Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-06
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
The sowdoin Family.
portland PreSS.)

(POTtIdnu IlCSS.)
1t is news perhaps to many that the
Bo~doin family, one of the early rep
rescntatiNes of which was honored by
having the college called by his name.
has Il living representative and pa
tron of the institution. George s. Bow
dom Of New York has given 500
COO towards securing the conditional gift
Of the general s ndnca'!Gm on BOARD a
scent from Governor James Bowdoin
is not stated, but it must be that ne
is. since all OF the name in The coun-
Try have one me sc4ni I one
the revocation of the edict of Nantes
one of the refugees from France was
Pierre Baudoui1. who lied across the
Atlantic and landed at caaco, now
troubous times, tie place was exposed
10 attack by tndi:'ns. and after two
years. Peter Bowdoin, as his n.';ne be be,
to Boston. There he soon died. and
his son, becoming thrifty merchant,
laid the fortune OF the liuIliy. The son
liusuerot refugee became the famous
James I5OWdOin, native OF Boston, 2r;du-
ate of Harvard. friend of Franklin, mem
her of the General Court. president OF h2
Massachusetts corstit ltioi.tl convention
of l779 Governor Of the state in success
sion to john Hancock. Snppresso, .,
Sh:.y's rebellion. d 'leGateS t. the federal
constitutional convention, fellow Of Iiar
ward, founder ana first president Of
the American Academy of Arts and
Sciences, honored by degrees from Yale
and F,dinbdre, patriot. man o: letters and
patron Of learning. in whose honor the
college was named by act Of the MaSSH-
chisetts Legislature.
The act granting the charter Of Boz
granted five townships of !anl for the
benefit of the Institution. Tn" son O;
Governor Rowdoin was james noWdoin.
Jr., himself n man OF note. 4 graduate
win
state dining the Revolution and WAS
minister to Spain under the ad!ninistrl-
ton Of jefferson, and Wn" during his
residence abroad accumulated valuabl"
drawings He it WAS who became the
earliest .natron Of BoWdoin. giving it dur
ing his lie Hoe pounds in money and
c9Op acres OF land. and btlueathinG his
library and art collection. al in honor
Of ,is father. after Whom the college
had been ramed.
In the list of graduates of the college
there is hut one Bowdoin This was
James Bcwdor. a grandson Of Governor
James Bowdoir and son of Thomas
!: Winthrop Of Eoston he was was
entered tic practice in Boston, but hay
ing received from the DISTINGUISHED uncle
whose name h" had assumed. com
petent estate, he relinqulshci the protes
sion for more conGenit! pursuits. He Gicd
in Havana of pulmonary complaint in
49,. George Sullivan BowdoEl. of New
York the present representative of The,
family and latest patron, is 4 banker and
men,ner of the firm of J. i. Morgan &
Co 1t does not appear that he holds q
college degree, but he is connected as
director or trustee with numerous finan-
cial and industrial enterprises and he is
a gentlemen of broad culture. being 4
member OF the American Fine Arts
society, of the Metropolitan Museum o.
Art and the American Museum Of
Natural History. He is also a member
of several of the leading clubs and of the
New England Society of the Sons of the
| American Revolution.