Bartlett and John Bowker, brothers, from Scituate, Mass., were among the early settlers of the town. They bought a tract of land in the northern part, and were the first ones who settled where the hamlet of Bowkerville now is. Bartlett married Jemima Wright, a widow, of Templeton, Mass., and reared a family of fifteen children. John also had a large family. The former erected a grist-mill near where Coolidge & Whittemore’s mills now are. Luke and Elijah, sons of Bartlett, erected the dam, and built the mill now used for a pail shop. They operated the grist-mill, and manufactured handrakes, butter tubs and boxes very extensively. Luke has been married three times. His first wife was Rhoda Hurd, who bore him three children, one of whom, Charles, resides in Philadelphia. His second wife was Sarah Howe, who had two daughters, one of whom, Sarah, is Mrs. S. S. Stone, of this town. His third wife is Rebecca, widow of Reuben Simonds, and daughter of Eliphaz Ballard, of Lancaster, Mass.
