Jesse M. Bowell
{{Short description|American captain and politician (1846–1889)}}
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File:Jesse M. Bowell.jpg portrait of Bowell.]]
Jesse M. Bowell (January 19, 1846 – October 31, 1889) was an American sea captain and politician. From 1885 to 1886, Bowell served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the Democratic Party. Born in Millsboro, Pennsylvania, he was an engineer and pilot on the Monongahela River early in his youth. After selling his first boat, the Athletic, in mid-1881, he built a steamship, named after himself: J. M. Bowell. In 1884, he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He ran for the legislature again in 1886, although lost.
On October 29, 1889, Bowell was involved in an altercation with Captain Decatur Abrams, resulting in Abrams mortally wounding Bowell by throwing a boulder at the latter. Bowell died from his injuries two days later. Abrams was initially charged with murder, although he was released on a $1,000 bail nearly a month after the incident.
Life and career
Bowell was born on January 19, 1846, in Millsboro, Pennsylvania.{{cite web |title=Jesse M. Bowell |url=https://archives.house.state.pa.us/people/member-biography?ID=6459 |website=Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives |access-date=September 26, 2024}}{{cite news |title=Capt. Bowell's Condition—Who the Men Are |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-republican-capt-bowells-cond/156016223/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Daily Republican |date=October 30, 1889 |location=Monongahela, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} While in his youth, he partaked in the foundry business. Later, he was an engineer and pilot on the Monongahela River. In 1876, Bowell was arrested on a charge of running a business without a license.{{cite news |title=City Matters in Brief |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-commercial-city-matters-in-br/156017351/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=Pittsburgh Commercial |date=April 6, 1876 |location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}} Bowell was elected as generalissimo of St. Omar's Commandery in Brownsville in 1883.{{cite news |title=Local News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-republican-local-news/156018261/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Daily Republican |date=March 17, 1883 |location=Monongahela, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Bowell owned a boat, named the Athletic. He later sold her for $4,500 to W. H. Moore in August 1881.{{cite news |title=BelleVernon |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-the-presidents-conditi/156337003/ |access-date=October 1, 2024 |work=The Daily Herald |date=August 6, 1881 |location=Monongahela, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} Shortly after selling the Athletic, Bowell began building a steamship, named J. M. Bowell, in Brownsville.{{cite news |title=Coal and River News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-coal-and-river-news/156337188/ |access-date=October 1, 2024 |work=The Daily Herald |date=January 3, 1882 |location=Monongahela, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |last1=Kussart |first1=Mrs. S. |title=Navigation on the Monongahela River |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-navigation-on-the-monon/151126687/ |access-date=September 29, 2024 |work=The Daily Herald |date=February 27, 1930 |location=Monongahela, Pennsylvania |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1882, the steamship made her first trip. Two years later, the boat was capsized by a storm on July 24, 1884, near Coal Center; one passenger drowned out of thirty total.{{cite book |last1=Van Voorhis |first1=John S. |title=The Old and New Monongahela |date=1893 |publisher=Nicholson, Printer and Binder |location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |page=433 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bZl4AAAAMAAJ |access-date=September 26, 2024}}
At the time of Bowell's death, he lived in Belle Vernon, and previously served as a member of its council and school board. In 1884, Bowell ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from Fayette County as a member of the Democratic Party. He won the primary alongside Thomas B. Schnatterly, with each candidate receiving around 1,700 votes. In the general election, they were both elected to the chamber.{{cite news |title=Fayette Democracy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-republican-fayette-democracy/156018840/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Daily Republican |date=June 3, 1884 |location=Monongahela, Pennsylvania |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=The Next Legislature |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/harrisburg-telegraph-the-next-legislatur/156015339/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=Harrisburg Telegraph |date=November 20, 1884 |location=Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com |quote=Fayette—Jesse M. Bowell, D.; Thos. B. Schnatterly, D.}} Two years later in 1886, Bowell ran again for the General Assembly,{{efn|Contemporary news articles state that Bowell opted to run for the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1886.{{cite news |title=Local News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-republican-local-newscapt-je/156015666/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Daily Republican |date=May 20, 1886 |location=Monongahela, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=The Democratic Primaries |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-courier-the-democratic-primar/156212738/ |access-date=September 29, 2024 |work=The Weekly Courier |date=May 21, 1886 |location=Connellsville, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} Articles written after Bowell's lifetime state that he ran for re-nomination to the House.}} although he was defeated in the Democratic primary.{{cite news |title=Fayette Sends a Solid Delegation for Wallace |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-times-fayette-sends-a-s/156016037/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Times |date=August 1, 1886 |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com |quote=Jesse M. Bowell, ex-member of the Legislature, and Alex J. Hill, ... were defeated.}} In January 1887, Bowell purchased the brewery of Boyd and Maxwell, located in Allenport.{{cite news |title=Local News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-republican-local-news/156015868/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Daily Republican |date=January 21, 1887 |location=Monongahela, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} Bowell became eminent commander of Brownsville Commandery No. 7 in 1888.
= Death =
On October 29, 1889, Bowell was involved in an alteraction with Captain Decatur Abrams over a freight bill. Bowell described Abrams as a liar, to which Abrams threw a boulder at Bowell, mortally wounding the latter and fracturing his skull.{{cite news |title=Capt. Bowell Dead |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-republican/21603290/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Daily Republican |date=October 31, 1889 |location=Monongahela, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=His Skull Crushed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-patriot-news-his-skull-crushed/156020193/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Patriot-News |date=October 30, 1889 |location=Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} After the altercation, Abrams boarded his steamer and traveled to Brownsville, where he was caught and taken to a jail in Uniontown awaiting trial.{{cite news |title=A State Legislator Killed |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-canton-independent-sentinel-a-state/156021168/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Canton Independent-Sentinel |date=October 31, 1889 |location=Canton, Pennsylvania |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=Knocked Down by a Boulder |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pittsburgh-post-knocked-down-by-a-bo/156019190/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Pittsburgh Post |date=October 30, 1889 |location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}} Bowell died two days later at his home in Belle Vernon on October 31 at 3:15 a.m., never once regaining his consciousness. After Bowell's death, Abram was officially charged with murder.{{cite news |title=Will Be Held for Murder |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/harrisburg-telegraph-will-be-held-for-mu/156022573/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=Harrisburg Telegraph |agency=Associated Press |date=October 31, 1889 |location=Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} Bowell's funeral was held on November 3 in Brownsville, and his remains were transferred to Millsboro, where they were interred.{{cite news |title=Capt. Bowell Buried |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-courier-capt-bowell-buried/156022723/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Weekly Courier |date=November 8, 1889 |location=Connellsville, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Accounts of the stories were varied.{{cite news |title=Died From His Wounds |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-castle-news-died-from-his-wounds/156021304/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=New Castle News |date=November 5, 1889 |location=New Castle, Pennsylvania |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}} Abrams claimed self-defense; according to Abrams, he had walked past Bowell in Belle Vernon after the two had not spoken for over a year. Abrams attempted to ignore Bowell, however Bowell—reportedly under the influence—began cursing and abusing Abrams. As Abrams continued to ignore him, Bowell attempted to punch Abrams. In response, Abrams, feeling that he was physically inferior compared to Bowell, hurled a boulder at Bowell. Abrams attempted to help him up after throwing it, but by then, Bowell had been knocked unconscious. Two eyewitnesses of the event further corroborated Abrams's statements. According to a separate account, Abrams threw the boulder while Bowell was turned back, falling face-first on the gloor. Abrams then turned Bowell over and concluded that he was dead, leaving him. Around a week after his arrest, Abrams requested a release based on habeas corpus.{{cite news |title=A Writ of Habeas Corpus Applied For |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pittsburgh-post-a-writ-of-habeas-cor/156022455/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Pittsburgh Post |date=November 9, 1889 |location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} Nearly a month after the incident, Abrams was released on a $1,000 bail.{{rp|n.pag.|quote=Capt. E. D. Abrams, who some weeks ago killed Capt. J. M. Bowell, is out on $1,000 bail.}}
After Bowell's death, his steamer J. M. Bowell was placed on auction, but no buyers were interested.{{cite news |title=Fayette County Facts |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-courier-fayette-county-facts/156022303/ |access-date=September 26, 2024 |work=The Weekly Courier |date=March 7, 1890 |location=Connellsville, Pennsylvania |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Notes
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References
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Category:Politicians from Washington County, Pennsylvania
Category:Democratic Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Category:Pennsylvania city council members
Category:School board members in Pennsylvania
Category:People murdered in Pennsylvania
Category:19th-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly