Editing John Fowler (politician) (section)

== Career ==
In 1783, Fowler moved to [[Lexington, Kentucky]]. In October 1786, by act of the [[Virginia General Assembly]], Fowler was appointed to serve as one of the trustees of the new city of [[Frankfort, Kentucky]]. In June 1787, Fowler joined Captain James Brown's company of Kentucky volunteers, which [[Indian Wars|fought Indians]]. In 1787, Fowler was part of the [[Danville, Kentucky|Danville]] convention of 1787 (Kentucky's third statehood convention), representing [[Fayette County, Kentucky|Fayette County]], then part of Virginia but later part of Kentucky.<ref name="CongBio" /> The same year, Fowler was elected to the [[Virginia House of Delegates]]. On 1788, Fowler was Fayette County to the [[Virginia Ratifying Convention]], which ratified the [[United States Constitution]].<ref name="KY Encyclopedia" /> In 1788, Fowler, along with [[Richard Clough Anderson Sr.]] and [[Green Clay]], established Lexington Freemason Lodge No. 1. From 1787 to 1794, Fowler served as an [[Ensign (rank)|ensign]] in the Lexington Light Infantry, and fought against Indians. Fowler was a member of Kentucky Society for Promoting Useful Knowledge, which was associated with the [[Danville Political Club]].<ref name="KY Encyclopedia" />

Fowler was the treasurer of [[Transylvania University|Transylvania Seminary]] from 1789 to 1793. He was "gentleman justice" for [[Woodford County, Kentucky]] from May 5, 1789, to 1794. From 1792 to 1794, Fowler served as [[clerk of the court]] of [[oyer and terminer]], and clerk to the directors of public buildings. In the [[United States Senate elections, 1794 and 1795|1794 elections]], Fowler was a candidate for U.S. Senate from Kentucky, but was eliminated on the first ballot in the Kentucky Legislature; [[Humphrey Marshall (politician)|Humphrey Marshall]] received eighteen votes, [[John Breckinridge (Virginia and Kentucky)|John Breckinridge]] sixteen, Fowler eight, and incumbent [[John Edwards (Kentucky)|John Edwards]] seven.<ref name="New History">Lowell H. Harrison & James C. Klotter, ''A New History of Kentucky'' (University Press of Kentucky, 1997).</ref>

Fowler was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]] in 1797. He was reelected several times&mdash;he served in the [[Fifth United States Congress|Fifth]], [[Sixth United States Congress|Sixth]], [[Seventh United States Congress|Seventh]], [[Eighth United States Congress|Eighth]], and [[Ninth United States Congress|Ninth]] congresses&mdash;and served a total of ten years, leaving office in 1807. After leaving office, he served as a member of the board of trustees of Lexington, and chairman of the board from 1817 to 1818.<ref name="KY Encyclopedia"/> Fowler also served as the fourth [[postmaster]] of Lexington, from 1814 to 1822.<ref name="KY Encyclopedia"/>

Fowler had large land holdings in Virginia and Kentucky. He was one of the founders of the Kentucky Agricultural Society. Sometime before 1800, Fowler established "Fowler's Gardens" on three hundred acres near Lexington.<ref name="KY Encyclopedia"/> This large tract of land on the eastern edge of Lexington opened as a park in 1817, and the area was used for fairs, picnics, [[barbeque]]s, political gatherings, and other events.<ref name="Wright"/>

In 1802, Fowler donated ninety-three acres of land near [[Carlisle, Kentucky]], to the [[Concord Presbyterian Church (Kentucky)|Concord Presbyterian Church]].<ref name="KY Encyclopedia"/>