Résumé

Draftsman, Taliesin Fellowship, Spring Green, WI, c. 06/1942-1948. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Draft Registration Cards For Wisconsin, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 72, accessed 10/31/2024.) According to the DOCOMOMO WeWA biography done by Michael Houser on Bower: "As one of Wright’s long-term interns, Bower played a key role in designing and building several houses at Wright’s planned utopian community of Mount Pleasant, in upstate New York. He also supervised the construction of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Sol Friedman (1948) House, also in Pleasantville, New York (1948), and the Weltzheimer House in Oberlin, Ohio (1949)." This information came from Bower's architectural licensing paperwork. (See Michael Houser, DOCOMOMO WeWA.org, "Theodore D. Bower," accessed 11/01/2024.) Wright also designed the Beth Shalom Synagogue in Bower's hometown of Cheltenham, PA, although this was completed in 1959, long after Bower had left Wright's employ. This was the only synagogue designed by Wright.

Junior architect, Government of Punjab, Chandigarh regional capital complex, Chandigarh, India, 1950. After 1966, Chandigarh became the regional capital for the states of Punjab and Haryana. Bower worked with the pioneering Modern architect Le Corbusier (né Charles-Édouard Jeanneret,1887-1965) and his cousin and collaborator Pierre Jenneret (1896-1967). Le Corbusier, Jeanneret and their local and international design team worked on a site of over 100 acres and completed three large governmental buildings and four monuments in the city between 1950 and 1966. Construction actually began in 1951.

Architect, Besant Centenary Trust, India, 1952. This charitable trust was founded by the feminist and socialist leader Annie Besant (1847-1933), who later became an disciple of theosophy and a crusader for Indian self-determination. Her trust raised money to design and build schools across India.

Draftsman, Durham, Anderson and Freed, Architects, Seattle, WA, c. 1953.

Draftsman, Bassetti and Morse, Architects, Seattle, WA, c. 1954.

Principal, Ted Bower, Architect, Seattle, c. 1960. Theodore Bower worked in Room #7 of the building at 1314 East 43rd Street in Seattle in 1960 along with the architect John R. Sproule.

Bower worked with architect Wendell H. Lovett (b. 1922) on the Information Kiosks at the Seattle World's Fair of 1962.

Teaching

Instructor, University of Washington (UW), School of Architecture, Seattle, WA, c. 1959. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1959. p. 170.)

Professional Awards

Bower won a 1963 American Institute of Architects, Seattle Chapter, Honor Award for a Ten-Unit Apartment Building at 2221 NE 46th St., Seattle, WA.

College

Coursework, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, 1940-1941.

Relocation

Theodore Dixon "Ted" Bower was born on 05/29/1922 in Wyncote, PA, (now a part of the Town of Cheltenham, PA) about 13 miles due north of Philadelphia. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Draft Registration Cards For Wisconsin, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 72, accessed 10/31/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Social Security Administration; Washington D.C., USA; Social Security Death Index, Master File Source Information: U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2014, accessed 10/31/2024.)

In 1930, he lived in Cheltenham, PA, off of Greenwood Avenue. His father John O. Bower, Sr., was a physician, who earned a comfortable income. Their house had a value of about $25,000, a sizeable sum for the time, in line with the values of neighboring houses in their mostly white-collar neighborhood. The family could afford a domestic worker, Anna Mulrooney (born c. 1908 in Ireland). Others in the household included his mother Armorel and his five siblings. Theodore was the third oldest. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Cheltenham, Montgomery, Pennsylvania; Page: 24B; Enumeration District: 0021; FHL microfilm: 2341815, accessed 10/31/2024.) The family continued to live on Greenwood Avenue, Number 206, in Cheltenham, PA, in 1940, although the house had dwindled in value to an estimate of $7,000. The 1940 US Census also indicated that the Bowers no longer employed a domestic servant. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Cheltenham, Montgomery, Pennsylvania; Roll: m-t0627-03577; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 46-31, accessed 10/31/2024.)

He attended Amherst College in Amherst, MA, for about one year, 1940 and 1941. He left Amherst before graduating to gain architectural experience working for Frank Lloyd Wright at this Taliesin studio and office compound in Spring Green, WI, by 1942.

On 06/30/1942, Bower resided at the Taliesin Fellowship in Spring Green, WI, and remained there until 1948. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Draft Registration Cards For Wisconsin, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 72, accessed 10/31/2024.)

After leaving Taliesin, he may have spent some time in New York City. In 01/1951, Bower gave a permanent address to the steamship company transporting him abroad of 23 Christopher Street in the West Village section of New York's Greenwich VIllage neighborhood. While he gave this New York City address, Bower spent much of 1951 working in India for Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and their design team at Chandigarh. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving At San Francisco, California; NAI Number: 4498993; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 11/01/2024.)

On another steamship manifest of 12/1952, he provided a permanent address of his parent's house at 206 Greenwood Avenue in Wyncote, PA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving At San Francisco, California; NAI Number: 4498993; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 11/01/2024.)

Bower and his wife Diana lived at 4728 West Bertona Street in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood in 1958. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1958, p. 157.)

In 1993, Bower lived at 3860 East Olive Street, Seattle, Washington 98122-0101. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 11/01/2024.)

Bower's last address was on Lopez Island, WA. He passed away in King County, WA, on 11/27/2009. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Death Index, 1940-2017, accessed 10/31/2024.)

Parents

His father was Dr. John Oscar Bower, Sr., (born 06/07/1885 in PA-d. 10/30/1960 in Philadelphia, PA), a physician and surgeon with a private practice that was, by 1942, located in Philadelphia. Bower graduated from Philadelphia’s Medico-Chiurgical College’s Pharmacy Department in 1905, winning the senior gold medal for highest average. (See “Medico-Chi’s Graduates,” The Pharmaceutical Era, 06/08/1905, p. 644.) By 1925, if not earlier, Bower was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. In 1940, the US Census indicated that Dr. Bower worked a 60-hour workweek, longer hours than most of his neighbors. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Cheltenham, Montgomery, Pennsylvania; Roll: m-t0627-03577; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 46-31, accessed 10/31/2024.)

Nine years younger than her husband, Armorel Dixon (born 10/02/1892 in Payson, UT-d. 10/08/1977 in Humboldt, IA), Theodore's mother, worked in the household raising six children. She attended four years of college at the University of Utah, according to the 1940 US Census. At the university, she acted in the role of Viola in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" in 1914. (See University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott Digital Archives.edu, "Armorel Dixon (Viola), outdoor production of "Twelfth Night" performed on the University of Utah campus, May 29-30 and June 2, 1914," accessed 10/31/2024.) Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Cheltenham, Montgomery, Pennsylvania; Roll: m-t0627-03577; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 46-31, accessed 10/31/2024.) In 1917, Armorel lived in Provo, UT, and her family was likely well acquainted with a prominent Mormon leader, George H. Brimhall (1852-1932), the President of Brigham Young University between 1904 and 1921. Letters between her family and Brimhall have been preserved in the Brigham Young University Library, Special Collections division.

John and Armorel wed on 04/13/1918 in Salt Lake City, UT, and during the early years of their marriage they resided in Atlanta, GA, where John was a physician at the Fort McPherson's US General Hospital #6. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Utah, U.S., Select Marriages, 1887-1966 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014, accessed 10/31/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Fort Mcpherson, Fulton, Georgia; Roll: T625_253; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 155, accessed 10/31/2024.) They had six children who included: John Oscar "Jack" Bower, Jr., (born 09/23/1919 in Atlanta, GA-d. 05/13/2011 in Humboldt, IA) Armorel Elizabeth Bower (born 12/13/1920 in PA-d. 01/22/1995 in PA), Joan Bower Horwitt (born 01/25/1924 in Wyncote, PA-d. 09/27/2014 in CT), Robert Bower (born 07/06/1925 in Wyncote, PA-d. 03/04/2019 in MA) and Mary Margaret Bower Kux (born 02/16/1928 in PA-d. 10/10/1996 in Washington, DC).

Spouse

He married Diana Bower.

Biographical Notes

In 1936, Bower belonged to the congregation of the Cheltenham United Methodist Church. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records, accessed 10/31/2024.)

As noted on his 06/30/1942 World War II draft registration card, Bower was identified as Caucasian with a light brown complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He stood 6-feet, 1-inch tall and weighed 165 pounds. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Draft Registration Cards For Wisconsin, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 72, accessed 10/31/2024.)

The architect likely began a trip abroad in 01/1951. On 01/27/1951, he sailed third-class aboard the American Export Lines' SS Vulcania bound for Genoa, Italy. The Vulcania’s passenger manifest indicated that Bower intended to stay abroad for six months. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Series Title: Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels and Airplanes Departing from New York, New York, 07/01/1948-12/31/1956; NAI Number: 3335533; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85; Series Number: A4169; NARA Roll Number: 106, accessed 11/01/2024.) This was likely when Bower departed to begin work on the Chandigarh governmental complex in India.

Bower traveled to Japan during the 1950s. On 12/22/1952, Bower returned to San Francisco from Yokohama, Japan, aboard the American President Lines' SS President Wilson. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving At San Francisco, California; NAI Number: 4498993; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 11/01/2024.) Two years later, Bower left Kobe, Yokohama, Japan, aboard the MS Hikawa Maru on 04/02/1954, arrived in Seattle, WA, on 04/17/1954. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving At Seattle, Washington; NAI Number: 4397783; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 11/01/2024.) SSN: 190-18-8356.