BOWEN, Daniel Hampton

BOWEN, FLEEK, BURNS

Posted By: Roseanna Zehner
Date: 3/1/2004 at 23:51:34

BOWEN, Daniel Hampton, Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, who has served in four sessions of the legislature and under the operation of the Titus constitutional amendment will have another session to serve, is a native of Wisconsin, born in Decatur, Green County, September 6, 1850. The Bowen family lived on a farm and were in good circumstances, so the children were well educated. Jared Ingersoll Bowen, the Speaker's father, was of Welsh descent and was born in Pennsylvania. His father was a Welshman and his mother was Scotch-Irish. Lacy Ann Fleek, his wife the mother of D.H. Bowen, was born in Virginia and her parents were of German descent. The boyhood days of this future Iowa political leader were not greatly different from those of other boys of that time. He worked on the farm, went to school in the country and later attended the higher schools available in that section and taught school for some time. When he was twenty-two years old he began the study of medicine in Brodhead, Wisconsin, but soon went to Rush Medical College, from which institution he was graduated in the class of 1876. He located that spring in Allamakee county, where he has continued in the practice ever since. He has been highly succesful as a practitioner and is widely known, both professionally and politically, in his section of the state. His practice has brouhgt him a comfortable income and his prudence and business sagacity have resulted in the accumulation of a competence. He has always been an active working republican and has helped to fight the battles of the party in his county for many years when it was very close and when the county was democratic. He was repeatedly elected to the legislature by safe majorities in Allamakee County, beginning in 1859*. In 1900 he was elected Speaker of the House after a very severe contest, and in the performance of the duties of that high office he succeeded in satisfying both his friends and his late opponents, who at the close of the seeion were found to be among his most enthusiastic admirers. All sides united in saying that he had been, not only thoroughly competent, but absolutely fair. Dr. Bowen has been honored by the people of his community in many ways. He has been coroner, mayor of Waukon, his home town, president of the school board, chairman of the county republican committee, etc. He belongs to the Masonic order and the Knights of Phthias.

He was married in February, 1877 to Miss Hettie Burns of Albany, Wisconsin. They have two children, Albert Sidney, born July 28, 1879 and Mary Charlotte, born August 14, 1885.

-note: *This is the date as written in this biography.
-source: Biographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa, Leaders in Business, Politics and the Professions; 1899, Volume II (photo is also from this source)
-researched & submitted by Roseanna Zehner
-transcribed by S. Ferrall

Allamakee Biographies maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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