Felix D. Fowler was born in 1809 in Butler County, Ohio. Felix married Susan Pitman on January 24, 1830 in Butler County, Ohio. Felix D. Fowler died in 1859 in Fredonia, Louisa County, Iowa .
Felix D. Fowler was born in 1809 in Butler County, Ohio, the oldest of 8 known children of James A. Fowler and Elizabeth Devore. While his middle name is thought to be “Dewitt”, a tribute to Captain Zachariah Dewitt honoring the friendship between the families, a confirmation source has yet to be located. Felix's father James and also his uncle Jeremiah Fowler both served in Capt. Dewitt's Ohio Militia in the War of 1812.
Felix married Susan Pitman in Butler County, Ohio on January 24, 1830. Felix and Susan had the following known children:
- Hannah Ann Fowler
- Elizabeth Jane Fowler
- John Barr Fowler
- Edward Reade Fowler
- Rachel H Fowler
- James Price Fowler
- Mary Susan Fowler
The family initially lived in Oxford, Ohio and around 1835 moved to nearby Darrtown, likely along with Felix's father James, who sold the large 88 acre property outside the town of Oxford in May of 1835.
By 1840, Felix and his father had acquired several lots in Darrtown. Around 1842, Felix's father moved to Marion, Indiana along with Felix's uncles Jeremiah and Benjamin Fowler. It appears the Darrtown lots were left in Felix's possession. In April of 1842, Felix sold lot #29, likely his father's lot, half to Zachariah Dewitt and half to John S. Thompson. When James Fowler returned to Darrtown, he repurchased half of lot #29 from Zachariah Dewitt. Felix witnessed the deed.
On September 3, 1847 Felix appeared at the Butler County Court of Common Pleas to present a petition. Felix claimed that he had entered into a contract with Francis St. Clair to purchase 8 Darrtown lots for $500. Francis died before the contract was executed. The court sided with Felix and ordered Francis St. Clair's administrator to execute the contract. On March 9, 1848 Felix purchased lot #'s 26, 27, 28, 34, 35, 42, 43 and 51 for $500. On the same day, Felix and his wife Susan, sold the lots to his father.
After the conveyance, Felix and his family moved to Tippecanoe County, Indiana, next to his mother-in-law and near his wife Susan's siblings. His mother-in-law was widowed several years earlier, and her children who were not near, all relocated close to her. In the US 1850 census, Felix's occupation was listed as “carpenter”.
In 1852, Felix's oldest daughter Hannah wed Jacob Van Dyke in the neighboring county of Clinton. Sometime around 1853, the family moved back to Butler, Ohio, where Felix's youngest daughter Mary was born and where Elizabeth Jane married Solomon Dill.
In 1852 Felix's father James received a military land warrant in Muscatine County, Iowa, for his service in the War of 1812. By 1854, both Felix's brother Benjamin and his daughter Hannah Van Dyke lived in Muscatine County. Although they did not occupy the bounty land, it may have been the impetus for the move to Iowa. By 1855, daughter Hannah and her family relocated to adjacent Louisa County, just south of Muscatine County.
In 1855, Felix and his family, along with their married daughter, Elizabeth Jane Dill and her newborn, made the trek to Iowa, likely in a covered wagon or cart pulled by an ox. They settled in Concord Township in Louisa County next door to Hannah and her family. A year after arriving, the Iowa 1856 census recorded Felix owned 193 acres of land, 30 acres which had been cleared or improved, and 163 acres unimproved. Felix had planted 18 acres of corn and ¼ acres of potatoes. The census also recorded that Felix had produced 45 pounds of butter.
Four years later in 1859, Felix died in Louisa County, Iowa. He was 50 years of age. He was reportedly buried in the Columbus City Cemetery.
Genealogical Research and Life Sketch updated: April 2022
Sources:
"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016", database with images, FamilySearch, Felix Fowler and Susan Pitman, 1830.
"Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850," database with images, FamilySearch, Felix Fowler, 1832; citing multiple county courthouse offices, Oxford, Butler, Ohio, United States, p. , Tax records indexed by Ohio Genealogy Society; FHL microfilm 004849018.
"United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch, Felex D Fowler, Darrtown, Milford Township, Butler, Ohio, United States; citing p. 68, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .
"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch, Felix Fowley, Lafayette, Tippecanoe, Indiana, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
F. D. Fowler household, 1856 state census of Iowa, Louisa County, Concord Township, p. 448, line 17-23; microfilm 008984717, FHL, Salt Lake City, Utah.
"Deed Records 1803-1876," images, FamilySearch, Butler County, Ohio. Book Z Folios 220. microfilm 008193319 .FHL, Salt Lake City, Utah.
"Deed Records 1803-1876," images, FamilySearch, Butler County, Ohio. Book 10 Folios 432, 437. microfilm 008330794 .FHL, Salt Lake City, Utah.
"Deed Records 1803-1876," images, FamilySearch, Butler County, Ohio. Book 11 Folios 470. microfilm 008330795 .FHL, Salt Lake City, Utah.
"Deed Records 1803-1876," images, FamilySearch, Butler County, Ohio. Book 15 Folios 332, 734. microfilm 008330797 .FHL, Salt Lake City, Utah.
"Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019", database with images, FamilySearch, Hannah A Fowler in entry for Jacob D Vandyke, 1852.
"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016", database with images, FamilySearch, Solomon Dill and Jane Fowler, 1854.
United States War of 1812 Index to Service Records, 1812-1815, database with images, FamilySearch, James Fowler, 1812-1815; citing NARA microfilm publication M602 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); roll 74; FHL microfilm 882,592.
United States War of 1812 Index to Service Records, 1812-1815, database with images, FamilySearch, Jeremiah Fowler, 1812-1815; citing NARA microfilm publication M602 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); roll 74; FHL microfilm 882,592.
James Fowler (Iowa City, Iowa), Military Warrant no. 5636; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records.
