Biography of James Edgar Fowler

From a History of Sonoma County, by J. P. Munro-Frasier (Washington D.C.: Alley, Bowen & Co., 1880), pp. 489-491:

  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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