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Fowler, James
Edgar. The subject of this sketch is the son of Stephen C. and Rebecca
Fowler, and was born in New York City, December 28, 1828, where he spent the
most of his youth in acquiring such an education as was to be had in the public
schools, until called upon to face the stern realities of life. His father
being a builder and contractor, James chose the trade of a carpenter, though
not exactly to his taste. He has often remarked how fortunate this was, as the
practical ideas then acquired have been valuable all through life. On the
receipt of the first news of the discovery of gold in California, he decided at
once to go. With his elder brother Stephen, they sailed from New York January
12, 1849, in the old ship Brooklyn, a vessel of four hundred and fifty tons, to
double Cape Horn, with two hundred and five souls on board. With the usual
monotony of a four months voyage they reached the far-famed island of Juan
Fernandez, visited the cave in which Alexander Selkirk spent four years, and
formed the basis of the celebrated history of Robinson Crusoe. Sixty days out
from the island found the ship a long way west of San Francisco, all hands on
short allowance of water and nearly everyone affected with scurvy. After
narrowly escaping shipwreck at the mouth of the Garcia river, they arrived in
San Francisco August 12th, having spent seven months in dreaming of the
wonderful Dorado they were about to visit. He pitched his tent in Pleasant
valley, San Francisco, where the Oriental block now stands, found work at his
trade at twelve dollars per day, but soon discovered that contracting was more
profitable. In company with his brother Stephen, they erected several frame
buildings in the vicinity of Clay and Montgomery streets, and also assisted in
laying the foundation for the first brick building erected in San Francisco. As
the oldest inhabitants predicted a hard winter, the Fowlers concluded to go to
the mountains and build them a cabin. Taking passage on board the schooner John
Dunlap for Sacramento, which place they reached after six days, and, in company
with several others, they charter a team for Dry Town, Amador county, where
they engaged in mining successfully until the first great fire occurred in San
Francisco. With a prospect for fat contracts they decided to abandon
canal-digging and return to San Francisco. Taking their blankets on their
backs, wading through adobe, and fording streams, they reach Sacramento just in
time to witness the first overflow, but left immediately on the steamer
McKinne, passage twenty-five dollars. On arriving in San Francisco they found
the burnt district rebuilt, the city being overrun with mechanics; but put up a
few small buildings for Sam Brannan to prevent squatters from jumping his lots.
About February 1, 1850, took passage on the schooner Eclipse for Marysville,
spent a month in getting up the river, and was engaged for awhile making
quicksilver machines for saving the fine gold on the lower Yuba. Becoming
interested in the city of Plumas, first laid out by Captain Sutter and G. H.
Beach, and thinking it might be the head of navigation in a low stage of water,
removed there and continued work at his trade. June 1st, packed his mule and
started in search of the gold lake, and spent the summer in mining in
Downieville. Returned to Plumas in the Fall and was taken down with the fever
and ague. The Spring of 1851 found him at Bodega raising potatoes. In the
Summer of 1852, he bought the land on which Valley Ford now stands, where he
has made his home ever since. He has experienced the same turns in the wheel of
fortune with most other California farmers. In the Fall of 1855, in company
with George F. Stanley, he opened the pioneer restaurant and bakery in
Petaluma. The Summer of 1857 he spent in the East, where he was married to
Charlotte E., daughter of Jacob and Sarah Palmer, of Morris county, New Jersey;
since which times he has engaged in farming, merchandising, teaming and
lumbering, keeping steadily in view the building up of his pet town, Valley
Ford, of which he has been called the father. Mr. Fowler, during his residence
in Sonoma county, has taken a leading part in bringing railroad communication
into his part of the district, and has in many other ways proved his true value
as a good and worthy citizen. |
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