BIO: CHARLES RAYMOND BOWEN, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
  _____________________________________________________________

  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 378-379
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  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/

  
    CHARLES RAYMOND BOWEN, a well-known and substantial citizen of Lower Allen
  township, who is interested in both the dairy and livery business, was born
  Jan. 23, 1875, at Mechanicsburg, this county.
    
    Levi Bowen, his father, was born in Franklin county, of poor but
  respectable parents, and for that reason was bound out, in his childhood, to
  the Crone family of Lewisberry, remaining with them until he went to learn
  the smith trade with John Taylor, of Lower Allen township. His education was
    
    CUMBERLAND COUNTY.	379
    
  received in the district schools. When the Civil war broke out he enlisted in
  a Pennsylvania Reserve regiment and for four years bravely faced the dangers
  of a soldier's life. At the battle of White Oak Swamp he was wounded and
  carried off the field for dead, having laid over night and a part of the
  following day unattended. His name appears on the soldiers' monument at
  Carlisle, as it was supposed he was among the unknown dead. However, he had
  been captured and carried to the terrible Andersonville prison, where,
  strange to tell, he recovered enough to be exchanged. He was welcomed at the
  home of John Taylor and remained with that good man until he finished his
  trade. In 1870 he married Martha Whistler, who was born in Fishing Creek
  Valley, York county, and when but a girl removed with her parents to
  Cumberland county, where she grew up to estimable womanhood and married.
  After this event Mr. Bowen took charge of Mr. Taylor's shop and started
  business in Hakes shop, in Lower Allen township, and then worked in
  Mechanicsburg for a time, moving then to Slate Hill and later to New Market.
  Here he was employed by the Pennsylvania Steel Co., but the work was too hard
  for a man who was still suffering from the cruel wound he had received, and he
  was obliged to give up this good position. Moving to Frogtown, he followed his
  trade there for three years. This was about the end of his work at his trade.
  In Fishing Creek Valley he worked by the day on farms for two years and then
  went to the Buttorf farm, in Fairview township, on which he remained twelve
  years. Then he bought a farm near Lisburn, which he has since been operating.
    
    The children of Levi Bowen and his wife were as follows: Edward, a
  carpenter; Ella, wife of William Reed, of Fairview township; Anna, wife of
  John Fetrow, of Fishing Creek Valley; Charles Raymond, mentioned below;
  Joseph, a traveling man; Roy, who died aged three years; Lloyd, of Hakes
  Mill; Myrtle, at home; William, with our subject and Clarence, at home.
    
    Charles Raymond Bowen was quite small when his parents moved to New Market,
  York county. He was educated in the schools in the vicinity where his parents
  resided, in York county, and he can recall the name of his first teacher,
  Joseph Kaufman. His last one, when he was nineteen years old, was Kelcey
  Atticks. During the interval he had acquired a good common school education
  and had learned many practical lessons not taught in the books. He assisted
  his father on the farm until after his marriage, and worked the following
  year on the home farm, managing the dairy business. Later he bought the dairy
  outfit from his father and has been in the milk business ever since. In 1901
  he removed to New Cumberland, where he still carries on a dairy business. In
  1902 he purchased a livery business, which he carries on advantageously along
  with the other. He is an energetic young man of business ability and is very
  highly regarded in New Cumberland.
    
    On March 8, 1897, Mr. Bowen married Laura Smith, who was born in York
  county, daughter of George and Sarah (Eisenhower) Smith, and they commenced
  housekeeping in Fairview township. They have now a pleasant comfortable home
  in New Cumberland, and have four children: Florence, George, Paul and
  Maurice. In politics Mr. Bowen is a Democrat. Fraternally, he is associated
  with the Jr. O. U. A. M. Both he and his wife belong to the U. B. Church.