Abigail Rose Fowler
I am Abigail Rose Fowler, born in Pennsylvania of forward thinking parents who
believed their daughter should not only learn womanly skills but also be educated
and encouraged to use her mind the same as their son. The result was an out-of-step
free spirit with strong views and the willingness to express same.
Never forced to wed, I remained a spinster in the eyes of family and friends. After the deaths of both my parents I was attracted to the unusual Mrs. Farnham, who was gathering ladies of good family and references to travel to Sacramento City to be the brides of unwed gentlemen. It was my good fortune to read the letter of one Mr. Henry Parsons, Esq. of Maine. Mr. Parsons was very adventurous for an attorney and further confirmed his enlightened mental state by his comment that he was not looking for a traditional wife but rather one to be his partner in the glorious opportunity to help build a new progressive city.
Traveling five months on the Adelaide around the horn brought me from New York to California. Upon reaching Sacramento City, I learned Mr. Parsons had been killed.
In a rather unpleasant encounter with one Mr. James Lee, proprietor of a nefarious gambling establishment, I was informed females were not employed as clerks or accountants. I gained employment in the dressmaking establishment of Mrs. R.L. Hein and have happily taken up residence.
Opportunity abounds in Sacramento City for the strong and the strong-willed as well as those with a belief in themselves and the future. There is a new city to build here and I for one am looking forward to being a participant in that endeavor.