J. H. (James Henry) was born November 26, 1859, at Dickson Station, Franklin County (now Colbert County), Alabama.
His parents were V. F. (Vinson Frank) Bowman and Mary R. J. Coker.
J. H. grew up on the family farm in Franklin County about twenty miles southwest of Russellville, Alabama. In 1870, J. H.’s father relocated the family to Comanche County, Texas.
On October 5, 1879, he married Eldona McGuire, daughter of James Martin McGuire and Margaret JaneBarcroft . He and Eldona lived with her parents and in the 1880’s helped built the two story house that lasted until the 1980’s. The house was located across the road from the cemetery and on a rise south of Indian Creek.
J. H. became a leading farmer of Comanche County and had the latest in farm implements
He and Eldona had fifteen children:
Henry Carroll (1880-1957) married Susan “Sue” Jane Beam (1878-1973). He was a Methodist minister from 1900-1957. Their children were: Ruby Ann (1906-1984) married a Pickerill, and Paul Cecil (1908-1978) married Opal Ida Evans (1911-1982);
Benny (1882-1899), drowned in Indian Creek when he was 17;
Rufus Columbus “R.C.” (1883-1931) married Annie Lee Hicks (1883-1994), children were: Virgil Reid (1910-2003) married Helen Isora Bolton (1911- ), Carlton Columbus (1912-1982) married Ruby Helen Black (1917-1993);
Wesley Levie (1885-1966) married Doris L. “Dovie” Beam (1886-1976), children: Robert Clayborn (1907-1951);
William Andrew (1887-1960) married (1) Alfa L. Williams (1890-1931), (2) Cora Florence Kearney (1892-1983). Children were Edith Golda (1911-2003) married Columbus Nathaniel “CN” Shaw (1904-1965), Evelyn Ruth (1917-1984) married Dee Love (1912-1982), Catherine Christine (1921- ) married Jacob “Jake” David Hodges;
Effie Myrtle (1890-1937) married John William “Walter” Steele (1888-1987), children were: Vela Myrtle (1910-2012) married Jesse James Sinclair (1907-1981), Ira Ernest (1916-2012) married (1) Ozora Young (1920- ) (2) Patricia Ann Coles (1923- ), Johnye Aldeane (1925-1984) married Johnie William Henry Bass Jr. (1925-2008);
Amie Jewel (1892-1970) married Macon Hamilton Haynie (1893-1977);
Lonnie Asbury (1894-1922) married Opha Ola Richardson (1898-1980), children were: Glenn Carroll (1906-2006) married (1) Vera Mae Moore (1918-1995), (2) Ida Louise Fields (1929- ), L.B. Bowman (1920-2016) married (1) Iris Doritha Moore (1919-1999), (2) Margaret Jean Morgan Matlock (1925-2016);
Viola (Velola) (1896-2000) married Jesse Franklin “Frank” Steele (1896-1977), children were: Myrtle Inez (1915-2008)married (1) Wise (2) Jesse Burrow (3) Rich (4) Wesley Robert Caswell (1916- ), Jesse Fulton (1919-1997) married (1) Gracie L. Barber (1905-1994) (2) Ernestine Pace (1905-1994);
John Mervyn “JM” (1899-1971) married Opha Ola Richardson (1898-1980), children were: Charles Mervyn (1925-1998) married (1) Virginia Bernice King (1927-2006) (2) Ima Grace Smith, Laverne (1928- ) married Harold Lee Dillashaw Jr. (1923-1991), LaVelle (1928- ) married Wayne Truett Parsons (1923-2006), James Weldon (1930-2016) married (1) Joyce Elaine Banks (1931-2003) (2) Susan J. Rayburn (1944- ), Preston Lee (1934-2020) married (1) Edus Ann Shipley (1939- ) (2) Tyne B. Hensley (1942- ) (3) Sovelia S. Rivera (1939- );
James Harvey (1901-1968) married Mamie Inez “Deet” McCarthy (1905-1990), children: Billy (1929-1929);
R. L. (1904-1984) married Eula Maude Horner (1903-1977), children were: R. L. “Bo” Jr. (1927-1998) married Nelda Louise Nabors (1929-2010);
Sister (died at birth), and
Arley Eldon (1906-1987) married Willie Beatrice “Bee” Northcutt (1910-1993), children were: Joe Merrell (1936-2017) married Minnie Marie Harris, Betty Sue (1939-1963) married Leslie Darrell Garrett (1941-2003).
James Henry Bowman died April 19, 1950.
