From Fowler family stories "Uncle Bill" was sent to West Point, then studied law, and upon graduation was admitted to the bar in Illinois. He inherited his father's restless disposition, however, and never practiced his profession. In 1841, when Bill was 24, he joined the Bartelson Party for the West. This was a group of 65 people, with Talbot H. Green as president John Bidwell as secretary, and John Bartelson as Captain. They set out from Missouri 19 May 1841, and traveled by way of the North Fork of the Platte River, Sweetwater, South Pass, and Green River Valley to Salt Lake, where they divided into two groups for (Alta) California and Oregon on 11 August 1841. On 12 December 1843 Bill married Rebecca Josephine Kelsey, who was from Missouri, in the Oregon Territory. Rebecca divorced from Bill as soon as they arrived to Sutter's Fort in 1844. Bill went back east to Illinois to help assist the Donner-Reed Party and the rest of his family in coming to (Alta) California. In September of 1846 Bill married Malinda Harlan between Fort Bridger and Salt Lake in the Utah Territory. Bill followed with the Reed Party who made it to Sutter's Fort in October of 1846. Information from Fowler family historian Henry Fowler Mallett, William "Bill" Fowler returned at the head of the third rescue party and helpted bring out the starving remnants of the Donner-Reed Party after two earlier attempts at rescue had been ineffectual.
Per the California Pioneer Register and Index, page149: "F. [Fowler] (Wm, Jr), 1844, son of Wm, who came in the same party [Kelsey] from Or., and worked as a carpenter at Sonoma, N. Helv., and S. Rafael. iv. 444-5. In Or. he married Rebecca Kelsey, who left him on arrival in Cal. Application was made to Larkin for a divorce, and despite his lack of authority to grant it, she was marrried by Sutter to another man. As I find no record of Fowler after '46, it is possible that he was the man killed with Cowie during the Bear Revolt [he was not]. F. (Wm), immig. of the Bartleston party, '41, going to Or. iv. 269; perhaps the Wm named above [correct]."
Per 1860 U.S. Federal census William Henry Fowler Jr. is living in Township 2, Contra Costa, California [Post Office Lafayette & Alamo], born abt 1818 New York Lodger Laborer [in the household of Joel and Minerva Harlan, their family, George and William Wimmer and son William Henry Fowler]
Per 1870 U.S. Federal census William Fowler is living in Hot Springs, Napa, California, born abt 1818 New York Laborer [in the household of Calvin Musgrave]
Per Dublin Cemetery Records, Alameda County, CA, William Fowler Jr. died 1900 in San Ramon, Contra Costa County and is buried in Dublin Cemetery, Dublin, Alameda County, CA.
Per the California Pioneer Register and Index, page149: "F. [Fowler] (Wm, Jr), 1844, son of Wm, who came in the same party [Kelsey] from Or., and worked as a carpenter at Sonoma, N. Helv., and S. Rafael. iv. 444-5. In Or. he married Rebecca Kelsey, who left him on arrival in Cal. Application was made to Larkin for a divorce, and despite his lack of authority to grant it, she was marrried by Sutter to another man. As I find no record of Fowler after '46, it is possible that he was the man killed with Cowie during the Bear Revolt [he was not]. F. (Wm), immig. of the Bartleston party, '41, going to Or. iv. 269; perhaps the Wm named above [correct]."
Per 1860 U.S. Federal census William Henry Fowler Jr. is living in Township 2, Contra Costa, California [Post Office Lafayette & Alamo], born abt 1818 New York Lodger Laborer [in the household of Joel and Minerva Harlan, their family, George and William Wimmer and son William Henry Fowler]
Per 1870 U.S. Federal census William Fowler is living in Hot Springs, Napa, California, born abt 1818 New York Laborer [in the household of Calvin Musgrave]
Per Dublin Cemetery Records, Alameda County, CA, William Fowler Jr. died 1900 in San Ramon, Contra Costa County and is buried in Dublin Cemetery, Dublin, Alameda County, CA.
From Fowler family stories "Uncle Bill" was sent to West Point, then studied law, and upon graduation was admitted to the bar in Illinois. He inherited his father's restless disposition, however, and never practiced his profession. In 1841, when Bill was 24, he joined the Bartelson Party for the West. This was a group of 65 people, with Talbot H. Green as president John Bidwell as secretary, and John Bartelson as Captain. They set out from Missouri 19 May 1841, and traveled by way of the North Fork of the Platte River, Sweetwater, South Pass, and Green River Valley to Salt Lake, where they divided into two groups for (Alta) California and Oregon on 11 August 1841. On 12 December 1843 Bill married Rebecca Josephine Kelsey, who was from Missouri, in the Oregon Territory. Rebecca divorced from Bill as soon as they arrived to Sutter's Fort in 1844. Bill went back east to Illinois to help assist the Donner-Reed Party and the rest of his family in coming to (Alta) California. In September of 1846 Bill married Malinda Harlan between Fort Bridger and Salt Lake in the Utah Territory. Bill followed with the Reed Party who made it to Sutter's Fort in October of 1846. Information from Fowler family historian Henry Fowler Mallett, William "Bill" Fowler returned at the head of the third rescue party and helpted bring out the starving remnants of the Donner-Reed Party after two earlier attempts at rescue had been ineffectual.
Per the California Pioneer Register and Index, page149: "F. [Fowler] (Wm, Jr), 1844, son of Wm, who came in the same party [Kelsey] from Or., and worked as a carpenter at Sonoma, N. Helv., and S. Rafael. iv. 444-5. In Or. he married Rebecca Kelsey, who left him on arrival in Cal. Application was made to Larkin for a divorce, and despite his lack of authority to grant it, she was marrried by Sutter to another man. As I find no record of Fowler after '46, it is possible that he was the man killed with Cowie during the Bear Revolt [he was not]. F. (Wm), immig. of the Bartleston party, '41, going to Or. iv. 269; perhaps the Wm named above [correct]."
Per 1860 U.S. Federal census William Henry Fowler Jr. is living in Township 2, Contra Costa, California [Post Office Lafayette & Alamo], born abt 1818 New York Lodger Laborer [in the household of Joel and Minerva Harlan, their family, George and William Wimmer and son William Henry Fowler]
Per 1870 U.S. Federal census William Fowler is living in Hot Springs, Napa, California, born abt 1818 New York Laborer [in the household of Calvin Musgrave]
Per Dublin Cemetery Records, Alameda County, CA, William Fowler Jr. died 1900 in San Ramon, Contra Costa County and is buried in Dublin Cemetery, Dublin, Alameda County, CA.
Per the California Pioneer Register and Index, page149: "F. [Fowler] (Wm, Jr), 1844, son of Wm, who came in the same party [Kelsey] from Or., and worked as a carpenter at Sonoma, N. Helv., and S. Rafael. iv. 444-5. In Or. he married Rebecca Kelsey, who left him on arrival in Cal. Application was made to Larkin for a divorce, and despite his lack of authority to grant it, she was marrried by Sutter to another man. As I find no record of Fowler after '46, it is possible that he was the man killed with Cowie during the Bear Revolt [he was not]. F. (Wm), immig. of the Bartleston party, '41, going to Or. iv. 269; perhaps the Wm named above [correct]."
Per 1860 U.S. Federal census William Henry Fowler Jr. is living in Township 2, Contra Costa, California [Post Office Lafayette & Alamo], born abt 1818 New York Lodger Laborer [in the household of Joel and Minerva Harlan, their family, George and William Wimmer and son William Henry Fowler]
Per 1870 U.S. Federal census William Fowler is living in Hot Springs, Napa, California, born abt 1818 New York Laborer [in the household of Calvin Musgrave]
Per Dublin Cemetery Records, Alameda County, CA, William Fowler Jr. died 1900 in San Ramon, Contra Costa County and is buried in Dublin Cemetery, Dublin, Alameda County, CA.
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