Person Page - 100

     George Irvin Bowers was born on 4 October 1885 at Jasper Co., Missouri. He was the son of Hardin Thomas Bowers and Sarah Ann Sample. George Irvin Bowers died on 21 July 1943 at Garden Twp., Cherokee Co., Kansas, at age 57. He was buried at Pleasant View Cemetery, Spring Valley Twp., Cherokee Co., Kansas.
     
Biography of George Irvin Bowers:

Joplin News-Herald, Joplin, Missouri, July 21, 1943. "Funeral Rites Friday for George I. Bowers. Webb City, Mo., July 21, 1943. George Irvin Bowers, 57 years old, died at 3 o'clock this morning at the home of his mother, Mrs. Sarah Bowers, one mile north of Riverton, where they had resided for a year. Bowers formerly lived at 1129 West Daugherty street, Webb City. He is survived by his mother; a sister, Mrs. Jennie Thomas of Webb City, and a brother, Elmer Bowers of Riverton. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon at the Shilow church at Riverton. Burial will be in Shilow cemetery under direction of the Hedge-Nelson funeral home."¹

     Giles Elmer Bowers was born on 28 August 1888 at near Sarcoxie, Jasper Co., Missouri. He was the son of Hardin Thomas Bowers and Sarah Ann Sample. Giles Elmer Bowers married Elizabeth "Libbie" Valetta Darr on 13 December 1910 at McDonald Co., Missouri. Giles Elmer Bowers died on 14 April 1949 at Joplin, Jasper Co., Missouri, at age 60; mesenteric thrombosis with peritonitis. He was buried at Pleasant View Cemetery, Spring Valley Twp., Cherokee Co., Kansas.
     
Biography of Giles Elmer Bowers:

The following biography is from Howard Bowers Light Townsend of Kentucky.¹ It is reproduced below with permission:

Between 1903 and 1909 Elmer Bowers kept a journal in a small pocket ledger. This included records of day labor for neighbors Auman, Hodson, Carnahan and Pickett, working typically for 50 to 75 cents a day, and records of sales of farm produce. In January 1908 he became seriously ill and kept a daily log for several months mostly commenting on the weather and what his father and brother Irvin were doing. He wrote, "was sick about 4 months took sick with pneumonian [sic] fever 25th of ____. It was the 14th of Mar before I set up any never done any work from about the middle of January till about the 16th of May never done anything for about 4 months."

It is not known how he met Libbie Darr. Their families' homes were about 30 miles apart; Libbie living with her parents south of Seneca, Missouri and Elmer living with his parents three miles north of Baxter Springs, Kansas. However, it might have been through the association of Baptist churches which rotated meetings in months which had five Sundays, called Fifth Sunday meetings. The churchs took turns in hosting the all day meetings for preaching, gospel singing, fellowship and potluck dinners.

After his marriage he worked on construction of the dam on Spring River located at Lowell, Kansas, probably as a laborer. He walked to and from work from the small house in which he and Libbie lived located one-half mile north of Riverton and a short distance west of the Friends Church. After the dam was completed he was employed by the Empire District Electric Company at the steam-electric power plant in Riverton, Kansas, shoveling coal into the firebox of a hand-fired boiler and dragging out ashes. One night while dragging out ashes in the hot and smoky boiler room, the foreman came by and started yelling at him to work harder and get those ashes out faster. He handed his shovel to the foreman and told the him that he could finish the job. He walked off the job and never returned.

Deed Book 72:561, Cherokee Co., Kansas, 8 Sep 1912, Elmer Bowers from J. R. Huff and wife, warranty deed, located in Sec 7, Twp 34, Range 25. This is the blacksmith shop that Elmer Bowers bought from John Huff. It was located one mile north and one mile west of Riverton, Kansas. John Huff taught him the trade of blacksmithing.

Deed Book 87:324, Cherokee Co., Kansas, 7 Sep 1914, Elmer Bowers and wife to Guy G. Darr, warranty deed, located in Sec 7, Twp 34, Range 25. Elmer Bowers sold a part interest in the blacksmith shop to his brother-in-law, Guy Darr.

Deed Book 87:292, 2 Jan 1915, Elmer Bowers from Guy G. Darr, warranty deed, located in Sec 7, Twp 34, Range 25. Elmer Bowers re-purchased the part interest in his blacksmith shop that he had sold to his brother-in-law.

Between 1915 and 1920 he worked for a short period of time in Galena, Kansas, probably for Kennedy Ford.

Elmer Bowers sold the John Huff blacksmith shop about 1921and built a new auto repair shop and blacksmith shop located one mile north of Riverton (and one mile east of the John Huff shop) on the southeast corner of the section line. In 1929 the road running north from Riverton was widened and paved. He moved his house to the west side of the road and built a new shop. (Research note: Find deeds for (1) sale of John Huff blacksmith shop about 1921, (2) purchase/lease of property one mile north of Riverton on east side of road and (3) purchase of property on west side of road.) This road was known locally as Military Road. It was built initially as a military road to connect Ft. Scott, Kansas with outposts in Oklahoma Territory.

Elmer Bowers household not found in the 1920 U.S. census for Cherokee Co., Kansas.

Deed Book 93:272, 5 Sep 1929, Elmer Bowers and wife to Galena National Bank, mortgage on N 1/2 of NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Sec 18, Twp 34, Range 25, satisfied 13 Sep 1934.

He was treasurer of the school board in 1929 when the first high school was built in Riverton, Kansas. His name is on the cornerstone of the old high school building, long since torn down to be replaced by a new high school building.

1930 U.S. census, Garden Twp., Cherokee Co., Kansas, T626, Roll 696, p 16A:
Elmer Bowers, head, male, age 41, md. 22 yr, b. Missouri, father b. Missouri, mother b. Illinois, auto parts dealer
Elizabeth V., wife, female, 42, md. 22 yr, Kansas, Ohio, Ohio
Harry A., son, m, 16, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas
G. Leroy, son, m, 12, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas
A. Marie, dau., f, 9, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas
E. Dorothy, dau., f, 7, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas
Howard I., son, m, 4 10/12, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas
Lloyd R., son, m, 11/12, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas

Deed Book 99:100, 25 Feb 1935, Elmer Bowers and wife to Chillon Carter, mortage on N 1/2 of NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Sec 18, Twp 34, Range 25, satisfied 21 Aug 1937.

Joplin News-Herald, Joplin, Missouri, April 15, 1949. "Veteran Garage Owner of Galena Vicinity Dies. Galena, Kan., April 14. Elmer Bowers, 60 years old, veteran garage owner who lived a mile north of Riverton on Galena route 1, died at 5:15 o'clock this morning in St. John's hospital at Joplin, where he had been a patient two days. He had been ill one month. He was born at Sarcoxie, Mo., August 28, 1888. He had lived in Galena and Riverton 50 years. Purchasing the John Huff blacksmith shop in Quaker Valley 38 years ago, he operated it for a number of years, later establishing a garage and filling station one mile north of Riverton, which he operated for the past 30 years. He was a member of the Baptist church, A.T.A. lodge at Lowell, I.O.O.F. lodge at Crestline and the A.O.U.W. lodge in Galena. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Libbie Bowers; four sons, Harry A. Bowers of Garland, Tex., Roy Bowers of Phoenix, Ariz., Howard Bowers of Muscatine, Ia., and Lloyd Bowers of Independence, Kan; two daughters, Mrs. Verl Martin of Baxter Springs and Miss Dorothy Bowers of the home; a sister, Mrs. Jennie Thomas of Carterville, Mo., and seven grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted at 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon at the Friends church at Riverton. The Rev. Charles Hatfield of Sarcoxie will officiate, Burial will be in Shiloh cemetery, in the Quaker Valley district, under the direction of the Derfelt-Boone funeral home. Graveside services will be given by the I.O.O.F. lodge. The body will be taken to the home Friday afternoon to lie in state until 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon."

Deed Book 153:312, 9 May 1951, Elizabeth V. Bowers to W. O. York and wife, warranty deed, located in Sec 18, Twp 34, Range 25.¹

     Hardin Thomas Bowers was born on 19 May 1855 at Caldwell Co., Missouri. He married Sarah Ann Sample, daughter of George Washington Sample and Lucy Ann Braden, on 23 October 1884 at Carthage, Jasper Co., Missouri; The father G. W. Sample of Sarah A. Sample gave his assent to the marriage. Hardin Thomas Bowers died on 27 April 1918 at Spring Valley Twp., Cherokee Co., Kansas, at age 62; paralysis. He was buried at Pleasant View Cemetery, Spring Valley Twp., Cherokee Co., Kansas.
     
Biography of Hardin Thomas Bowers:

The following biography is from Howard Bowers Light Townsend of Kentucky.¹ It is reproduced below with permission:

Here is an interesting set of three Barton Co., Missouri land transactions, involving Hardin Thomas Bowers, his wife Sarah Ann Bowers and his father-in-law George Washington Sample, that would bear further investigation:
(1) Deed book 59:303, Sarah A. Bowers from James D. Chapman, warranty deed, 2 May 1888, recorded 3 May 1888, 60 acres, SW 1/4 of SE 1/4 and E 1/2 of SE 1/4 of SW 1/4, Sec 12, Twp 30, Range 32.
(2) Deed book 70:39, H. T. Bowers to George W. Sample, warranty deed, 2 May 1888, recorded 15 Jan 1890, 80 acres, NW 1/4 of NE 1/4 and E 1/2 of E 1/2 of NW 1/4, Sec 3 Twp 30 Range 30.
(3) Deed book 71:69, H. T. Bowers to George W. Sample, warranty deed, 2 May 1888, recorded 15 Jan 1891, 60 acres, SW 1/4 of SE 1/4 and E 1/2 of SE 1/4 of SW 1/4, Sec 3, Twp 30 Range 32.

1900 U.S. census, Southwest Twp., Barton Co., Missouri, T623, Roll 838, p 181:
Hardin T. Bowers, head, male, b. May 1855, age 45, md. 15 yr, b. Missouri, father b. Tennessee,      mother b. N. Carolina, farmer
Sarah A., wife, female, Feb 1867, 33, md. 15 yr, Illinois, Illinois, Illinois
Irving G., son, m, Oct 1885, 14, Missouri, Missouri, Illinois, at school
Gilge E., son, m, Aug 1888, 11, Missouri, Missouri, Illinois, at school
Jennie E., dau., f, Nov 1893, 6, Missouri, Missouri, Illinois

1910 U.S. census, Spring Valley Twp., Cherokee Co., Kansas, T624, Roll 434, p 155B:
Hardin T. Bowers, head, male, age 54, md. 25 yr, b. Missouri, father b. Tennessee,
     mother b. N. Carolina, farmer
Sarah A., wife, female, 43, md. 25 yr, Illinois, Illinois, Illinois
Irvin, son, m, 24, Missouri, Missouri, Illinois, farmer
Elmer, son, m, 21, Missouri, Missouri, Illinois, working out
Jennie, dau., f, 16, Missouri, Missouri, Illinois

He was one of the first three trustees of Pleasant View Cemetery, along with W. H. J. Wade and C. E. Rowland, when it was formed in 1911.

Source unknown: "Thomas Bowers. Hardin Thomas Bowers, son of Gilge and Sarah Bowers, was born May 19, 1855, and died April 27, 1918, aged 62 years, 11 months and 8 days. He had resided in Cherokee county 17 years, coming here from Barton County, Mo. He had been in poor health for two years and was confined to his bed for almost nine weeks during the last sickness. He bore his sickness patiently, never complaining, but always looking on the bright side of life. He was converted in October, 1908, and united with the Free Will Baptist church of which he remained a faithful member until his death. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Sarah Bowers, and two sons, Irvin and Elmer Bowers, and one daughter, Mrs. Jennie Thomas and six grand children, four brothers, J. F. Bowers, Nettleton, Mo; Charles Bowers, Mount Hope, Kas; William Bowers, Carthage, Mo., and Emanuel Bowers, of Oklahoma City, Okla., and one sister, Mrs. Nancy Clampit, of Iowa. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. John C. Booe, at the Shilo church, with interment in the Pleasant View cemetery.
     He has gone to that bright City
     To abide for ever more,
     He has left this world of sorrow
     He has reached a brighter shore.
Contributed."

Columbus Daily Advocate, Columbus, Kansas, April 29, 1918, p. 3: "Death of Thos. Bowers. Harden Thomas Bowers, 63 years of age, died Saturday morning at nine o'clock at his home three miles northwest of Baxter Springs. He had been ill for two years, and his death was due to paralysis. Funeral Services were held Sunday afternoon, and interment was made at Pleasant View cemetery. The deceased had been a resident of the Baxter neighborhood for nearly 25 years."¹

     Harry Alvin Bowers was born on 15 August 1913 at Lowell Twp., Cherokee Co., Kansas. He was the son of Giles Elmer Bowers and Elizabeth "Libbie" Valetta Darr. Harry Alvin Bowers married Myrtle Marie Brasch on 5 August 1932 at Kansas. Harry Alvin Bowers died on 22 December 1986 at Garland, Dallas Co., Texas, at age 73. He was buried at Restland Park Cemetery, Dallas, Dallas Co., Texas.
     
Biography of Harry Alvin Bowers:

He served in the Air Corps in WWII, first lieutenant.¹

     Jennie Ethel Bowers was born on 21 November 1893 at Jasper Co., Missouri. She was the daughter of Hardin Thomas Bowers and Sarah Ann Sample. Jennie Ethel Bowers married John Oliver Thomas on 31 August 1910 at Spring Valley Twp., Cherokee Co., Kansas. Jennie Ethel Bowers died on 23 September 1985 at Joplin, Jasper Co., Missouri, at age 91. She was buried at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Webb City, Jasper Co., Missouri.
     
Biography of Jennie Ethel Bowers:

She was married at the home of her parents, Hardin Thomas Bowers and Sarah Ann Sample Bowers, located on Brush Creek about three miles north of Baxter Springs, Kansas.¹

     John Elmer Bowers was born on 25 November 1911 at Cherokee Co., Kansas. He was the son of Giles Elmer Bowers and Elizabeth "Libbie" Valetta Darr. John Elmer Bowers died on 14 March 1912 at Cherokee Co., Kansas; whooping cough and pneumonia. He was buried at Pleasant View Cemetery, Spring Valley Twp., Cherokee Co., Kansas.
     
Biography of John Elmer Bowers:

Obituary (source unknown): "John Elmer Bowers, age three months and twenty days died at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Bowers at 4:00 a. m. Thursday of whooping caugh [sic]. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Rowland from the residence at 10:00 o'clock Friday and the little form was laid to rest in the Shilo cemetery at Pleasant View. "A little Angel so recently let lose from the throne of God has taken its flight home. A rose bud plucked from the garden of Earth shall bloom in the courts of heaven." Mr. and Mrs. Bowers have the sincere sympathy of their friends in this time of sorrow over the loss of their little one."¹

     William was born circa 1890. He married Lonnie Jackson Henderson, daughter of Jasper P. Henderson and Susan S. Tompkins.¹

     David Earl Bowin was born on 19 June 1892 at Greenwood, Jackson Co., Missouri. He was the son of James Hardin Bowin and Cora Jeanette Sample. David Earl Bowin married an unknown person. He died on 18 September 1966 at Greenwood, Jackson Co., Missouri, at age 74. He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, Jackson Co., Missouri.
     David's occupation: Rural mail carrier and farmer.

     George Blount Bowin was born on 13 November 1898 at Greenwood, Jackson Co., Missouri. He was the son of James Hardin Bowin and Cora Jeanette Sample. George Blount Bowin married Josephine Rodgers on 11 July 1921 at Greenwood, Jackson Co., Missouri. George Blount Bowin died in 1974 at Greenwood, Jackson Co., Missouri. He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, Jackson Co., Missouri.
     George's occupation: Farmer.

     James Hardin Bowin was born on 7 June 1862 at Wilmore, Jessamine Co., Kentucky. He married Cora Jeanette Sample, daughter of David Sample and Mary Jane Boyer, on 26 February 1890 at Greenwood, Jackson Co., Missouri. James Hardin Bowin died on 23 August 1930 at Greenwood, Jackson Co., Missouri, at age 68. He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Greenwood, Jackson Co., Missouri.
     
Biography of James Hardin Bowin:

James H. Bowin, a successful farmer and stockman, of Prairie Township, was born in Jessamine County, Kentucky, June 7, 1862. He spent his boyhood days on the farm in Kentucky, and was educated in the district schools of that State and the public schools of Lexington, Kentucky. He began farming on his own account on rented land west of Greenwood in 1886, and was thus engaged for 15 years, when he purchased his present place of 80 acres in Prairie township more recently known as the Harbison farm. His farm is well improved and he has recently built a modern residence, which is equipped with electric lights, hot and cold water, and all other modern conveniences. Mr. Bowin was married February. 26, 1890, to Miss Cora J. Sample, a native of Jackson County, and a daughter of David and Mary Boyer Sample, a sketch of whom appears in this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. Bowin have been born three children, as follows: David E., who resides at home with his parents; Mary E., married W. R. Norris, and resides in Prairie Township; and George B., at home. Mr. Bowin is a Democrat and a member of the Christian Church. He is well known in Jackson County, and the Bowin family is prominent in the
community. From "History of Jackson County, Missouri," by W. Z. Hickman, 1920, pp. 615-616.¹