Benjamin F. Bower
Ben cash-claimed a quarter in 22, 8N 48W in 1891.
Best guess: Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Bower born Oct 1, 1858 in Ohio, dying May 1925 in Chenoa, Illinois
Per FindaGrave 81016505
Mary was
born in Clark Co., Kentucky, she moved with her parents and siblings to Rago,
Harper Co., Kansas in 1885 when she was about 17 years old.
In 1900 Chenoa, Illinois, Benjamin F. Bowers, a blacksmith, born Oct 1857 in Ohio, married 15 years tot Mary Oct 1867 Kentucky, with Verda May 1882 Kansas. and Myrtle Nov 1886 Illinois
On the same page is Erastus A. Bowers, a plasterer, born Oct 1890 in Illinois with Emma July 1873, Illinois, married one year.
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Another possibility is the Ben F. Bower in Harper County Kansas in 1885. This one is 35, born in Ohio, but this one is married to Ida S. 25, with Hallen E. 3 and Charlie L. eight months.
This Ben is in Skagit County Washington in 1900, born April 1850 in Ohio, a millwright, with Ida S. Sep 1858 Iowa, Chas. L. Aug 1884 Indiana, and Geo W. July 1897 Washington.
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He might be the Benjamin F. Bower in 1900 Floyd County, Iowa, born Nov 1838 in Iowa, married 16 years to Martha March 1844 Michigan, with Hamilton Oct 1869 and William Dec 1881, both Iowa, and Julius Stewart Dec 1890 Iowa. Martha has had seven kids, two living.
There are four Halstead families on the same census page, so they might be related to the Logan County Halstead family
Ben F. Bower -1837-1919 per Findagrave 62596400 is buried in Hillside cemetery, Floyd County, Iowa. - it says his spouse was Elizabeth Sweigart Bower, 1842-1882.
Also in Hillside is Franklin Washington Bower - Nov 7, 1871- Aug 25, 1942
Greene Recorder, Greene, Iowa, Wednesday September 2, 1942
Frank Washington Bower was born November 7, 1871 in Clayton County, Iowa,
the son of Benjamin Bower and Elizabeth (Sweigart) Bower. (parents from 1925
Iowa Census)
He married Ethel Aimie Cates, the daughter of Albert Cates and Mary Ann
(Nicholson) Cates.
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In 1910 Denver Benjamin Bower is 42, married 21 years to Mary M, 45, and they have Gladys M. 20 Ohio and his mother Alice Bower 61 widowed, born in Pennsylvania
In 1930 Denver Benjamin P. Bower is 62, born in Illinois, with Mary M. 65 New York - he manages a bakery.
| Denver, Jan. 20 1932.--The whereabouts of Benjamin F. Bower, Denver bakery manager, remained unknown tonight as more than 700 police and firemen searched for him and the two extortionists who kidnapped him for ransom. Fear that he may have been killed was expressed by Mrs. Bower, who said her husband's abductors had told her he would meet death If she interfered with their plans. With an elaborate trap arranged by police, awaiting a telephone call was placed a few minutes after 18. o'clock. The caller clicked down the receiver shortly after Mrs. Bower answered the telephone. Police had arranged thoroughly for such a contingency and were to plug in on the message and dispatch riot squads to tile point of call, but the call was over so quickly they obtained no" information whatever. Authorities were puzzled over the methods of the kidnapers, since it evidently was known by them that Bower was not w e a l t h y . Stephen Knight, owner of the baker in which Bower is employed as manager, is reputed to be wealthy- Kidnapping demand for $60,000 was to be made on Knight. The automobile of Mrs. T. H. Winbourn, which was commandeered by the kidnapers, was the object of an intensive search all day by firemen who went thru hundreds of private garages in south. Denver. Mrs. Winbourn and her companion, Mrs. Clara Pool, were so frightened when forced to drive at the point of a gun to the Bower residence that they could give .police only a meager description of the kidnapers. "Shelton of Illinois," was the name given by one of the kidnapers In his conversation with Mrs. Bowers. A man who earlier this month held up and robbed C. H. E. Alexander, cashier of the banking concern, gave the same name. One of the men told Mrs. Bower he had directed two holdups of the bakery, from which $1,600 was taken. With apparently no trace ot the men left behind, the next move in the drama was expected to come from the kidnapers themselves, who are believed to be secreted within the city limits. Officers scouted the theory Bower may have been taken into1 mountains a few miles west of Denver, saying the few roads leading into Knight from whom the abductors believed they might get the $60,000 for Bower's release. Knight is confined to bed by illness. Authorities believe experienced criminals would have taken him instead of Bower. "This looks like the work of narcotic addicts," said Captain William Armstrong. "The whole thing is too theatrical--the kidnapping first of two women these men had driven to the Bower's home--the use of the, women as a shield to gain entrance to Bower's that region precluded an adequate channel of escape. In spite of the gaudy manner in which the kidnapping scheme was carried out, police believe the abductors spent considerable time in arranging for Bower's actual capture. One evidently posed as a meter reader yesterday and secured the Interior plan of the house. The telephone was jerked from the wall before the man left, with orders it should be Iinstalled again for the call today. |