History of Fairview, (Harford County) Maryland United States of America

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Oden Bowie, governor of Maryland, was born at Fairview, Prince George county, Md., Nov. 10, 1826; son of William D. and Eliza Oden Bowie. His ancestors were among the early settlers of the state. He was educated at the preparatory department of St. John's college, Annapolis, and at St. Mary's college, Baltimore, where he was graduated in 1845 as valedictorian. He enlisted for the Mexican war as a private; and as lieutenant at the battle of Monterey was the surviving officer of the command, Colonel Watson dying in his arms. His gallantry in this engagement secured him the appointment of rainier captain of one of the ten Voltigeur regiments added to the regular army. Shortly after his promotion, Captain Bowie resigned his commission on account of disease contracted in service in 1847. He was elected to the Maryland house of delegates, and was returned for several terms. He entered the state senate in 1867, and in November of that year was elected governor of Maryland, but in consequence of a provision of the new state constitution which had been adopted, Governor Swann, his predecessor, was allowed to serve out his full term of four years, and Governor Bowie did not enter upon the executive duties of his office until January, 1869. While in the senate in 1867, he was instrumental in securing the building of the Baltimore and Potomac railroad, as an extension of the Pennsylvania system to Baltimore and Washington, and on the completion of the road, in 1871, became its president. In 1873 he was elected president of the Baltimore city passenger railway company. He was president of the Maryland jockey club, and became widely known as one of its most active members. He married Alice Carter, a descendant of Lord Baltimore, and they had seven children. Their residence, Fairview, is one of the noted ancestral homes of America, comprising an estate of one thousand acres, with a mansion house, built about 1800, to take the place of the original residence, then destroyed by fire. He died at Fairview, Md., Dec. 4, 1894.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Fairview, (Harford County) Maryland

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