BOWMAN, John M. - Putnam

Illustrated 1910: B. F. Bowen & Company, Publishers Indianapolis, Indiana

Author: Jesse W. Weik p 314

Among the well remembered and highly respected men of Putnam county,

who. during a former generation. did much for the general good of the resi-

dents here and who have "cast off the robes and instruments of sense and

now sleep the sleep that knows no waking, is John M. Bowman, who left his

family a valuable estate near Fillmore and also left behind him what is more

valuable, an honored name, for he was a man in whom his neighbors placed the

utmost confidence, knowing him to be honest and kind and of a likable dispo-

sition.

Mr. Bowman was born December 25. 1S35. the son of Leonard and

Marv (Hickman) Bowman, who came to this county from Kentucky in

1833, locating on a farm. He was a farmer and carpenter and he and his

wife were members of the Methodist church; his death occurred April 1. 1870,

Mrs. Bowman reaching an advanced age, dying March 13. 1900. Both are

buried at Mt. Carmel, this county. They were the parents of eleven children.

namely : John M.. the immediate subject of this sketch : Matilda Jane. Martha

Katherine, William, Elizabeth Margaret, George, Charles. Alice, Lydia,

Gilbert B. and Martha; all are deceased except the last two named. They

were all born on the present Bowman homestead here. Martha is the wife

of William Denny and Gilbert Brown is living at Lebanon, Indiana.

John M. Bowman received a common school education and spent his boy-

hood days on the home farm. He married Sarah J. Smith, February 24, 1S64,

She is the daughter of Robert L. and Elmina Smith, an old and highly re-

spected family of this county, Mr. Smith having been a successful and honored

fanner, owning a farm adjoining that of Leonard Bowman.

Mr. and Mrs. Bowman went to housekeeping in a log hut on a farm

joining the land owned by his father, consisting of two hundred and thirty-

nine acres, which he bought in 1873.

Mr. Bowman was one of the patriotic sons of the North who enlisted in

defense of his country, becoming a member of Company H, Eleventh Regi-

ment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served five months or until the close

of the war. Upon his return from the front he moved from his original home

and settled on the old home place, where he resided until his death, February

3. 1907. He received a pension of fifty dollars a month. He was not only a

successful farmer, but also raised stock of a good quality. He was a Re-

publican in politics and a progressive citizen, believing in good roads and all

kinds of public improvements. He belonged to the Methodist church at Fill-

more, of which congregation his wife is also a member. Mr. and Mrs. Bow-

man were the parents of fourteen children, named as follows : Laura Isabelle

is the wife of John C. Broadstreet. a farmer of Mill Creek township, and they

are the parents of six children, Austin (deceased). Martin, Linnie, Mingle,

Wayne and Verlin. Linnie Elma married a Mr. Broadstreet and is now de-

ceased : Mary Eddy is deceased ; Luella is the wife of Charles Bins, of Marion

township: they live on a farm and are the parents of four children, Jesse.

Maynard, Alberta and Walter. Charles Edgar married Lennie Forest Perry

(deceased), and they had one child, Gladys; they live on a farm in Marion

township. The next child died in infancy; Lee Hulda is the wife of Walter

Wright, a farmer in [Marion township, and they are the parents of two chil-

dren, Olen and Dorothy; Ollie Elmina is deceased, and left one child. Lois

Cowell; Claude Orlando is deceased ; Martha Catherine is deceased ; George

Clyde is living at home, with one child. Clyde; Baddy E. (deceased) ; Can-

dace Alice is the wife of Dr. Bert O'Brien; they have two children. Bernice

and William Waldo ; they live at Winchester, Hendricks county: Eliza-

beth, deceased. >

Besides her own large family Mrs. Bowman raised two children. Clarence

Van Cleve and Mary Averv.