WILLIAM H. BOWER             GRAVESTONE PHOTO                      

The Daily Mercury, Monday, May 20, 1912, Pg. 1

Vol. IV, No. 8

Wm. Bower Dead.

  In the death of Wm. Bower Sunday Manhattan loses another of her pioneer citizens.  Mr. Bower came here from Springfield, Ill., where he was a friend and neighbor of Abraham Lincoln.  He arrived here in the latter fifties and was employed by Count Charles De Vivaldi, the first editor of Manhattan, to assist in setting the type and printing the “Western Express.”  Mr. Bower was a Kansas soldier for three years and was a good one and true.  For many years he was engaged in the furniture and undertaking business in Manhattan and prospered.  For some years he was in partnership with his son-in-law, I. L. Ady, as W. H. Bower & Co.  Mr. Bower was once the mayor of Manhattan and all his life long has been an honorable and upright citizen.  Always rather fragile, very gentle and thoughtful of all around him.  Until the past winter he has been quite active though he is over 80 years old.  He was buried today in Sunset cemetery.