Many of Bowers' siblings were pioneers who settled in California in 1849, Colorado (Kansas Territory) in 1859 and Arizona Territory in 1864 following the discovery of gold in California in 1848. Three of his brothers, Benjamin Dexter Bowers (1820-1876), Herbert Bowers (1822-1873) and John Taylor Bowers (1826-1907), came to California by covered wagon, arriving in August 1849, and were among the first settlers of what is now Nevada City, California. John Taylor Bowers later was a noted vigilante, or member of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance. Edward's brother Nathan Barker Bowers (1830-1906) came to Arizona Territory in 1864 and was granted Homestead Entry No. 1 as the first grantee of a homestead in Arizona authorized by the Homestead Act of 1862. Edward's brother George Washington Bowers (1829-1893) came to the area of future Denver in 1859, was the first office-holding public official of Park County, Jefferson Territory, before the Colorado Territory was organized, came to Arizona Territory in 1865 and became quite wealthy from mines in California and Arizona. George's fortunes dramatically increased from the gold production at the Harqua Hala mines near Prescott, Arizona, including the production of the largest gold brick ever processed at the San Francisco Mint, weighing .