William G. Owens, who was born in 1858, graduated from BucknellUnivers ity in 1880. While a student, he served as editor for theCollege Heral d, the student newspaper. After graduation, he wasappointed as “an ass istant to the Principal of the Academy at asalary of $450.00 per annum ” where he taught for a time before hewas appointed Assistant Professo r of Natural Sciences in 1885 at asalary of $1,000.00 per annum. In 18 87, Owens was appointedProfessor, “…it being understood that the chang e in title doesnot involve an increase in salary”. In 1889, he spent p art of theyear studying at the University of Berlin in Germany. Profes sor Owenswas an active worker in the Baptist Church. He retired in 193 5,having served as head of the chemistry department for forty-eight years. In honor of his more than fifty years of service to theUniversity ( 1880 - 1935), the Board of Trustees retired him on apension. He was al so awarded an honorary Sc.D. William Gundy Owensdied in 1951, and he i s buried in the Lewisburg Cemetery.
His father and siblings attended the University. His father attendedth e Academy, but with withdrew from the College of the University atLewi sburg during his freshman year to teach school. After the CivilWar, in w hich he served as a captain, he resumed teaching andultimately became s uperintendent of schools in Union County,Pennsylvania. His brother, Ev erett G., attended the Academy andcompleted the sophomore year in the C ollege. In 1886, Everett marriedCarrie G. Loomis, daughter of ex-Presi dent Justin R. Loomis. Anotherbrother, John G., graduated from Bucknel l University in 1887.Finally, his sister, Mary Catherine, graduated fr om Lewisburg HighSchool in 1891, and from Bucknell University in 1897.
Again from Bucknell University web page:
By the mid-1880's, there was an increased interest in science, and in1 885 students at the University presented a petition requesting anaddit ional professor of Natural Sciences. That same year, WilliamGundy Owen s, Class of 1880, was appointed Adjunct Professor ofNatural Sciences. O wens drew the plans for the Physical and ChemicalLaboratory, which wer e approved by the Trustees in June, 1887, thesame year that Owens was g iven the title of "Professor of Physics andChemistry."
College Faculty, 1895 and he was still there in 1915:
William Gundy Owens, Professor of Physics and Chemistry, A.B.,Bucknell U niversity, 1880, and A.M., Bucknell University, 1883.
One of his students later established a scholorship in his memory.
Residences:
6/23/1900 Lewisburg, Union Co, PA. At census time William was 42,mar ried 14 years to Jeanette F, 40, who had birthed 3 children, allliving . In the household were children Elsie, 13, Albert, 11,Jeanette, 3; h is 64 year old father and sister Mary K, 24.
