John Henry Bowers;age 68;pioneer business man;died Thursday morning;May 19;1927 at 7:30 a.m.after a lingering illness at his late home;538 Fallowfield avenue. In his passing;Charleroi loses one of its most highly respected citizens. The deceased was born on a farm near Smithfield;Pa.;July 24;1859;the son of the late George B.and Rachel Bowers. Coming to this section as a young man;he first started in business in Belle Vernon. In 1886 he marries Estella Henry;daughter of John and Martha Henry;late of Belle Vernon. When the new town of Charleroi was planned;Mr.Bowers came to cast his lot with that of the new enterprise. Among the first to choose his site;he purchased ground in the center of the town plan on what he believed was destined to be the main street. Here he erected the building which has since housed his hardware business. It was one of the first three buildings to be completed and is one of the oldest buildings standing in town today. A man of few words;and inspiring flowery speech;he endeared himself to his friends for his honesty and integrity. His effort at promoting the new town were tireless. His strong individualism and unassimialable character made him a leader in all he undertook. He was the first treasurer of the borough;was a member of the first town council;which office he held for six years;was treasurer of the first board of school directors;and was president of the Charleroi Merchants Assoc.for several years. It was he who first conceived the idea of organizing the leading hardware merchants of the valley forming what has since grown to become the Atlantic Seaboard Hardware Dealers Assoc.;which is the largest organization of retail dealers in the United States. He was instrumental in establishing the Hardware Dealers Mutual Fire Insurance Assoc.;which he served as Director for many years. He was a member of the Charleroi Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons;and was;until his death;their oldest Past Master;Royal Arch Chapter of Masons of Monessen;McKean Commandery;No.80;Knights Templer;and identified as its first Eminent Commander;Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Masons of Pittsburgh;Shrine;Syria Temple;Pittsburgh;Masonic Veterans of Pa.and the Nemacolin Country Club. He is survived by his widow;a son;LLoyd Henry Bowers;at home;a daughter;Mrs.Russell Lee Carl of Wilkinsburg;a brother;Isaac N.Bowers;and a sister;Nancy E.Bowers;of Cheat Haven;Pa. Funeral services will be held on Saturday afternoon at two o’clock;Eastern Standard time;at the Methodist Episcopal Church;with the Rev.J.E.Morrison officiating. Interment will be private in the Belle Vernon Cemetery.