The Pioneer Who Built Port Townsend's First Wharf

It becomes our painful duty to record the death of one of those pioneers who came to this country in its early days and has since made himself a household word all over Puget Sound. We refer to Captain Enoch S. Fowler, a prominent man here, who died on Sunday morning last of a cancerous affection from which he had suffered for more than a year past. Capt. Fowler was born in Lubec, Maine, on the 19th day of November, 1813, and was at the time of his death 63 years and 8 days old.

He came to the Pacific in 1849 as master and part owner of the brig Quoddy Belle, which he sold in San Francisco and joined the brig George Emery as mate, and made his first voyage in her to Puget Sound in 1850, Mr. Alfred A. Plummer, the founder of Port Townsend, coming on her as passenger. The next voyage of the George Emery Capt. Fowler commanded her. He next, with the Wilson, Brown, of San Francisco, bought the topsail schooner Cyclone and came to Puget Sound as captain of her on a trading voyage for oil, salmon, furs, and cranberries in 1852. In the fall of 1853 he landed a large stock of goods here, with Mr. Gilbert Wilson to attend the store, when he went East and returned in the spring of 1854 with the schr. R. B. Potter, a pilot boat which he purchased in San Francisco. She was very fine and was chartered by the late General, then Governor, Isaac I. Stevens, who employed her to carry dispatches, mails, and supplies to the Sound, while the Governor, as Superintendent of Indian Affairs, was making treaties and supplying the various posts mentioned to protect the inhabitants from the Indians during the Indian war at that time. Gen. Stevens was a warm friend of Capt. Fowler, in whom he had the utmost confidence, and paid him a very liberal compensation for his services.

In 1857 he returned to Port Townsend and devoted himself to business, nor did he go to sea again except to make occasional short cruises on the Potter. Besides the Potter he owned several small schooners for trading on the Sound, and built the scow schooner Experiment, which, however, did not prove a success. In 1859 he built the first wharf which was available for a ship to make fast to it. The wharf was in the rear of the old Custom House. It was a substantial structure of piles, but from the destructive action of worms (Teredo Navalis) it was entirely destroyed in 1863. In 1864 he built another large wharf which was also destroyed by worms in 1867.

In 1874 he built the fine stone building on Adams Street, now used as a Court House for the District Court, which bears deep set in a stone over the front: "E. S. Fowler, 1874." He has also built a great many wooden buildings, stores and dwelling houses, in various portions. He was an active man when in health, ever wide awake in business, shrewd and fortunate, and has held various Territorial and county offices. He was elected Brigadier-General of the Territory. He was Treasurer of Jefferson County for a long time, during which he built the county buildings. He was a member of the Board of Commissioners from the time the Pilot law was passed, in 1858, till 186?, when he resigned.

Capt. Fowler was twice married. His first wife belonged to Lubec, Maine, and by her he had several children who died young. His first wife also died, and two members of the family were lost and never heard of; the impression is that both were drowned by the upsetting of a canoe. His second wife was the widow of the late Capt. Gaines, who survives him. She is a most estimable lady and has the sympathy of the entire community in her bereavement.

Capt. Fowler was a member of high standing in the Masonic order. The funeral ceremonies were among the most impressive ever witnessed in this town. He was buried with Masonic honors, and the ceremonies were followed by a vast concourse of people who came from various places to attend his funeral. His death is a great loss to this community, and it will be long before we find a man to fill his place.