History of Scipio Center, (Cayuga County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

Sayles Jenks Bowen, philanthropist, was born at Scipio, Cayuga county, N.Y., Oct. 17, 1813. He was appointed to a clerkship in the treasury department at Washington in 1845, and remained in this position until 1848. He was afterwards engaged in the prosecution of claims against the government, and in 1861 was appointed commissioner of police for the District of Columbia. He was also made disbursing officer for the U.S. senate in 1861, collector of internal revenue for the District of Columbia in 1862, and postmaster of Washington in 1863. In 1868 he was elected mayor of Washington, serving two years. He was the first to suggest the establishment of public schools for colored children in the city, and he drew up bills which afterwards became laws. The city authorities opposed the schools, and refused to obey the act of Congress requiring them to pay a share of the school fund. Unwilling to have the schools discontinued, Mr. Bowen used his private means to defray the expenses, sustaining the schools for nearly a year, and expending over twenty thousand dollars of his own money. He was the first executive officer in the district to bestow offices of trust on colored men, and he prepared every bill passed by Congress which had for its object the amelioration of the condition of the colored race. Mr. Bowen was a regent of the Smithsonian institution. He died in Washington, D.C., Dec. 16, 1896.

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

Squire Chase, missionary, was born in Scipio, N. Y., Feb. 15, 1802. In June, 1822, he received a preacher's license, and became a probationer in the Genesee (N. Y.) conference. He was assigned to the St. Lawrence circuit, and in 1823 was transferred to the Black river conference. At the close of his second year in conference he was ordained deacon, and was appointed to Sandy Creek circuit. In 1825 he was returned to Black river circuit and labored there and in other circuits until 1831, when he was made presiding elder of the St. Lawrence circuit. In October, 1836, he went as a missionary to Africa, but ill-health compelled him to return after an absence of less than a year. In 1839 he was elected a delegate to the general conference at Baltimore. In 1842 he again went to Africa, where he remained about sixteen months. During his stay there he was superintendent of the African mission, and editor of the semi-monthly Methodist journal called Africa's Luminary. He died in Syracuse, N. Y., July 26, 1843.

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