Bowers, J. J., Papers, 1850's (C3937)

1 volume

INTRODUCTION

Papers of J. J. Bowers, a medical doctor who practiced in the 1850s. The papers consist of one small notebook in which Bowers recorded travel accounts and patient records.

DONOR INFORMATION

The J. J. Bowers Papers were donated to the State Historical Society of Missouri by Marianne Moon Thomas on October 26, 1992 (SHS Accession No. 2932).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

J. J. Bowers was a medical doctor during the 1850s. He treated patients in Missouri at least during 1851. According to his notebook entries, he traveled the United States extensively. This notebook is the sole surviving item known to exist which contains any information on Bowers' life and career.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The J. J. Bowers Papers consist of one small notebook in which Bowers recorded travel accounts and patient records. The notebook was kept during the early 1850s. It appears Bowers may have been returning from California via the Isthmus of Panama to the eastern United States. The notebook entries begin as Bowers approaches the coast of Florida on a ship. The entries discuss Bowers' journeys to such cities as New York, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; and St. Louis, Missouri. The entries are brief, but do contain interesting descriptions such as Bowers' encounter with poor people begging in the streets as he comes ashore in Florida.

The patient records consist of names, brief notes on visitations, medicines administered, and fees charged. There are also several lists of items to be purchased, and a list of travel destinations and ticket prices which suggests his travel from California to Florida. This notebook is the only information about Bowers' life and career known to exist. It is not known where Bowers resided.

The condition of the notebook is fragile. Some pages are badly faded and stained making them difficult to read. Some pages have unreadable text. Pages have been torn from the notebook, but it is unknown whether these lost pages had text on them. Several pages appear upside down as Bowers wrote from both ends of the notebook.

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at The State Historical Society of Missouri-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.