BIO: D. G. BOWMAN, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/cumberland/
  _____________________________________________________________

  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 505-506
  _____________________________________________________________

  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
  http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/cumberland/zeamer/


    D. G. BOWMAN, one of the substantial farmers and formerly one of the
  prominent educators in Monroe township, was born July 28, 1854, in that
  township, an only son of Henry and Barbara (Goodyear) Bowman.
    
    The Bowman family is of Swiss origin, but settlement was made in Lancaster
  county, Pa., prior to the birth of John Bowman, the grandfather of D. G. On
  reaching manhood John Bowman married Martha Herr, daughter of Christian and
  Fannie (Maynard) Herr, of Lancaster county. He followed a milling business
  for about fifteen years. Shortly after marriage, he bought a farm about two
  and a half miles from Dillsburg, York county, consisting of ninety-four
  acres. There he built a barn and made improvements, and there his last years
  were spent, his death occurring in 1861, after several years of retired life.
  His widow survived until 1871, and both were buried at Cochlin's Church,
  Cumberland county. They had children as follows: Christian, who married
  (first) Susan Coover, and (second) Peggy Asper, and who lived a few years
  retired before his death in York county; John, who married Maria Kroft, and
  died in Cumberland county; Abraham, who married Mary Hart, and died in
  Mechanicsburg; Henry, who was the father of D. G.; Frances, who married John
  Baker, and died in Mechanicsburg; Martha, who married Aaron Firestone, and
  died in York county; Miss Mary, who died in Monroe township, aged sixty-one;
  Annie, who married Joseph Plough, and lives at Churchtown, and who is the
  only survivor of the family; and Hettie, who died unmarried, in Monroe
  township, aged sixty-seven years.
    
    Henry Bowman, father of D. G. Bowman, was born April 6, 1817, in York
  county, and had the best educational advantages afforded in the agricultural
  districts. He was reared a farmer, and in 1854 he married Barbara Goodyear,
  daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Goodyear. In 1853 he bought a fine farm,
  located one mile northeast of Churchtown, and engaged in a butchering
  business, with John Paul, carrying on this business some fourteen years. In
  1868 he bought another farm in the same township, but never removed to that
  place, having a tenant settle there. Mr. Bowman did considerable live stock
  dealing, both in buying and selling. He was a man of ample means and much
  business ability. His life was ended by accident, a tree falling on him,
  while in the forest in South Mountain. He was survived by his widow and his
  one child, D. G. Bowman, of Monroe township.
    
    After completing the educational course presented in the district schools
  of Monroe township, Mr. D. G. Bowman spent one term at the Shippensburg
  Normal school,
    
    506  CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
    
  going from there to the "Oaks," a well-known school of the time in
  Cumberland county. At the age of sixteen years he began teaching, and
  followed the profession in Monroe township, more or less continuously, for
  twenty-five years. He was one of the youngest teachers ever given a
  certificate in the county, and probably one of the most successful. After his
  marriage, he settled on the home farm and became its owner at the death of his
  father. This property he has continued to improve, in 1880 erecting a fine
  barn. This was destroyed, but he rebuilt it in 1899, and in 1901, he built
  his handsome residence.
    
    Mr. Bowman married Elizabeth Strock, daughter of George and Margaret
  (Bricker) Strock, and they have five children, namely: Ethel Strock, born in
  1880; Guy, born March 1, 1883; Reba, born Feb. 4, 1885; Dortha R., born Nov.
  4, 1893; and Meade, born May 24, 1895, died April 7, 1904. Mr. Bowman is a
  deacon in the Church of God, and his family has been reared in the faith of
  that religious body.
    
    In politics Mr. Bowman is identified with the Republican party. His fellow
  citizens have honored him with election to various local offices, on many
  occasions, and for the past two years he has been auditor of Monroe township.
  He is a man of integrity, one of the leading and representative citizens in
  this part of the county. He is a director of the Dillsburg National Bank,
  succeeding his father in that institution at the death of the latter, who was
  one of the organizers of the bank. This bank was a private institution, and
  was later made into a national bank. The elder Mr. Bowman was one of the
  board of directors most of the time from its organization until his death,
  and he was also a director in the Second National Bank of Mechanicsburg. Our
  subject was one of the organizers of the Allen Knitting Company, located at
  Churchtown, being secretary of same. This company was organized in 1902, for
  the purpose of manufacturing hosiery, and gives employment to twenty people.
  It is expected that the plant will be greatly increased in the near future.