E. W. Bowman for nearly thirty years has been a citizen of Kent county and is a man of sterling integrity, enjoying the highest esteem and respect of all his acquaintances in Tyrone township.

He is a native of Lucas county, Ohio, and was born on the 31^st of January, 1837, an eighth child in a family of four sons and five daughters born to Lambert and Mary N. (Stinson) Bowman, of whom the following still survive, viz: Mima, wife of E. F. Smith, an agriculturist residing at Casnovia, Mich.; Jennie, wife of L. B. Schram, a veteran of the Civil war and a resident of Grand Rapids; Mary G., wife of J. Q. Files, attorney at law living at Wauseon, Ohio; Mr. Bowman of this sketch and W. L., an agriculturist, married and residing in Bridgetown, Newaygo county, Mich.

The father of E. W. Bowman was born in the state of New Jersey in 1814 and is still living. He emigrated from his native state to Columbiana county, Ohio, thence to Crawford county, from there to Lucas county and finally settled in Kent county, Mich. He spent his life as an agriculturist. In politics he is a republican, but formerly was a follower of the whig party. Religiously he has always favored the Methodist society.

The mother was born on the Emerald Isle and died in Kent county, Mich., July 7, 1887, at, the age of sixty-five years, ten months and twenty-three days.

E. W. Bowman remained at home until he arrived at the age of twenty-two and was reared and educated in his native state. In his youthful days he gave his service to his parents and has cared for them in their declining years. His life has been spent as a tiller of the soil. At the age of twenty-two he came with his parents to Kent county, the first purchase of land being their present homestead, which, at first only little improved, has been since ‘stumped’ and prepared for the plow by Mr. Bowman.

On January 30, 1886, he was married to Miss Fannie Guernsey, and one little daughter, Lettie, has graced this union. She is a student in the Casnovia public schools, in the fourth grade, and is diligent and bright in her school work. Mrs. Bowman was born in New York, April 5, 1868, and was a daughter of Ira and Antoinette (Knapp) Guernsey. Her education was of such character as might be secured in the city schools of Elmira, N. Y. She was a lady of many graces, filling the home circle with good cheer and with her wifely and motherly traits was loved and revered by all her friends. Her many womanly qualities and virtues made her character superlative in the love of her husband. She died October 19, 1895, and the beautiful and cheerful countenance of wife and mother is in sadness missed by the family circle. The following memorial of the death of Mrs. E. W. Bowman is taken from the Casnovia Herald of October 25, 1895:

Mrs. Bowman was a woman capable of the strongest and deepest affections and had the power of making and keeping friends. She was an earnest and confiding woman and a devoted wife and mother. Her nature was grand and ennobling, perfectly devoid of suspicion. Condemnation of others was foreign to her. She was keenly sensitive and intelligent. In a word she was born to love and be loved. Tuesday p.m. the M. E. church at Casnovia, Mich., was filled with friends who gathered to pay their last respects to her whom they had loved in life. The casket was beautifully decorated with flowers, among which were a large floral pillow bearing the word, "sister," from the husband, sister and Mrs. Jennie Schram of Grand Rapids. Mrs. Schram also furnished a floral piece of cut roses and carnations; another beautiful pillow was presented by her friends in town. The Ladies’ Aid Society, of which she was a member, gave a cluster of carnations; Mrs. E. F. Smith furnished the flowers which decorated the inside of the casket. The church was beautifully decorated and Rev. H. C. Chamberlin gave an excellent address to the large circle of friends gathered there.

In political affiliation Mr. Bowman is a stanch republican, and cast his first presidential vote for the lamented Garfield, and has ever strongly supported this party.

The public schools find in him an ardent and enthusiastic supporter and one who strongly advocates procuring the best instructors. He is at present the school inspector of Tyrone township. He is a citizen whom the people revere as a gentleman of integrity and worth. He lives the life of a devout Christian and thoroughly believes that the motto—"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you" is a principle worth sustaining.

His aged father, a sole care, resides with him, and is to him a sun of life fast sinking beneath the horizon.

Mr. Bowman’s farm of fifty-five acres lies three-fourths of a mile from Casnovia and two miles from Kent City. The owner justly merits the success and enjoyment he has achieved, in that he has been a worker and a Christian.