Biography of Harry Bowen HARRY BOWEN is a leading operator in the Pocahontas fields of Mercer County, his home being at Simmon Station, Freeman Post Office, half a mile from Bramwell. He has been active in the coal industry forty years and. in later years has acquired widening interests in other affairs. Mr. Bowen was born October 14, 1860, at Ashland, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, son of Jonathan P. and Hannah (Evans) Bowen, the latter a native of Pennsyl- vania. Jonathan Bowen was less than a year old when his parents landed in this country on coming from Wales. Jonathan Bowen went to work with his father in coal mines when a mere boy, and with the death of his father he be- came the real head of the family at the age of twelve years, supporting them by work as a miner, and from this humble station reaching responsibilities as mine foreman and superintendent while in Pennsylvania. In 1885 he re- moved to West Virginia, joining Mr. Booth as a partner in the Booth-Bowen properties, which had been opened in 1884 by Mr. Booth and were pioneer developments in the Pocahontas field. Jonathan Bowen was a Union soldier in a Pennsylvania regiment and for many years was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Harry Bowen acquired a common and high school educa- tion in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, graduating from high school at the age of sixteen. His association with the mining industry began as utility boy, and. he also worked in the blacksmith's shop, and finally became company blacksmith tor the Beading Coal & Iron Company, a cor- poration with which he remained for seven years. In February, 1887, Mr. Bowen came to West Virginia to take charge of his father's business, and has therefore been a resident of Mercer County thirty-five years. He still has the management of the Booth-Bowen mines and opera- tions, and is also vice president of the Bank of Bramwell. Mr. Bowen is a Royal Arch and Knight Templar Mason, also a Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner, and has held all the chairs in the Blue Lodge and is a past high priest of the Chapter and past eminent commander of the Knights Templars. He is a member of the Bluefield Country Club and the Shenandoah Club of Roanoke, Virginia. Mr. Bowen has achieved a gratifying share of material prosperity, and the inspiration for his work has been his home and family. He has reared and liberally provided for his own children, and is very proud of his seven grandchil- dren. In 1881, at Mahanoy City, Schuylkill County, Penn- sylvania, he married Miss Harriet Hopkinson, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Howard) Hopkinson. Her parents were both born in England. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Bowen are Elizabeth, now deceased, Jonathan, Ethel, Joseph and Hedley. Jonathan married Miss Stanger and is living at Bramwell. Joseph, who married Elizabeth Pritchard, has four children, named Joseph, Ethel, William and Ann. Hedley, whose home is at Freeman, West Vir- ginia, married Mary Blanton, and their three children are Harry, Hedley and Virginia. From The History of West Virginia, Old and New, page 41-42 Submitted by Valerie F. Crook **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************