Sonoma County CA Archives Biographies.....Fowler, Stephen Cornell 1797 - 1878
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 27, 2006, 7:13 pm

Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880)

Fowler, Stephen Cornell. Was born in Lakeville, Queens county, Long Island, on
the 3d day of January, 1797. His ancestors were among the early settlers of the
island, and came from England a hundred years prior to the Revolutionary war.
His father served with the militia in the war of 1812, and took part in the
defense of the city of New York and vicinity. He was married to Martha Fowler on
the 28th day of December, 1819, who died on the 25th day of November following,
leaving a child six weeks old, named Martha Ann Fowler, who died on the 28th day
of December, 1828. He married Rebecca Lawrence, December 31, 1821, who still
survives. She was the eldest daughter of Whitehead Lawrence, who was also
descended from one of the early settlers of Long Island, and counted among his
ancestors the Lawrence who first settled that portion of Long Island long known
as "Lawrence's Neck," now called College Point. The fruit of this marriage were
ten children: Mary Fowler, born October 12, 1822, died April 19, 1823; Stephen
Lawrence Fowler, born January 31, 1825, died at Valley Ford, California, March
4, 1868; Cornelia Wykoff Fowler, born December 7, 1826; James Edgar Fowler, born
December 28, 1828; Benjamin Fowler, born May 25, 1832, died June 14, 1833;
Whitehead Fowler, born May 5, 1834; Sarah Ann Fowler, born February 14, 1837;
John Henry Fowler, born September 14, 1839; Benjamin Fowler, born December 17,
1841; Nathaniel Darling Fowler, born October 15, 1845. The two eldest sons,
Stephen and James, were among the first who left New York for California when
the news of the discovery of gold in the country reached there. They took
passage on the ship "Brooklyn," which sailed from that port on the 12th day of
January, 1849, and arrived in San Francisco August 12, 1849. Cornelia and
Whitehead soon followed. The subject of this sketch embarked with his wife and
the remaining portion of his family— Sarah, John, Benjamin and Nathaniel—on
board the clipper-ship "Lookout," Captain John G. Joice, and sailed from New
York on the 28ih day of December for San Francisco, via Cape Horn, which port
they entered safely, without encountering any serious mishap, on the 6th day of
May, 1854, and on the 12th of May succeeding came, per steamer "Reindeer," to
Petaluma, thence by ox-team to where the town of Valley Ford now stands. There
he remained till the day of his death, a period of nearly twenty-five years, and
there his widow still lives. At his home in Valley Ford, in December, 1871, was
celebrated their golden wedding. He was always a lover of his adopted State, an
enthusiastic admirer of her climate, and a firm believer in her destined
greatness. Particularly was he attached to Sonoma county, and often declared,
that if the finest residence in New York city was tendered to him a free gift if
he would return and live there, he would not accept it. He took a lively
interest in all that pertained to the welfare and prosperity of the State, and
willingly assisted to the extent of his means in aiding every enterprise in the
community in which he lived, that seemed to him to have for its object the
promotion of the public good. The Rev. Thomas Fraser, synodical missionary, thus
speaks of him in the Occident of January 1, 1879: "Your fathers, where are they?
and the prophets, do they live forever? He whose death was briefly noticed in a
recent issue of the Occident, was one whom I dearly loved, the father of a large
and most estimable family, and truly a father in Israel. My acquaintance with
him commenced in the Spring of 1860, when he showed himself, as ever after to
the day of his death, a humble, sincere and consistent Christian. Thoroughly
attached to the Presbyterian church, he loved all good people, and was loved and
respected by all who knew him. As a man, he was kind, just and true. As a
Christian, he had remarkably clear perceptions of divine truth, with strong and
positive convictions. His religious feelings were exceedingly warm, easity
excited and not easily controlled. For this reason he seldom undertook to lead
the devotions of others. As a friend of religion and supporter and officer of
the church which he loved, all knew where Father Fowler stood. He was one of the
original members and elders of the first Presbyterian church founded in his
section of the country. As the work grew and it became necessary to organize
another church, he was a member and elder of that till he died. During many
years missionary work in Sonoma county, he was my warm and steadfast friend. In
his last sickness, which was extremely painful and protracted, he waited
patiently, with childlike trust in his Saviour, for the relief which death only
could afford. His last words to me were: 'I am waiting for Christ to take me to
Himself; you will soon hear that I am at home.' " He died just before midnight
on the 27th day of November, 1878, at the advanced age of eighty-one years, ten
months and twenty-four days, and was buried in the cemetery in Bloomfield. His
life was a worthy example of patience, industry, sobriety, humility and
brotherly love.

Additional Comments:
Bodega Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY
—OF-
SONOMA COUNTY,
-INCLUDING ITS—
Geology, Topooraphy, Mountains, Valleys and Streams;
—TOGETHER WITH—
A Full and Particular Record of the Spanish Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources; the Names of Original
Spanish and American Pioneers; a full Political History, Comprising the Tabular
Statements of Elections and Office-holders since the Formation of the County;
Separate Histories of each Township, Showing the Advancement of Grape and Grain
 Growing Interests, and Pisciculture;
ALSO, INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE; THE RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG; AND BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
—AND OF ITS—
Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc., Etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO:
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1879, by ALLEY, BOWEN & Co.,
in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.

PACIFIC PRESS,
Oakland, Cal. Printers., Stereotypers and Binders.


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