Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-02-22
DEATH OF JOHN WER.
AnOther Faithful Public Officer
Crosses the Dark River.

John Bauer, better kOwn as John
"Bower," our ex-county treasurer
and probate judge, whose death we
chronicled last week, was born ip
Indiana in 1910. His parents
moved to Oregon while John was
yet boy, and he resided with
them until the spring of 1869 when
he started for the Elk City mines
to seek his fortune. He went over
the trail on the snow in company
with j. M. Dorman, of Mt Idaho,
and the friendship thus formed re-
suited in a mining partnership
which lasted for many years and a
friendship which existed to the
last. Mr.. Bower engaged in vari-
GUS mining enterprises in Elk City
until 1876, when he came 10 the
prairie and established his rerma-
nent residence at Mt. Idaho. He
was one of the volunteers in the
Nez Perce war of 1877. From that
time Mr.. Bower has held in sue
cession the various offices of justice
of the peace, probate judge and
county treasurer. To the latter
office he was elected four times in
succession, after having previously
served a term as probate judge.
Last fall he was nominated for
probate Judge and received one of
the largest pluralities on the dem-
ocratic ticket over the republican
and populist nominees. Nine years
ago he had the misfortune to lose
a leg while employed in the saw
mill at Mt. Idaho, and the loss of
this member greatly impaired his
vitality and undoubtedly hastened
his death several years.
Mr. Bower was at all times a
strictly honest, upright, sober and
high-minded citizen, and his name
was synonymous with integrity.
The arts Of the politician were
alien to his character and he never
was known to conciliate frieI.d or
foe. But in spite of these charac-
teristics no man in the county was
more generally respected, and he
was nominated time and again for
county Office against his own con-
sent and judgment. But the peo-
Pile, regardless of their political
affiliations, always sustained him
because of their confidence in his
integrity. 1t is way we have of
running our elections up here in
Idaho county, and when we get a
good man in Office he is pretty apt
to die in the official harness.
Such was the personality of John
Bower. He had the finances Of the
county at his finger ends, and his
books and accounts were always
kept in apple-pie order. Last fall
he desired to be permitted to retire
to private life and even determined
that he would not qualify if
elected; but his party associates
finally prevailed upon him to con-
tinue on the ticket, and in due
time he qualified and assumed the
duties of the office until he was
compelled to take to his bed some
three or four weeks since. He had
been chronic sufferer from indi-
jestion and general debility for
many years, and his confinement,
sedentary occupation and loss of a
leg prevented. him fully recupera-
ting. He was fully aware that he
had not long to live, and expressed
his belief to US the last time we
saw him that his office would be
vacant before long. In anticipa-
ton thereof he had appoint
ed Geo. d. Smith as his depu-
ty soon after qualifying last month,
and he also made other arrange
ments showing that he knew his
last hour was near and was pre-
pared to meet it as brave man
should. Thus peacefully passed
away another of the little band OF
pioneer heroes who came to Idaho
county when i, was a vernal wild,
a class of men who Were the very
flower of American manhood in
their day and generation, and
whose imprint is left broad and
deep in the foundation stones OF
this commonwealth.
Mr.. Bower was firm believer
and faithful follower and exponent
of democratic principles. 1T was
the charac eristic of the man that
many of his warmest friends and
supporters were found in the ranks
of his political opponents and who
espOuscd his cause regardless 0l
possible consequences to them.
selves. OF course, such conduct il
subversive of party discipline, but
the old-timers up here are built
that way, and all the newcomers
can do is to take human nature az
they find it. We were personally
and intimately acquainted with Mr.
Bower, and from our first acquaint
ance with him admired his gentle
manly qualities and disposition