James Edgar Fowler was born in New York City on December 25th, 1828. On January 12th, 1849, in company with his older brother he set sail in the ship "Brooklyn" destined for California. Both brothers were experienced builders and carpenters and so upon arrival in San Francisco they were contracted to erect several buildings. They then sailed up the Sacramento River, organized a party, chartered a team for Dry Town, Amador County, and mined successfully until January 1850. After selling their entire outfit they returned to San Francisco in hopes of rebuilding that which was damaged in the Great Fire. They were soon tempted to mine again, but this time they would try their luck on the Feather River. In the fall of 1855, Mr. Fowler opened a restaurant in Petaluma with a partner. He would later engage in merchandising, lumber, and farming.
From the description of Autobiography and Reminiscence of James E. Fowler : History of Sonoma County, 1901. (The Society of California Pioneers). WorldCat record id: 55979343
