Biographical Sketch of Valentine Bowers, Camden County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, 
Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing
Company, 1889.
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Valentine Bowers, merchant and postmaster at Decaturville, Mo., was 
born in Carter county, Tenn., in 1855, and is a son of Rev. Abraham N.
and Mary (Ellis) Bowers, and grandson of Valentine Bowers, who was also
a minister, and who lived to be about eighty-six years of age.  Rev.
Abraham N. Bowers and wife were born in Carter county, Tenn., and after
they had a family of four children moved to Gentry county, Mo., going
two years later to Morgan county, Mo., where the father resided until
1881, when his son Valentine took him to Eureka Springs, Ark., where he
died on the 21st of August, 1881, at the age of fifty-five years.  He
was actively engaged in ministerial work throughout his career in Miss-
ouri, and by his consistent Christian life, and earnest endeavor, did
much to further the cause of Christianity.  His widow is still living 
on the home farm in Morgan county, in fifty-eighth year, and always
labored earnestly to aid her husband in his ministerial duties.  The
following are her children who are living: Daniel, Valentine, Reece,
James, John, Jacob, Isaac, Polly and Barbara.  Those deceased were
Archey, Lyda, Abigail, and two infants who died unnamed.  Valentine
Bowers attained his maturity in Morgan county, Mo., and obtained a good
common and high school education, and prepared himself for teaching by
also attending normal school.  He then followed the occupation of
pedagoguing for eight years in Morgan and Camden counties, and in 
March, 1883, engaged in the mercantile business at Decaturville, where 
he has since successfully held forth.  He was appointed postmaster of
the town in 1883, and since his residence here has held the office of
school director.  Miss Mattie Oszmus became his wife on the 28th of
October, 1881.  She was born in Pettis county, Mo., and is a daughter
of Andrew and Jane Oszmus, who were natives of Germany and Indiana,
respectively.  The father came to America when nineteen years of age,
landing at New Orleans, and afterward located in Indiana, where he was
married.  He then moved to Pettis county, Mo., and at the close of the
war to Camden county, where he is still living, engaged in farming,
near Linn Creek.  The following are his children: Maggie, Willie, 
Mattie and Mary (deceased).  Mr. and Mrs. Bowers are the parents of one
child, named Gracie.  They belong to the Baptist Church, and he is a
member of the A. F. & A. M., and in his political views is a Democrat.

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