New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-25

being the Oldest son. was employed by his father as
! clerk from the time he sixteen to his TWEEN
| teth year. He made frequent trips to Providence
to buy goods, and it these occasional gllmpses of
the world which resulted in his coming to New-Iork
! TO seek his fortune.
At the age OF twenty he became \ clerk IN the
silk house Of Arthur Tappan & Co. The two
brothers, Arthur and Lewis Tappan. were the ead
ing ant!-slavery advocates of the city and they
were also prominent in religious affairs. re
worked with the firm for five years receiving the
first year sa.ary Of $500 which increased 800
each succeeding year. The third year another
firm offered him $1,000 year but he declined the
offer. preferring to be true TO his employers. As
result. he offered partnership In the firm OF
Arthur Tappan d Co. the other brother, Lewis.
having decided 10 retire from active business
While he was A c.crk the store was attacked by
Sroes during the negro riots and Mr. Bowen was
one Of those who protected the store nightly
with guns. lie decided to branch out in business
for himself. and with a fellow-c.erk. Theodore
McNamee, formed the firm of Bowen. McNameo
& Co.. wholesale dealers in silk and drygoods and
a stranger TO them, John Rankin. a wealthy citizen
OF New-York. lent them 5000 Their first store
was at Beaver and William SITS. bat a prosperous
business made 1t necessary to secure moro COM
modous quarters. They erected marble bull ling
in Broadway. between Pine ana Cedar sts. Fortune
continued to smile upon them, and after a few
years they built what then one OF the finest
marble in the city at Nos $50. 1922 and 324
the erection Of the new building. and the firm = as
obliged 10 ask an extension OF It's c-5Gtors. NJ.
McNamee withdrew and the firm name l'came
Bowen. Holmes q Co. The new firm hoUrsh"d
until the Civil War broke out and. although It
had nearly $4,000 assets above It's liabilities. coz,
lectons throughout the country. and especi tl.y
throughout the South. were impossible, and
sisnmea, made. The firm aftorward paid of
the fun amount Of the debts. then compromised
and outlawed.
1t was due 10 the efforts OF Mr.. Bowen that the
Continental Insurance Company was formed In 1852.
SO many wel-known persons were anxious to lie
connected with the company as directors that the
Home Insurance Company formed In Mr..
Bowen's Office the same year.
STARTING THE INDEPENDENT"
IN 1s4s Mr.. Bowen ore OF five persons 70 found
"The Independent" and on December the first
appeared under the editorshp of the Rev. DR..
Leonard Bacon. the Rev. DR.. Richard S. Storrs.
the Rev. Joseph p Thompson and the Rev. Or.
Joshua Leavtt. 1t established to be
metropolitan Of the Congregational churches.
which ii was felt needed n journal which would
be more progressive and anti-slavery than any then
In existence. 1t Immediately achieved power ana
influence. but for a number Of years dll not prove
a financial success. The proprie;ors were Henry
c. Bowen Theodore McNamee Simeon b. Chitten-
den. jonathan Hunt and Seth b. Hunt all Of them
young merchants. The paper was ant-slavery
in character that the Southern merchants refused 10
gradually dropped out OF the venture. which always
had proved heavy financial burden to them, and
Mr. Bowen became the sole owner. At the time
Of the failure OF the firm the paper owed Bowen,
McNamee & Co. so 00c and the debt was increasing
every day. Mr.. Bowen left the mercantile business
in 1861. and devoted his entire attention TO THE In
dependent" with the result that in SIX weeks 1t
paid expenses In 1862 he was appointed by Presi-
dent Lincoln Collector OF Internal Revenue OF the
Third New-York District. comprising the greater
part Of Brooklyn. but removed from office by
President Andrew Johnson because The Independ-
ent" opposed his policy. Drs. Bacon, Storrs and
Thompson having retired from the editorshp OF
''The Independent" Mr.. Beecher. and later Mr..
Tlton. were called to the editorsh!p. On the re-
tirement OF Mr. Titon. Mr.. Bowen became editor
as we'll proprietor and publisher. and from that
time until his death ne controlled It's editorial policy
Through the efforts of Mr.. Bowen his native city.
Woodstock received many benefits. and he spent
thousands OF dollars in making one Of the most
beautiful parks in the United States In that city
For over twenty-five years he held great mass
meetings in Woodstock annually on the Fourth OF
July Some Of the best-known American states
men and public speakers have spoken at Woodstock
on these occasions. among them having ocen l,resi-
dents Grant. Hayes and Harrison. N!cc-t'res.dents
Hamlin. Wilson and Morton Count Cataca1y T.. Inc
United States Judges and score OF United States
Senator'S In addition there have been members OF
Congress, Governors. generals college Presidents,
bishops poets. historians. c.ergymen EDITORS ana
f Ga.ne John meg sherman MANS william McKlney j
Thomas H. Reed, BENJAMIN Butler O. o. Howard
Of Of Rumania. John G. Whittier oliver Wendell
Holmes. Henry w. Iongfelow. Joaquin Miller taI-
Julia Ward Howe Joseph Cook, Henry J. Ray.
mond. Elliott F. Shepard. Henry clews Ghan n
N. Depcw; John b. Golf. Neal Dow and Miss Fran
ces f. Willard
HIS CONNECTION WITH PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
Mr. Bowen was actively engaged in religious work
He was member of Dr. Samuel H. Coxs church
in Brooklyn and WAS of the first members of
the Pilgrim Congregational Church. Of the same
city He was at time Of the most influential
members in Plymouth Church, to which Henry Ward
Beecher came mainly through his inilaencs. MT: MI;
Sr Short aiaT time ne Mr. house and Eel
Ing of friendship existed between the Two
i Iiien Folo%.ns The publication Of the
charges IN the Beecher-Titon scandal. an estranTe-
Bowen ana the preachers friends contended that
MIR. Bowen had been instrumental In bringing the
charges before the public. Mr.. Bowen curing the
Heec6er trial was dropped from the roll OF Plymouth
controversy. when he ehowsd some hostility toward
owner Of 1.-THE Union" and during the trial the
attitude Of ne Tard Mr. Beech rrn gss u hGs
drew tGe,r patronage from the newspaPer when
aisrward sold TO Lorp Palmer MI l hoT ven
Rev. DR.. Stor.s vas pastor. DIR: Storrs had eidel
with Mr. Bowen In a number OF incidental points ms
through the influence OF Mr.. Bowen the Albany
convention or rally TO help the Western churches
was called and Mr.. Bowen offered $1,000 toward
SO 900 fund to help those churches Through TINS
as the Congregational Church Building Society.
which Distributes annually neariy, szO''o" FOR
Mr. Bowers iirst wife whom he married on June s,
G. 1914 daughter Of Lewis Iappen' o, tns sq mn h
married Miss Ellen Holt who survives nm; ,o sac Is
daughter OF Dr. Hiram mo OF pSlh ana had