Biography of W. J. Stowers - Conway Co, AR

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Submitted by: Cathy Barnes <bbarnes@cswnet.com>
        Date: 21 Jun 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

Page 102

W. J. Stowers, Cashier of the Bank of Morrilton, was born in Georgia
in 1846. He was the oldest in a family of ten children born to R. M.
and Nancy A. (McCollum) Stowers, who were natives of Georgia and South
Carolina respectively. This family removed to Mississippi soon after
the birth of the subject of this sketch, and settled in Lafayette
County, where he lived, following the occupation of a planter till his
death in 1883. He was followed to his eternal home by his excellent
wife in 1885. W. J. Stowers (the subject of this sketch) was reared on
the farm till about 14 years of age, during which time he attended the
country schools. In 1860 he secured an appointment of clerkship in the
Department of the Interior at Washington; remained in the office one
year; he then entered Bethel College at Macklemoresville, Tenn., where
he was attending at the outbreak of the war, when he left his studies
in response to his country's call for soldiers and enlisted in
Company G, 11th Mississippi Regiment. He was in the battles of Fair
Oaks or Seven Pines and the seven days' fight before Richmond; was in
the Virginia and Maryland campaigns, and saw much hard fighting there.
During the last year of the war was detailed to do clerical work for
Gen. Whiting, who was commanding the Department of North Carolina.
After the capture of Gen. Whiting, was with Gen. Bragg, at Washington,
Ga., when the Confederate cabinet was finally dispersed After the
passing away of the last scene of the great conflict, our subject
returned home, but after a short time went to Memphis and secured
employment as bookkeeper; followed this for two years and then went to
Oxford, the county seat of his county, and engaged in mercantile
business, which he followed till 1879, when he was elected to the
Lower House of the General Assembly of Mississippi. After the
expiration of his term, he re-engaged in planting, and followed that
occupation for five years. In 1887 he came to Morrilton, Ark., and
organized the bank of which he has since been the cashier. (For an
account of this corporation see history of Morrilton.) Since Mr.
Stowers' residence in Morrilton, he has become actively identified
with that city's interest, participating in all measures for her
development and growth. In politics he is a consistent advocate of the
principles of Democracy, and is doing much to strengthen the cause of
that party in Conway County. Among all classes and the old soldiers in
particular, the "Captain," as he is familiarly called, is very
popular. Socially, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the
Masonic fraternities, and religiously he is a member of the
Presbyterian Church (old school).