The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-08-21
BIOGRAPHICAL sKnroa
Josiah slicer Bowen, M. D.. Read Before
the Baltimore County Medical Asso-
citation, August 10th, 1909, by
DR.. william ]. Todd, OF
Mt. Washington.

Mt. Washington.
Josiah Slfcer Bowen was son of wilks and
Elizabeth Taylor Bowen. both natives of Balti-
more county. He was born in Baltimore county,
Nd. on the HiIIen road. March LIST, 1882. and
died at his home. Mt. Washington. August 18th,
1900. of organic heart disease.
The Taylor family came from Gloucester. Eng
land in 1880. and the same year received q
grant Of land on the Hillen road which is still
owned by that family. DR.. Bowen received his
preliminary education in private schools under
Prof. Houck, and In the Union Academy. His
early life was occupied In preparing himself to
carry on the business of general contractor.
He went to California in 1854 by way of Panama
and Aspinwal. from New York. Arriving In
California after three months trip. he secured
work in gold mine. In short time he located
in Marysville, CAL, where he lived for six years.
following the business of general contractor.
Among the many buildings he erected there
was the Odd Fellows Temple. He and his three
companions lived in small hut. by feet, a
board for bed, the ash-pan Of small stove as
the repository for their money; they used lard
on their bread as butter. molasses in their tea
and coffee as sugar. and many times made tea
and coffee in the same pot. In 1850 he turned
his face homeward, now by the Overland Route
by stage, the trip being made In about three
months. Shortly after his arrival In Baltimore
he married Miss Martha Slack, a schoolmate and
friend Of his youth In less than year he re-
turned to California to close his business inter
ests and terminate the partnership which ex-
listed between Mr.. McComas, of Baltimore, and
himself. He was absent from Baltimore some IS
months and upon his return he took house on
where bis wife died November 24th, 1862.
In the fall of 1858 DIR. Bowen matriculated as Q
student In the Medical Department OF the uni
versity of Maryland, and also became student
in the office of Drs. Dunbar and Smith. He grad
uated in medicine in 1885, serving as an inferno
In the inlrmary during his under graduate days:
After graduating he was appointed resident
physician at the old alms-house at Calverton.
In the fall of 1865 be resigned this position and
opened an Office IN NJ washington; r, IA Tbo few
Woollen in which he lived until his death. DIR.
Bowen had continuous residence in Mt. Wash
great interest in the development Of the neigh
borhood and was road supervisor for about eight
years. In 1857 he married Miss Mary Juliet
Blake, who died August 23d, 1876. On October
10th, 1876, DIR. Bowen married Rebecca Norma
Mears. of Accomac county, Va, who died May
DIR. Josiah s.. and Miss Norma, the only surviv-
ing children of the subject of our sketch:
His second son, Josiah slicer, graduated IN med
icine at the University of Maryland in the class
Of 1903, and is now practicing medicine In Mt:
Washington and living on the same site as did
bis father. On August 4th, 1885. DR.. Bowen mar
late Trueman and Elizabeth Ross B. It. who sur
vived him, dying October 10th, 1903. DIR. Bowen
was lifelong Democrat and held prominent
position In the party, always refusing, however,
to hold public Office. He was prominent Ma
son and Knight Templar, and was charter
Lodge was oreanized in the old hall at Mt.
Washington. He was also member Of the or
ders Of Knights of Pythias and Odd Fellows.
Francisco to the scenes Of his early @
ing old memories. He made this trip by rail-
road, in company with the Maryland Comman-
As I recall DR.. Bowen the first time saw
him he was tall-almost six feet high-well pro-
portioned, weighing about 200 pounds, strong
and well preserved. His manner was kind, some
what brusque at times, but underneath it all
was large and generous heart. He was ply
stefan Of the old school, giving his time and ser
vices and means many times where he knew ne
would not and could not receive any financial
returns. Like almost all physicians OF by-gone
days. he made no report or record OF the many
unusual cases he met with in his long and sue
cessful experience as a physician at least. I
have never been able to secure any of his writ
ings. His SON informs me that he kept brief
record of his confinement cases, and that he at
tended 1892 cOnfinements. It can be said of
him that his life was quiet, industrious and UNI
assuming. and that 1t was success because IN
his long and active practice be relieved the suf-
ferings of the sick and added comfort to the
poor and the afflicted. The recollection of the
last year or two of his life, as recall it. it was
painful to see man strong and vigorous gradu-
ally wasting away, his shoulders STOPPING, neck
thinning and old age coming on, and his step
gradually losing the vigor and elasticity of his
younger life. i also recall the shock to me and
the community Of his sudden death. He was
found in his chair by servant early on the
morning of August 10th, 1900.
It was his custom to rise early. before the rest
of the family, and arrange for the business OF
the day before breakfast. Having given his in
structtons to the maid he returned to his office
and fell in his chair. The noise of the fall at
tracted the maid, who called Mrs. Bowen. and
upon her arrival she found her husband dead,
actually dying in the harness. THUS wastes
man; today he puts forth the tender leaves of
hope. tomorrow blossoms and bears his blush
ing honOrs thick upon him, the next day comes
a frost, which nips the shoot and while he thinks
his greatness still aspiring, he falls like autumn
leaves to enrich our mother EARTH"