Bio: Gowen, Bert C. (1855 - 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Gowen, Riley, Rossman

----Source: History of Marathon County Wisconsin and Representative Citizens, by Louis Marchetti, 1913.

Gowen, Bert C. (25 October 1855 - 19??)

Bert C. Gowen city engineer of Wausau, Wis., an old and experienced civil engineer, is one of Wausau's own sons, born here October 25, 1855. His parents were William and Sarah J. (Riley) Gowen. In 1846 William Gowen came to Wisconsin from Boston, Mass., and took up a homestead at Sun Prairie, but lost his land on account of meeting with a serious accident which required him to return to the East for medical treatment for his broken leg. He then visited Florida but returned to Wisconsin in the spring of 1850 and in 1851 brought his family from Boston to Marathon County, taking up a homestead in the town of Wausau, seven miles northeast of the city of Wausau, as at present. He lived there until he had acquired full ownership but later in life was a manufacturer of saw mill machinery, which he invented. His death occurred at Wausau, February 18, 1910, having survived his wife from November 15, 1892.

Bert C. Gowen was reared at Wausau, attended the public schools and later Cornell University at Ithaca, N. Y., where he was graduated in the department of civil engineering. He returned then to Wausau and up to 1906 was mainly connected with railroading in his special line and at the time of his voluntary retirement was chief engineer of the Wisconsin & Michigan Railway Company, and Lake Michigan Car Ferry Transportation Company and superintendent of railroad, bridges and buildings, with headquarters at Peshtigo, Wis. Although this entailed an absence of twelve years from his native city it never interfered with his interest or loyalty and his home continued at Wausau.

Mr. Gowen married Miss Martha E. Rossman, of Wausau, a daughter of Charles Rossman, who now lives on his farm in the town of Ringle, Marathon County. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gowen, two of whom died in infancy, the one survivor, Clarence R., being a student in the Wausau High School. Mr. Gowen is particularly well known in fraternal circles, being a thirty-second degree Mason and belonging to the Mystic Shrine at Milwaukee; to the Knights of Pythias and is past chancellor of the local lodge, and to the Brotherhood of Engineers. He also was a charter member of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association whose membership now includes thousands of the prominent engineers and railway officials all over the western hemisphere including Canada, Mexico and South America.