Frank William Bowen and Annie Irene Scribner

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Husband Frank William Bowen ¹

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           Born: 27 May 1852 - Portland, Chautauqua Co, NY 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: William Walter Bowen (1830-1904) 2
         Mother: Lydia Francis (1830-1865) 2

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       Marriage: 22 Feb 1879 - Wellsburg, Chemung Co, NY 1

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Wife Annie Irene Scribner

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           Born:  - Goshentown, NY
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: Charles P. Scribner (      -      ) 1
         Mother: Esther Bennett (      -      ) 1

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - Frank William Bowen

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His father was a farmer at Portland, Chautauqua County, New York, one of those bankrupted by the big frost of 1859. Their large farm passed through the sheriff's hands, and the family then moved to Jamestown, New York. In 1865 at the death of his mother he was compelled to rely largely on his own resources. He attended the primary schools, working nights and mornings for his board, and was graduated from the Jamestown Union School and Collegiate Institute, as it was then called. During the last two years in school he paid some of his expenses by directing the physical culture department. While yet a boy he experienced a desire to engage in newspaper work, a propensity which in school on two or three occasions nearly resulted in his expulsion. He taught school for two terms, then kept books in one of the largest mercantile establishments in Jamestown for three years. He next went to Parker's Landing, Pennsylvania, and worked a few months on the Parker City Daily for George A. Needle. He then returned to Oil City, where he again taught school in the Wilhelm district, Cranberry township, Venango County, during the winter of 1874-5. The next spring he commenced work on the Oil City Derrick, filling consecutively the positions of bookkeeper, reporter, local editor and editor-in-chief. He continued there until May 22, 1882, when in connection with two other employees of the paper, H. G. McKnight and B. F. Gates, he established the Oil City Blizzard, an evening paper, of which he was then editor. The paper under his direction was instrumental in accomplishing much good work for the city, two notable examples being the Oil City Hospital and Hasson Park, both of which owed their origin to funds raised by the paper through public subscriptions. Although frequently mentioned for various offices he never sought political office, preferring to help others rather than to seek positions himself. He served on the school board one term of four years. When Hasson Park was turned over to the city he was appointed one of the three original park commissioners by Mayor James A. Fawcett. Though the paper which he edited was small, it was quite widely quoted. As a writer he had a reputation for independence, incisiveness and a marked propensity for saying what he believed to be right, regardless of whom he may have hit. He was a member of the Venango Club, the Oil City Boat Club, and the Maccabees, and was very fond of hunting and fishing. He was a Methodist in religion.

1 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 463.

2 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 462.