per Addison B. Bowser, "The Bowser Family History" (1922) page 103: JACOB C. BOWSER Jacob C. Bowser was bom November 8, 1870, on a farm in York County, Pennsylvania, about one mile west of the town of New Freedom and joining the farm originally purchased by his great-grandfather, Benjamin Bowser, son of Daniel Bowser, who came to this country and landed at Baltimore, Md., in the year 1733. He spent the first fifteen years on his father's farm and attended country school in the winter, and after finishing public school attended a few terms at Shrewsbury Academy. January, 1888, he entered Huntingdon Normal School (now Juniata College) at Huntingdon, Pa. In his junior year at Huntingdon he became interested in penmanship, pen art and shorthand, and in the fall of 1889 he completed a course in penmanship at the G. W. Michael Pen Art School at Delaware, Ohio, then considered the leading pen art school in the country. After completing his course at Delaware he went to the Zanerian Art College, Columbus, Ohio, and took an additional course in penmanship and art to prepare himself for teaching in this particular line. In January, 1890, he started teaching penmanship in a business college at Watertown, N. Y. At this time business colleges were in a very flourishing condition throughout the country, and was the connecting link between common or high schools in preparing young men and women for business positions. He taught in various business colleges throughout the country, not only teaching penmanship, but also branched out and taught shorthand and all commercial branches. He also did considerable work along the pen art line and was considered at that time one of the leading pen artists and instructors of penmanship in the country. In 1896 he entered the employ of J. H. Wasson & Sons, of Columbus, Ohio, as private secretary and general office man and remained with them for four years, or until the Salt Trust was formed which put this firm out of business. In November, 1900, he entered the employ of the Erie City Iron Works, at Erie, Pa., and has been with this firm ever since in various capacities, being auditor for the past ten years. In 1895 he was married to Miss Rose Mead, of Erie, Pa. They have two daughters, Kathlyn and Marcia.
