WI BIO - Dane Co - DE BOWER, Gert & Simeon
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 360-361 & 461-462

Biography of Gert DE BOWER (pp 360-361) - brother of Simeon DE BOWER

Gert DE BOWER, a resident of Vienna [Dane County], WI, was born in Germany in 
1828, reared to farm life by his father, and worked out by the month when he 
was 14 years old. For the first few years he worked for very small wages, 
and never received more than $50 per year. For three years he was in the 
German army, and at age 28 received a discharge and came to America, having a 
pass. He came with his brother, Simeon DE BOWER, on a sailing craft, and 
they were six weeks on the ocean, landing at NY, and came directly to 
Madison, Dane County, WI, by the railroad that had just been completed. They 
both hired out very soon to farmers and had the highest wages then paid, 
which was $15 a month. Gert DE BOWER worked thus for about two years, when 
the he and his brother bought 80 acres of land at $8 an acre, on new prairie. 
Here they built a shanty, where are subject's woodhouse now is, and which is 
the remains of it. He and his brother continued here for another year. They 
hired 35 acres of their land broken the first summer, but our subject moved 
into the shanty that fall and bought a yoke of cattle. That winter they 
lived all alone and drew fence posts. In the spring he put his 35 acres in 
wheat, and this yielded over 30 bushels per acre, for which he received 45 
cents a bushel [over $472 total]. After getting his wheat in he dug out and 
picked stones off his land, made a fence, and then with his own team and 
another yoke of oxen, he did prairie breaking for himself and others. He 
broke over 40 acres of their land and the same for others, for which he was 
paid $3 per acre [$120 for 40 acres]. He drove these oxen four abreast. The 
next year he and his brother had 75 acres in wheat and two yoke of cattle, 
and lived and worked together. This was in 1862. They then felt as 
independent as they have ever done since, although our subject now has 178 
acres and a large number of horses and cattle, and his brother has 240 acres. 
About 1868 the brothers separated.

In 1867 Gert DE BOWER was married to Mary BUFFMIRE, a native of Germany, 
daughter of Wallace and Mary (WELLING) BUFFMIRE, who came to America in 1849. 
Wallace BUFFMIRE died in Camp Douglas, [County, WI], in 1872, in the prime 
of life. Mary (WELLING) BUFFMIRE died in 1891, at the age of 67, having 
reared six sons and six daughters to adult years. Nine of these are still 
living. Gert and Mary (BUFFMIRE) DE BOWER have buried one daughter, Adaline, 
who died at the age of nine years. They now have four children: Frances, 
wife of Joseph McCHESTNEY, a nearby farmer, and they have two daughters and 
one son; Edward Wallace is single, and is keeping books for a Madison lumber 
company; Gertrude is a young lady, at home; and Herbert, a very bright young 
man, now attending a high school in Lodi, Columbia County, WI, preparing for 
the study of law. Mr. Gert DE BOWER is a member of the Lutheran Church, and 
while his wife is a Catholic, she attends her husband's church the greater 
portion of the time. In politics Gert DE BOWER is independent and votes as 
he chooses, regardless of parties. He has served the township in minor 
offices; has been District Clerk for 10 years, Assessor and School [p 361] 
Director. Oats and corn are his principal crops, and he cuts many tons of 
hay, keeps cattle, horses and hogs, turning off about 30 of the latter per 
year. He keeps from 20-30 head of cattle and raises a half dozen a year; 
keeps 8-10 horses a year, and raises two colts per year, more or less.

Biography of Simeon DE BOWER (pp 461-462) - brother of Gert DE BOWER

Simeon DE BOWER, a resident of section 17, Vienna Township, Dane County, WI, 
was born in Germany in 1832. His father, Ede DE BOWER, was a laborer in [p 
462] Germany and died there at about the age of 65. The mother of our 
subject was named Gesina (FOLKEN) DE BOWER, and they reared four daughters 
and five sons, all growing to maturity, except one son who died in childhood; 
three sons and two daughters are still living. The mother, Gesina (FOLKEN) 
DE BOWER, died at the age of 75 years.

Harry, Gert, Simeon (our subject), and Edward, were the sons of the family 
who came to America; and Deborah, wife of Gert HARMS, a large farmer in 
Butler County, IA; and Tina, wife of John PAGEL, who died in KS, in Mar 1891, 
in middle life, leaving a family, were the daughters that came to America. 
Simeon and Gert were the first to come to America, making the trip in 1857 
and settled here in this township [Vienna Township, Dane County, WI], buying 
80 acres together.

Simeon DE BOWER was married in Jun 1870 to Mary FROH, daughter of John and 
Sophie (ROPKE) FROH. Simeon DE BOWER's first work was by the year for four 
years, at from $14 to $16 per month, and then began farming his half of the 
80 acres. This was wild prairie land, very stony, and cost some $9 an acre. 
He brought his wife to this farm, where a sister had kept house for him. 
From time to time he added to this 40 acres, until in 1884 he had 80 acres 
added to his other land, making his farm 258 acres in all, including 18 acres 
of timber.

The family of Simeon DE BOWER consists of three daughters and two sons: 
Emily, aged 20, was educated in Madison, Dane County, WI, and is now a 
teacher; Edward, aged 19, earned at diploma at the Madison Business College; 
Louise, aged 16, is a natural student; Matilda, aged 14; and Andrew, aged 12. 
Mr. DE BOWER does general farming, keeps from 6 to 10 horses, about 35 head 
of horned cattle, of which 10 are cows. He fattens from 40 to 50 hogs, while 
they raise a small flock of Shropshire sheep and grows from 40 to 50 acres of 
corn, but raises more oats than any other crop, and some 40 tons of hay. 
They are German Lutherans. He built his house in 1868, and he paid for 5,000 
feet of lumber in it by working in the woods three months in the winter. He 
spent four winters in the lumber woods. In 1868 he built his granary and 
horse barn. In 1880 he built his cow and hay barn, 76x24 feet, with 16 feet 
posts and contains 31 head of cattle and 7 horses.

Simeon DE BOWER was the first drafted man in this township and paid his $300 
for a substitute. He was one of a club of eight who met this call in Dec 
1862. He has been a lifelong Republican and is an excellent citizen.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly