Individual Details
John Jasper Bowman
(30 Aug 1874 - Jan 1965)
"Genealogy of a Bowman Family," by Byron Whitener Bowman, 1956:
Biography of John Jasper Bowman
John Jasper Bowman, oldest son of T. A. and Emma Bowman, was born at
Pocahontas, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, on August 30, 1874. He was
educated in the public schools of Jackson, Salem, Pacific, and Steelville,
Missouri, and graduated from the high school at Slater, Missouri, in 1891,
being the first boy to graduate from that high school. He spent four years in
William Jewell College at Liberty, Missouri, graduating with the degree of A.B.
in 1897. His college course was interrupted by one year of work to obtain
funds with which to finish his education. He taught in Will Mayfield College,
Marble Hill, Missouri, and was employed in the office of the Dunklin Democraft
at Kennett, Missouri in 1895. While in college, he was awarded gold medals in
essay and oratorical contests and represented William Jewell College twice in
the state intercollegiate contests, at Sedalia in 1894 and at Kansas City in
1896. In speaking to his father about him, Dr. J. P. Greene, president of the
college, once said: "We never had, and we never will have a better student in
college." That statement was always a source of great joy and satisfaction to
the father.
John had no easy time in college, for funds were scarce, and he spent much time
working in the newspaper offices in Liberty, being a good printer, and thus
paid most of his expenses. This work was not allowed to interfere with his
studies, however, for he always kept up with all of his classes and took part
in all the activities of college life. He took a prominent part in literary
society work and in his senior year was elected June President of the Excelsior
Society, one of the honors of college life. He was a charter member of Alpha
Omega chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.
After his graduation from William Jewell College, he taught in Farmington,
Missouri, a short time and then engaged in newspaper work at Salem, Maryville,
Lathrop, Liberty, and Louisiana, Missouri, editing papers at Salem and
Louisiana. In 1901, he engaged in the banking business, going to Lake City
Arkansas where he opened the Farmers and Merchants Bank and was cashier for
more than two years. His health having become impaired by malaria, he returned
to Missouri in 1905 after having been connected for a short time temporarily
with the State National Bank of Little Rock, Arkansas,and went to Bonne Terre,
Missouri as cashier of the Bank of Bonne Terre, which had just been
established.
In 1907, he accepted a position with the Farmers and Miners Trust Company at
Bonne Terre, one of the largest banks in the smaller towns of the state at that
time, and remained until 1913 when it liquidated its business. He then
organized the Peoples Bank of Bonne Terre and was cashier and later president.
When the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was established in 1932, he was
appointed as one of the first examiners in Missouri and served in the western
part of the state until his retirement. Later he entered business again and
was connected with the Liberty Marketing Company several years and was manager
of a wholesale brokerage house in Kanasas City, Missouri, for some time. In
1954 he was appointed City Treasurer of Liberty, Missouri, to fill a vacancy
caused by the death of the former treasurer.
He was married in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 4, 1905, to Miss Betty Hill,
daughter of George W. and Helen Turner Hill, formerly of St. Clair County,
Illinois. She was educated in the public schools of St. Louis and graduated
from Washington University in St. Louis with the degree of A.B., magna cum
laude, in 1897. She then taught language in Liberty Ladies College at Liberty,
Missouri, for six years, until her marriage. She was outstanding as a
linguist, being noted for her knowledge of German, French, Spanish, Latin, and
Greek, all of which she taught at various times. After the family moved to
Liberty, Missouri, she taught language in William Jewell College for ten years.
She died in Liberty, Missouri, on September 28, 1953, after an illness of two
and one-half years.
One daughter, Georgia Bessie, was born of this union, at Bonne Terre, Missouri,
May 20, 1914. After graduating from the public high school at Bonne Terre, she
was graduated from William Jewell College at Liberty in 1934. She attended the
School of Journalism of the University of Missouri at Columbia and received the
degree of Bachelor of Journalism there. She received the degree of Master of
Arts in speech and radio at the State University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.
She taught in the high schools of Liberty and Hannibal, Missouri, and after
graduating from Iowa State University was connected with radio station WLW at
Cincinnati. She next taught radio news broadcasting in the School of
Journalism at the University of Missouri in Columbia and during World War II
took a leave of absence and was Director of Radio Broadcasting for the American
Red Cross in 17 states of the Midwestern area. She taught in the Speech
Department of Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York, for one year and then
returned to Liberty as Director of Forensics, debate coach, and teacher of
journalism at William Jewell College, where she now is.
John J. is a Baptist and a Freemason, being a Past Master of Samaritan Lodge
No. 424, A.F. & A.M., Bonne Terre, Missouri; Past High Priest of Uel Chapter
No. 129, Bonne Terre, and of Liberty Chapter No. 3, Royal Arch Masons, Liberty,
Missouri; Past Illustrious Master of Bonne Terre Council No. 43, Royal and
Select Masters, Bonne Terre, Missouri; Past Eminent Commander of DeSoto
Commandery No. 56, Knights Templar, DeSoto, Missouri, and of Liberty Commandery
No. 6, K. T., Liberty, Missouri; former District Deputy Grand Master of the
48th Masonic District of Missouri for eight years and District Deputy Grand
Master of the 11th Masonic District of Missouri for five years; a member of the
Missouri Lodge of Research, the Order of High Priesthood, Order of the Silver
Trowel, Past Commanders Association of Knights Templar of Missouri and Knight
of the York Court of Honor.
This record goes to show that a Bowman can be successful without being a
preacher, a miller, or raising a big family.
by Byron W. Bowman
Biography of John Jasper Bowman
John Jasper Bowman, oldest son of T. A. and Emma Bowman, was born at
Pocahontas, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, on August 30, 1874. He was
educated in the public schools of Jackson, Salem, Pacific, and Steelville,
Missouri, and graduated from the high school at Slater, Missouri, in 1891,
being the first boy to graduate from that high school. He spent four years in
William Jewell College at Liberty, Missouri, graduating with the degree of A.B.
in 1897. His college course was interrupted by one year of work to obtain
funds with which to finish his education. He taught in Will Mayfield College,
Marble Hill, Missouri, and was employed in the office of the Dunklin Democraft
at Kennett, Missouri in 1895. While in college, he was awarded gold medals in
essay and oratorical contests and represented William Jewell College twice in
the state intercollegiate contests, at Sedalia in 1894 and at Kansas City in
1896. In speaking to his father about him, Dr. J. P. Greene, president of the
college, once said: "We never had, and we never will have a better student in
college." That statement was always a source of great joy and satisfaction to
the father.
John had no easy time in college, for funds were scarce, and he spent much time
working in the newspaper offices in Liberty, being a good printer, and thus
paid most of his expenses. This work was not allowed to interfere with his
studies, however, for he always kept up with all of his classes and took part
in all the activities of college life. He took a prominent part in literary
society work and in his senior year was elected June President of the Excelsior
Society, one of the honors of college life. He was a charter member of Alpha
Omega chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.
After his graduation from William Jewell College, he taught in Farmington,
Missouri, a short time and then engaged in newspaper work at Salem, Maryville,
Lathrop, Liberty, and Louisiana, Missouri, editing papers at Salem and
Louisiana. In 1901, he engaged in the banking business, going to Lake City
Arkansas where he opened the Farmers and Merchants Bank and was cashier for
more than two years. His health having become impaired by malaria, he returned
to Missouri in 1905 after having been connected for a short time temporarily
with the State National Bank of Little Rock, Arkansas,and went to Bonne Terre,
Missouri as cashier of the Bank of Bonne Terre, which had just been
established.
In 1907, he accepted a position with the Farmers and Miners Trust Company at
Bonne Terre, one of the largest banks in the smaller towns of the state at that
time, and remained until 1913 when it liquidated its business. He then
organized the Peoples Bank of Bonne Terre and was cashier and later president.
When the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was established in 1932, he was
appointed as one of the first examiners in Missouri and served in the western
part of the state until his retirement. Later he entered business again and
was connected with the Liberty Marketing Company several years and was manager
of a wholesale brokerage house in Kanasas City, Missouri, for some time. In
1954 he was appointed City Treasurer of Liberty, Missouri, to fill a vacancy
caused by the death of the former treasurer.
He was married in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 4, 1905, to Miss Betty Hill,
daughter of George W. and Helen Turner Hill, formerly of St. Clair County,
Illinois. She was educated in the public schools of St. Louis and graduated
from Washington University in St. Louis with the degree of A.B., magna cum
laude, in 1897. She then taught language in Liberty Ladies College at Liberty,
Missouri, for six years, until her marriage. She was outstanding as a
linguist, being noted for her knowledge of German, French, Spanish, Latin, and
Greek, all of which she taught at various times. After the family moved to
Liberty, Missouri, she taught language in William Jewell College for ten years.
She died in Liberty, Missouri, on September 28, 1953, after an illness of two
and one-half years.
One daughter, Georgia Bessie, was born of this union, at Bonne Terre, Missouri,
May 20, 1914. After graduating from the public high school at Bonne Terre, she
was graduated from William Jewell College at Liberty in 1934. She attended the
School of Journalism of the University of Missouri at Columbia and received the
degree of Bachelor of Journalism there. She received the degree of Master of
Arts in speech and radio at the State University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.
She taught in the high schools of Liberty and Hannibal, Missouri, and after
graduating from Iowa State University was connected with radio station WLW at
Cincinnati. She next taught radio news broadcasting in the School of
Journalism at the University of Missouri in Columbia and during World War II
took a leave of absence and was Director of Radio Broadcasting for the American
Red Cross in 17 states of the Midwestern area. She taught in the Speech
Department of Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York, for one year and then
returned to Liberty as Director of Forensics, debate coach, and teacher of
journalism at William Jewell College, where she now is.
John J. is a Baptist and a Freemason, being a Past Master of Samaritan Lodge
No. 424, A.F. & A.M., Bonne Terre, Missouri; Past High Priest of Uel Chapter
No. 129, Bonne Terre, and of Liberty Chapter No. 3, Royal Arch Masons, Liberty,
Missouri; Past Illustrious Master of Bonne Terre Council No. 43, Royal and
Select Masters, Bonne Terre, Missouri; Past Eminent Commander of DeSoto
Commandery No. 56, Knights Templar, DeSoto, Missouri, and of Liberty Commandery
No. 6, K. T., Liberty, Missouri; former District Deputy Grand Master of the
48th Masonic District of Missouri for eight years and District Deputy Grand
Master of the 11th Masonic District of Missouri for five years; a member of the
Missouri Lodge of Research, the Order of High Priesthood, Order of the Silver
Trowel, Past Commanders Association of Knights Templar of Missouri and Knight
of the York Court of Honor.
This record goes to show that a Bowman can be successful without being a
preacher, a miller, or raising a big family.
by Byron W. Bowman
Events
| Birth | 30 Aug 1874 | ||||
| Marriage | 4 Oct 1905 | Betty Hill | |||
| Death | Jan 1965 |
Families
| Spouse | Betty Hill (1876 - 1953) |
| Father | Thomas Anderson Bowman (1850 - 1915) |
| Mother | Sarah Emma Gholson (1850 - 1918) |
| Sibling | Connie Irene Bowman (1876 - 1891) |
| Sibling | Myrta May Bowman (1879 - 1898) |
| Sibling | Bessie Beulah Bowman (1882 - 1912) |
| Sibling | Living |
| Sibling | Orren Clyde Bowman (1887 - 1888) |