Bowker Family Papers, 1830-1925
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Not requestable
Scope and Content Note
The Bowker Family papers largely focuses on two generations of the Bowker family—Joel Bowker (1775-1858) and his three sons, Daniel Rogers (born 1820), George (1824-1903), and Charles (1826/7-1913) Bowker—their businesses, and their estates. The papers include shipping papers, land purchase certificates, papers relating to the Bowker Block, bills, invoices, and receipts. This collection has been divided into three series.
Series I. First Generation Papers contains the papers of Joel Bowker (1775-1858), the first generation covered in this collection. Included in this series are land deeds, including land purchase certificates for land bought in Michigan, the purchase of his burial plot, stock certificate, an account of Joel's actions on the ship Crescent, and a transcription of his will. The largest part of this series are papers relating to Joel's estate, including an estate inventory, bills, invoices, and receipts.
Series II. Second Generation Papers contains the papers of the second generation of Bowkers covered in this collection, Joel's children, specifically, Daniel Rogers (born 1820) and his wife Theresa M. Savoy (born circa 1825), George (1824-1903), and Charles (1826/7-1913) Bowker. This series contains personal papers, correspondence, shipping papers for the brig Water Witch, an act of incorporation for the Massapoag Hotel, legal papers, some Bowker Brothers papers, leases, and deeds. Also included in this series are papers relating to the administration of Charles' estate.
Series III. Other contains miscellaneous papers such as papers relating to the Bowker Block and Bowker Place, genealogy, railroad tickets, and an empty leather wallet. Also included in this series is a document giving Fred A. Norton power of attorney for six Bowker family members, and a number of personal bills and receipts belonging to Norton.
Dates
- Creation: 1830-1925
Creator
- Bowker family (Family)
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open for research use.
Biographical Sketch
Joel Bowker was born on July 4, 1775, in Scituate, Massachusetts, to Benjamin (born 1738) and Hannah Sparhawke (born circa 1740) (Warrington 173). He married Eunice Pearson (1780-1808) of Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1802. After Eunice died, Joel married Margaret Rogers (1780-1818) of Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1808. They had a son, Joel (born 1806). After Margaret's death, he married Lucretia Rogers (1786-1862), and they had the following children: Daniel Rogers (born 1820); Lucretia (1822-1912), who married Bracket H. Clark (born 1821) a trader; George (1823-1903); Charles A. (1826/7-1913), and Susan Rogers Richardson (1829-1910).
Daniel Rogers Bowker was born 1820, in Salem, Massachusetts, to Joel (1775-1858) and Lucretia Rogers Bowker (1786-1862). He was a merchant, and partner in the firm Phillips, Goodhue and Bowker. Daniel was the executor of his father's estate. He married Theresa M. Savoy (born circa 1825). They had two children: Richard Rogers and Carolyn Theresa. Daniel was a founder of the Massapoag Spring Hotel Company in Groton, Massachusetts, with Benjamin Webb in 1852. He also owned the brig Water Witch, which traded on the South American trade route. He and Theresa eventually moved from Salem to Brooklyn, New York.
George Bowker was born September 4, 1824, in Salem, Massachusetts to Joel (1775-1858) and Lucretia Rogers Bowker (1786-1862). He was a merchant. George died May 31, 1903.
Charles A. Bowker was born around 1826/7 to Joel (1775-1858) and Lucretia Rogers Bowker (1786-1862). He died October 12, 1913 (Ancestry.com). The administrator of his estate was Fred A. Norton (1877-1940).
Members of the Bowker family were involved in a couple of firms, one of which introduced Anthracite coal to Salem (Salem Discovers Hard Coal…). The firm Bowker Brothers dealt in flour, grain, meal, and coarse and fine salt. The Bowker family also owned a number of properties, known as the Bowker Block, on Essex Street in Salem. In 1844, Joel bought property on Crombie Street in Salem, which became known as Bowker Place, and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Extent
3 linear feet (3 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Bowker Family papers largely focuses on two generations of the Bowker family—Joel Bowker (1775-1858) and his three sons, Daniel Rogers (born 1820), George (1824-1903), and Charles (1826/7-1913) Bowker—their businesses, and their estates.
Series List
SERIES I. First Generation Papers
SERIES II. Second Generation Papers
SERIES III. Other
Physical Location
Phillips Library Stacks
Provenance
The bulk of this material was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur R. Norton on March 30, 1979 (Fam. Mss. 91). Materials relating to the Bowker family and the Bowker Block were donated by Irene Norton in 1995 (accession #1995.042), 1996 (accession #1996.014), and 1997 (accession #1997.002). A receipt for George Bowker from Salem Mutal Fire Insurance Company, dated 1873, was donated by the estate of Fred A. Norton, on December 5, 1975.
Processing Information
Collection processed by E. D. Mark, May 1979. Updated by Hilary Streifer, January 2018.
Subject
- Bowker family (Family)
- Bowker, Charles, 1826-1813 (Person)
- Bowker, Daniel Rogers, b. 1820 (Person)
- Bowker, George, 1824-1903 (Person)
- Bowker, Joel, 1775-1858 (Person)
- Bowker, Theresa M. Savoy, b. circa 1825 (Person)
- Norton, Fred Ashton, 1877-1940 (Person)
- Bowker Block (Salem, Mass.) (Organization)
- Bowker Brothers (Organization)
- Crescent (Ship) (Organization)
- Water Witch (Brig) (Organization)
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- BOWKER FAMILY PAPERS, 1830-1925
- Author
- Processed by: E. D. Mark; Updated by: Hilary Streifer; machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Phillips Library Repository