Introduction

Biography

John was the hus­band of Jean Tay­lor.

Starting at age 12, he was as­sist­ant or­gan­ist of St. George’s Cha­pel, Wind­sor Cas­tle.

He gra­du­at­ed from Bal­li­ol Col­lege, Ox­ford (BMus 1876, DMus 1883), and in 1874 be­came or­gan­ist and choir­mas­ter at St. Paul’s Church, Tun­bridge Wells, Kent.

From 1876–87, he served as mas­ter of mu­sic for Trent Col­lege, Not­ting­ham, con­duct­ed a lo­cal phil­har­mon­ic so­cie­ty, and gave or­gan re­cit­als. As a vol­unt­eer in the 1st Der­by­shire Re­gi­ment, he rose to the rank of cap­tain.

Gower emi­grat­ed to Am­eri­ca in 1887, set­tling in Den­ver, Co­lo­ra­do. He was or­gan­ist and choir­mas­ter at St. John’s Ca­thed­ral and the Cen­tral Pres­by­ter­ian Church in Den­ver, then dab­bled in min­ing in Id­aho Springs, Co­lo­ra­do.

In 1893, he be­came or­gan­ist at the Church of the Epi­pha­ny, Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois.