History of Des Moines County, Iowa - 1915 - B

Des Moines County >> 1915 Index

History of Des Moines County, Iowa...
by Augustine M. Antrobus. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1915. 2v.

B


Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

CHARLES G. BOSCH, conducting a profitable and growing plumbing and electric business in Burlington, belongs to that class of men who do not seek to figure prominently in public affairs nor occupy a  spectacular position in public regard, but who by reason of their substantial qualities constitute a most valuable element in citizenship. Burlington claims him as a native son.  He was born May 24, 1854, his parents, who were natives of Germany, having come to this country about 1851 or 1852, at which time the father opened a grocery store on West Washington street.  In their family were seven children but only two survive, Charles Bosch and Mrs. Joseph Spies, both of Burlington.  The father passed away almost four decades ago, after which his widow became the wife of John Dabb, who was a baker, conducting business on Washington street.  The surviving daughter of that marriage is Mrs. Herman Wolfert, of West Burlington.  The mother has passed away, however, and she and her two husbands now rest in Aspen Grove cemetery.
 
Charles G. Bosch pursued his early education in the German subscription schools and also attended the public schools of Burlington. He was eighteen years of age when he secured a position in the drug store of C. P. Squires, and subsequently he obtained employment in the plumbing establishment of Stewart & Hayden.  At a later period he worked at the plumber's trade in Chicago and Denver, and with the passing years his skill, ability and resourcefulness steadily increased.  In 1880 he built the gas plant in Creston, Iowa, which he operated for two years, and on the 1st of November, 1883, he established a plumbing business on Main street in Burlington, so that he has now been connected with the business for more than three decades. The beginning was small but as time passed on he had to increase his facilities to meet his growing trade and today he is conducting a very gratifying and successful plumbing and electric business.
 
On the 10th of October, 1882, occurred the marriage of Mr. Bosch and Miss Blanche Louisa Whitehead, a daughter of Josiah Whitehead, of Creston, Iowa.  She died in 1910 and was buried in Burlington.  In 1912 Mr. Bosch married Miss Clara Lau, of Burlington, a daughter of Nicholas and Caroline Lau.  Her father conducts a meat market in this city.  Mr. Bosch owns residence property in the city and also has other valuable real estate in Burlington.  Fraternally he is connected with the Woodmen of the World and he also belongs to the Silver Lake Club.  His political indorsement is usually given to the democratic party although he does not hesitate to vote independently if his judgment sanctions that course.  He has been secretary of the Business Men's Club, in which he still holds membership, and he is likewise a member of the Commercial Club. He cooperates in every movement for the benefit and welfare of the city and is a consistent and faithful member of the German Lutheran church, which has found in him a generous supporter as have various charitable organizations.  HIs life has been well spent, and the salient traits of his character are such as win high regard.  His business ability has gained for him the trust of contemporaries and colleagues, and his devotion to the public good has placed him high on the roll of Burlington's progressive citizens.

Mrs. JOHN G. BOSCH
 
Death of a Pioneer Mother
 
"While the town is crowded with the people gathered to celebrate the first half century of our history, and to commemorate the coming of the first white settlers to this place, one of the first settlers was slowly passing away from the scenes that have so wonderously changed since her foot first stepped upon this soil. Mrs. John G. Bosch came to this city in 1833 with her first husband, Francis T. Bercht, a German carpenter, who was accidentally killed in 1853.  August 21, 1853, she married John G. Bosch, the brewer, and, with the exception of three trips to Europe and other health resorts in this country at which she sought relief from severe rheumatic trouble of eleven years' duration, she has lived in this city, where she died last Sunday morning at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Theodore Waldschmidt, 604 South Main Street.  The deceased was well known and admired for her amiable character, and though weakening unto death, the venerable pioneer mother thought of the celebration and expressed a desire to be with her old friends of early days. She was born October 10, 1810, in Wurtemburg, came to Florida in 1825, removed to Burlington in 1832, married Frances T. Bercht in 1833.  Two children, Mrs. Theodore Waldschmidt of this city and Charles Bercht of East St. Louis, are her surviving children."

GEORGE WASHINGTON BOWIE, first lieutenant of U. S. infantry; commissioned March 8, 1847; assigned to Company K, Fifteenth Infantry, April 9, 1847; commissioned captain July 8, 1847; breveted major for gallant and meritorious conduct at Contreras and Churubusco; mustered out of the service August 4, 1848, at Covington, Ky.; commissioned colonel of the Fifth California Infantry Volunteers November 8, 1861; breveted brigadier general of United States volunteers March 13, 1865; honorably mustered out of the service December 14, 1865; a native of Maryland; came to Burlington during the territorial existence of the state; was a delegate to the Second Constitutional Convention, which met at Iowa City in 1846; was representative from Des Moines county in the First General Assembly of Iowa; returned to Burlington after the termination of the Mexican war, where he made his home until 1850, when he emigrated to California; died in an accident March 18, 1882. Mr. Bowie was one of the leading lawyers of Burlington.