Abner Trawin Bowen, leading banker of Delphi for more than half a century, passed away early last Friday (3-5-32) morning at the home of his brother, E. W. Bowen, after an illness of several months duration. Death was due to hypostatic pneumonia which developed as a result of a diabetic condition. Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon from the E. W. Bowen residence on the Hill. Rev. C. J. Grimes, pastor of the Delphi Presbyterian church, was in charge and burial was made in the Masonic cemetery. Mrs. J. M. Been sang at the funeral. The casket-bearers were Abner Bowen, Robert Bowen, Jason M. Been, Guy and George Tawney of Urbana, Ill., and George Raub of Logansport. The flower-bearers were Mrs. Jessie Mc- Pherson,. Mrs., Margaret A. Afflis, Mrs. Helen Ives, Mrs. J. M. Been, Miss Helen Cripe, Mrs. Ruth Howell, Mrs. Nelle Ward and Miss Irene Jacoby. Among those from out of the city in attendance at the funeral are Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bowen of Champaign, Ill., Dr. and Mrs. G. A. Tawney and son, George, and daughters, Elizabeth and Catherine of Urbana, Ill., John Lanadeston of Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Sullivan, Robert Bowen and Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Moore of Indianapolis and George Raub of Logansport. Mr. Bowen was almost eighty years of age. He was born March 30, 1852 on the brow of the hill just south of the present home of Mrs. N. W. Bowen and his death occurred at his brother’s home on the brow of the hill looking north across Deer Creek to the spot where he was born. He was the second child of Abner H. and Catherine Trawin Bowen, to which union nine children were born. E. W. Bowen is the lone survivor of the family. In addition to the brother he is survived by three nephews, Robert N. Bowen, Abner H. Bowen, Jr., and Charles E. Bowen and three nieces, Marietta Busey Tawney of Urbana, Ill., Marguerite Sullivan of Indianapolis, Indiana and Hilda C. Bowen of Delphi, Indiana; four grand-nieces and one grandnephew, together with a host of other relatives and friends to mourn his passing. He attended the public schools at Delphi, Indiana and graduated from The Western University of Pennsylvania at Pittsburgh in the early 70's. After graduating he took a trip abroad visiting various European countries. While abroad he was offered an appointment as Minister, representing the United States in one of the European capitals but did not accept. After returning home in 1873 he associated himself with the bank of his father, Abner H. Bowen on the present site of the A. T. Bowen & Co. bank in Delphi; later he became associated with his father as a partner, in the banking business under the firm name of A. H. and A. T. Bowen and still later, upon the death of his father in 1890, the bank was known as A. T. Bowen & Co. In 1893 he associated with himself the late John A. Cartwright and his brother, Edward W. Bowen as partners in the bank and he himself went to New York City where he organized the private bank of A. T. Bowen and Co. which operated for quite a number of years, but this bank quit business quite a few years ago. In 1902 he organized the A. T. Bowen & Co. private bank of Logansport, Indiana, which was continued for a number of years. The Farmers and Merchants Bank of Logansport was an outgrowth of this bank. In 1903 he organized the present bank of A. T. Bowen & Co., associating with him several substantial men of the community under a co-partnership agreement, Abner T. Bowen and Joseph W. Been being the present partners and owners of A. T . Bowen & Co., which has the reputation of being the oldest and largest private bank in the state of Indiana; established in 1837 at Delphi, located on the site of the present bank; over 95 years of continuous business and having met all their obligations during that period. It was the great ambition of Mr. Bowen to see his bank round out a century of existence, but the Lord did not acquiesce in his wish and now it will be left for others to carry forward the ambition of his life. Mr. Bowen’s illness extended over a period of more than two years and during that time he had made his home with his brother and his family Until last fall he was able to give his attention to his banking interest although the active management of his affairs had been placed in the hands of Jason M. Been, cashier. He became seriously ill last September and except for a few occasions he had been unable to look after any of the details of the management of his property although he continued to direct his affairs from his brother’s home. Mr. Bowen’s reputation as a banker was widespread. He came of a banking family but extended the name higher and higher in the financial world. He knew banking, had a high understanding of the principles upon which a bank must conduct its business and he made his business views felt upon the community which he served for so long.

Delphi Citizen March 10, 1932