Spending the declining years of a profitable life amidst the orange groves of the Pomona Valley, William Wilson Bowler, octogenarian orange rancher, has lived to see many changes in the United States since he was born in Decatur County, Ind., July 29th, 1835. In those days Indiana and Illinois were frontier states, and when he was a year old occurred the death of ex-President James Madison and that of Aaron Burr—events that seem to belong to the remote past in the history of our comparatively young nation.
Mr. Bowler was reared on the farm and remained at home until he attained his majority, during which time attended the country school, and had three terms at Asbury University, now DePauw University, of Greencastle, Ind. He then began teaching school when eighteen and followed the profession for about twenty years, teaching winters and farming summers. He removed to Clay County, Ill., where for thirty-eight years he farmed with success. He was a member of the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association, a school director and a township trustee, alternating between the two for nearly thirty years. He was also township assessor and highway commissioner of Harter Township, Clay County, and an active worker in Illinois in the cause of temperance. He was a member of the Sons of Temperance and the Good Templars.
In 1894 he came to Pomona, Cal., and purchased his present place at 1214 East Fifth Street. The place was set to oranges, prunes and peaches. Later he took out the prune and peach trees and planted oranges. He also owns six and one-half acres of alfalfa land in the Chino District.
He has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Theresa Dye before her marriage, a native of Ohio, by whom he had three sons, James H., now living in Phoenix, Ariz.; Robert L. of Escondido, Cal., and Charles E. resides in Pomona, but is a rancher in Chino District. After the death of his first wife he married Mary Alice Downing, a native of Indiana, by whom he had six children, Paul D., who lives in Memphis, Tenn.; Mary T., living at home; Mrs. Julia E. Wilson of Tulare County, Cal.; William E. of Phoenix, Ariz.; Albert G., who lives in Texas, and Eva A., who died in 1909. His present wife's parents were pioneers of Kentucky and descendents of Daniel Boone.
Mr. Bowler has twenty-five grandchildren, three of whom are married, and three great-grandchildren. He is a member of the Unitarian Church of Pomona. He served on the board of directors of the Irrigation Company of Pomona. In the twenty-five years that he has been a resident of Pomona Valley his worth has been tested and he is deservedly respected and beloved by his many friends.
History of Pomona Valley, California, with Biographical Sketches
of The Leading Men and Women of the Valley Who Have Been
Identified With Its Growth and Development from the Early Days
to the Present
Published in Los Angeles, Cal., by the Historic Record Company
1920
Transcribed by Linda Jackson 9/16/08, Pages 393-394
Los Angeles County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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