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William B. Gower

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

William Bleckley Gower (1873 – August 30, 1937) was an English-American businessman and close associate of copper magnate William A. Clark.

Early life

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Gower was born in England in 1873. He was the son of William Bleckley Gower and Agnes (née Innes) Gower.[1] Among his siblings were brothers Hugh Temple Gower and Edmund Innes Gower.[2] His maternal grandparents were Robert Innes and Margaret (née Clapperton) Innes. His aunt, Margaret Clapperton Innes, married Scottish merchant Henry Forest Alexander.[3] His father was a Cannon Street merchant who declared bankruptcy in July 1871 (together with Charles Arnold Bleckley),[4] but was discharged in 1873.[5]

He emigrated to the United States at the age of eighteen.[1]

Career

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For thirty-five years, he was associated in the copper business with William A. Clark, who became a U.S. Senator from Montana,[1] He was the general auditor and accountant for Senator Clark until his death in 1925.[6] Gower served as comptroller of the United Verde Copper Company,[7] of which Clark's son, Charles W. Clark, served as manager and chairman.[1]

Personal life

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Gower was married to Helen Margaret Barrie (1875–1955) of Chicago.[8] In New York, they lived at 1060 Fifth Avenue. He was a member of the Knickerbocker Club, the Whist Club, and the Lake Placid Club in Lake Placid, New York.[1] Together, they were the parents of:

Gower died at Garden Cottage at Lake Placid Club on August 30, 1937, at age 63, from the effects of a heart attack suffered a week earlier.[1] He was buried at North Elba Cemetery in North Elba, New York,[14] and left an estate valued at $308,389 gross and $286,309 net.[2] His widow died at her home, 1001 Park Avenue, in 1955.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (31 August 1937). "WILLIAM B. GOWER, LEADER IN COPPER; Long an Associate of Late Senator Clark--Dies in Lake Placid at 63". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Estates Appraised". The New York Times. 24 February 1938. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  3. ^ Colston, James (1873). History of Dr. Boyd's Fourth High School Class, with Biographical Sketch of Dr. Boyd. Private Circulation. p. 47. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Bankrupts". The Economist. Economist Newspaper Limited. July 15, 1871. p. 858. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Orders of Discharge". The Law Times. Office of The Law Times: 210. 1873. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  6. ^ Accountants, American Institute of (1931). Year-book of the Institute of Accountants in the United States of America. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  7. ^ New York Supreme Court | Appellate Division--First Department. United Verde Copper Company --against-- Irving Trust Company and I. M. C. INC. | Record on Appeal. New York: The Court Press. 1935. p. 236. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  8. ^ a b "MRS. WILLIAM B. GOWER". The New York Times. 9 November 1955. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  9. ^ "DAWSON, Daisy Gower". The Miami Herald. 30 January 1981. p. 33. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Hoyt Ogden Perry, Jr. Marries Janet Holsten of New Canaan". The Bridgeport Telegram. 15 July 1951. p. 11. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  11. ^ "DAWSON. NORTHROP". The Miami News. 5 August 1981. p. 7. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Deaths". The New York Times. 25 December 1976. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Gower Honeymoon Spent at Del Monte". The San Francisco Examiner. 22 August 1928. p. 14. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  14. ^ "BURIAL RITES TODAY FOR WILLIAM B. GOWER". Evening Star. 31 August 1937. p. 10. Retrieved 10 February 2023.