Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-02-22
DEATH OF AN OLD CITIZEN.

oldest and most highly esteemed citi-
zens, died at the home of his sons,
William and Wallace at 22S First
Ave. n, last Friday morning at 7:20
O'Clock, Feb. Is, 1910. Mr.. Gowen
had been i'll for the past six weeks
with the grip, but was able to be up
and about during the time. On Thurs
day morning he seemed to have caught
more cold, and at IL O'Clock on that
day he was taken with severe chill,
and though the family physician was
called and everything possible done to
give him relief, he grew worse and
within a short time passed into I'M
consciousness. He was rational only
for moment in the evening, when
an old friend called to see him, but
lapsed into the unconscious state
again in which he remained until he
passed away at the hour mentioned.
The Immediate cause of his death
was pneumonia and blood poisoning.
William Gowen was born in Bangor.
Maine, on the 3lst day of October,
1925. He resided there until he at
tanned his majority when he came to
Wisconsin and took up government
homestead on Sank Prairie. While
erecting log cabin, a log rolled upon
him, breaking his leg. The fracture
failed to knit properly and he was
taken to Boston, Mass, where he was
laid up for two years. He remained
in the East until 1851, having the
year previous been united in marriage
to the young lady of his choice. In
1852 he came to Wausau and after
preparing home went back after his
wife and oldest child, William, in 1852
Mr.. Gowen, in those early days OF
Wausau, was among our very best
millwrightS. His services were earn
estly sought after and he was known
to almost everyone in the pinery.
But it was not as millwright that
he gained his greatest reputation, but
it was as an inventor. Perhaps no
man ever lived who contriyed so many
useful pieces of machinery for saw
mills as he did. Upon quite a num-
| Der he secured letters patent. Governs
set works were used, and are now, in
every saw mill in the country. His
appliances for saw mill carriages were
universally used. His patents also
covered saw mill dogs, band mills, etc.
His machinery was manufactured
by some of the largest houses in the
country, viz; The E. p. Allis Manu-
| featuring Co., of Milwaukee; Smith,
| Meyer & Siner of Cincinnati, Ohio;
d. D. Prescott, Marinette: ID. ]. Muir
ray Manufacturing Co., of Wausau,
Filler, Stowel & Co., of Milwaukee;
DeGroat, Giddings & Lewis, of Fond
| du Lac, and others. For number OF
years Mr.. Gowen realized very largely
from his patents, and bid fair to be.
come one of the wealthy men of the
| valley, but some Of those who were
doing the manufacturing set about to
turn out the machinery without pay
ing a royalty. This they finally &C
complished, after much litigation, in
which Mr.. Gowen expended his ac-
cumulated fortune.
| Deceased was a learned man, a gen
tleman of the old school, and who
| could have made a success of most
anything which he might have under
| taken. He chose the field of invention
and in it performed great things.
Kind of heart, patient, of even temper,
generous and ever willing to hearken
to the cry of distress from whatever
source, and to lend a helping hand, it
was no wonder that Mr. Gowen was
beloved by all who knew him. Fol
nearly thirty years the Gowen home
was on Maine street, nearly opposite
| Mcclellan, and its latch string was al
ways on the outside to the old and
young, and it was favorite place for
many to spend a profitable and happy
evening and the excellent words of adj
vice given on such occasions to the
young, have helped in no small measure
to mould their lives for good. Mrs.
Gowen passed away in November, 1892.
There are surviving, four children,
viz, William H., Bertram c., present
city engineer of Wausau; Wallace L.
and Cecil M. Mrs. Irwin Reinhart)
all of this city and county.
Brief services were held at the home
on Monday afternoon and the remains
were then taken TO the First Meth
odist church from which editice the
funeral was held at O'Clock, the
Rev. Frances H. Brigham conducting
the services which were very impress
sive and consoling to the relatives
and old-time friends present.
Interment was in Pine Grove GENE
terry and the pail bearers were old
friends of the family, viz: r. II.
Johnson, w. B. Scholfield, ]. n. Man
son. w. +. Collins, Oscar Weinberg
and f. B. Thayer.