El Dorado County
Biographies
GUS H. FOWLER
The subject of this sketch was born in the town of Marion, Crittenden county, Kentucky, June 26, 1843, and is a son of Robert Fowler, who was a Virginian and removed to Kentucky in an early day, and engaged in business in Marion until his death, in 1849. After about two years his widow was again married to C. C. Wheeler, a farmer who resided near the town. Here young Gus lived and worked on the farm until 17 years of age; when he engaged in one of the leading dry goods houses of the town as a salesman. After a few years his employer sold out, and he then accepted a position as salesman in a grocery store, with a relative in Union county, Kentucky. After the breaking out of the war his employer sold out, and he entered into a co-partnership with a party in Louisville to operate in coal oil lands, etc.; before this business could be successfully close up, the excitement died out. Mr. Fowler closed out his interest and returned to his native town, was united in marriage to Miss Jennie McKane in March, 1867. To them was born a daughter, viz.: Ida L. Fowler. Mr. Fowler’s next venture was the rebuilding of the Courthouse, which had been destroyed by fire during the war. After completing this he engaged in a contract to cut away the timber and clear a route for a contemplated railroad – for a distance of 24 miles.
Failing health then caused him to remove to Colorado, where he engaged in mining. The high altitude and consequent rarity of the atmosphere, did not prove beneficial to his health, and he removed to California in 1877, and has since been engaged in quartz mining, and is at this writing, an active partner in the Shirley mines, near Shingle Springs, also the Smuggler, and is one third owner in the Ribbon Rock mine near Placerville, located clear to the Pacific Mine and on the famous gold belt of Nevada and Amador counties.
Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County, California with Illustrations & Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men & Pioneers - Oakland, Cal. - Paolo Sioli, Publisher, 1883. p - 243
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler