John Sheppard Trower (1849–1911) was an American businessman, restauranteur, and founder of a school. He co-founded

Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School The Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School (DIAS) was a school for African Americans in Chester County, Pennsylvania from 1905 until 1993. Its motto was "Self help through self work". Trower was among the wealthiest

African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

and possibly the United States at the time of his death.

Early life and career

Trower was born on October 3, 1849, in Eastville, Northampton County,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. His parents, Luke and Anna M. Trower, were free black farmers and of mixed

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, Native American and African American descent. From age 16 to 21, Trower worked on the farm with his family, saving all that he could. All through his early life young Trower was hobbled with the necessity of servicing his family's debt. By the time he was 21 he had saved enough to lift this burden from his family and he felt free to go in search of a fortune. He presented his mother with the deed of the farm and bade her goodbye. At that time, the tide of immigration had already set in from the Virginia plantations toward the cities and young Trower drifted with it in the direction of

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

. There was $52 surplus after the farm was paid for and with this sum Trower, wholly inexperienced in the difficulties and dangers of city life, landed in Baltimore. Trower was fortunate there in meeting the Mack family, with whom he made his home during the larger part of the time that he was in Baltimore. They gave him advice which proved of great value to him in his later life. While he was in Baltimore he obtained work in a restaurant as an oyster-opener and soon began, in spite of the small salary he received there, to accumulate a small capital. Partly because he believed he could better his condition in a Northern city and partly led by mere desire to see more of the world, he determined in 1870 to leave Baltimore and go to

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

Business success

Trower decided to settle in

Germantown Germantown or German Town may refer to: Places Australia * Germantown, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region United States * Germantown, California, the former name of Artois, a census-designated place in Glenn County * Ger ...

, one of the more wealthy and prosperous quarters of the city, and with the little capital that he had gotten together, he opened a restaurant. He found a modest place in Chelton Avenue in the neighborhood of the Philadelphia and

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...

depot. This business seems to have prospered from the beginning. Very soon, Trower was doing, in addition to his restaurant business, a very respectable trade as a caterer. He won the favor of the fashionable people of Germantown and his increasing trade forced him rapidly into a larger and more lucrative business. Within two blocks of his restaurant stood the old Germantown Savings Fund building. Fortunately for Trower, this building was left vacant at this time, the bank having just completed a new building into which it established itself. There was a demand for a first-class caterer's establishment in Germantown. Trower had succeeded in winning the goodwill of some of the wealthy citizens and, with their encouragement, he purchased and refitted the Savings Fund building and made out of it, at a cost of $25,000, a first-class caterer's establishment. He was now fairly on his feet in a business way and began to make money rapidly. It was at this time that he made the acquaintance and won the goodwill of some of the officers of

William Cramp & Sons William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilding Company (also known as William Cramp & Sons Ship & Engine Building Company) of Philadelphia was founded in 1830 by William Cramp, and was the preeminent U.S. iron shipbuilder of the late 19th century. Company hi ...

, a shipbuilding company. Soon after this, in 1889, Trower had his first opportunity to cater for the Cramps. The firm employed him steadily after that time. Many of the world's most renowned war vessels were served upon their trial trips by Trower, among them the Yorktown, the

, the

Vesuvius Mount Vesuvius ( ; it, Vesuvio ; nap, 'O Vesuvio , also or ; la, Vesuvius , also , or ) is a somma-stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples The Gulf of Naples (), also called the Bay of Naples, is a roughly 15-kilometer-wide (9 ...

, the

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, the

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, the Columbia, the

, the

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

, the

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

, the

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, the Variag, the Retvizan, the Mecidiye, the

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

and the

. Trower's place of business was one of the most complete of its kind in the country. On the first floor were his offices, dining-room, delivery department and ice cream plant, which was run by electricity. On the second floor was a reception-room and a dining hall, which seated 150 guests, and the baking department. On the third floor were the storeroom and laundry. In the basement were china closets and storage-rooms. In his office he employed five clerks, all of whom were young African American men and women. The culinary, ice cream, baking, and delivery service departments employed 20 people. A large element of Trower's success must be attributed to the fact that he constantly sought to improve and extend his business. His trade was not limited to Germantown and Philadelphia, but extended throughout the state. On several occasions he served large orders in the South and West. At the time when

John Wanamaker John Wanamaker (July 11, 1838December 12, 1922) was an American merchant and religious, civic and political figure, considered by some to be a proponent of advertising and a "pioneer in marketing". He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a ...

, of Philadelphia, was Postmaster General, Trower served him as caterer in a reception which was at that time one of the most elaborate that had ever been given in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

In addition to his caterer's trade he did a lucrative real estate business. He owned considerable property both in Germantown and

Ocean City, New Jersey Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the principal city of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, P ...

, where he had his summer residence.

Personal life

Outside of his business, Trower was a member of the well known Cherry Street Baptist Church. He was a member of the board of deacons, and of the board of trustees, and superintendent of the Sunday school. The National Baptist Convention made him the National Baptist Superintendent of the World. He was the President of the Sunday School Convention of Pennsylvania, a position he held for many years. Trower contributed greatly to the building up of a number of Baptist churches of his city and state. His advice was frequently sought in matters of finance and church policy in the Baptist denomination. He was president of the Cherry Building and Loan Society, treasurer of the Reliable Mutual Aid and Improvement Company, and treasurer of the Reliable Business Men's Building. He was a member of the board of trustees for the Home for Aged and Infirm Colored People, and member of the board of trustees for the Olive Cemetery. As president of the Pennsylvania Sunday School Convention, it was he who suggested the necessity of the establishment of an Industrial and Theological School in Pennsylvania. He purchased a farm in

Downingtown, Pennsylvania Downingtown is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, west of Philadelphia. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 7,898. Downingtown was settled by European colonists in the early 18th century and has a number of historic buildings an ...

, and held it in trust until the Baptists of the state were enabled to assume the responsibility of the purchase. Trower was also very active in charitable work. Trower's wife was Miss Matilda Daniels, of

Haymarket, Virginia Haymarket is a town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,552 as of the 2020 census. History Haymarket is on land that was a hunting ground of the western Iroquois nations, who came from the New York and Penns ...

. Matilda Trower took an active part in the business as well as rearing a family of six children.

Death

Trower died in Philadelphia on April 4, 1911, at the age of 61. His reputed wealth of approximately $1 million placed him among the richest African Americans in Pennsylvania and possibly the United States.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trower, John S. Businesspeople from Philadelphia 19th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American businesspeople American restaurateurs 1849 births 1911 deaths People from Eastville, Virginia 20th-century African-American businesspeople