My Genealogy Hound

JACOB E. BOWMAN, the well-known tanner of Douglass township, where he was born in 1830, is the son of T. and Elizabeth (Bower) Bowman, who resided in Limerick township, they being farmers all their lives. The father died first, and both were buried at Churchville cemetery, in Douglass. They were Mennonites in religious faith. They had eight children, of whom five are living, as follows: Catharine, married Edward Shanley, and (second husband) Isaac Moyer-all are deceased; Maria married Abraham Gottshall, they residing in Douglass township where he is a minister and farmer, they having eleven children: Jacob, subject of this sketch; Elizabeth, married Solomon Galeman, both being deceased; John living in Limerick township, on the homestead of his father-he was married, but his wife is deceased; Leona, married William Heister (deceased), she surviving and residing in Hereford township, Berks county, but having no children; Sarah married David Rosenberger, they living in Bucks county, where he is a farmer and miller; they have no children; Susanna, married William Stauffer (deceased), she residing in Allentown, where her husband was in business, and having two children.

Jacob Bowman (grandfather) married Madeline Latshaw. They resided in Douglass township, where he was a farmer. Both died there many years ago. They had several children. The maternal grandparents were residents of Douglass township. The grandfather was John Bower. He married an Oberholtzer. They were prominent citizens of the township, being farmers by occupation.

Jacob E. Bowman attended school until he was eighteen years of age, when he went to work for his father, and later engaged in farming for himself in Limerick township. He has resided at his present location for a period of twenty years or more. The property belonged to Mrs. Bowman’s father for many years. Mr. Bowman was married November 22, 1856, to Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel W. and Hannah Latshaw, also residents of Douglass township. They were farmers and prominent people. They had seven children in all, as follows: Catharine, Hannah, John, Susanna, Elizabeth (wife of Mr. Bowman); Samuel and Henry. The father and mother of Mrs. Bowman died at an advanced age.

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob E. Bowman have had six children as follows: Diana, married Nathan Weller, they residing in Douglass township, where he is a farmer, and they have had ten children; John, married Kate Wenger, they residing in Douglass township where he is a miller, and having nine living children; Elizabeth, married Aaron Bower, she being deceased, and he, with six children, residing at the home of his father-in-law; Mary, married Edward Weller, they residing in Boyertown, where he is a farmer and trucker, they having no children; Jacob, unmarried and employed with his father on the home farm; Leona, married Irwin Cook, they living in Bucks county where he is a farmer, and they have six children.

Mr. Bowman is a Republican in political affiliations. He suffered a paralytic stroke in 1898 which partially disabled him. He and his wife are members of the Mennonite church at Churchville. Mrs. Bowman is several years younger than her husband, having been born August 19, 1836.