The Bowie scandal shocked 1920 society

Henry had studied law, but his real interests were in other areas. It was said he only practiced law once. That was a suit against the town of Burlingame when the Marshall impounded some of his cows from his Severn Dairy Farm.

He was an avid gardener. Of course, he didn't personally dig in the soil, but he directed the planting and cultivation done by his staff. His projects included the planting of eucalyptus at Coyote Point and a Japanese garden.

Bowie was well-liked and respected. He was a member of the Burlingame Country Club and the San Mateo Polo Club. He was a patron of the arts. He also had a lifelong admiration for the Japanese. He studied the language and read Japanese literature. He became an authority on Japanese art, and wrote several works on the subject. The design of his home at Severn Lodge was of Japanese derivation with some Spanish touches. He was credited with awakening San Francisco Society to Japanese culture. He arranged an exhibit of Japanese color prints at the Bohemian Club.

After the death of Agnes, Bowie took his first trip to Japan. He spent much time there over the next 27 years. He made five more trips during that period. At his home in San Mateo, he built a memorial victory gate to commemorate the Japanese victory over Russia in the Sino-Russian war. He brought the materials and the artisans from Japan to do the work. He was recognized by the Mikado with honors on two occasions. On his last trip to Japan in 1918, he went as a special emissary for the U.S. State Department. He didn't return until 1920, just two months before he died.

In January 1921, Bowie's handwritten will went into probate. He left specific sums to his sister and two brothers. Of the remainder of his fortune, he left one-half to his third brother, and the remaining half to Koma Hirano, Imao Hirano and Takeo Hirano of Yokohama, Japan. It turned out that this was his wife and two sons.

Bowie's stepson, George Howard, filed suit to break the will. He claimed that the Hiranos had just been Bowie's "hosts" in Japan. He said that they had used undue influence on Bowie and that he had been suffering from some mental impairment. He said that since the money had come from his mother, the Howards were entitled to it. Judge Buck threw the case out of court, and the Hiranos were able to collect their inheritance.

Rediscovering the Peninsula appears in the Monday edition of the Daily Journal. For more information on this or related topics, visit the San Mateo County History Museum, 777 Hamilton St., Redwood City.