A Filipino American Family Posing for a Portrait During the U.S Occupation of the Philippines, ca. 1920
In this rare family portrait from the Philippines, circa 1920, we see William Leslie Bowler, an American, with his Filipina wife, Dolores Alcantara, and their growing family. The Bowlers embodied a unique blending of cultures during a time when such unions were less common, especially against the backdrop of U.S. colonial presence in the Philippines. Their children, held close in the photograph, symbolize both heritage and hope, their lives destined to stretch across two worlds.
Among the children pictured is Josephine “Jo” Bowler, born November 19, 1917, in Legaspe. Cradled in the arms of her older sister in the photograph, Josephine would later grow into a woman remembered for her devotion as a wife, mother, and teacher. Her life spanned continents, from her childhood in the Philippines to her later years in Montebello, California, where she passed away on October 28, 1988, at the age of 70. Her journey reflects both the resilience of her upbringing and the opportunities she embraced in her adopted country.
The Bowler family was large and close-knit, with nine children in all. The siblings included Joseph A. (1908–1991), Mary Lourdes (1909–1990), William “Bill,” Michael S. “Mickey” (1913–1969), James “Jimmy” (1915–2003), Josephine “Jo” (1917–1988), Frank (1920–2001), John Edward (1922–1999), and Dolores “Dolly.” Their parents’ lives set the foundation, William Leslie, who passed in 1930 at just 52, and Dolores Alcantara, who lived to 85, leaving behind a legacy of family resilience. Together, their story represents not only a personal family history but also a snapshot of cultural interconnection in the early 20th century.
