Rowley Registry
Published Local Histories

Vol II, pp 544-545. Dr. Antinous A. ROWLEY, a successful practitioner of Dane County, Wisconsin, was born in Brown County, Ohio, 06 January 1841, a son of Dr. Newman C. and Sarah H. (DAVIES) ROWLEY. The father [Newman ROWLEY] was born in New York, a son of Aaron and Martha (CAMPBELL) ROWLEY, natives also of New York. They both died at Evansville [probably Evansville, Rock County, WI, but note that Evansville, Randolph County, IL, is also mentioned in this biography], the former at the age of seventy-eight years, and the latter about seventy years. He [Aaron ROWLEY] was a merchant by occupation, but was financially ruined by the free trade of 1848, after which he engaged in farming in Evansville, Rock County, Wisconsin. He [Aaron ROWLEY] was a soldier through the War of 1812. 

Newman C. ROWLEY, father of our subject, removed to Ohio in 1840, where he engaged in teaching; in 1844 he taught school and studied medicine in Durand [Winnebago County], Illinois, and in 1846 went to Evansville [Randolph County], Illinois, [and] where he took his first course of lectures in LaPorte [LaPorte County], Indiana, Dr. J. Adams ALLEN being one of the professors. His son and grandson also studied under that gentleman. Mr. [Newman C.] ROWLEY then practiced two years in Middleton, Dane County, Wisconsin, and later at Verona Corners, same county. About twenty-five years ago he [Newman C. ROWLEY] retired to his first residence, and three years later came to the village of Middleton [Dane County, WI], where he died at the age of fifty-six years. He was a member of the State and County Medical Society. 

His [Newman C. ROWLEY's] brother, William R. [ROWLEY], was an officer in Jo Daviess County [IL] for over thirty-five years, and was also on General GRANT's staff. 

The mother of our subject, nee Sarah H. DAVIES, was born in New York. She died at the home of our subject [Antinous A. ROWLEY] at the same age as her husband [56]. They [Newman C. and Sarah H. (DAVIES) ROWLEY] were the parents of seven children, four now living, and one daughter married Dr. W. S. WHEELWRIGHT, who resides at Belleville [Dane County], Wisconsin. 

Antinous A. ROWLEY, the subject of this biography, first attended the district school at Verona [Dane County, then Territory of Wisconsin], after which he spent one year at Haskell University, Mazo Manie [Mazomanie, Dane County], and one year at the State University [at Madison, Dane County]. For the following year he was engaged in office work, then one year in FINDLAY's drug store, and next worked on his grandfather's farm. On 27 September 1861, he [Antinous A. ROWLEY] enlisted in Company F, Eleventh Wisconsin Infantry, under Captain E. R. CHASE and Colonel HARRIS, and served seventeen months. Mr. ROWLEY was with his regiment in every skirmish until he was taken sick, spent ten weeks in the hospital at Ironton [Iron County], Missouri, and was discharged 26 February 1862. He [Antinous A. ROWLEY] afterward served as Lieutenant of the National Guard of Middleton [Dane County, WI] two years, under Captain James M. BULL. After his discharge from the army our subject continued the study of medicine until his graduation at the Rush Medical College [Chicago, Cook County, IL], in 1868, after which he continued the practice of his profession with his father [Newman C. ROWLEY] for three years. He [Antinous A.] was then in Ashton [Dane County, WI] for one and a half years, and next re-engaged in practice with his father, with whom he remained until the latter's death. Since that time he has continued alone. Mr. [Antinous A.] ROWLEY is a member of the State and Central Medical Societies, of the Masonic order, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of L. T. Park Post, G. A. R., of Black Earth [Dane County, WI]. His first presidential vote was cast for Abraham LINCOLN, since which time he has always voted the Republican ticket. 

On 11 April 1863, our subject [Antinous A. ROWLEY] was united in marriage with Miss Olivia W. WHEELWRIGHT, who was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, 30 September 1843, a daughter of Jesse and Mary (GILBERT) WHEELWRIGHT. The father [Jesse WHEELWRIGHT] was born in Lincolnshire, England, 26 August 1816, and came to this country at the age of seventeen years. He now resides at the home of our subject. The mother of Mrs. ROWLEY [Mary nee GILBERT] was born in New York, a daughter of Mary (JACOBS) GILBERT, a native of New Jersey. The parents were often visited by George WASHINGTON. Mrs. [Mary nee GILBERT] WHEELWRIGHT died at Middleton, Dane County [WI], at the age of sixty-nine years. Mr. and Mrs. WHEELWRIGHT [Jesse and Mary] reared a family of three children, all of whom are now deceased but the wife of our subject [Olivia W]. Mr. and Mrs. ROWLEY [Antinous A. and Olivia W. (WHEELWRIGHT) ROWLEY] have had four children: (1) Jesse C., born 22 June 1866, graduated at Rush Medical College, of Chicago, in 1890, and is now a promising physician of Prairie du Chien [Grant County], Wisconsin; (2) Edna Olivia, born 15 January 1870, was educated at the Wayland University [Beaver Dam, Dodge County, WI?] and has taught three years, the last one in the Evansville High School [probably Evansville, Rock County, WI]; (3) Antinous G., born 01 April 1875, is attending school at Wayland University; and (4) Mary Bernice, born 25 February 1885. Mrs. ROWLEY [Olivia W.] and her eldest daughter [Edna Olivia] are members of the Baptist Church. Prepared by Cathy Kubly

Most of his life has been spent as an active business man. Just previous to his coming to Madison, he spent five years as a clothing merchant in Ossian, Winneshiek County, Iowa. This was immediately after the close of the war, and he had come to Iowa from Niles, Berrien County, Michigan, that being the scene of his early life and boyhood days, although born in the State of Vermont in 1842. 

He came West with his parents at the early age of twelve. At the breaking out of the war he enlisted at the first call for three-year men, entering the Eleventh Michigan Infantry as Sergeant Major of his regiment, and was thus connected until 1863, when he was transferred to the Twelfth Michigan Cavalry regiment, being made Adjutant of his regiment. He continued in active service for a period of about thirty months from the date of his enlistment, participating in numerous engagements, including the battle of Shiloh and the attack on MORGAN during the latter's raid through Kentucky, besides other less important ones. Although escaping without a scratch the hardships of army life told upon his physical strength, and after several attempts at recuperating his impaired health [p 215] without leaving the field he was finally compelled to resign, and receiving his honorable discharge, came back to Michigan. 

After his return home, he engaged in his old occupation in Niles [Berrien County, MI] for some time before he decided to try his fortune in the far West. Since he came to Madison he has been identified to some extent with the local politics of the city, having held the office of City Treasurer. He is a decided Republican and looks after the best interests of his party in the city. Mr. ROWLEY is a member of the C. C. Washburn Post, G. A. R., No. 17; is a Master Mason, and affiliates with the Knights Templars in Iowa. 

At the bride's home, in the capital city [Madison, Dane County, WI], he was married to Julia M. BROOKS, one of the worthy daughters of this city, who was born, reared and educated within its borders, and the daughter of one of the well-respected and old citizens of this place, Abiel E. BROOKS, who had lived here for over forty years, and whose death occurred in July 1891, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. He was prominently known here as the proprietor of the Brook's Addition to the city of Madison, a valuable piece of property. Mr. BROOKS had been active in local matters, having held the office of City Alderman, being a stanch Republican in politics. 

He [Abiel E. BROOKS] was born in the State of Rhode Island in 1800, whence he removed to New York, when that State was in its early development, figuring conspicuously in the building of different Government works there, finally being the contractor in the construction of the canal in Canada. Later he removed to Michigan, being one of the early and prominent citizens of Niles [Berrien County], which he aided in developing. In 1847 he removed to Madison [Dane County, Territory of Wisconsin] and two years later, in 1849, helped to organize a company, of which he was made captain, to make an overland trip to California. After searching for the glittering dust for about three years, with some success, he made the trip back to Madison [Dane County, State of WI], via the Isthmus of Panama, across the gulf, up the Mississippi River and thence to Madison. Here he invested the money he had gathered from Mother Earth in valuable real estate that in due time brought him rich returns. Prepared by Cathy Kubly

Daniel Rowley, 1-6.0415

(notice that name of Daniel's wife was Rachel MARGOWN, not Rachel SOULE)

In 1837 George S. NICHOLS married Miss Philantha ROWLEY, living in Austerlitz, Columbia County, New York, born there on 12 June 1819. Her father, Alexander ROWLEY, was born in the same town, and his father, Daniel ROWLEY, was born in the same State. 

He [Daniel ROWLEY] was a farmer, who spent his last years in Austerlitz. The maiden name of the grandmother of Mrs. NICHOLS was Rachel MARGOWN of the same State, and she spent her entire life in that place. 

The father [Alexander ROWLEY] had learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, which he followed until 1841, when he emigrated to Michigan, accompanied by his wife and five children, via the Erie Canal to Buffalo, thence by lake to Detroit, and then by team to Kalamazoo County. Some fifteen miles from Kalamazoo he purchased a tract of land and superintended the improvement of it while he followed his trade, and he died in that place [Kalamazoo County, MI]. The maiden name of the mother of our subject [the wife of Alexander ROWLEY] was Miss Amy SPENCER, born in the same State, the daughter of David SPENCER, and she died on the farm in Kalamazoo County [MI]. 

Mr. and Mrs. [George S.] NICHOLS have one daughter living, Marian, who married Charles HOYT, a farmer of Blooming Grove Township. A son, Louis, born 10 November 1858, died 05 July 1892; another son, George E., the eldest of the family, born 05 September 1840, served in the late war, in Company J, 23rd Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and died while in the service, in his twenty-second year. Formerly our subject was a Whig in politics, but during the late war was a Democrat, but latterly [lately] his views have changed, and he is now a Republican. Prepared by Cathy Kubly