WILLIAM HENRY BOWKER
Biographical sketches from the book, Men of 1914

WILLIAM HENRY BOWKER

Bowker, William Henry, manufacturer, financier; born Natick, Mass., July, 1850; son of Horace and Anna M. (Smith) Bowker; graduated from Massachusetts Agricultural College, Amherst, Mass., B. S., 1871; married, Barre, Mass., Sept., 1875, Charlotte J. Ryder; two children. After graduation engaged in journalism, taught school and sold goods on the road until 1873 when engaged in the fertilizer business in Boston, founding the Bowker Fertilizer Co., on $500, borrowed capital, and in 1895 the company had a cash capital of $1,000,000, all paid in, and was doing the fourth largest fertilizer business in the country; in 1902 the company was merged with the American Agricultural Chemical Co. of which he is now a director; also director Putnam (Conn.) Water Works Co., Ashland (Wis.) Water Co., and Knoxville (Tenn.) Water Co. Independent Republican. Member American Association for the Advancement of Science ; trustee Massachusetts Agricultural College, and Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Recreations: Farming, gardening. Clubs: St.. Botolph, Brookline Country, Exchange, Commercial, Rural. Residence: Concord, Mass. Office: 43 Chatham St., Boston.

Submitted by Deborah Crowell