Biography of Simon M. Bowman - Craighead Co, AR

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Submitted by: Unknown < >
        Date: 26 Sep 1998
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1889.

page 319

 Simon M. Bowman. Prominent among the prosperous and enterprising
citizens of Lake City Township may be mentioned the subject of this
sketch, who is a leading farmer and stock raiser, and also proprietor
of a cotton-gin and saw-mill. He was born in Henderson County, Tenn.,
in 1847, and is a son of Joshua and Sally (Easley) Bowman, natives of
Tennessee. They were reared and married in the "Old Volunteer State,"
where the father died in 1856. One year later the mother moved with her
family to Arkansas, and located on the Maumelle Prairie in this county,
where she remained until 1862, when she removed to Crowley's Ridge,
returning but shortly afterward to the Prairie. To Mr. and Mrs. Bowman
were born eight children, two of whom are now living: Simon M. and Mrs.
Margaret Butcher. Mrs. Bowman was again married to Moses W. Lewis (now
deceased), by whom she was the mother of one child, Perry E. Lewis. She
married the third time, and after a life of charitable usefulness, died
about 1871. Simon M. Bowman attained his majority in this county, and
in 1869 moved to the place where he has since resided. He now has about
400 acres of land, with 110 under cultivation, over sixty of which he
has cleared and cultivated himself. He has a good residence, tenant
house, orchard, etc. In 1888 he built a cotton-gin and sawmill in
partnership with his half brother, Perry E. Lewis, and that year they
ginned 127 bales of cotton. Mr. Bowman was first married in 1868, to
Miss Sarah Harris, a native of the State, who died in June, 1873,
leaving two children, Melinda, and Perry, both now deceased. For his
second wife, he married his first wife's sister, Alice Harris, the
fruits of which union have been nine children. There are seven living:
Mary, Oscar, John, Rosa, Amos, Willie and Ada. Those deceased are Sally
and Jimmie. Mr. and Mrs. Bowman are members of the Methodist Church.