Chapter IV

THE FIRST HOTEL AND ITS OWNER

The reader will naturally ask how this place came to be so famous. Who constructed the first hotel? And why had the name and fame extended over all the land? The name French Lick is derived from the circumstances of its having been a French trading-post many years before its settlement by the whites. The emigrants came chiefly from North Carolina, seeking homes in this then wild land.

As we look today over the wide farms of golden wheat and the vast acreage of rich, green corn, the beautiful meadows and pastures covered with flocks and heards, it is hard to conceive that the men who came here "as westward the course of the empire took its way," less than a hundred years ago have wrought the great change. They found these lands covered with thick forests of large trees. Since that time the woodsman's axe has swept them away and made this one of the most beautiful lands, affording all the demands of ease and luxury.

When the saline lands were thrown on the market Dr. William A. Bowles became the owner of French Lick. He was a man of far more than ordinary foresight and emraced the opportunity to possess lands destined to become the most valuable property in the State. (I think Dr. Bowles came from Maryland.) He became the owner of these lands about 1832, and built the first hotel. I can not tell of what order of architecture it was, but as I remember it peculiar style, I conclude it was his own conception of a building of that kind, and that it was original, I think it was perhaps 80 to 100 feet long, rather narrow and three stories hign. The house was frame with a strange appearance. The rafters on the north side reached three-fourths of the way across the top and was rather flat.

The south side rafters were nearly perpendicular. A two-story structure extended south perhaps some forty feet. Taken all in all it was the ugliest and most unsightly building ever constructed in the valley. This odd looking structure was the first hotel. Bowles was the owner of French Lick Springs from 1832 to 1873; a period of forty-one years.

It will, perhaps, interest the reader at this point to hear more about this extraordinary man. His personality, his eccentricity and his magic power over his fellow man was remarkable. I was personally acquainted with him from my earliest recollections until his death. He was my father's family physician. He and my father were the best of friends, and they often talked long and earnestly in my presnece during the years when I was growing into manhood. Everybody seemed to admire and almost reverence this remarkable man. This was, perhaps, due, first of all, to his appearance. Phsyically he seemed perfection, large and at the same time very handsome. He measured in his stockings, six feet and two inches in height, and weighed ove two hundred pounds. In addition to this a voice os superior softness and musical sweetness charmed the listening ear. These two endowments enabled him to capture the eye and the ear on the first acquiantance. Added to these qualities he wore a pleasant smile and a marked self confidence that illuminated his physiognomy. To know him was to concede his captivating influence. He was at once physician, theologian, politician, statesman, warrior and sage. He knew his intellectual power and used them to mold public opinion. "He was one of nature's noblement."

If he was not always sincere he had the faculty of making thise about him read in his words and his actions the deepest sincerity. His stock of general information was wonderful. No subject seemed new or complicated to him. Men came to him for information from every walk of life, and went away satisfird with his confident answers. When I recall his self-confident air, his magnetic influence over those about him, I am ready to forgive the disloyalty of many members of that community during the dark days of the rebellion.

In his youthful days Dr. Bowles united with the regular Baptist and became a preacher in that chirch. This denomination was the leading chirch for many years in that community. Being a doctor of extensive practive he soon formed accounts against his brethren accumulating on his books. He sued some of these brethren on the accounts. This was a breach of discipline and charges were preferred against Brother Bowles for going to law with a brother.

The reverend gentleman stood at the bar of his chirch, refused to make a necessary apology and was expelled. He ceased preaching and remained out of the church several years, then he relented and asked to be reinstated to all the rights and privileges preveiously enjoyed. He at once re-entered the ministry, and for a time was most popular-regular Baptist preacher in all that region. After a time he quarreled with his brother ministers on some peculiar point of doctrine and was at last expelled and died out of church fellowship.

So popular was he as a physician that his name was a household word in Southern Indiana. The most complicated cases were accorded to him, and often when other doctors gave up a case the old doctor was called in and many times the patient recovered. In giving the definition of his character it will be remembered that I spoke if him as a warrior, as well as a stateman and politician. In 1846 he was made a Captain of the company that enlisted in the Second Indiana Regiment for the Mexican War.

The company was formed largely by his influence, and he was unanimously chosen Captain. On the organization of the regiment he was promoted and became Colonel of the Second Indiana Regiment. His popularity was unbounded until the great battle at Buena Vista was fought, The Second Indiana was in the thickest of the fight and lost heavily.

At one time during the engagement the Second Indiana was confronted by six to one, and at the same time exposed to a cross fire of artillery. In this dilemma the regiment fell back, and in the disorder which followed Col. Bowles and a part of his men fell in with a Mississippi regiment commanded by Jefferson Davis.

Davis, in making his report to General Taylor, asserted that the Second Indiana ingloriously fled, with the exception of the gallant Colonel and a few of his men, who remained on the field and did a good service in Davis'regiment. When this report became public the soldiers of the Second Indiana were angry. They acknowledged falling back before the enemy, but asserted that it was by the order of Colonel Bowles. The dispute between the Colonel and the members of his regiment caused ill felling that were never obliterated.

On the other hand Bowles having been complimented by Jefferson Davis for his gallantry, the two men became life-long friends. Jefferson Davis afterwards became President of the Southern Confederacy and Colonel Bowles of the Second Indiana became a leader of the Knights of the Golden Circle. Bowles was at last arrested for treason, tried by court martial and sentenced to death.

On request of Governor Morton, President Lincoln commuted the sentence to imprisonment for life. He was incarcerated in the Ohio penitentiary until the war closed, when he was pardoned and returned to his French Lick home. Broken with age and disappointed ambition he lingered until 1873. He died in his own home in the presence of his third wife. Two former wives having each been granted a divorce. The body rested for a number of years in a stone vault in sight of his home. For some reason the remains were then removed to Ames Chapel, some five miles away and buried in a lonely part of the cemetery. Peace to his ashes.