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Person Page 458

Benjamin Franklin Fowler    3rd great grand uncle   
b. 2 April 1825, d. 16 June 1899, #458
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Birth	2 April 1825	Benjamin Franklin was born on 2 April 1825 at Cohocton, Steuben, New York. Full name, birth place, death date and place marriage date and place from NEHR. On the 1880 U.S. census he appears as 50 years old. If truly born in 1825 he would be 55 in 1880.1,2,3,4,5,6
Cen1840	1840	Benjamin Franklin Fowler may appear on the 1840 census with father Dr. William Buel Fowlerin Sparta, Livingston county, New York. William may appear in Sparta, Livingston county, New York as the male 30-40 which is correct for the birth date of 1804. The female 20-30 likely the second wife of William B Fowler, that is Mary Boone Arbor.  Daughter Almira,  is the female 15-20 as she would be 17 if born in 1823. The two males 5-10 are William who would be 9 and Henry who would be 7. The male 10-15 is Benjamin Franklin who would be about 15 if born in 1825. It appears that Matilda/Melitta is NOT there. On the same page of the census is the family of Aylmer Lasell. Aylmer's daughter Anna married Benjamin Franklin Fowler.7,8,9 Benjamin's mother died while he was quite young.  When he was nine years old he was apprenticed to a tailor.  One of his duties was to get up early and prepare the shop for the day.  One day it was still quite dark and he used a candle to find his way around............and dropped some wax on a bolt of cloth.  He was sure that he would be beaten for being so careless so he ran away.  He was taken in by a farmer and earned his way, at about 5 dollars a month. (From a typed sheet by by Franklin W. Fowler b 1896 and died Jan 1977, grandson of the first Dr. Benjamin Franklin Fowler)  See this document
		He was educated at Lima, Livingston county, New York. Lima is in the north east corner of Livingston county, close to the Ontario county line.5
Note	1850	He graduated from Geneva Medical College in 1850. Geneva is on the northwest shore of Seneca Lake in New York.5
	between 1850 and 1856	Between 1850 and 1856 he practiced in Genesco, NY. Genesco is now in Livingston county just to the west of Conesus Lake in the finger lake area. Groveland, his wife's home town is just a few miles to the south.5
	circa 1853	About 1853 he became a Mason in New York . When they moved to Hanover, he joined the Lodge in Elizabeth as there was none in Hanover. Later he was a charter member of the Hanover order and in changing his place of residence to Gelena he changed to the lodge there. He served as Scribe from 1878 to 1883 inclusive and for several years was elected to the post of High Priest.10
Marriage	19 October 1853	Benjamin Franklin Fowler, 28 years old, married Anna A Lasell, who was 20 years old , daughter of Aylmer Lasell and Achsanna Pease, 19 October 1853 in Groveland, Livingston county, New York.11
Moved	between 1856 and 1858	Benjamin Franklin moved his wife and two children to  Hanover, Illinois, from New York between 1856 and 1858. Charles Alymer, their oldest son, was born in Illinois in 1858. The History of JoDaviess County says that they came to Hanover in 1856.5
	13 August 1858	In 1858 he was nominated county coroner. There is no evidence that he was ever served in that position, UNLESS nomination is all that it takes to become the coroner .12
Land	1 December 1859	There is a land transaction, dated 1 December 1859, either a Deed of Transfer or a Deed of Trust that is recorded in Book R of Mortgages of JoDaviess county from Joseph H. Wiley to B. F. Fowler for S½ of NW¼ Sec 25, T27, R2E. MAYBE this should read Sec 26 as Hanover is Section 26.13
Land	23 July 1860	Another land transaction is recorded on 23 July 1860 in JoDaviess county for property described as pt of Sec 16, T26, R2E. This is Hanover. He paid $1000 for this parcel which is recorded in Book 10 of Deeds, p 258. This piece was purchased from R. W. Furman.13
Land	between 1861 and 1898	From 1861 until 1898 there are several chattle mortgages recorded in JoDaviess county with B. F. Fowler being one of the participants. He also acted as the administrator of the estates John Calderwood and Augustus B. Curley in 1889 for which he was paid $4000. Possibly, he accepted this mortgages in lieu of payment for his services.13
	1861	Benjamin and his family moved from Hanover to Galena about 1861. Their home was on High Street at the corner of Wight. The house still stands in 1998 and has been well cared for. His office was in the Merchantile Bank building. We were not able to establish where that building was in the 1880's.3,5
	1861	John Lazell article claims that he was a physician at Galena Illinois from 1861. This appears to be correct.3
	1861	. This is a picture of the Fowler home in Galena, Illinois.  The Caption also told us that he was the county Physician, but there were no dates.14
	1861	The little red DOT in the map above shows you where the Fowler House stood, on High Street.  In 2000 it was still there.    15,16
		Grandson Franklin Fowler tells us that this was a happy family.  The young folks all loved to sing.  Son Charles had a very fine voice and the girls did very well also.  Galena was what you would call a small town, without modern transportation.  There were no theaters, restaurants or places of amusement.  Social life centered around the church and singing societies.  This group put on performances or oratorios and light operas such as The Mikado, HMS Pinafore and etc.
Historical TidBit	1861	Lead mining was the drawing card for this area in the early 1800's. After the Civil War the price of lead dropped dramatically and the towns that had depended on the Mining nearly became ghost towns. The railroad came and made the river ports less important also. The Le Fever River also known as the Galena River, which once could handle large river boats, filled with silt and was no longer able to support the river traffic. The depression of that began in 1893 did not help the economics of the area. Galena stagnated until a revival in the early 1980's was begun with the interest in the old and beautiful homes in the area. The last big flood in Galena of any magnatude was in 1937. In 1947 the city built a levee and dike, complete with flood gates to protect the town. In 1998, Galena was the largest restored historical area in the United States. Now, there main economic base is tourism. The large homes on the hill were never at risk from flooding, but due to the recession and depressed land values had a number of years where they could be purchased for a "song". Not so today.17
LandPur	15 May 1861	On 15 May 1861 Benjamin purchased land, Hanover, JoDaviess county, Illinois from James Stewart on a mortgage. Initials appear to be L.F rather than B.F. This transaction is recorded in Book S of Mortgages, p 3811. Description does not fit exactly with the land that he sold in 1892, but is likely the same.13   I am wondering if this was actually a sale of this land.  I may have switched grantee and grantor.
Death	28 Aug 1861	His father was murdered 28 August 1861 at Pipestone, Berrien, Michigan.1,2,18
	between 1862 and 1865	Benjamin was Pension surgeon from 1862 until 1865 when he resigned that position. He was also appointed County Physician about 1868 and served in that capacity for 10 years. A Pension surgeon was one who "checked out" the veterans of the Civil War to ascertain if they qualified for a pension as a result of injury or illness associated with their service during the Civil War.12,5
	13 June 1865	A short article in the newspaper of 13 June 1865 says that "His grey horse, Billy, died. This horse took the Good Doctor to see the sick. Dr. F said that "Billy has gone where good horses go"".19
QuitClaim	July 1866	Benjamin Franklin Fowler and Anna A Fowler signed a quit claim dated July 1866 in the estate of Benjamin Franklin's father, William. This QC was found in the land records of Cass county, Michigan. Benjamin and Anne were living in Galena, JoDaviess, Illinois..20
Cen1870	7 July 1870	Benjamin Franklin Fowler appears on the 1870 census taken on 7 July 1870 in Galena, JoDaviess, Illinois as 45 years old, physician, $3000 of real estate and $2000 of personal property. Born in NY. Married with 5 children. Charles A. born in Illinois in 1859 or so. All the others were born in NY.21
Land	12 April 1872	A land transfer to Benjamin Franklin Fowler and Ascah Fowlerwas recorded on 12 April 1872 in JoDaviess county and is for pt of Lot 7, blk 5, West Galena Illinois , from Richard Seal. It is not known, at this point, who Ascah was?22   But suspect that this should have read Anna or Aschanna Fowler, his wife.
Land	5 Sept 1872	On 5 September 1872 Benjamin purchased land from David Sheean on a Deed of Trust. Must be like a mortgage as it is recorded in the book of mortgages. This lot is in the same block where his house stood, tho' the house is on Lot 12. Lot 10 faces Wight street and Lot 12 faces High street.23
Cen1880	5 June 1880	Benjamin Franklin Fowler and Anna show on the 1880 census on High Street  in Galena, Illinois. Census was taken 5 June 1880. Dr. Benjamin Fowler, 50, Physician, born in NY parents both born in NY, wife Anna, 46, born in NY, father born in NY, mother born in CT. Daughter Alymre 25, Annie 24, Charles 21, Frank 19 and Jane P. 15, all at home. Jane P was born in Galena. Since Charles was born in Illinois and is 21 years old, they were into Illinois by about 1858.4
		Benjamin Fowler wrote this list of rules to his sons on 1 Jan 1881.  Makes good rules for today, as much as then.
		Benjamin maintained the dignity, and wore the usual costume, of a doctor of that period. a frock coat and plug hat.  Those days were more formal than today or even yesterday.  He must have been an impressive figure when he started off to make a country call, mounted on horseback with a saddle bag containing all of his professional equipment and still wearing his frock coat and plug hat.
LandSold	1892	On 1892 Benjamin and Anna sold N½ of SE¼ of Sec 16, T6 R2E, 80 acres and NE¼ of SE¼ f Sec 16, T26, R2E 10 acres for $700. This land appears to have been purchased in July of 1860 and May 1861 for $1125.13
	1895	In 1895 the population of Galena was 5635. They had a railroad and an express station but NO post office.25
!AInfoNew	10 June 1899	From the Galena Weekly Gazette of 15 June, 1899 we quote the following article.      Mr. B. F. Fowler was taken seriously ill from an attack of pleurisy at an early hour Saturday morning ( that would be 10 June, 1899) and his brother was summoned, H. M. Fowler, of Scales Mound, arriving on the morning Central Train. He returned home that afternoon leaving his brother considerable improved and resting easily. The doctor's sons, Dr. C. A. Fowler of Bellvue (Iowa) and Hon. B. F. Fowler, ex attorney general of Cheyenne WY, who had been visiting at Bellevue arrived home this (meaning Saturday??) afternoon having been notified of their father's illness. On Wednesday, the doctor's condition was considerably improved and he is now considered completely out of danger. Dr. Fowler died the next day.26
Death	16 June 1899	Benjamin Franklin died on 16 June 1899 at Galena, at JoDaviess, at Illinois at age 74. There is no death record for Benjamin in JoDaviess county but there was a long obituary from the newspaper.3
Burial	18 June 1899	Benjamin was buried in Galena, Illinois. Original plot was Div 4, Lot 6 SE¼ but was moved, with others in the family, to Plat 1, Lot 9 NE½ on 28 June 1900. This was a new section of the cemetery and was "the place to be buried" as the important persons in town had plots here.27
Obituary	22 June 1899	The Obituary for Benjamin Franklin of Galena, at Illinois is in part, as follows: "In his Demise the City Loses one of it Foremost Citizens and One whose Loss will be Keenly Felt.      In the death of Dr. B. F. Fowler, which sad event occurred at his home on High Street at 8:45 Friday morning, Galena mourns the loss of one of her moremost citizens, who can be illy spared in this community and whose place can not be filled." The article goes on to tell, at length of the good works that Benjamin had done, of his involvment in the Masonic lodge and other lodges in Galena. He had been attending a Masonic meeting on the Friday before he died, and was "exposed to a draft". In the night then he was attacked by pleurisy. Some of the area in which he was involved, other than the treatment of patients are listed as: Alderman, member of the board of education; President of the Grant Birthday association (of which he was the Grand Marshall of the Birthday parade several times according to a local historian H. Scott Wolfe) various offices in the Masons, vice-president of the JoDaviess county medical association, examining surgeon for the pension bureau; member of the South Presbyterian Church. The funeral service was held at his residence on Sunday, 18 June 1899, the Rev. Ernst of the South Presbyterian church giving the euolgy and biographical sketch. A very large attendance of friends and representatives of the various orders to which he belonged testified to the esteem in which he was held by his friends and neighbors. Lodges represented were Miners Lodge # 273, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and The Commandery. The obituary is lengthy, containing much of the text of the sermon given by Rev. Ernst.10
QuitC	21 August 1899	Quit Claims in the estate of Benjamin Franklin Fowler were signed by Jeannie and Gideon F. Budrow of Cheyenne WY, Charles and Mary Fowler of JoDaviess county, Benjamin F and Carrie E Fowler of Cheyenne WY, Almira M Fowler of Jo Daviess county, and Annie L. Rogers of Cheyenne, WY. On 21 August 1899 and recorded in Galena, JoDaviess county, Illinois. This parcel was Lot 12, Block 6 of West Galena, Illinois. High Street.13
research	1899	Need will if there is one

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Compiler: Pomala Black

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