Morning journal and courier., 1881-01-18
Obituary.

Professor William o. Fowler, of Durham.
 William O. Fowler, LII. D., died at his res
 idence in Durham Center on Saturday even-
 ing (the 15th) at the advanced age of S7
 years, in the full possession of his faculties.
 and engaged up to the last few days in pros
 ecuting his literary and historical studies
 one of which, on the Education of Women in Ancient Connecticut, will appear in the
 forthcoming number of Barna7td's AnaerScaas
 Journal ef EducGtioas He was born in Kill
 lngworth Chow Clinton), Conn, on the 1st
 of September, 1793, where he lived till 1797,
 when his father removed to Durham to live
 on farm given by the colonial Legislature to
 his ancestor, Deacon John Fowler of Gull ford, in recognition of his public services. He was fitted for Yale College by the Rev.
 Dr. Elliott of Madison, and graduated in
 1S16
 From 1919 to 1925 he was tutor in Yale College, having after his graduation served as rector of the Hopkins grammar school and as private tutor in the family of Major John Armistead, of Fauquier county, Virginia. In 1927 he accepted the professorship of chem istry and natural history in Middlebury Col lege, Vermont, and discharged its duties with great acceptance until 1888, when he resign ed
 to take the chair of rhetoric, oratory and belles-letters in Amherst College which he continued to fill until 1S43, when he resigned
 for the purpose of prosecuting certain philo- logical studies, the outcome of which in part was his series of grammars of the English language, published by the Harper Brothers.
 In 1850 Professor Fowler was elected to the Massachusetts Legislature from the town of Amherst, and during his term of service
 he was instrumental in securing important legislation in behalf of education and agri- culture. In 1851 he was rendered diplo- natic appointment by Daniel Webster, then
 Secretary of State. of whom he was 8 warm personal and political friend. In 1856 he was nominated for Congress on a ticket sup
 ported by the Whig party and the Democrat
 ic party, and received a strong vote, but failing an election.
 He was the son-in-law of Noah Webster, and edited the university edition of 'FWeb-
 ster's Dictionary" published in 1845. In 1850 Professor Fowler published 8 treatise on ''The English Language in it's Elements and Forms" This treatise which gave his- tory of the origin and development of the English language, is work of great elabora- ton and care, and carries the relations of grammar to other sciences much further than was usual in such treatises at the time it was first published. He also published ''Condi- tions of Success in General Investigations as illustrated in the character of Nathaniel
 Chauncey," Elementary English Grammar
 for Common Schools" Essays" 'eThe Sec
 tional Controversy" Qs63) and "The His | tory of Durham, Conn., 1866. Professor Fowler was the father of Mrs. Gordon l.. | Ford, of Brooklyn.
 After a residence of twenty years in Am l herst, Professor Fowler removed in 1858 to Durham, Conn, where he resided until his death, in house built and occupied by his
 ancestors, the Chaunceys, upon estate owned
 by them ever since the settlement of Dur
 ham. In 1864 he was elected State Senator | from the Eighteenth district.
 He married Harriet, daughter of Noaf | Webster, and left two children surviving hin I-a daughter, Mrs. Gordon l.. Ford O.
 Brooklyn, N. r., and a son. ex-Senator Flow l Ter of this State.