Bio: Bowerman, John (History - 1823)

Contact: Janet Schwarze

Surnames: BOWERMAN MORGAN CHANDLER WARNER

----Source: 1891 Bio. Hist. Of Clark Jackson Co., Wisconsin, pg. 346

JOHN BOWERMAN, of section 2, Eaton Township, Clark County, was born in Prince Edward County, Ontario, near Pictou, at the head of the Bay of Quinte, May 12, 1823, the son of Cornelius (deceased) and Martha (Morgan) Bowerman, both natives of Canada. Our subject's grandfather, Jonathan Bowerman, was a Quaker from Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Bowerman had fifteen children, twelve of whom grew to maturity, and eleven still survive, namely: Hannah, John, Ichabod, Daniel, Thomas, Leonard, Sarah E., Melissa J., Bennett, Joseph and Phoebe. One daughter, Deborah, died in 1861, leaving a husband and seven children.

The subject of this sketch was reared to farm life, and received a limited education in a Quaker seminary. He came from Canada to Jackson County, in 1855, where he worked in a saw-mill and at various other employments for one year. He then came to this county and settled seven and a half miles east of Neillsville, in what is now Grant Township, Clark County, Wisconsin which was then covered with heavy timber. His nearest neighbors were one and a half miles distant, and the Indians and wild animals were numerous. A would often pick up a hog in his arms, cut his throat with his teeth, and then carry him off. Mr. Bowerman has killed many deer, and also caught many wild-cats, minks and foxes in steel traps. During the year 1889- 90 he caught twelve foxes, and also several coons. He came to his present farm in the fall of 1866, where he at once went to work in the thick forest, and now owns forty acres of cleared land, and a life-interest in forty acres more. He has a fine house, a large barn, and all the other necessary buildings.

Mr. Bowerman was married in August 1847, to Hannah Honeywell, a native of Ottawa, Canada, and daughter of Ira Honeywell, deceased.

They have had eight children, four of whom are still living, viz: Rufus I., Sarah E., Melissa J. and Martha M. Sarah married Woody Chandler, of this city, and has five children Eva, Irvin, Nettie, Ira and John. Melissa J. married David Warner, of Warner Township, this county, and has four children, --Leland, Myrtle, Clinton and Irvin. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bowerman are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Family Notes (Contributed by Arthur G. Hubbs)

Sarah Eliza Bowerman daughter of John Bowerman and Hannah Honeywell, married 12 Nov. 1871, Caleb W. Chandler son of Charles Chandler.

Ontario Deaths- Windsor, Essex County

Chandler Caleb Woodworth - Widower
b. Wisconsin, USA 30 November 1857
d. 3 December 1925
Father: Charles Chandler  born Ireland
Mother: Jane Mansell born USA
Informant- Ira Chandler - son
burial: 7 Decmber 1925  Cherry Valley Cemetery, Athol Twp., Prince Edward Co., Ontario, Canada

He was Private in the Wisconsin Infantry from Sep. 3, 1864-May 25 1865

Ontario Deaths-Cherry Valley, Athol Twp. Prince Edward Co. Ontario

Sarah Eliza Chandler
born April 27 1854, Bloomfield, Prince Edward Co., Ontario
Died 4 March 1921
Father: John Bowerman
Mother: Hannah Hunniwill (sic)
burial: 7 March 1921 Cherry Valley Cemetery

The family went to Ontario, Canada  in 1893. They had four children.

According to his Ontario Death Registration, Caleb Chandler was born in Wisconsin. Sarah Bowerman was born in Bloomfield, Prince Edward Co., Ontario, Canada. The family lived in Clark County , Wisconsin until they went to Canada in 1893.  I had seen their gravestone in Cherry Valley but had no idea who Caleb was at the time.

Family Notes (Contributed by Carman Foster)

Census Records

1860-Wisconsin Federal; Clark-PineValley-page 13-July 11, 1860

Bowerman, John, 40, male, farmer, born in Canada (spouse Hannah)
Bowerman, Rufus, male, age 11, born in Canada
Bowerman, Ira, male, age 9, born in Canada

1870-Wisconsin Federal; Clark-Eaton - Page 4, July 15, 1870
Bowerman, John, age 46, male, white, farmer, born in Canada
Bowerman, Rufus, age 21, male, white, works on farm, born in Canada
Bowerman, Ira, age 19, male, white, works on farm, born in Canada
 

1880 Wisconsin Federal; Clark-Eaton-ED 158, page 7, June 1, 1880
Bowerman, John, white, male, age 57, married, farmer, born in Canada (wife Hannah)
Bowerman, Ira, white, male, age 29, son, single, at home, born in Canada.
 

1900 Wisconsin Federal; Clark-Eaton- ED 18, page 2A, June 4-5, 1900
Bowerman, Rufus, head, white, male, born Feb 1849, age 51, widowed, born in Canada, parents born in Canada, immigration 1865, lived in US for 34 years, petition for citizenship, photographer.

Research, provided by Deb Sanger.

Bowerman, Ira b 1850 d1883
Bowerman, John b1822 d 1898 spouse Hannah
Bowerman, Rufus S b1850 d.1914
Didn't find any Civil war information regarding this family.
 

Related Links

Cemetery Records

Note: the following informationw was shared by Ron Lahti rlahti4@comcast.net  as corrections

This is probably a minor correction for you, but your entries regarding John’s grandfather being from Vermont, are in error.

His grandfather, Jonathan, was the son of Ichabod Bowerman and Jane Richmond, and he was born in Dutchess County, NY. Ichabod’s family, including his wife, removed to the Hallowell are of Prince Edward County, in Ontario, after the death of Ichabod in 1790.

This family traces back to the progenitor of the family, Thomas Bowerman, from Barnstable County, MA., where Ichabod was born c 1721.

Other than that, your research article was quite well written and seeing citations is a marvelous plus! While not my immediate line, I am very actively involved in the tracing of the Canadian Bowermans, along with several other Bowerman researchers.

Should you require any citations or evidences, please let me know. I am most willing to assist in any way I can to get facts corrected!

Warmest regards,

Ron