Biographical Sketch of John W. Bowman, Johnson County, Missouri, 
Bowmansville

>From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell,
Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.

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John W. Bowman, the widely known merchant and blacksmith, whose store,
shop, and residence constitute the little town, on the Leeton-Warrens-
burg road, which the people of Johnson county call Bowmansville, is a
native of Wisconsin.  He was born in 1859 in Richland county, Wisconsin
the son of John Bowman, Sr. and Lucinda (Shepard) Bowman.  John Bowman
Sr. was born in Ohio, and in early manhood moved to Wisconsin, thence 
to Illinois and from Illinois to Johnson county, Missouri, with his 
family in 1867.  The Bowman family settled on a farm, known as the Adam
Fickas farm, after having lived one year on a place south of Warrens-
burg, and three years on the Oskeday place, now owned by the Mohlers,
which is located south of Warrensburg.  Mr. and Mrs. John Bowman, Sr.,
resided on the Fickas farm for 20 years.  At the time of his death on
February 1, 1911, Mr. Bowman was with his son, John Jr.  The mother 
died on August 12th of the same year.  The remains of both parents were
interred in the cemetery near Warrensburg, known as the Dunkard ceme-
tery.  John Bowman, Sr. and Lucinda (Shepard) Bowman were the parents 
of the following children: Lizzie, the wife of Finis Faubian, Warrens-
burg; Anna, the widow of Alfred McDonald, Post Oak township; Christian,
deceased; John W., Jr., the subject of this review; Daniel, Warrensburg;
Mary, the wife of John McGirl, Hazel Hill township; and Lydia, the wife
of Thomas Myers.  John W. Bowman, Jr. received his education in the
district school in Johnson county, at Possum Trot schoolhouse.  He re-
mained with his parents as long as they lived and until he was 30 years
of age, he was engaged in farming.  At that time, he began blacksmith-
ing on the farm.  In 1896, he erected his present shop.  Mr. Bowman's
blacksmith shop is equipped with all the latest and modern machinery 
and tools, being supplied with a triphammer, woodworking machine with
band saw, boring machine, planer, cold tire setter, plow welding machi-
ne, and power punching machine, all of which are operated by a gasoline
engine.  Mr. Bowman sharpened plows with an iron wedge for an anvil, 
when he began business more than a score of years ago.  In 1905, he
opened a general store in addition to his shop of which his older son,
James, has charge while the younger son, Joseph, assists his father in
the blacksmith shop.  The store and shop constitute Bowmansville's
principal and only business establishments and there is probably not
another town in Missouri where all the citizens are congenial members
of one family, all cooperating as harmoniously as do the citizens of
this little town.  In 1890, John W. Bowman, Jr. and Mary Miller were
united in marriage.  Mary (Miller) Bowman is the daughter of John and
Emily (Miller) Miller, who were the parents of the following children:
Ed, Ft. Smith, Arkansas; Arthur, Ft. Smith, Arkansas; Mrs. Lydia Ohmart,
who resides in Oklahoma; Mrs. Effie Galion, Siloam Springs, Arkansas;
and Mrs. John W. Bowman, the wife of the subject of this review.  To
Mr. and Mrs. Bowman have been born two sons: James F. and Joseph E.,
both of whom are associated with thier father in conducting the busi-
ness interests of Bowmansville.  They have established a splendid 
reputation in Johnson county and the name of Bowman is synonym for 
honest, honorable, upright dealings.  Mr. and Mrs. Bowman are numbered
among the county's most substantial citizens.

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