Fowler, L. E.

FOWLER, BRADEN, SHENKLE, HEATH

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/22/2009 at 14:48:48

Fowler, L. E.

Mr. L. E. Fowler is a Hoosier by birth, having been born in Laporte, Laporte County, Indiana, on September 23, 1861, the scion of a sterling old pioneer family, his parents being T. L. and Letitia J. (Braden) Fowler, the father having been born in Marcellus, New York, on September 22, 1834. and the mother's birth occurred in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on March 3, 1843. They came to Story County, Iowa, in an early day and engaged in the hotel business at Collins, conducting one of the best and most popular hostelries in central Iowa, meeting with a large measure of success. Their hotel was destroyed by fire in the latter part of 1910, after which they purchased a pleasant and substantial home in Baxter, Jasper County, where they are now residing, retired from active life, their son, L. E., of this review, looking to their every need and comfort in their declining years. Their other son, Charles W., who was also born in Laporte, Indiana, his birth occurring on December 16, 1862, lives in South Bend, that state.

Mr. Fowler of this review grew to maturity in Laporte, Indiana, and received a good common school education, which has later in life been added to by systematic home study and miscellaneous reading and actual contact with the world. His parents being poor, he began life's struggles for himself at the tender age of fourteen years. For a number of years he engaged in teaching, his last years in this line of endeavor being at Slater, Iowa. Having become a registered pharmacist in the meantime, he entered the drug business at Lynnville, Iowa, remaining there eight years, during which he enjoyed a liberal trade with the town and surrounding country. Disposing of this business, he moved to Baxter, Jasper County, and engaged in hardware and undertaking, securing an embalmer's certificate for the state of Iowa in 1902. In 1903 he turned his attention to banking and is now cashier of the People's State Savings Bank and a director in the same. Much of the success and popularity of this safe and conservative institution, universally recognized as one of the soundest in this section of the state, has been due to his efforts, and although it is a new bank it has enjoyed a rapid growth, doing a general banking business.

Mr. Fowler was married on September 19, 1893, to Etta Heath, a lady of culture and refinement and the representative of an excellent family. She was born in McCordsville, Hamilton County, Indiana, on October 2, 1863, and she came with her parents, Robert and Rachael (Shenkle) Heath, to Story County, Iowa, in an early day and there grew to maturity and obtained her education and for several years was one of Story County's best schoolteachers. These parents were both natives of Indiana, the father born on April 10, 1835, and the mother on March 27, 1837. They still reside on the old home farm in Story County, having long since become leading agriculturists of that locality. Mrs. Fowler is the eldest living of a family of five children, the others being, Belle Heath, Halleck Heath, Clarah (oldest), McNeu Heath (dead), and John Heath, of Meridian, Oklahoma.

One child, a bright lad, now attending school in Baxter, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Fowler on March 18, 1900, bearing the name Lowell Heath Fowler.

Mr. Fowler has an attractive and modern home in Baxter, tastily furnished and well supplied with the world's best literature. Politically, he is independent, subscribing to no man-made creed, but supporting those he deems worthy of trust. He has been honored by the people of this community with the secretaryship of the school board for the past six years, his long experience in the schoolroom making him a valuable acquisition. He has also been a member of the town council of Baxter. Fraternally, Mr. Fowler belongs to Unity Lodge No. 520, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Baxter, and he has been secretary of the same. His Church membership has always been with the Methodist Episcopals, but in the absence of that denomination in Baxter he affiliates with the Congregational Church.

Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1208.