Frank Nickerson Fowler (1858-1921)

FOWLER, TREAT, MCDANIEL, BROUHARD, JOHNSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 11/7/2021 at 14:20:25

From Nevada Representative June 9, 1921 (page 4)

FRANK N. FOWLER

Worthy Citizen and Competent Official Honored With Masonic Burial

The funeral of the late Mr. Fowler were held Tuesday afternoon at the Fowler home in this city and were largely attended by special friends, Masonic brethren and the general citizenship of both Nevada and Ames. The services were conducted by Rev. J. G. Walz, of the Presbyterian church, and were in all respects eminently fitting and consoling.

Following this part of the obsequies, the funeral cortege of some twenty autos was formed and motored to Ames, where, in its attractive cemetery, the mortal form of the worthy citizen, the competent official and genial gentleman was given sepulture in accord with the ancient and impressive ritual of the Masonic order.

As a matter of deserved record, we are glad to be able to publish herewith the following semi-biographical and obituary sketch furnished by the family to the city papers from various re----- resources.

Frank Nickerson Fowler, son of Major James N. and Mary Ellen Fowler was born in Searsport, Me., June 11, 1855. He was of Scotch an English ancestry on both sides. His ancestors served in the Revolutionary war. The early Fowlers came over with the Pilgrim fathers and on his mother's side he was a descendent of the Carver and Carval families of Scotch history.

As a lad his schooling was in the public schools of Camden, Me., graduating from the academic course. Later he spent ten years of his very young manhood as a seaman, visiting many of the principal port of the world.

He was united in marriage to Lottie A. Treat, at Searsport, in 1993, and to them three children were born, all of who are still alive. The eldest is Albert E. Fowler of Buffalo, N. Y., the second a daughter, Mrs. Mona L. McDaniels of this city and the youngest, Donald W. Fowler, of Buffalo. The wife died in 1903 an January 25, 1905, he was again married, this time to Miss Hattie D. Brouhard of Colo. One daughter, Dorothy Lucile, age 11 years, blessed this union.

Mr. Fowler left the sate of Maine in 1856 and came out to Iowa, located first in Des Moines where he remained until 1888, when he came to Ames and became manager of the B. A. Lockwood Grain company's business. He remained there until 1908, when he was elected treasurer of the county and moved over to Nevada. He served as treasurer of the county very efficiently for eight years, during which time he was at the head of the County Treasurer's association of the state and ranked as a leader in office management in that line.

After his retirement from county office he was employed in various lines of work and for the past over a year had been in the office of Koch Bros., blank book and office supply men of Des Moines, in whose employ he was at the time of his very sudden death.

During his residence in Nevada he served upon the city council and in that work, as in all of his other undertakings, he was efficient, ambitious and a man of energy and progression. He had long ranked as one of the leading citizens of the city and the county, as well as being recognized by many over the sate for his activities as a lodgeman and in public office.

While he had been especially active in Masonry, he also found time for other lodge activities, having been a member of both the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias as well.

It was on May 17, 1894, that he first became identified with Masonry. It was then that he petitioned Arcadia Lodge No. 249 of Ames. He was elected and initiated during the same year. Two years later he received his degrees in 3x3 chapter No. 92 in Nevada, and in 1898 he received the degrees of Royal and Select Master in Joshua Chapter No. 127. He was charter member of the Gebal Council No. 5, R. & S. M. of Ames in 1900 and was given the commandry degrees in Excalibur Commandry No. 13 of Boone in 1898. He received the distinguished honor of Royal High Priesthood September 4, 1901.

He was a regular attendant upon the assemblies of the Grand Council almost from the first and was given merited recognition in 1906 by being elected illustrious grand principal conductor of the work. He was elected deputy grand master in 1907 and it was in 1908 that he was raised to grand master of the grand council of the Royal and Select Masters of the state of Iowa. He was also a member of Za-Ga-Zig Temple of the Shriners of Des Moines.

Mr. Fowler was a man earnest and ardent in all of his life's work yet he always found time to be genial and courteous in his dealings with men, loved his home and was a most devoted husband and father and leaves a wide circle of friends who will sincerely mourn his very sudden and untimely death.

Besides his wife and four children, he leaves one sister, Mrs. Ellen Johnson of Boston. One brother, James N., came out from the east with him and settled in Ames where he conducted a haberdashery business until his death in 1907.

The mother died in 1883. The aged father died at Rockport, Me., about three years ago.