This article written and copyright 2012 by Will Johnson, wjhonson@aol.com, Professional Genealogist
One article in my series Sonoma County, California
Born in Sonoma, Sonoma County, California on 2 Feb 1849 to Richard A Fowler and his wife Mariah B. Either she or one of her two elder sisters Eliza Jane Fowler or Margaret Anne Fowler, were supposed to be the first white child born in Sonoma according to family lore. Richard first appears in the Sonoma area as a witness, along with Andrew Hoeppner, on the 13 Jan 1847 grant of Rancho Guenoc from George Rock to Jacob P Leese. In the 1850 US Federal Census, Richard Fowler is listed as a Hotel keeper. There was a "comfortable little inn" at the embarcadero of Sonoma as early as 4 Jan 1850. This place was evidently called the St Louis Hotel as of 28 Aug 1850. It is probable that this was their place. Mary's father Richard died on 7 Feb 1856, presumably in Sonoma, just a few days after Mary's seventh birthday.
Mary Otis Fowler married Thomas Fawcett on 26 Feb 1865 in Sonoma and had 3 children, he died 14 Sep 1873 of tuberculosis. He had been a ship's captain, and shortly after his death, Mary invested in the Sonoma Steamer Company as a partner. Mary Otis married John J Suhrbier on 5 Jan 1875 in Sonoma, they divorced in 1878. Mary Otis married William R Webb on 28 Oct 1880 in Sonoma and had 3 children, they divorced. Mary Otis married William Brooks Harbin between 1891 and 1893. In 1893 she is living in Modesto, California. In 1902 she moved to Berkeley, California. Between 1911 and 1915 she moved to Pomeroy, Washington. In the Fall of 1924 she moved to Kelso, Washington. She passed away on 26 Mar 1926 in Kelso, Cowlitz, Washington