Ann Bowen
April 29, 1902; Oregonian, p 4  (photo)
"Death of Well Known Eastern Oregon Pioneer"
Baker City, Or., April 28

   Mrs. Ann Bowen, who died her Friday, was one of the best known pioneers in Eastern Oregon.  She was the relict of Ira B. Bowen, Sr., who died 21 years ago on the 11th of next May.  She was born at Utica, N. Y., January 12, 1829.  After her early life and marriage in New York, and subsequent residence in Illinois, where Mr. Bowen was master mechanic of the Galena & Chicago Railroad, now the Northwestern, in 1862, the family started West, crossing the plains by ox team, destined for the Willamette Valley, which at that time was all that was known of the State of Oregon.  Reaching a point near what is now Baker City, and hearing of the great strike of gold near Auburn, Mr. Bowen located there and engaged in the mercantile business, the firm being known as Bowen & Cranston.  In 1868 Mr. and Mrs. Bowen moved to Salem.  Bowen & Cranston buying out Breyman Bros., of Salem.  They did business in Salem until the year 1871, when they closed out there and came to Baker City and bought the farm of A. H. Brown, who at that time was State Treasurer.  Following this they embarked in what was called the Sparta canal enterprise, the Bowen family moving to Sparta.  The building of this canal from Eagle Creek made possible the working of the placer mines of that country, and it was a large enterprise for those days.

   In the year 1876 the family returned to Baker City, where Mr. Bowen later died, and where Mrs. Bowen since resided.

   Mrs. Bowen was the mother of 13 children, nine of whom are living; Mrs. E. B. Cranston, of Kenting, Or.; Mrs. James W. Virtue, of Leland, Or.; F. A. Bowen, of Spokane, and I. B. Bowen, editor of the Democrat; Edward C. Bowen, H. S. Bowen, James Clifford Bowen, Miss Estella Bowen and Mrs. Thomas Anderson, of Baker City.

   Mrs. Bowen was a devout member of the Catholic church, and was very active in the work of the church in this city.