John William Bowker
Parents
| Father | [unknown] |
| Mother | [unknown] |
Personal Information
| Record Created: 14 December 2013; Last Edited: 3 February 2022 |
| Person ID | 6223 |
| Name | John William Bowker |
| Gender | Male |
| Born | ca. 1810 in New York1 |
| Married | ca. 1849 to Mary Jane Shepherd2 |
| Divorced | 22 October 1860 from Mary Jane Shepherd2 |
| Married | 1 March 1874 in Carson City, Nevada to Sarah R. Dryden (née Shepherd) 3, 4 |
| Divorced | 8 August 1877 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California from Sarah R. Bowker (née Shepherd) 5 |
| Died | before 18846 |
| Buried | in Schaffer’s Cemetery, Truckee, Nevada County, California6 |
Biography
Identification of John William Bowker as the husband of Mary Jane Shepherd and, later, of Sarah R. (Shepherd) Dryden, sisters, is based on circumstantial evidence and is subject to further confirmation.
He was apparently known as William, referred to by that and similar names (e.g., Uncle Billy, etc.) in numerous articles in Carson City, Nevada, newspapers. J. W. Bowker was a master mechanic for the Virginia and Truckee Railroad (V. & T.) and previously for the Central Pacific Railroad. The Virginia and Truckee website summarizes his contributions to the railroad:7
He was an innovative railroad machinist; he was responsible for all of the railroad’s machine shop facilities and shaped to a large degree the short line’s early equipment roster. Held in high regard by the railroad’s management, [Henry Marvin] Yerington named V. & T. Locomotive No. 21—The Virginia City switch engine—The “J. W. Bowker” in honor of the distinguished master mechanic. Unfortunately, the honor evidently went to the shop superintendent’s head as he was caught entering the Carson Shops full of whiskey one afternoon in July 1875. Yerington promptly discharged Bowker from his $250 per month job and the namesake locomotive was [briefly] renamed “Mexico”. The original 1875 Baldwin locomotive “J. W. Bowker” is among the equipment on display at the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento.
The same website contains transcripts of letters from H. M. Yerington to Darius O. Mills that reveal additional details about J. W. Bowker’s discharge from the V. & T. Railroad, including the following excerpts:7
14 July 1875: “…Bowker continues to act & talk ugly, says he will stop the running of the road if we continue to use certain Locomotive Smokestacks & Lubricating oils on which he claims patents, but which he has not got. He says he is going below to see you & Mr. Sharon about this, if he does, please dont pay any attention to him for he has acted very badly in more ways than one. …”
21 July 1875: “… I have your favor of the 17th inst. & am glad my action towards Bowker met I [sic] your approval, of matters at the shops are running smooth and satisfactorily. …”
Yerington was apparently wrong at least about Bowker’s patent on the locomotive smokestack. The Sacramento Daily Union, on 26 October 1869, reported the issue of a patent on 19 October described as a “Spark Arrester—John W. Bowker, Sacramento.” The invention was reportedly highly effective at suppressing sparks emanating from locomotive smoke stacks.
A curious article in 1874, shortly before John’s second marriage, tells of his supposed inheritance of a large sum of money, although no other mention of this good fortune has been found.8
IN LUCK.—William Bowker, Master Mechanic of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad Company is the gentleman who is reputed to have fallen heir to $180,000 by the death of a relative in the East. Mr. Bowker is a whole-souled gentleman and one of the best mechanics on the Pacific coast. His numerous friends in this section will be glad to hear of his good fortune.
We believe it is this John Bowker who is buried in Shaffer’s Cemetery in Truckee, California, as mentioned in the following Decoration Day article in the Truckee Republican.6
MEMORIES GREEN.
DECORATION DAY IN TRUCKEE UNIVERSALLY OBSERVED.
The 30th of May has, since the war, been set apart as a National Holiday, on which the graves of dead soldiers shall be strewn with flowers. The idea was originated by the Grand Army of the Republic, as a perpetual testimonial or remembrance of their dead comrades left in the field of battle. The idea has expanded and grown until now when all graves are decorated. Truckee has never before memorialized the day, but like everything that Truckee does, it was done with spirit and vim, and it was only needed to start the movement thoroughly to have it prove as it did, a magnificent success.
...In the absence of absolute proof the committee placed flags on the following graves, believing them to have served in the late war:
[seven names]
John Bowker, Schaffer’s cemetery.
Andy Russell, Schaffer’s cemetery.
[three more names].
SCHAFFER’S CEMETERY
On the hill south of town. After the Rosebuds had placed a wreath and flowers on the grave of John Bowker, and old soldier buried there, the Trio sang once again, “Dear to the Spot” after which a general decoration followed.
Person/Family
| Spouse 1 |  Mary Jane Shepherd (daughter of John Shepherd and Sarah Davis) |
| Born | ca. 1829 in England |
| Married | ca. 1849 to John William Bowker |
| Married | 22 April 1861 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California to David Montross Gazlay |
| Died | 27 February 1864 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York |
| Spouse 2 | Sarah R. Dryden (née Shepherd) (daughter of John Shepherd and Sarah Davis) |
| Born | |
| Married | to _____ Dryden |
| Married | 1 March 1874 in Carson City, Nevada to John William Bowker |
Sources
- U.S. Federal Census, 1870, Nevada, Storey County, Virginia City, Page 110, Wm. Bowker, 60, N.Y., engineer.
- Divorce, Sacramento Daily Union, Sacramento, California, articles in 1860 on 6 March, 9 July, 17 July, and 22 October, announcing divorce proceedings and divorce grant to Mary Jane Bowker from John W. Bowker for alleged extreme cruelty and abandonment. The first article indicates they had been married for 11 years.
- Last Will and Testament, Sarah D. Shepherd, 1876, that names four children: William J. Shepherd residing in the City of Brooklyn; Elizabeth, wife of William P. Smith residing at Seattle Washington Territory; Sarah R., wife of William Bowker residing at San Francisco, California; and Annie, wife of Benjamin Harned residing at Trenton New Jersey. Copy of probate documents in possession of Karen Held.
- Marriage, Sacramento Daily Union, California. Available at California Digital Newspaper Collection, cdnc.ucr.edu. 7 March 1874, in Carson, Nevada, on 1 March 1874, J. W. Bowker to Mrs. S. R. Dryden.
- Divorce, Daily Alta California, San Francisco, California; 8 August 1877, Sarah R. Bowker was granted a divorce from John W. Bowker.
- Memorials, Truckee Republican, Truckee, California, 31 May 1884, article on the observance of Decoration Day and placing flags on the graves of dead soldiers, including John Bowker in Schaffer’s Cemetery.
- Virginia and Truckee. Website devoted to the history of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad.
- The Evening News, Gold Hill, Nevada, 12 February 1874. William Bowker’s inheritance of a large sum of money.