Independence-St Francis-White County ArArchives Biographies.....Bowers, T. J. 1861 - 
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Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

T. J. BOWERS.
    T. J. Bowers, editor of the Searcy News, was born in Greene county,
Tennessee, August 19, 1861. He is a representative of one of the oldest families
of Pennsylvania, his ancestors coming to the new world during William Penn's
time. The family is noted for longevity. The grandfather, Lewis Bowers, was born
in the Keystone state and removed to Tennessee, where he followed the occupation
of farming. His son and namesake, Lewis Bowers, was born in Greene county,
Tennessee, and after arriving at adult age, there married Barbara A. Cobble, who
was also born in that county. Mr. Bowers was actively interested in politics
prior to the Civil war and was serving as sheriff of Greene county when the war
broke out. He enlisted for service with the Confederate troops while seven of
his eight brothers fought against him, being members of the Union army. He was
under Bragg and participated in many of the most important battles of the war.
On one occasion a bullet struck a Bible which he carried in his pocket and thus
prevented him from being wounded. He served with the infantry forces and on one
occasion was captured. At another time he saved the life of a Union general by
carrying him off the field. He was court-martialed for furnishing arms to the
Confederate army but was paroled. He had become quite wealthy prior to the war
but lost everything during that conflict, having been an extensive landholder
and slaveowner. Later he went to Huntsville, Alabama, where he engaged in
farming, leasing a plantation there for eight years. He shipped his first crop
of cotton but never received anything for it. He then removed to St. Francis
county, Arkansas, settling in Forrest City in 1874, and was there engaged in
farming until he took up his abode in Cushman, Arkansas, where he conducted a
hotel and also served as justice of the peace. He afterward removed to
Washington, D. C., where he died in 1910, at the advanced age of eighty-five
years, while his wife departed this life in 1908 at the age of eighty-one years.
They were the parents of ten children, of whom the eldest died in infancy. The
others are: Sarah E., who is the widow of J. A. McGall and is living in
Washington, D. C, at the age of seventy-six years; Rebecca, the wife of J. F.
Engles of Washington, D. C; Mattie, who became the wife of J. P. Eslinger, but
both are now deceased; Mary E., who is the wife of I. D. W. Cobb, living near
Huntsville, Alabama; Andrew J., a machinist, residing at Batesville, Arkansas;
T. J., of this review; C. C, a stockman, residing in Comanche, Texas; Fay I.,
the wife of F. J. Headstream, living near Roby, Texas, where he owns land and is
engaged in dairying; and Lillie A., the wife of J. W. Simmons of Washington, D.
C. The parents were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South,
and Mr. Bowers was a democrat in his political views and fraternally was
connected with the Odd Fellows and the Masons. The mother was a daughter of
William Cobble, who was a carpenter and contractor of Tennessee.

    T. J. Bowers pursued his advanced education in a college at La Crosse,
Arkansas, under Professor Kennard, there studying in 1883 and 1884, while in
1885 and 1886 he attended the State University at Fayetteville. He then returned
to Independence county and became a teacher in the rural districts, after which
he spent three years as a teacher in Cushman, Arkansas. He next turned his
attention to merchandising at that place, where he remained until 1896, when he
came to Searcy and here entered the grocery business. Later he spent three years
in Blue Mountain, Arkansas, but in 1904 he returned to Searcy and for three
years was on the road as a traveling salesman. He afterward purchased a general
merchandise business in Searcy, which he conducted for a time and then sold.
Subsequently he concentrated his efforts and attention upon the insurance and
real estate business and at the same time filled the office of justice of the
peace. In June, 1918, he purchased the Searcy News and has continued as its
manager and editor. This is a weekly paper of merit, devoted to the
dissemination of general and local news and in addition to printing the paper
Mr. Bowers does job work of all kinds. He has improved the equipment of the
office, so that excellent work is turned out and he has largely built up the
paper, which today has a circulation of one thousand. He devotes his entire time
to his newspaper interests and real estate business and for many years he has
figured prominently in connection with the business development and progress of
the community.

    In 1894 Mr. Bowers was married to Miss Quilla Crow, who was born in
Arkansas, a daughter of Joe Crow. They have many friends in Searcy and the
hospitality of their home is greatly enjoyed by their large circle of
acquaintances. Mr. Bowers is a democrat in his political views and he and his
wife hold membership in the Missionary Baptist church, its teachings
constituting the basic principles of all their acts.


Additional Comments:

Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


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