HON. ISAAC C. FOWLER,
Of Abingdon, Virginia, and clerk of the United States Circuit and District
Courts for the Western District of Virginia (at Abingdon), one of
the three proprietors of the Great Natural Bridge and Tunnel in Scott
county, Virginia, and since August, 1868, editor and proprietor of the
Bristol News, Bristol, Virginia and Tennessee, was born at Jeffersonville,
Tazewell county, Virginia, September 2, 1831. During the last
two years of the civil war, he served in the commissary department,
Breckenridge's division. He was five years mayor of Goodson, 1870-5,
was three times elected to the Virginia House of Delegates from Washington
county, in 1875, 1877 and 1881, and was Speaker of the House
during his last term, 1881-1882.
His father was Dr. Thomas Fowler, of Cocke county, Tennessee,
Tazewell county, Virginia and Monroe county, (now) West Virginia.
His grandfather was Dr. Thomas Fowler of Parrottsville, Tennessee
His greatgrandfather was Thomas Fowler of Virginia, South Carolina
and Tennessee, whose father came from England. The mother of Isaac
C. was Priscilla Breckenridge Chapman, daughter of Isaac Chapman of
Giles county, Virginia, who was a son of George Chapman, who came
to Giles county from Culpeper county, Virginia. She was born in Pearisburg,
Virginia, and died in December, 1881.
Isaac C. Fowler was married at Jeffersonville, Virginia, December 4,
1854, Rev. George W. G. Browner officiating clergyman, to Kezia McDonald
Chapman. She was a daughter of William Chapman of Giles
county, who was a son of Issac Chapman, before mentioned, and her
mother was Nancy, daughter of Edward McDonald of Wyoming county,
Virginia, where he removed from Botetourt county, Virginia. The
record of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Fowler is: Thomas C., deceased,
Nannie Belle, now the wife of Stuart F. Lindsey of Harrisonburg, Virginia,
and has one daughter, Dawn Fowler Lindsey; Don William, deceased,
Beirne, deceased, Mary Louise and Cilla Chapman, living.
Mr. Fowler had two brothers in service through the late war. Allen
Fowler, lieutenant of Lowry Battery, Army of Northern Virginia,
severely wounded at Fishers Hill, Elbert Fowler, served in cavalry,
captured at Moorefield, Virginia, September, 1864, imprisoned at Camp
Chase, Ohio, nine months, until, after the surrender. The former is now
a practicing physician of Salt Lake City. The latter was killed at Hinton,
West Virginia, March, 1884, leaving a widow and two sons, Bailey
and Elbert, at Griffin, Georgia.
