Oden Bowie

Oden Bowie

Oden Bowie (born November 10, 1826 in Prince George's County , Maryland , † December 4, 1894 ibid) was an American politician and governor of the state of Maryland from 1869 to 1872 .

Early years and political advancement

Bowie attended St. John's College in Annapolis and then, until 1845, St. Mary's College in Baltimore . During the Mexican-American War he rose in the US Army from simple soldier to captain .

Oden Bowie was a member of the Democratic Party . In 1849 he was elected to the Maryland House of Representatives. In the meantime, Bowie became president of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad around 1853 . Between 1861 and 1865 he was chairman of his party in Maryland. In 1864 he was a delegate to their federal party congress. Between 1867 and 1869 he was a member of the Maryland Senate . Then he was elected as his party's candidate for the new governor of his state.

Slavery

Oden Bowie was already one of the top 40 slave owners in Prince George's County with 47 slaves in 1850 and doubled the number of enslaved people in his possession to 103 in 1860.

Governor of maryland

Bowie took up his new office on January 13, 1869. He was the first governor of his state to serve under the terms of the constitution amended in 1867. During his tenure, Maryland roads were further promoted and new railroad laws passed. A conflict with the state of Virginia over the coastal austerities has also been resolved. During this time, Maryland was getting back funds from the federal government that it had borrowed from the state during the War of Civilizations. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad also paid off its debts to Maryland. After his tenure ended on January 10, 1872, Bowie withdrew from politics.

Another résumé

After the end of his political career, Bowie was president of the Baltimore City Passenger Railway Company. He also got into the equestrian business. He bought and bred racehorses. For 19 years he was chairman of the Pimlico Jockey Club. He was also president of the Maryland Jockey Club. Oden Bowie died after a brief illness in 1894. He had seven children with his wife, Alice Carter.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 2, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• Oden Bowie at the National Governors Association (English)
• Oden Bowie in the database of Find a Grave (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ David Terry, Research Administrator in the History of Slavery: A Statement on the History of Oden Bowie as a Slaveholder. Maryland State Archives, 2003.