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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Craighead County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Simon M. Bowman. Prominent among the prosperous and enterprising citizens of Lake City Township may be mentioned the subject of this sketch, who is a leading farmer and stock raiser, and also proprietor of a cotton-gin and saw-mill. He was born in Henderson County, Tenn., in 1847, and is a son of Joshua and Sally (Easley) Bowman, natives of Tennessee. They were reared and married in the “Old Volunteer State,” where the father died in 1856. One year later the mother moved with her family to Arkansas, and located on the Maumelle Prairie in this county, where she remained until 1862, when she removed to Crowley’s Ridge, returning but shortly afterward to the Prairie. To Mr. and Mrs. Bowman were born eight children, two of whom are now living: Simon M. and Mrs. Margaret Butcher. Mrs. Bowman was again married to Moses W. Lewis (now deceased), by whom she was the mother of one child, Perry E. Lewis. She married the third time, and after a life of charitable usefulness, died about 1871. Simon M. Bowman attained his majority in this county, and in 1869 moved to the place where he has since resided. He now has about 400 acres of land, with 110 under cultivation, over sixty of which he has cleared and cultivated himself. He has a good residence, tenant house, orchard, etc. In 1888 he built a cotton-gin and saw mill in partnership with his half-brother, Perry E. Lewis, and that year they ginned 127 bales of cotton. Mr. Bowman was first married in 1868, to Miss Sarah Harris, a native of the State, who died in June, 1873, leaving two children, Melinda, and Perry, both now deceased. For his second wife, he married his first wife’s sister, Alice Harris, the fruits of which union have been nine children. There are seven living: Mary, Oscar, John, Rosa, Amos, Willie and Ada. Those deceased are Sally and Jimmie. Mr. and Mrs. Bowman are members of the Methodist Church.

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This family biography is one of 98 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Craighead County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Craighead County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Craighead County, Arkansas family biographies here: Craighead County, Arkansas Biographies

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