William R. Bowen

SOURCE: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889
Contributed by Michael Brown
18 Oct 1998

---------------------------------------------------------------------- SEBASTIAN COUNTY
page 1294

William R. Bowen, farmer and stock dealer, is the son of John and Jane (Bridgeman) Bowen. The father was born in Tennessee in 1799, and when still quite young went to Virginia, where he married Miss Bowen, who was a native of Virginia, born in the year 1797. After marriage they settled in Grainger County, Tenn., and in 1831 they moved to Madison County, Ark., where the father died in 1844. The widow and children then came to Sebastian County, where the mother married William Troylor. She died in 1850. The father was a farmer in early life, but later ran a still-house. He was justice of the peace and county judge for eight years in Madison County. He was an old-time Democrat, a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and both were worthy and intelligent people. By her first marriage Mrs. Bowen became the mother of thirteen children, five sons and eight daughters, but had no children by her second marriage. The second child, William R. Bowen, was born March 12, 1825, in Grainger County, Tenn. He was reared to farm life, [p.1294] and received little or no education. After he had reached forty-six years of age he became converted, and learned to read the Bible. In 1847 he married Miss Mary A. Barnard, who bore him eight children, three now living: Mary E., Buchanan H. and Alexander. About 1855 Mr. Bowen separated from his first wife, and in 1856 married Miss Elizabeth Bradshaw, who bore him five children, three now living: Ahab, John and Rachel. Mrs. Bowen died in 1885, and two years later Mr. Bowen married Miss Ellen Doyle. Since first coming to this country, in 1844, Mr. Bowen has followed farming, and is the owner of 200 acres of land, 100 acres of which are under cultivation. During the war he served two years in the Union army, and his disabilities allow him a pension of $8 per month. The most of his work was in hospital service. He is an essential Baptist in his religious views, and is a true Federal in his polities. Mr. Bowen contributes liberally to all charitable organizations, and takes an interest in schools and churches.