John P. Bowman

John P. Bowman came to Stony Creek in January 1852 when it was a new and sparsely settled area. He purchased an uncompleted tannery, a sawmill, three houses, and 6,000 acres of forest. Through hard work and determination, he soon built the tannery to a capacity of forty thousand sides of leather per year, and sole leather from the Stony Creek Tannery gained a reputation as among the best available on the market. Additions to the tannery included bark sheds, storage buildings, and a carpenter and repair shop. Bowman also built a grand residence with a stable of fine horses, a carriage house, and a prestigious office, as well as a boarding house for twenty-five men and houses for sixteen tannery workers and their families. Many people believe his success made this place.

Stony Creek, New York · United States