I have no further knowledge of this man or his family. I am not related. I found this article in the Pioneer Times, a quarterly publication of the Mid-Missouri Genealogical Society, Inc. Vol 11, No 2 City of Jefferson, MO April 1876 One of the early pioneer families of Cole County Missouri was the Fowler family. A summary statement of the history of this family is in the book "History of Jefferson City" by James E. Ford, published in 1938. On page 465 one paragraph is as follows: "The Fowler Family in this city is of Virginia origin. James Fowler of Virginia a colonial scout, served under Col. Wm. Russell at Fort Bliss. His son, James Fowler, Jr., born in Virginia in 1780, bought land in Saline county, Missouri, whither his widow, Esther Fullen Fowler started with her large family after his death in 1822. In Jefferson City she met a former neighbor and was induced to settle in this county. Her son, Whitley, born in 1815, was a small boy when the family arrived here. He became an engineer and surveyor, and served many years as county judge during which time he handled probate matters." According to tradition, Esther Fullen Fowler moved many of her possessions including some slaves to Missouri. This included a brief period of settling down in Washington County, Missouri, before their stopover in Jefferson City. A decision was made to locate permanently in Cole County. The children of James and Esther Fullen Fowler were (all but the youngest) born in Washington county, Virginia: NAME BIRTH MARRIAGE DEATH Sarah Whitley Nov 28, 1802 Wm. Barton Ragsdale Nov 22, 1825 Mary H. Apr 30, 1805 James Holder Feb 5, 1823 Susannah L. May 3, 1807 Josiah Hunter Apr 12, 1825 Heasy Dec 22, 1808 July 27, 1814 VA Dorcas F. Mar 7, 1811 Michael Clark Feb 24, 1829 Levicy R. Oct 17, 1813 James Gray Nov 25, 1837 Whitley Fullen Aug 7, 1815 Anna Martin Aug 10, 1843 Rachael H. Jun 17, 1817 James Feaster James Miller May 15, 1819 Mary Bolivar Jan 16, 1864 It is on record that Esther Fowler bought 40 acres Apr 16, 1830 and 120 acres June 23, 1836. This included the Fowler farm home and cemetery of today. This well preserved home (part of it was over 30 years old at the time of the Civil war) is about 12 miles south of Jefferson City, MO. In the 1840 census of Cole County, Clark township "Ester" Fowler is shown 60-70 years with two white males 20-30 years and six slaves: 10-24 years, 3 females under 24 years, one female 36-55 years. She married a second time and died as Esther Wilson, June 21, 1841. She was the first to be buried in the Fowler Cemetery. Whitley Fullen Fowler married Anna Martin. The record of their marriage is found in the Cole County Court House, reads as follows: "This is to certify that I as Minister of the Gospel in the M.E. Church did this day solomize the rights of matrimony between Whitley F. Fowler Esq. and Miss Anna Martin daughter of Shelby and Elizabeth Martin all of Cole Co. Clark Township, Missouri" August the 10th 1843 H. K. Armitage Children of Whitley F. and Anna (Martin) Fowler were: Name Birth Marriage Death Isabella Jun 19, 1844 Samuel J. Clay Aug 19, 1869 May 19, 1881 Mary Elizabeth Jun 30, 1846 Edmund Dixon May 5, 1861 Josephus G. May 7, 1848 ----------- Sept 17, 1853 Finis Ewing Aug 3, 1850 ---------------- Sept 8, 1853 twin sons Sept 12, 1852 ------------ Sept 12, 1852 Green Clark Mar 7, 1854 Arminta L. Henley Mar 6, 1879 Eliza Ellen Amos June 18, 1893 Feb 1919 James Shelby Jan 25, 1856 Julia Musick Apr 4, 1878 Nov 6, 1943 Missouri Patience Oct 28, 1858 John Henley Oct 30, 1939 Luella Dec. 20, 1859 --------------------- Jun 1861 Lewis Cass Aug 26, 1864 Leona Bontrager Aug 1932 Forrest Lee Dec 10, 1866 ---------------- Mar 13, 1958 Whitley and Anna Fowler still owned slaves when the civil war began. To the Union forces, state and county government officials loyal to the north, any slaveowner was suspected of being a southern sympathizer, if not a rebel actively supporting the south. Some of the northern forces or possibly bushwackers, were camped near the Fowler farm. There was anticipation in the Fowler home as to whether their house might be burned. Some valuables including furniture, were removed and placed in hiding for safer keeping. Whitley had anticipated his slaves would be freed before long, as indicated by one store. Judy a slave had been promised a certain horse, when she was freed. Before that day arrived, the "bushwackers" attempted to steal that particular horse. Judy noticed their activity, grabbed an ax and threatened them unless they released "her horse". They left without the horse. Whitley Fullen Fowler had the confidence of his fellow citizens as indicated by his repeated election as Judge of the county court from Clark township. He also had the reputation of treating his slaves much better than the average slaveowner. However, the incoming Union forces were out to remove such a "suspicious man" from the area. Attempts of his family to hide him in the woods failed. What happened when he was found was told along with other items, in a biographical sketch published in the Jefferson City Peoples Tribune, Dec. 18, 1876: "Judge Whitley F. Fowler" "In two weeks, Judge Fowler retires from the position on the County Court Bench, he had held so long, and the duties of which he has performed so faithfully. He goes out of office with a record as clear and stainless as the noonday sun. Probably no man ever held an office in Cole county who retired to private life possessing so fully and unreserved the entire confidence of his fellow citizens. In the month of October 1827, over fifty-one years ago, Judge Fowler came to Cole County and settled in Clark Township, and there he has lived ever since. When Moniteau County was organized by the Legislature of 1844-45, the Cole County Court consisted of James English, William Miller and Alexander Irvin. As Moniteau County was principally formed from Cole, Judges English and Miller were cut off when the lines were drawn, thus creating two vacancies on the Cole County bench. In the spring of 1845, Governor John C. Edwards appointed Whitley F. Fowler and Robert A. Ewing to fill the vacancies thus occasioned. In 1846, Judge Fowler was elected by a direct vote of the people, his time expiring in 1850, when he was beaten for the same office by John W. Wells. It was during the great Benton and anti-Benton excitement, and Judge Fowler belonged to the anti-Benton wing of the party. Mr. Wells was a whig-known as a Benton whig and the Benton Democrats threw their solid strength for h! im, and he was elected by seventeen votes. In 1854 Judge Fowler was again elected, and was successfully re-elected until he went out of office in 1865 under the ousting ordinance of the Drake Infamy. We must not omit to mention as one of the episodes of Judge Fowler's life that he was a victim of a little shoulder strapped tyranny during the war. In 1862 the Judge was suspected on entertaining southern sympathies, and to be an object of suspicion at that day was nearly equivalent to being adjudged guilty at once, and that with no unnecessary formality. a wave of the hand or the scratch of a pen by some epauletted martinet was sufficient to send the best citizen in Cole County to a dungeon. Washburn's troops swept through Cole in May, 1862, and swept Judge Fowler away from his farm in Clark Township, a prisoner. He was taken to Lebanon and kept awhile, and then transferred to Springfield, where he remained until the following September, when he was released by order of Geo. E. B. Brown. Judge Fowler returned to Cole and held court as usual, until he stepped down and out in 1865, in obedience to the fist of the ousting ordinance. In 1871, Judge F. A. Clarenbach, then one of the county justices resigned his position to administer the Berri estate, and Governor B. Gratz Brown appointed Judge Fowler to fill the vacancy. He was regularly elected at the ensuing Nov. election, and in 1872 was re-elected for the term of six years. His term expires on the first of January. altogether, Judge Fowler has served on the county bench nearly twenty-four years." Present day 1986 descendants of Judge Fowler continue to live in Cole county and neighboring counties. They include great grand-children Roy Fowler, Pauline fowler Hager, Mildred Fowler Korsmeyer, Herbert Hahn.