SAMUEL SMITH ROWSER

View Portrait of Mr. & Mrs. Samuel S. Rowser

Samuel Smith Rowser was born in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, August 24, 1826. In 1844 he removed to Davenport, Iowa, with his parents. He learned the trade of a blacksmith there. In 1850 he returned to Bedford county, Pennsylvania, where in 1852 he married Francis Drollinger. The children born unto them were as follows: Annie E., now the wife of James Rhodes, of Saxton, Pennsylvania; John M., of Red Oak township; Ella, the wife of D. W. Rhodes, of Saxton, Pennsylvania; W. I. and Charles H., of Gunnison, Colorado; Dr. E. E. Rowser of Clarence, Iowa; Mabel, the wife of Oscar Speer, of Dysart, Iowa; and George D., who died in infancy.

Mr. Rowser returned to Davenport in 1855 and in 1857 moved to Red Oak Grove, where he established the first and only blacksmith shop in Red Oak township and for nearly fifty years worked at his trade, being known throughout the country as an excellent workman in both iron and wood. The wife and mother died in 1902. Mr. Rowser lives with his daughter Nannie in the house that he built more than fifty years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Rowser were members of the United Brethren church and helped to establish and maintain the Red Oak Grove United Brethren church, which for many years had a large congregation at this place.