My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE F. BOWERS. Prominent among the pioneers and early settlers of Jasper county, Mo., is the subject of this sketch. He was born in Darke county, Ohio, March 18, 1827. He is the son of Frederick and Mary Bowers, natives of Pennsylvania. His father was of German descent, and his mother of Scotch descent. His father moved to Lawrence county in 1841, and was one of the early settlers of that county, where he was engaged at milling. The subject of this sketch received a common school education, and remained at home until he was twenty-two years of age. His father died Dec. 28, 1848, and George, with his two brothers, bought out his father’s interest, and in 1849 they built a new mill, situated very near the line of Jasper and Lawrence counties, and engaged in milling, merchandising, and dealing in stock; he also farmed until 1861, and built a large new mill in 1862. He served eleven months in the Seventh Provincial Militia, which was afterwards called the Fifteenth Missouri Cavalry; was promoted lieutenant, and wounded in a fight with bushwhackers July 4, 1864, when he resigned and returned home, and remained four or five months, but considering it not safe to stay any longer, he went back and took command, with the rank of captain, in the Seventy-sixth National Militia, and was mustered out in Feb., 1865. When he first joined the army in 1863 he was worth about $60,000, but during his absence his mill was burned, and he lost nearly all his property. After he returned home he was commissioned by the government to enroll men for the war, until 1865; he then engaged in farming until 1871, when he sold out and located on his present farm of 159 acres, 130 of which are under cultivation. There is also a nice spring of water and a good orchard on the farm. He was married in Lafayette county, Mo., Sept. 22, 1852, to Frances E. Elmore, who was born in Pike county, Mo., April 27, 1834. They have five children: Martha E., John W., Mary M., Margaret E., and James R. Mrs. Bowers died Dec. 3, 1848, in Jasper county, Mo. In addition to the farm above mentioned, Mr. Bowers has 83 acres of good timber land in Lawrence county.