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From Wiley, Samuel T.,
ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County,
Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p.
177-8
GEORGE W. BOWMAN,
an industrious farmer of Reade township, this county, is a
son of Benjamin and Barbara (Gaff) Bowman, and was
born in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, September 4, 1831.
The Bowman family is of German
descent. Benjamin (father) was born in Lancaster
county, Pennsylvania, coming to Mifflin county when a young
man, where he met and married Miss Barbara Gaff,
daughter of James and Mary (Ford) Gaff. He moved to
Cambria county in 1848, locating in White township, now
Reade township, when he purchased one hundred acres of farm
land, partially improved, where he resided until 1850, when
he was killed by a runaway horse, at the age of fifty- two
years. By trade he was a plasterer. For several years
previous to moving to Cambria county he followed boating,
having charge of a section boat running from Philadelphia to
Pittsburg. He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian
church, and in politics a democrat. Their marriage resulted
in the birth of nine children: James J., a blacksmith
in Allemansville, Clearfield county; Sarah Ann, who
died in childhood; John M., a printer of Everett,
Pennsylvania, editor of the Everett Republican; Nancy J.,
deceased, who was the wife of Rev. Thomas Van Scoyoc,
of Mountaindale, this county; George W.; Susan
Catherine, the wife of John Van Scoyoc, of Reade
township; Samuel M., a farmer at Mountaindale;
Jacob G., also a farmer of Mountaindale; and Mary E.,
wife of Benjamin F. Byers of Coalport, Clearfield
county.
George W. Bowman was
educated in the common schools of Mifflin county. After his
father's death he purchased the one-half interest in the
farm from his brother James, and took charge of it,
and has since remained on this farm. It contains about one
hundred acres, and is underlaid with coal. In March, 1864,
he gave up the life of a farmer for the trials of a soldier,
and enlisted in company D, One Hundred and Eighty-fourth
regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry, and served until
the close of the war. He took part in the following battles:
Prospect Hill, Cold Harbor, where he was wounded in the left
hip by a mortar shell; two engagements at Deepbottom, on the
James River, and Reams' Station, on the Weldon railroad,
where he was detailed, and drove a medical supply team until
the close of the war. On receiving his discharge from the
service he returned to his home, and has since followed
pursuits of agriculture. He is a member of David Troxell
Post, No. 421, of Glasgow, this county; also a member of
Allemansville Lodge, No. 900, I. O. O. F. In religious
belief he is a consistent member of the Baptist church, and
in political faith is identified with the Republican party,
and has always taken a prominent part in local politics. He
has served as school director for over thirty-five years,
and was the second president of the directors' association
of the county; was postmaster of Roseland, this county, for
seven years previous to the war; has served as assessor in
his township seven terms, and in 1890 was census enumerator
of Reade township.
On Jun 23, 1839, he married
Miss Mary Byers, a daughter of Benjamin Byers, a
farmer, of Reade township, and second postmaster of
Roseland, and the first post office in the northern end of
Cambria county. This marital union has resulted in the birth
of nine children: Sarah B., wife of Lemuel Troxell,
a progressive and well-to-do farmer of Reade township;
Benjamin F., weighmaster of coal at Mountaindale,
Ella N., the wife of Benjamin N. McCulley, carpenter, of
Altoona; Rebecca M., at home; Catherine S.,
wife of Gilbert Miller, boss sawyer in company mills
at Belsano, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania; John M. C.
was killed while acting as brakeman on a branch of the
Pennsylvania railroad near Mahaffey, Pennsylvania, leaving
his wife Allie, and little daughter, Marion;
Warren G., at home; Laura A., a successful
school teacher in Cambria county, and Carrie M., at
home. |
