J. B. BOWEN, M.D.


From History of Dane County, Wisconsin, publ. by Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1880, page 957-958

J. B. BOWEN, M.D., was born in Killingly, Windham Co, Conn., Aug. 19, 1815; came to Madison in April 1852, and engaged in the practice of medicine; was never sick so as to be disabled for business; he is the oldest homeopathic physician west of Milwaukee; from 1860 to 1862, he was in the hardware business, and has been engaged in the real estate business more or less ever since he came here; bought and sold probably over half a million dollars worth of property; Director of the Park Savings Bank since its organization, and is President of the bank; was Mayor in 1871; commenced the practice of homeopathy with his brother in 1849, having graduated from the N.Y. Central School, at Rochester, N.Y., in 1848; he is the son of Jabez and Sarah (TANNER) BOWEN, both natives of Rhode Island, of the original families of BOWENs from Holland; his father was a cotton manufacturer; started one of the first cotton Water looms in this country; he died when J. B. was a child of 6 years. Since 12 years of age, he has earned his living, clothed and educated himself, without help, working from 12 to 16 years of age in a cotton-mill; worked from 6 to 8-1/2 p.m. in the mill, attended school until 4 p.m. then worked in the mill until 8 p.m.; afterward was night-watch one winter, getting only three hours' sleep and attending school during the day; at Stafford, Conn., he commenced running a cotton-mill for himself when but 16 years of age; remained there six months, then went to Muddy Brook, Woodstock, Conn.; was there one year, then went to Warren, Mass., and bought a mill there for $16,000; when he was but 19 years of age, he had a business paying over $3,000 per year; when 21 years of age, he had a mill and everything paid for; continued in the cotton manufacturing business until 1846. He married in Killingly, Conn., Susan TUCKER; they have two children - Susan M., now Mrs. Wayne RAMSEY; and Sarah Jane, now Mrs. Dr. L. S. INGMAN.

Transcribed and contributed to this site by Carol

 

 

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