BIOGRAPHY: Bowman, Martin
From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875

*************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
*************************************************

Reverand MARTIN BOWMAN was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, August 31, 
1826.  His forefathers came from Switzerland, and settled in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, before the Revolutionary War.  His grandfather moved to Dauphin County, 
Pennsylvania, and was captured by the Indians, but escaped and afterwards married, and 
had a family of four boys and two girls, who grew up to be heads of families.   His father 
moved to Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and married a Miss Hershey, who died leaving 
six children.  He afterwards married Christina Crider, and had ten children, the subject of 
this sketch being the sixth, who with his parents, removed to Stark County, Ohio, in the 
Fall of 1829, where he aided his father on the farm, and attended common school.  He was 
converted at the age of nineteen, and commenced preaching the following year, taking 
charge of a church in Stark County, where he continued five years.  In 1852 he moved to 
Johnson County, Iowa, where he purchased one-hundred and sixty acres of land , and 
continued his itineracy, preaching in the Western District.  During the Rebellion he was 
chaplin of the 44th Iowa Regiment, and also in the 22d Regiment, at a later date, severing 
about one year.
He married Jane Goodisson, of Ohio, and has six children, viz.; Henry G., Jane C., Olivia, 
Sadia, Minnie A., and Emma M.    Henry G. who married Miss Carvy, of Linn County, 
and is a lawyer in Cedar Rapids. Jane C., who married F.B. Sheuy, of Western, and has 
had two children.
Mr Bowman has performed the duties of presiding elder, to which responsible position he 
was appointed by the annual conference, some seven or eight years, and has represented 
the Iowa Conference on four different occasions at the General Conference of the Church 
of the "United Brethern in Christ."   He still resides at Western, honored and respected by 
the church and community.