Los Angeles daily herald., 1873-10-15
John Rowland.

At an early hour yesterday morn
ing, at his residence, on the Puente
ranch, and at the advanced age of
about eighty years, the subject of this
notice departed this life.
Mr.. Rowland was native of Penn
sylvania. Previous to, and i'm 1924 he
Was engaged in trapping beaver in
the country to the northwest Of New
Mexico, and was as far west as Green
river. I'm the year above mentioned,
his party was attacked and defeated
by the Indians, and Mr.. Rowland hav-
ing lost all his property found his way
to Taos in destitute and penniless
condition. Not discouraged by mis-
fortune ne at once engaged i'm business
at that place. He built a Touring
mill, and started distillery, and was
also engaged in mercantile business.
In the course of fifteen years he had
accumulated handsome property,
married an amiable wife and was the
father OF an interesting family Of
children. He was of II most fearless
disposition, ever directing his physical
and mental energies to the accom-
plishment of the objects he had in
view, insensible to any danger that
might he on the way, relying upon his
powers to overcome whatever might
be encountered. While engaged in
trapping he was in several Indian
fights in which he was severely
wounded, his body bearing many Il
scar resulting from the wounds re-
ceived in the conflicts through which
he had passed.
From some circumstances that
transpired at the time of the invasion
of New Mexico by Texan troops UNI
der the command of Col. Cook in lS4O,
Mr.. Rowland was without any cause
whatever, suspected by the New Mex
lean authorizes of being i'm some man.
ner privy to, and abetting the inva-
sion. Discovering himself to be un-
der the ban of suspicion in New Mexi-
co, he resolved to search for another
home for himself and family. With
this object before him he came to Cali
fOrnia in 1911, and obtained from Gov
ernor AlvaradO, grant of the Puente
ranch, for himself and his longtime
friend, Mr.. VIM. Workman. So sus-
picious had the New Mexican author
tiles become of Mr.. Rowland
that the Governor of that Terrific
ry procured Il New Mexican who came
to California with Mr. Rowland to be
the secret bearer of letter to the Gov
ernOr of California cautiOning him
against Mr.. Rowland. After obtain
ing the grant Of land he went back to
New Mexico and soon after returned
to California with his family, and was
accompanied by Mr. Workman and
family, and also by Don David w.
Alexander and family.
During his residence in New Mexico
he was both respected and esteemedby
the people. of that country, as we'll as
by the traders and trappers who visited
or sojourned in that Territory.
In 1916, during the Flores insurrec-
ton, and at the fight at the Chino
ranch, Mr.. Rowland was made pris-
oner, and, with the Hon. Il. ID. Wilson
and other Americans, brought into
this city and for some time held i'm
close custody
Mr.. Rowland was eminently home
man. During his residence Of nearly
thirty years on his ranch, he seldom
absented himself from his home and
family, and has not, during that time,
ever visited either Monterey or San
Francisco. BY nature Of an unassum-
ing and retiring disposition, he was
universally esteemed by all who be-
came intimate with him, and thus had
opportunity to become aware of his
many good qualities as a man, a friend,
Il neighbOr and Il citizen.