GEORGE E. BOWEN and the lovely young lady

This lovely young lady is from Fat Hill, Illinois. Yes, you read that correctly, Fat Hill. The actual name of the town is Cerro Gordo which is Spanish for fat hill. The town was named for a battle between U.S. troops and Mexican troops in April 1847.

Battle of Cerro Gordo, (April 1847), confrontation at a mountain pass about 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Veracruz, Mex., where the U.S. Army under General Winfield Scott first met serious resistance in the Mexican War. Advancing to the interior, Scott’s 8,500 men reached Plan del Río, a few miles from Cerro Gordo, where they met a Mexican force of 12,000 men under General Antonio López de Santa Anna entrenched in the pass. A flanking maneuver to gain the enemy rear, suggested and guided by Captain Robert E. Lee (later commanding general of the Confederate Army), was in progress when fighting began on the front, and the Mexicans broke. Santa Anna escaped, leaving about 1,130 casualties and about 3,000 prisoners. The American loss was 431, including 63 dead. Scott moved on to Puebla, the second largest city of Mexico, and later to Mexico City. (SOURCE: Britannica)

So why name your town after a battle? What was the connection? I have not found an answer.

As to the young lady...mother, sister, lover, or wife? We’ll never know how this lovely young lady defined herself. I have no information about her. Was she a pleasant person or a “mean girl” whose words could cut like a knife? Looks can be deceiving.





The photo was taken at the Bowen studio in Cerro Gordo, Illinios. The photographer was George E. Bowen who was born on Nov. 25, 1874 and died in Cerro Gordo on Jan 19, 1939. His wife, Katherine A., was born on Aug. 18, 1879 and died on May 10, 1977. Their son, Harold D., was born on April 9, 1910 and died on March 11, 1932.

In the 1910 census George is listed as an artist. In the 1920 census he is listed as a photographer.

Looking at the 1880 census there is only one boy age 6 named George Bowen so I’m taking a wild guess that it is George and his family. They resided in Chalmers Township with his father, JL (?), and mother, Lydia A. There were 3 sons besides George and 1 daughter.

In 1913 George bought the Medaris Studio at Bement, Iowa. No other information is given about this purchase. (SOURCE: Bulletin of Photography, No. 13; published in 1913)

At some point this young lady and George crossed paths in his studio.Were either of them rushed just wanting to get it over with, having someplace else to go? Or was it a quiet sitting with George wanting to show the young lady at her best?

We’ll never know what became of this lady, but we do know that on April 9, 1932 George and his wife lost their only son, Harold Dale. He was 29. Was it an accident or illness? George was only alive for another 7 years. Katherine lived for another 38 years. What was Katherine’s life like? All mysteries.

In this post George and the young lady are again reunited for those moments when they met, not something they could have ever imagined.

This is another photo from my friend Bert's collection. You can see more from his collection by clicking on the "Bert's collection" below.

UPDATE: Reader WJY has kindly provided the following fascinating information about the town Cerro Gordo in Illinois:

General Santa Ana lost his leg during the French Pastry War between France and Mexico. At the battle of Cerro Gordo, a group of Illinois militia captured Santa Ana's headquarters, and seized his cork leg. They returned to their home in Piatt County. The small village of Griswold was renamed Cerro Gordo to honor the militiamens capture of Santa Ana's cork leg. The leg can be seen in the state historical museum in Springfield. Hey, I couldn't make this stuff up.