Bio: Rowley, John A. (1869 - 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Rowley, Zimmermann, Smithies

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

Rowley, John A. (11 December 1869 - 19??)

John A. Rowley, whose large business interests at Wausau are in the insurance line, is the junior member of the well known firm of Zimmerman & Rowley, with convenient offices in the Marathon County Bank building. He was born in England, December 11, 1869, a son of James Rowley and wife, the former of who died in 1904, at Philadelphia, Pa., where the latter yet resides.

John A. Rowley attended school in his native land and was eighteen years of age when he accompanied his parents to America. They located in the city of Philadelphia and the youth soon secured employment as a bookkeeper with a carpet house and continued there for seven years, afterward turning his attention to the insurance business and accepting an agency in an insurance office at New Rochelle, N. Y. For twelve years Mr. Rowley was associated with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and became one of that great organization's valued employees, was rapidly promoted and became a superintendent at Des Moines, Ia., and also at Chicago, Ill., and in 1903 was transferred to Wausau as superintendent. He continued with the Metropolitan until 1906, when he went into partnership with E. C. and A. H. Zimmerman under the firm style of Zimmerman & Rowley. This firm is in the general insurance business, their risks covering fire, life, accident, bonds and plate glass, and the volume of business is very large. The partners are all seasoned and reliable insurance men and command the confidence of the public.

At Chicago, Ill. Sir Rowley was married to Miss Florence Smithies, and they have two sons: Frank and James A.  Politically Mr. Rowley is not active beyond the duties of citizenship. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias.