The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-12-11

| Death of Mr.. John e. Owens-End of a
| Active Business and Professional Career
| After an illness of about three years, during
| greater part of which time he was able to NOV
about and mingle with his friends in the city an
county, Mr.. John e. Owens passed away yer
peacefully at his handsome country residence
"Aigburth Vale, near Towsontown, at 80 o'cloc
on Tuesday afternoon last. He suffered from dis
ease of the liver and it was this that caused hi
death. On Saturday last Mr.. Owens was stron
enough to be up, and it was thought that he wa
as well as usual, but during the night he was al
tackled with hemorrhage of the stomach and hi
condition became very critical. DR.. Hooking, c
Govanstown, was summoned and remained durin
the night. On Sunday DR.. Van Bibber, of Balti
more, who had been attending Mr.. Owens 70
some time, came out and by the attention of tn
two physicians he improved somewhat, until abou
o'clock Tuesday morning, when he suddenl.
grew worse and passed away peacefully at tn
hour above named, in the presence of his wife, hi
sister, Mrs. Wardin, and his lifelong friend, Mr.
Solomon King, of Baltimore. During his lonl
sickness Mr.. Owens consulted some of the bes
physicians in the country, having been obliged t.
give up his profession entirely, but none OF then
were able to afford him anything but temporar.
relief, the disease with which he suffered being
generally regarded as incurable. Several time
during his illness he had been at the point o
death, but being man indomitable will ant
strong constitution he was able to stem the cur
rent and pull through when his family and friends
thought it impossible for him to do so.
Mr.. John Edward Owens was born in Liver
pool, England, of Welsh parents, and came t.
this country when ten years old with his father
who made Philadelphia his home. The family
name was Owen, but was Americanized by the
addition of the final letter, which the comedian
always recognized. He was educated for few
years at q private school in Philadelphia, and
afterwards went as q clerk in wholesale drug
store, which position he held until he was 20 years
of age, when he adopted stage life. His first APP
pearance in any part was in Philadelphia, while
he was q druggists clerk. At night he frequent
ed the old National Theatre, and became SO in
fatuated with what he saw that he attached him
self to the famous comedian Burton, who was
manager, and who, fathoming the talent of young
Owens, gave him his first chance to act. FROM
small parts the young aspirant rapidly rose to a
recognized place and salary. In the start he gd
no pay, but supported himself by money Garnet
in the drug business. In 1S43 he came to Balti-
more and made his Introductory bow to the play
goers of that city at the old Holiday Street Thea
ire.
The following year he appeared for the first
time at Peale's Museum, where the Baltimore and
Ohio Central Building now stands, corner Balti-
more and Calvert streets. Until 1S47 he played
ut this resort with great success, then going back
to Philadelphia, where he made great hit and
earned money very rapidly. After time he
again returned to Baltimore and purchased the
Howard Atheneum, on the corner of Baltimore
Ind Charles streets. This he conducted with
great success, being then on the high road to both
anne and fortune.
On the 10Th of April, 1S49, Mr.. Owens married
/ daughter of Mr.. John G. Stevens, a prominent
Baltimore merchant, and his wife survives him
without children.
In the early portion of his life Mr.. Owens man
ged theatres in several of the larger cities of the
country, always with great success, amassing
money very rapidly. In 1880 he went to Cali
ornia on q professional tour and while in San
francisco invested heavily in silver mines. Some
# these proved Improbable and he sunk consid-
rable money, but he still retains an interest in
wo or three which may some day prove very
Is purchased in 1888, and upon
splendid residence and other buildings, Mr..
)wens owned at the time of his death the Acade-
nv of Music in Charleston, S. c., which cost him
Isl, 900; q handsome residence on st. Paul street,
Baltimore, and other valuable property. lie was
N active and capable business man and had
aree circle of warmly. attached friends. Speak
NO Of his professional career the Baltimore Sun
avs, editorally "The loss to the American stage
w the death of the veteran comedian, John II.
ovens, is one that will be sensibly felt through
,ut the country, for, although in the last few
,ears his appearances had become infrequent, his
reputation had been so long assured that he was
ooked upon as one of the standard attractions OF
The stage, and also as one of the few old-fashloned
comedians whose faces had become familiar to the
younger generation, and whose return to the
boards was hoped for but scarcely expected by
theatre. goers He will be especially missed in
this city, with which both his public and private
careers have been so closely identified, not only
by the public he has so often amused but by hosts
Of personal friends, to whom his genial humor, his
ready wit and his many estimable qualities en-
deared him. Although a native of England, Mr.
Owens spent the greater part OF his life IN anu
near this city, and his genial countenance was
familiar one to most Baltimoreans. His earliest
dramatic successes were obtained here, and he al
WAYS found a hearty welcome whenever he ap-
peared on the boards of Baltimore theatre. Mr..
Owens was an actor of great versatility and of
conscientious methods. His characters were al.
WAYS carefully elaborated, but the great charm OF
his acting lay in the quaint humor, the fun-loving
propensities of the man himself. There was al
ways o naturalness. lin his stage portraits, whlcn
was the product of the incest art, but which, to
his friends, might we'll have seemed but revela-
tions of latent possibilities in his essentially
mirthful and mirth- provoking nature. 1t was
the privilege of Mr.. Owens, during his long pro-
fessonal career, to give enjoyment OF an innocent
and healthful kind to many thousands of people,
and sense of personal gratitude for the amuse-
ment and pleasure he has caused them will mingle
with the regret of all who have seen him ON the
stage at the announcement that the curtain has
fallen for the last time on the drama of his lfe.
The funeral took place at his late residence al
IL o'clock on Friday morning and was largely at
tended, many friends coming from the city. Rev
W. II. H. Powers, rector of Trinity 2. Il. Church
m o-sontoup oonducfed the services. The re
mains were temporarily deposited in the mauso
leum in Greenmount Cemetery, and will hereafter
be inferred in the family lot. The pall-bearer
were Messrs. Solomon King, Lawrence Barrett
John W. Albaugh, Richard Fl. Peasants, Thomas
M. Lanahan and Washington Stevenson.
Property Sold for Taxes.-County Treas