O. S. (Orson Squire) Fowler

Born in Cohocton, New York, in 1809, Orson Squire Fowler studied at Amherst College and went on to build a career as a lecturer, publisher, and writer. He became one of the best-known American advocates of phrenology, a now-discredited theory that claimed a person’s character could be read from the shape of the skull.

With his brother Lorenzo and later publishing partners, he helped turn those ideas into a busy publishing business. His work reached beyond phrenology into health, marriage, reform, and everyday self-improvement, reflecting the restless, advice-driven culture of 19th-century America.

Fowler is also remembered for promoting the octagon house, which he presented as a healthier and more practical kind of home. That unusual architectural cause, together with his flood of popular books and lectures, helped make him a distinctive and sometimes controversial figure in American cultural history.