Dr. Leo S. Rowe

ROWE

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 12/15/2009 at 16:00:29

Dr. Leo Stanton Rowe was born in McGregor, Iowa, on September 17, 1871, and died on December 5, 1946, in Washington, D.C. He served with exemplary dedication and vision as Director General of the Pan American Union, from 1920 up to the day of his death. He devoted the greater part of his life to fostering understanding and integration among the American nations, demonstrating special interest in the education of Latin American youth, whom he assisted during his lifetime, and to whom he bequeathed most of his assets in his will.

~Organization of American States - Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund (also source of photo)

____________________________________________

Louis and Latie Rowe were among the early Jewish settlers in McGregor, Iowa settling there about 1865. Louis (b. 1834 in Wurttemberg) and Latie (b. 1846 in Bavaria), were the parents of 4 children: Emil, Minnie, Helen and Leo. Latie died when Leo was very young and Louis moved his family to Pennsylvania. They are enumerated on the 1880 U.S. census, living in Philadelphia where Louis was dealing in straw goods.

Leo S. Rowe was educated in Pennsylvania, receiving a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1900 President William McKinley appointed him a member of the commission to revise and compile the laws of Puerto Rico. He served on various posts in the Inter-American Commission until he was appointed Asst. Secretary of the Treasury in 1917, serving until 1919 when he transferred to the State Department, Latin American division. In 1920 he becamse director general of the Pan-American Union. Rowe also was one of the incorporators of The Brookings Institution in 1927. He never married.

Sources:
~Jewish Virtual Library - Encyclopaedia Judaica.
~The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, pg 266-266
~1880 U.S. Census

Clayton Biographies maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen