Hello, everyone. I have a 1999 book called Compendium of Early Chicago to the Year 1835 by Ulrich Danckers and Jane Meredith (River Forest, IL). They made an encyclopedia out of thousands of early documents and books.

There is one Fowle listed: "Capt. & Bvt. Maj. John Fowle, Jr, native of Massachusetts; Fifth Infantry; commandant at Fort Dearborn from Oct. 3, 1828, to Dec. 14, 1830, and again from May 14, 1833, to June 19, 1833; in 1828 he ordered a ditch to be dug parallel to the N side of the fort and through the sand bar that diverted the river to the south; this first attempt to straighten the river and create a harbor was ill-conceived and the ditch rapidly filled with sand; in March 1832, the US Dept. of Engineers placed him officially in charge of the construction project for the Chicago harbor, but he was transferrred before the work began; was a charter member of the First Presbyterian Church; was killed in the explosion of the steamboat Gazelle at Cincinnati on April 25, 1838." (p. 162-163)

If anyone would like a copy of the description for this person(s), contact me and I'll send you the quotation. rl