Hardy County, West Virginia Biography of Charles D. BOWMAN ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , April 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 642 CHARLES D. BOWMAN. One of West Virginia's native sons who has won his success in the state of his birth is Charles D. Bowman, cashier of the Franklin Bank, of Franklin, and a prominent and influential citizen of his community. For some years he has been identified with the public-spirited movements that have contributed to the ad- vancement of Pendleton County, and formerly was prom- inent in mercantile affairs at Moorefield and served as sheriff of Hardy County. Mr. Bowman was born in Lost River District, on Lost River, Hardy County, West Virginia, February 5, 1867, and is a son of Jacob Bowman. He belongs to one of the old and honored families of the Shenandoah Valley of Vir- ginia, where was born his paternal grandfather, John Bow- man, who spent the greater part of his life in agricultural pursuits in Shenandoah County, but in the evening of life moved to the Lost River country of Hardy County, where he died in 1888, when about seventy-six years of age. On the issues of the war between the states he was un- equivocally a Confederate sympathizer, but was not eligible for military service. John Bowman married Mary Hine- gardner, who belonged to a family which, like the Bowmans, was of German origin. The Hinegardners were also farm- ing people. Mrs. Hinegardner passed away some years prior to the death of her husband. They were the parents of the following children: Silon, a Confederate soldier dur- ing the war between the states and after that a farmer in Hardy County, where his death occurred; Mary, who be- came Mrs. Bowman; Isaac, who was a farmer throughout life and passed away in Hardy County; Sallie, who married John Harper and died in Augusta County, Virginia; Amanda, who died as the wife of Benjamin Hinegardner; Asenath, who married Joseph May; John, who is engaged in farming in Shenandoah County, Virginia; Laura, who mar- ried John See and resides in Hardy County; and Eliza, who is Mrs. Frank Miller, of Hardy County. Jacob Bowman was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, and passed his life in the pursuits of the soil, but while he was a man of industry he did not accumulate a competence, as he lived only to middle life, passing away when his son Charles D. was still young. He and his wife had only this one son. After his death his widow married for her second husband John Mathias, and they had the following children: Jimmie, who died in boyhood; Kate, who married Moses Snyder and is a resident of the Lost River locality of Hardy County; Philip S., who is a farmer and merchant of Mathias, that county; Martha, who married Arthur Snyder and is a resident of the Mathias community; John, who is engaged in farming in the Lost River section; and Etta, the wife of Loy Moyer, of Rockingham County, Virginia. Charles D. Bowman attended the district schools of the Lost River community and spent part of a term at the Fair- mont Normal School, following which he remained at home and learned the trade of carpenter. After following his trade for something under two years he found that if was not congenial and turned his attention to merchandising at Lost City, where he remained as a merchant for about six years. Thereafter he left that community and established himself in the hotel business at Moorefield, conducting a well-patronized establishment for four years, at the end of which time he was elected sheriff of Hardy County, to succeed Sheriff John C. Fisher. He served four years in that office, from 1905 to 1909, and when he returned to civil life became a clerk in the general merchandise store of E. A. Wilson of Moorefield. He remained with that establish- ment for four years and then, in February, 1914, came to Franklin, Pendleton County, which has since been his home. At the time of his arrival Mr. Bowman succeeded C. F. Hammer as cashier of the Franklin Bank, which was organized in 1910 and opened the doors for business in 1911. It is capitalized at $40,000 and is accounted one of the strong and reliable banking institutions of the county. Mr. Bowman has formed many pleasant associations since his arrival at Franklin, and has made lasting friendship which have redounded to his own benefit and to that of the bank of which he is a representative. A democrat in politics, he cast his first presidential vote for Grover Cleveland and has helped to elect two democratic presidents. He was a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. While a resident of Moorefield in addition to being a member of the Official Board of the church and one of its active workers he served capably as superintendent of the Sunday School. On November 4, 1895, Mr. Bowman married at Hagers- town, Maryland, Miss Bessie Seldon, who was born at Exeter, Devonshire, England, a daughter of John and Jane (Bur- rows) Seldon. Mr. Seldon brought his family to the United States in 1873 and established his home on a farm in Hampshire County, West Virginia, where he spent the re- mainder of his life as a wheelwright and vehicle builder, his death occurring at Cape Bridge about 1890. Mrs. Seldon survived him some years, passing away in 1909. They were highly respected people of their community and had numer- ous friends. Mr. and Mrs. Seldon had the following chil- dren : Will, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Hamp- shire County; Charlotte, who died as the wife of John Nelson; Dan, a resident of Moorefield; Bessie, who became Mrs. Bowman; Fred, who is. engaged in farming in Hamp- shire County; Frank and Eli, who are both deceased; and Eliza, who married Robert Miller, of Akron, Ohio. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Bowman are as follows: Mabel, Harold, Ernest, Irvin and Raymond. The first three children have finished their high school work and Ernest is a graduate of the commercial department of the Keyser Preparatory School. Mr. and Mrs. Bowman take an active interest in all that affects their community, and have been contributors to enterprises which have made for advanced education, better morals and higher citizenship.