author
Charles Henry Fowler
1837–1908
A Methodist bishop, educator, and writer, he moved easily between the pulpit, the classroom, and the wider world of church missions. His life joined religious leadership with a strong interest in education and institution-building.
1 Audiobook
Historical Romance of the American Negro
by Charles Henry Fowler
About the author
Born in Burford, Ontario, on August 11, 1837, he moved with his family to Illinois as a child and later studied at Genesee College and the Garrett Biblical Institute. He became a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church and served for years in important Chicago pastorates before taking on larger leadership roles.
He is especially remembered as the fourth president of Northwestern University, serving in the 1870s, and later as a bishop after his election in 1884. His career connected preaching, administration, and education, and he was often involved in projects that expanded Methodist schools and missionary work.
Fowler died in New York on March 20, 1908. Today he is remembered not only as a church leader, but also as a figure in the history of American higher education and Methodist publishing and outreach.