1832 he was acting lieutenant on the schooner Dolph in, Pacific squadron, and in 1833-'34 served in the Boston naVy yard. July 3, 1835, he received promotion to passed midship- man, and from 1836 to 1838 was attached to the frigate Constellation, AVest Indian squadron. In 1839 he sailed on the flag-ship Ohio, Mediter- ranean squadron, and the following year was assigned to the receiving ship Boston. On April 26, 1841, he was commissioned as lieutenant, and from 1842 to 1845 was assigned to the Boston. In 1846 he was ordered to the steamer Princeton, in the Gulf of Mexico, and was transferred first to the Electra, and later to the Decatur, cruising in the latter vessel on the coast of Africa during the years 1847-'50. He was afterwards attached to the Plymouth and to the New York. On Sept. 13, 1855, he was placed on the reserve list, and was promoted commander Jvily 21, 1861. In the civil war he returned to active service, and after its close was made captain on the retired list, April 4, 1867. He died Nov. 1, 1893.

BOWERS, Elizabeth Crocker, (Mrs. D. P. Bowers) actress, was born at Ridgefield, Conn., March 12, 1830 ; daughter of an Episcopal clergy- man. She made her debut in the character of " Amanthis " at the Park theatre, N. Y., Dec. 3, 1845, and in 1847, while fiUing an engagement in Philadelphia, married David P. Bowers, a popu- lar actor of that city. She became very popular at the Arch street theatre, Philadelphia. In June, 1857, Mr. Bowers died, and Mrs. Bowers for a time retired from the stage. In December, 1857, she leased and successfully managed the Walnut street theatre until 1859, when she leased the academy of music, Philadelphia. In 1860 she married Dr. Brown of Baltimore and spent two years in London, where she repeated her American triumphs. Her first appearance was as Julia in " The Hunchback, " her best-known part at Sadler's Wells theatre, London. Later she assumed the role of Geraldine D'Arcy in cessful years returned to America to the Winter
 * ' Woman '" at the Lyceum, and after two suc-