In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1902) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1818
From The history of Wyandot county, Ohio, containing a history of the county: its townships, towns, churches, schools, etc.; (1884), Biographical memoirs of Wyandot County, Ohio : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography ... embellished with portraits of many national characters and well known residents (1902)
MICHAEL BOWER, son of David and Susan (Kepner) Bower, was born in New York January 19, 1818. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania, and of German lineage, coming to Ohio in 1835, and settling where our subject now resides. Here they entered 376 acres of land, upon which they lived and died. They were the parents of eight children — five still living, Henry S., Jacob P., Michael, David and Maria. The deceased are Adam, John N. and Margaret. The father died in 1857, aged seventy-four years; the mother, in the same year, at the same age. Our subject, Michael Bower, was provided with a common school education, and remained upon the old homestead which he assisted in clearing, and eighty acres of which he has since fallen heir to. By subsequent purchases he has raised this number to 240 acres, all in good repair and valued at $60 per acre. In his lifetime Mr. Bower has cleared about one hundred and fifty acres of heavily timbered land. In 1875, he built his attractive residence, costing $2,500. October 14, 1838, he married Miss Ann E. Studebaker,by whom he became the father of five children — three living: Jarvis, Martha and Willamina. The deceased are D. Orsin and Mary A. The mother died August 9, 18 i7. Married again, deceased wife's sister, Martha J. Studebaker, daughter of Abram and Mary (Group) Studebaker, March 14, 1848. Four children resulted from this marriage — three living: Ann E., Neander S. and John M. Georgiana died November 4, 1857. Mrs. Bower was born April 2, 1832. Mr. Bower was formerly a Whig, but now is a firm Republican. His suns, James W. and D. Orsin, were in the late war; the latter was held a prisoner in Andersonville, nine months, and died at home from disease contracted in the service. Mr. Bower and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and have been for the past forty-four years, he serving as Class Leader and Steward most of that time. He was Trustee of the township two years, and is well respected as a citizen, contributing liberally to benevolent causes.
As printed in The history of Wyandot county, Ohio, containing a history of the county: its townships, towns, churches, schools, etc.; (1884). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
MICHAEL BOWER.
This old settler is so well and favorably known that it seems almost superfluous to enter into the details of his uneventful life. He was born near Cayuga Springs, Cayuga county, N. Y., January 19, 1818, and is the son of David Bower, a native of the Keystone state. The latter was raised on a farm and when a young man married Miss Susan Keptner, who bore him the following children: Harry, who died at the age of eighty-five years; Adam, who died aged twenty-seven years; Jacob, who died aged seventy-five years; Nicholas, who died aged seventy years; Margaret, who married Nelson Davis and died in early womanhood; the subject; David, now living in Mifflin township; Maria, who married George Merriman and died at the age of seventy-seven years. When
David Bower, the father, was vet a young man he removed from Pennsylvania to New York and lived there until 1834, when he came west to Ohio by team, and settled on the farm in Marseilles township where the subject of this memoir now resides. He bought eighty acres of land of John Yeager, upon which a small clearing had been made and a log cabin erected and a well dug. He paid five dollars and fifty cents per acre for the tract. Here he continued to live and labor until his death, in 1852, at the age of seventy-four years. His widow also passed away the same year. Both were people of eminent respectability, earnest in their du- ! ties, strong in the friendship and confidence of their neighbors and firm in their adherence to all that makes up a benevolent and I God-fearing life. Mr. Bower was a member of the Presbyterian church.
When Michael Bower was sixteen years of age he was brought to this farm upon which he worked until he was nineteen years i old. At that time he married Miss Ann E. Studebaker, a native of Adams county, Penn., where she was born near Bendersville September 1. 1820. She was the daughter of Abraham and Mary (Group) Studebaker, who came to this county about the year 1835. Boon after his marriage the subject moved onto a farm about, a mile from here and erected thereon a leg cabin, where he resided for a period of seven years. He then returned and took charge of the old home farm, where he has continued to live ever since, tic has been married twice. By his first wife. Ann E. Studebaker, he had the following children: Jarvis, who ik a merchant and lives in Marseilles: Orson, who enlisted in the Seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was in many ini- 47* portant engagements, being at one time taken prisoner and confined in Andersonville prison for nine months; he died about a year after his return from the service at the close of the war; Martha, who married William Elder and is notv deceased; Mary A., deceased; Mina, the widow of Enoch Robey, who is now living with her father. Mr. Bower's first wife died August 29, 1847, and on March 14. the following year, he wedded her sister. Miss Martha J. Studebaker, who bore him four children: Ann
E., now dead; Leander, who lives with subject; Georgiana, dead: Melville, w ho lives in Marseilles township. Martha Jane (Studebaker) Bower was born in Adams county, Penn., April 2, 1822. and departed this life July 17, 1899. aged seventy-seven years, three months and fifteen days. For many years she had been a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church and was a kind and affectionate wife and mother. Her beautiful life was reflected in her many good works, the poor and the needy ever finding in her a kind and sympathetic friend. The subject is the owner of two hundred and forty-three acres of land and carries on farming and stock raising. In politics he is a Republican, and has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for sixty years. He is a meml>er of Lodge Xo. 415,
As printed in Biographical memoirs of Wyandot County, Ohio : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography ... embellished with portraits of many national characters and well known residents (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: David Bower (b. 1821)
Their biographies name Michael Bower: Jarvis W. Bower (b. 1840)
The printed record stops around 1884. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.