From: "Biographical Review of Cass, Schuyler and
Brown Counties, Illinois 1892", by Biographical Review Publishing
Company, Chicago, Illinois; pages 606-607, a reprinted by Stevens
Publishing Co., Astoria, Ill., 1971, is sold by the Schuyler County
Historical Society, Rushville, Illinois.
Mrs. Margaret Francis Bowe, widow of Thomas Bowe, was born July
27, 1857. Her parents were Lawrence and Mary (Adams) Costello,
both natives of the Emerald Isle, the father having been born in
Westmeath Athlone, Ireland, in 1822. In 1844, at the age of
twenty-two year, he emigrated to America, landing in New York, where he
remained for a short time, going thence to Pennsylvania. He
afterward came West to Mt. Sterling, Illinois, where he was married,
October 11, 1856. the worthy parents still reside on their farm,
two and one-half miles west of Mt. Sterling. They first bought
eighty acres and lived for several years in a small log house: later
they built the pleasant home they now occupy. It is a seven-room,
two-story house. Soon afterward, they added a large barn to their
frame buildings. They began life with but little means, but are
now well-to-do farmers. they buried an infant son and daughter,
also a son, James, born July 23, 1864, died January 22, 1880, in his
sixteenth year; and Thomas, born April 6, 1860, died April 3, 1880;
both thus dying within three months of each other. Another son,
Walter, was injured by a runaway, and died at the age of thirty-two, in
Woodland Park, Colorado, where he had gone in search of health.
The living members of the family are, Mrs. Bowe; John, Firt Sergeant,
Second Artillery, in the regular army, stationed at Fort Riley.
He began as a teamster when eighteen, but volunteered at twenty-one,
and was made Post Librarian, and has been reuglarly promoted until he
is now First Sergeant. This young man is quite an adventurer,
having started out on his life of adventures at the age of twelve,
without the knowledge of his parents, who thought for a long while that
he was dead, and were rejoiced to hear from him, some four years later,
that he was safe and well. the next child was Catherine H., who
married to Elmer Byrns, July 6, 1829, and now reides in Mt. Sterling,
where she and her husband intend to make their future home.
William and Chris are young men at home on the farm. Their
parents came to Illinois when young, Mr. Costello from Pennsylvania,
and Mrs. Costello direct from Ireland. Both came without means,
and worked by the week and month, and they have been very successful,
and by hard work and economy have accumulated a large fortune of
$20,000, besides their other property, which is very valuable.
August 7, 1892, Mr. Costello started for the land of his birth,
to benefit his health and visit his three sisters and two brothers, who
still reside there. He reached his home in safety, and has every
prospect of a pleasant visit.
Mrs. Bowe had only a common-school education, but had improved
her mind by reading. She has one daughter, Eva May, born January
23, 1886, twenty-nine days after the death of her husband. Mr.
Bowe left 500 acres of land, but Mrs. Bowe only recieved fifty-five
acres of it. She now has 150 acres, having bought the remainder
herself, and this large farm with its nice buildings she superintends
herself. She is a very remarkable lady in that she can manage the
estate in so able a manner.
