| Notes |
- - Oden inherited the "Fairview" estate in Prince George's County, Maryland from his father.
- Oden enlisted as a private in the Baltimore & Washington Battalion and fought in the Mexican War. He was promoted to lieutenant after the Battle of Monterey, where he was praised for gallantry.
- Upon his return from Mexico, Odem devoted himself to farming.
- In 1860, he was made president of the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Company. In 1873, he was elected president of the Baltimore City Passenger Railway Company.
- In 1867, Oden was elected Governor of Maryland.
- Oden joined the Masonic Order in 1870.
- 11 December 1878, The Herald and Torch Light, Hagerstown, Maryland:
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Comapny, on the 2d instant, paid to ex-Governor Oden Bowie, $12, 554, the amount of the judgement, with interest and costs, obtained for injuries to the racing mare Australia, while being placed in the cars at Washington. The suit was commenced in 1869, and the liability was settled by the recent decision of the United States Supreme Court, comfirming the judgement of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia.
- 6 December 1894, The Herald and Torch Light, Hagerstown, Maryland:
EX-GOVERNOR BOWIE
The death of ex-Gov Bowie removes a man who has played an important part of the affairs of the State. It was mainly through his skillful management that the Pennsylvania railroad company obtained a foothold in Maryland. The first move was to capture the council of Baltimore and the next to elect a friendly state administration. The issue was sharply drawn in the Democratic State convention, and Oden Bowie was nominated for governor over William T. Hamilton by one majority. Out of this political move grew the Baltimore and Patomac railroad, the Baltimore tunnels, and the planting of the Pennsylvania system in Maryland. This led to the repeal of the tax of 20 cents on each passenger that went to Washington by the Baltimore and Ohio road. It made a big hole in the revenues of the state, but it was a great relief to the traveling public.
In the long contest between Gov. Bowie and the Baltimore and Ohio Company he asserted the rights of the state with great vigor and determination. The suits for the recovery of the arrears of the passenger tax, which the company refused to pay over, were carried from court to court, and judgement was finally given in favor of the state, -- although the Legislature, under a subsequent state administration, made an equitable compromise. There was no compromise in Gov. Bowie. He was naturally tenacious and combative, and generally turned up on top. After he left the gubernatorial chair he took but little part in politics.
Ex-Governor Bowie
The illness of ex-Governor Bowie has been heretofore mentioned in the Herald. He died on Tuesday morning at his country home in Prince George's county at 3:30. The Governor's oldest son, Wm. Duckett Bowie, is State Senator from Prince Geoerge's county; another son Oden Bowie, Jr., is a stock broker in New York; Carter Bowie and Washington Booth Bowie are at home; his three daughters are Mrs. Owen Roberts, Mrs. Thomas Whitridge and Mrs. Eugene Roberts.
A Rich Man's Pension
Ex-Governor Oden Bowie, who is lying at the point of death at his home in Prince George's county draws a pension of $8 a month from the United States Government under the act of 1886 which puts all the survivors of the Mexican war on the pension roll, as they arrive at the age of 62 years. It was constant practice to give his pension check to Mrs. Lanham, a poor widow living near Bowie Junction, who was once employed as a nurse for the Governor's children.
- 22 June 1889, Frederick, Maryland News:
Pension for Gov. Bowie
A pension has been secured for ex-Gov. Oden Bowie, who fought in the Mexican war, being second lieutenant of Company E, Baltimore and Washington Battalion, under Major-Gen. John R. Kenly, who was then captain of the company. Ex-Gov. Bowie was in the great fight at Monterey on September 21, 1846, and side by side with Col. Watson when the latter was killed. He was made a captain in Company B of the U. S. Voltigeurs, Col. T. B. Andrews, but did not accept the appointment. He was granted his pension June 12, 1869, to commence Jan 29, 1887, at $8 per month, payable at Washington D. C. pension agency.
- 25 september 1889, Frederick, Maryland News:
Baltimore Bits
Governor Jackson has appointed Ex-Governor Oden Bowie manager of the Maryland Hospital for the Insane, vice J. W. McCoy, deceased.
- 28 November 1894, Frederick, Maryland News:
News of the State
Ex-Governor Oden Bowie suffered a stroke of paralysis at his home, in Prince George's county. The indications are that he will recover.
- 8 May 1872, New York Herald, New York, New York:
Personal Intelligence
Ex-Governor Oden Bowie, of Maryland, has arrived in the city, to be present at the meeting of the Democratic National Committee, at the residence of Mr. Belmont, to-day. He is domiciled at the New York Hotel.
- 4 December 1894, Evening Times, Cumberland, Maryland:
He was Governor of Maryland from 1867 to 1871
Baltimore, MD, Dec 4 - Ex-Governor Oden Bowie died at 2:30 this morning at his home, Bowie, MD. He had a stroke of paralysis last Monday night, which was the immediate cause of dissolution. He was 68 years of age and a prominent figure of Maryland. He was in the Mexican war and served several terms in the Maryland Legislature. He was governor of the State from 1867 to 1871, and since that time has continuously been president of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad company and of the Baltimore City Passenger Railway company.
Sketch of His Life
The ex-Governor was born in Prince George's county, MD, November 10, 1826. His father was Wm. D. Bowie and his mother Eliza Oden, both representatives of prominent old Maryland families and natives of Prince George's. Oden Bowie went to the preparatory school of St. John's College upon the death of his mother when he was nine years old. He remained there three years and then went to St. Mary's College, Baltimore, where he was graduated with honors in July, 1845.
The next year he enlisted as a private in the Baltimore and Washington Battalion under Lieut. Col. Wm. H. Watson and went off to the Mexican war. At the battle of Monterey he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant for gallant conduct, receiving a compliment from General Taylor. President Polk subsequently appointed him senior captain of the Voltiguer Regiment, of which Joseph E. Johnston was Lieutenent-Colonel. Captain Bowie's health failed and he returned home in consequence before the close of the war. His gallant conduct was recognized by the Legislature of Maryland by complimentary resolutions.
Mr. Bowie's first appearance in politics was as candidate upon the Democratic ticket for the House of Delegates the year he returned from Mexico. He was defeated by ten votes, but two years later was elected, being the only successful Democrat. In 1861 he was a candidate for the Senate, but was defeated by military interference. In 1864 he was nominated for Lieutenant-Governor of Maryland and defeated by the vote of soldiers. All during the war he used his utmost endeavors to keep the Democratic party organized. He was during that time chairman of the State central committee. It was largely the result of his negotiations that Governor Swann allowed the Democratic majority in the State to assert itself and take possession of the State government.
He was a delegate to the Chicago convention which nominated McClellan in 1864, and it was largely through his efforts that the following Democratic National convention was held in Baltimore.
In 1867 he was elected governor by over 40,000 majority. Among the leading questions settled during his administration were oyster difficulties with Virginia, the collection of arrearages from the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, repayment by the United States of money loaned to the federal government for war purposes and the conversion of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal into a paying enterprise.
Mr. Bowie was a great lover of horses and was the first president of the Maryland Jockey club. The Saratoga meet in August 1890, was the last at which ex Governor Bowie entered his horses. Immediately after he sold his racing stable of ten horses on the advice of his physicians. Nine were bought by Sire Brothers, of New York, and one (Lordlike) by Mr. M. Gorman, of Canada.
Governor Bowie was married December 3, 1851, to Miss Alice Carter, a sister of Mr. Bernard Carter, of Baltimore. The marriage took place at "Goodwin," the home of Col. Chas Carter, in Prince George's county. He has seven children. The eldest son, Wm. Duckett Bowie, is the present State Senator from Prince George's county. His other children are Oden Bowie, Jr., a stock broker in New York; Carter Bowie, Washington Booth Bowie, Mrs. Owen Roberts, Mrs. Eugene Roberts and Mrs. Thomas Whitridge.
- Oden Bowie was born in 1826 at Fairview, the Prince George's County plantation of his father, William Duckett Bowie. After a heroic record in the Mexican War, he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, and then served as state senator. He was elected Governor of Maryland and served from 1869 to 1872.
After his term as governor, Bowie resided at Fairview, devoting his time to agriculture and the breeding of thoroughbred horses. He was one of the founders of Pimlico Race Course. Bowie also was instrumental in the establishment of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad through Prince George's County. The junction of this line with the spur line into Washington still bears his name. Governor Bowie died in 1894 and is buried at Fairview.
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1826 - 1894 (68 years)
