Born Aug. 16, 1836, in Fulton, Oswego County, N.Y.; a descendant of Nathaniel
Bowditch, the New England mathematician, author, and
navigator; son of Rev. William S. Bowdish of the Black River Conference, New
York. Of a family of eight (six sons and two daughters), five of the sons became
ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
1865, Joined New York East Conference. First appointment, Kensington,
Conn., nineteen members. Built a new church and had it dedicated Feb. 22,
1866. Successive pastorates since: 1866-8, Brooklyn, Warren Street;
1869-71, Bridgeport, Washington Park; 1872-4, New York, Second Avenue (now
Trinity Church); 1875-6, Brooklyn, Carroll Park; 1877-9, Brooklyn, First Place;
1880-2, New York, Cornell Memorial; 1883-5, Brooklyn, First Place; 1886-7,
Waterbury, Conn., First Church; 1888-90, New York, John St.; 1891-5, Brooklyn,
Embury Memorial Church; 1896-9, Danbury, Conn.; 1900-, Brooklyn, Sixth
Avenue. Just finishing sixth year at Sixth Avenue; invited back for the
seventh.
Of forty-one years of ministerial service in New York East Conference,
twenty-six years have been spent in Brooklyn, nine in New York City. Have
built six new churches, just completing estimates for the seventh, costing
$75,000. While at First Church, Waterbury, organized two new churches, now
Conference appointments, - St. Paul's and Chapel Street. While at
Washington Park, Bridgeport, organized the Summerfield Church. Entertained
the Conference five times, in 1872, 1873, 1878, 1885, 1900. Hope to have
the pleasure of inviting it to the new Sixth Avenue Church when completed.
1882, D.D. Iowa University.
1890, Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Charter, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Penn.
"Never in better health, or working harder, and yet sadly, in the
absence of my sainted wife, whose resence and prayers have been everything to me
in my entire ministry."
Married, Oct. 21, 1868, Jennie E. Campbell of New Haven, Conn. Died
June 14, 1905.
Children: two - Agnes, wife of William R. Zeigler, and Jennie Campbell,
wife of Charles R. Gay. Both living adjacent, in the city of Brooklyn.
Mrs. Bowdish died, after a brief illness, June 14, 1905. The following
extracts from a beautiful tribute written by Rev. W. V. Kelley will be of
interest:
"Mrs. Bowdish illustrated in all her years, 'the high distinguished
beauty of plain devotedness to duty.' To call hers a lofty life, is no
exaggeration. Beginning in her girlhhood's consecration, it was projected
on the uplifted level of noble, Christlike devotion; and it kept this level,
sloping still upward, to the end, when it ran up sudden and swift into the skies
. . . In her busy and often arduous life she was happy, - happy in her husband's
victories, happy in his love, happy in her two daughters, and the peace of her
home. . . To the happy minister's wife, God let the end come
suddenly. She needed no notice, for she had no preparation left to
make. On Sunday, June 11, she was in attendance on the services as
usual. The next day she became ill, and early on June 14 she quietly fell
asleep."
Address: 385 Ninth Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.
