Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Rev. John Eby Bowers[1, 2]

Male 1839 - 1930  (90 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name John Eby Bowers 
    Prefix Rev. 
    Born 18 Oct 1839  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
    Gender Male 
    Occupation 1861  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Clerk 
    Occupation 1861  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Clerk 
    Residence 1861  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Berlin, Ontario 
    Residence 1861  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Christian 
    Residence 1861  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Wesleyan Methodist 
    Residence 1863  Bridgeport (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Residence 1889  Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Eby ID Number 00013-1148 
    Died 12 Aug 1930  [7
    Buried Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, York Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Person ID I16050  Generations
    Last Modified 26 Feb 2024 

    Father Reeve Cyrus Bowers, Esq.,   b. 27 Sep 1816, , Northumberland Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Oct 1889, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years) 
    Mother Elizabeth Eby,   b. 14 Apr 1814, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Apr 1843  (Age 28 years) 
    Married 20 Mar 1838  [1, 8
    Family ID F4277  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Mary Seiler,   b. 17 Dec 1842, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Oct 1938  (Age 95 years) 
    Married 25 Dec 1863  , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 9
    Children 
     1. Abiel Silver Bowers,   b. 28 Oct 1864, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Jun 1927, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 62 years)
     2. Almina Estella Bowers,   b. 17 Feb 1866, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 Feb 1961  (Age 94 years)
     3. Alberta L. Bowers,   b. 12 Apr 1870, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 May 1955  (Age 85 years)
     4. Eaton J. Bowers,   b. 14 Nov 1877, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Apr 1950  (Age 72 years)
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F4280  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Rev. John Eby Bowers, "the first member of the above family, was born October 18th, 1839, in Waterloo County, Ontario (then called Upper Canada). He lived on the 'old farm', two miles south-west of the town of Berlin, until he was eighteen years of age, and then went 'to town' and and became a shop-boy, or clerk, in a general store. In the year 1860 he named the home of his boyhood, 'Sweet Briar Farm', and the place has been known by this name ever since. He was engaged in the mercantile business for about six years, part of the time in the village of Bridgeport, afterwards in Berlin, and in the year 1867 closed up his affairs and moved to the West. He resided with his family in the state of Missouri for about three years; and also in the state of Kansas for the same length of time, where he followed the avocation of a book-keeper. During two years he held the position of clerk in the office of the United States District Court, for the Western District of Missouri, located at Jefferson City, the capital of the state. But finding that sedentary employment did not agree with his health, he retired from his position, and began to prepare himself to enter the ministry. At the age of twenty-one years Mr. Bowers had become a member of the Church of the New Jerusalem, commonly know as 'Swedenborgian', being baptized into that faith by the pastor of that church at Berlin, namely, the Rev. F. W. Tuerk. In the year 1870 he was licensed to preach, and he continued his preparations by close application to the study of the doctrine of his Church, according to the Word of God, under the direction of the late Rev. J. P. Stuart, the President of the Missouri Association of the New Jerusalem. And on May 11th, 1873, he was ordained into the ministry by the minister just mentioned, at Jefferson City, Missouri. In the months of June, 1873, he returned to Canada. In August of the same year he went to Pennsylvania, spent a few weeks in Allentown, in that State, and arrived in the city of Philadelphia, September 1st, 1873. He accepted a call from the Frankford Society of the New Church, in Philadelphia, and at once entered upon his duties as pastor, in which capacity he served for a space of about four years. His relations were pleasant, and he enjoyed his residence with the kind and hospitable people of the 'City of Brotherly Love'. Circumstances, however, brought about a change; and, under the guidance of the Divine Providence, the subject of this sketch was led to go to Toronto, Ontario, where he received a call to become the pastor of the New Church Society, and began his ministry in the month of October, 1877. He filled this position for two years; and then in October, 1879, began his labors as a General Missionary, and has continued as such up to the time of the present writing. For five years he travelled most of the time in the United States, devoting most of his labors to the State of Pennsylvania. He has, however, also visited many places in all the Northern States, as far south as Maryland and Virginia in the east, and as far west as Illinois and Minnesota. He has preached and lectured in no less that one hundred and twenty-five different places; that is, in thirteen States of the American Union and in Canada. He has sold many thousands of volumes of books and has distributed vast numbers of religious tracts, all of which contained the heavenly doctrines of the Church of the New Jerusalem; for the spreading abroad of the edifying literature of the Church, is a legitimate part of the uses performed by a missionary. In the course of his labors, this missionary has travelled an aggregate distance equal to three tours around our globe. There are few who are personally acquainted with as many different people in as many different localities. During the past six years Mr. Bowers has been employed as the missionary of the Canada Association of the new Church. He is still filling his post; and in connection with his work he visits a number of places in Michigan, spending a few weeks, or a month in that State every fall and spring. His experiences in life have been of a varied character, and well adapted to expand the thoughts and affections of the mind, to cultivate and deepen the sympathies toward all mankind, and especially toward those who are of the household of a true and living faith in God. Mr. Bowers has also accomplished something as an author. Many of his written sermons, in both the English and German languages, have been published in the Church periodicals; and in January, 1889, there was published, as the product of his pen, a neat volume of 185 pages, entitled: 'Missionary Talks on Subjects of New Church Doctrine'. The book has been well received and is being widely circulated in England, the United States and Canada. Mr. Bowers is married to Mary Seiler and resides in Toronto, Ontario. They have a family of four children".


      Eby, Ezra E. (1895). A biographical history of Waterloo township and other townships of the county: being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character. Berlin [Kitchener, Ont.]: [s.n.].

  • Sources 
    1. [S3] Book - Vol I A Biographical History of Waterloo Township and other townships of the county : being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin..., 287.

    2. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 7 Jan 1864.
      Married 25 Dec 1863 By Rev. Tuerk, John E. Bowers of Bridgeport was married to Maria Seiler of Waterloo.

    3. [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register.
      John E. Bowers, aged 24, res Bridgeport, born Waterloo, son of Cyrus and Elizabeth married 25 Dec 1863 to Maria Seiler, aged 21, res Waterloo, born Waterloo, daughter of George and Maria

    4. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 4 Pg 26.
      John E. BOWERS Birthplace: Canada Age 13 Disciple b. 18-Oct

    5. [S123] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1861, Div. 3 Page 22.

    6. [S1943] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo North - 1861, Div. 11 Page 81.

    7. [S3231] Find A Grave, Cemetery, M., America, N., Municipality, T., & Cemetery, M. (1839). Rev John Eby Bowers (1839-1930) - Find A Grave.... Findagrave.com. Retrieved 27 October 2019, from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/82693573/john-eby-bowers.

    8. [S3] Book - Vol I A Biographical History of Waterloo Township and other townships of the county : being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin..., 608.

    9. [S2] Church Records - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian).
      BRIDEGROOM Name: John E. Bowers Age: 24 Res: Bridgeport Place of Birth: Waterloo Tp. Names of Parents: Cyrus & Elisabeth Bowers BRIDE Name: Maria Seiler Age: 21 Res: Waterloo Place of Birth: Waterloo Names of Parents: Georg & Maria Seiler WITNESS(S): Name: Jacob Bowers Res: Waterloo Name: Daniel Ruby Res: Waterloo Date of Marriage: Dec. 25, 1863

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 18 Oct 1839 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Clerk - 1861 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Clerk - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Berlin, Ontario - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Christian - 1861 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Wesleyan Methodist - 1861 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1863 - Bridgeport (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 25 Dec 1863 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1889 - Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, York Co., Ontario Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth