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Below is a family biography included in Book of Biographies: Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens, Cortland County, New York published by Biographical Publishing Company in 1898.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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HONTETER BOWER, residing in Homer village, Cortland County, is an extensive owner of land and other real estate. He is a gentleman who has had a wide and varied business experience, and he understands what elements bring success in life. Mr. Bower is a native of Tompkins County, N. Y., and is a son of Jesse and Kate (Miller) Bower, a grandson of Honteter Bower, and a great-grandson of Tilmon Bower. The last named was brought, when a lad of eight years, to this country. His parents, who were Germans, decided to make America their future home, and were among the earlier settlers of Tompkins County. On first coming to this country, the family had sojourned for a time in Pennsylvania, and that state was the birth-place of Honteter Bower, our subject’s grandfather. He spent nearly all his days in Tompkins County, engaged in farming, and died there. He was twice married, first to Mary Teter, who bore him a family of nine children. His second marriage was with Eliza Brock, by whom he had three children.

Jesse Bower, father of the subject of this sketch, was the third child of the first marriage. He was ushered into life at the family home in 1802, and lived until 1870. His entire life was given over to the work of general farming, though he engaged with marked success in the breeding and raising of fine stock. As prosperity came to Jesse Bower, he became quite a power in Tompkins County. He was an old line Whig, and a man of the best inclinations. His marriage with Kate Miller resulted in the birth of four daughters and one son.

Honteter Bower, of whom this article is written, was the third child, and was born on his father’s farm, February 19, 1832. While a lad, he was given the best schooling that the section afforded, and grew to manhood tilling the soil. He continued farming until 1861, when he moved to Syracuse, and embarked in the real estate business. Engaged in this line, he passed ten years of prosperous business life, at the end of the period moving to Cortland County and locating in Homer, where he now resides. Since Mr. Bower has come to be numbered among the first residents of Homer, he has dealt extensively in real estate, yet live stock, horses and cattle have been his leading specialties. He has steadily prospered and is the owner of several fine farms. Political affairs have taken as much of his time as his busy life could allow, and he has always been a Republican. In church belief he is a Presbyterian, of which denomination he is an active and liberal supporter. When a young man he wedded Sarah Squire of Preble township, but no children have ever been born to the couple. Mr. Bower is of that stamp of manhood which gives solidity and reliability to any community. Taught largely in the school of experience, he has learned his lessons well, and is to-day one of the foremost men of his adopted county.

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This family biography is one of numerous biographies included in Book of Biographies: Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens, Cortland County, New York published in 1898. 

View additional Cortland County, New York family biographies here: Cortland County, New York Biographies

View a map of 1897 Cortland County, New York here: Cortland County, New York Map

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