"Portrait and Biographical Record of Hunterdon and Warren counties, New Jersey"
Chapman Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1898
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ROBERT Q. BOWERS. This successful
business man of Hackettstown, who is the
senior member of the firm of Bowers & Son,
was born in this place March 26, 1831. He is
of German descent, being a grandson of Jacob
Bowers, who came to America from Germany and
settled on a farm near Belvidere, Warren County,
continuing to reside there until his death when in
middle life. The father, Michael Bowers, a
native of this county, was orphaned at an early
age and being without means was bound out as
an apprentice. In spite of lack of advantages, he
worked his way from poverty to independence,
and became well-to-do. The greater part of his
life was spent in Washington, Warren County,
where he was proprietor of a foundry. In political belief he was a Democrat and in religious belief
held membership with the Methodist Episcopal
Church. His death occurred when he was about
seventy-eight years of age. Two sons, Robert O.
and John (who is a resident of Delaware) were
born of his union with Hannah Quick, a native
of Warren County, but deceased at the age of
thirty years.
During his boyhood days our subject assisted
his father on the home farm and in the foundry.
On attaining his majority he formed a partnership with his father in the management of the
foundry at Washington, where he remained for
six years. About 1858 he came to Hackettstown
and purchased the foundry of which he has since
been the proprietor and manager. The great
issues before the people of the present age receive
his thoughtful attention. Believing the liquor
traffic to be the greatest curse of our nation, he
gives his support to Prohibition doctrines and endeavors, by precept and example, to weaken the
power of the "whiskey ring." He and his family
are identified with the Methodist Episcopal
Church, in which he has been a steward and
trustee for many years.
The marriage of Mr. Bowers took place July 1,
1852, and united him with Miss Elizabeth P.
Kenneman, of Washington, Warren County.
They became the parents of six children, all but
one of whom are now living. Margaret, the eldest of the family, is the wife of James H. Stitzer,
of Philadelphia; Sarah married John Seward
Lampson, of Dover, N. J.; Michael B., who was
born in Washington, this county, has spent almost his entire life, however, in Hackettstown,
and since 1878 has been the junior partner in the
foundry business; Robert Q., Jr., is now employed in the foundry business at Washington;
William, the youngest son, died when twenty-one years of age; and Laura, the youngest of
the family, is the wife of F. H. Gulick, of Philadelphia.
(c) 2000-2013 American History and Genealogy Project
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