John Bowman and Elizabeth Lythgoe

CHAPTER 24

JOHN BOWMAN Jr and ELIZABETH LYTHCOE

John Bowman,Jr. was born about 1804 in Washington County, Virginia, the eldest son of John Bowman and Susannah Rosenbaum. He married circa 1827, probably in Washington County although there’s no proof it, to Elizabeth Lythgoe that daughter of James Lythgoe. They supposedly had only three children which would have been highly unusual but may have had a lot of pregnancies that either never came to term or ended up in still births or death in infancy.

Their eldest son was named Isaiah Bowman born circa October 1828 in Washington County, Virgina, then Josiah Bowman born circa 1830 in either Washington County, Virginia or Indiana. A daughter Sally Bowman was born 29 January 1834 in Putnam County, Indiana.

John Bowman was following or leading other members of the family including Rosenbaums and Worleys out of Virginia to the Midwest, across the Ohio River to free territory. As to why the family chose to go northwest instead of west into Tennessee or Kentucky is a mystery but may have had something to do with the stigma of mixed race relationships. Putnam County is located nearly 460 miles north west of Abingdon Washington County so it was a major decision to move. Only one of John’s siblings, Robert Bowman, did not make the migration out of the south. He was cohabiting with Dorcus Lethcoe a sister of John Bowman.

The John Bowman and his brother in law Abel Welsh left Hendricks County, Indiana in 1840 and moved further north west into Wisconsin Territory. By 1846 they had settled in Green County, that bordered Illinois. They lived in Sylvester Township only about two miles north of Illinois and farmed next to his father John Bowman Sr.

On the 26th of August John Bowman “Jr” and his family were enumerated in the 1850 United States Census as living in Sylvester Township in Green County, Wisconsin. He was listed as a 44 year old farmer who was born in Virginia and whose farm was valued at $200. Within his household was his 44 year old wife Elizabeth, 21 year old son Isaiah who was also listed as a farmer, and his daughter 15 year old Sally born in Indiana. His home was the 114th dwelling visited and his family was the 119th family enumerated. His brother Aaron Bowman was the 111th dwelling and 115th family visited. His brother William Bowman was 112th and 116th and his father John Bowman was the 114th dwelling and 117th family visited. His brother in law Abel Welch was the 116th and 120th. His sister Elizabeth was living in neighboring Monroe Township with her second husband Stephen Raymond. His brother Isham Bowman instead of moving to Wisconsin went further west to Des Moines County, Iowa. His brother Robert Bowman had moved to Johnson County in eastern Tennessee by 1850 .

Probably after his parents died, John Bowman moved from Wisconsin to Iowa where he is found in 1860 living near the town of Newton in Malaka Township in Jasper County. They had moved some 230 miles southwest of Green County, Wisconsin where many of his relatives remained. The United States Census taken on 11 June 1860 listed John Bowman as household 254 and his son Isaiah as household 255. Neither one owned the farm they were farming amd their personal property was meager. They were both worth only $150. John was listed as “John Boman” age 58 and a farmer born in Virginia. Within his household is Elizabeth “Boman” age 52 and born in Virginia. They only other person in their household was an 8 year old child named Daniel Thomas. What his relationship to them is unknown perhaps a grandchild by their daughter Sally Bowman who at this time was married to her 1st cousin John Worley who was John Bowman’s nephew. She has not been located in the 1860 census

John Bowman’s son Isaiah is also “Isaiah Boman” and listed as a 35 year old farmer born in Virginia. He was married by this census and within his household was his 20 year old wife Esther Matteson a native of Vermont, his daughters 4 year old Henrietta born in Missouri and 1 year old Elizabeth born in Iowa and 13 year old Martha Matteson who was his wife’s younger sister.

The Civil War began in 1861 and by 1862 the family had relocated from Iowa to Dakota Territory and settled near Elk Point in Union County. The Homestead Law which was passed in 1862 gave incentive to western migration and perhaps was one of the reason the Bowman’s moved to Union County in the Dakota Territory. The law allowed that if a homestead had residency on the land for five years, this was accepted in lieu of the one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre payment demanded under the Pre-Emption Act. Most Union County land titles from the government were secured under the Homestead Law.

The son of an early Union County pioneer wrote “Everything considered, there are few places on the earth's surface where the farmer can prosper with as little effort as in the southeastern part of South Dakota. Among the southeastern counties, Union is one of the very best. The soil is fertile and that is especially true of the many acres of valley lands of which Union has more than other counties. Swamps and sandy tracts are almost unknown; ninety-nine per cent of the surface can be plowed for crops. The rainfall might be considered light, but most of the twenty-six inches of moisture come during the growing season and failure of crops caused by drought is uncommon.”

This rich fertile land attracted hundreds of farmers and by August 1862 Union County had nearly 100 registered voters. However, also in August 1862, the Dakota-Minnesota Indian Wars occurred.

The Indians had been cheated in the negotiations for their Minnesota lands and the government had not made payments according to contracts. The Indians were suffering from hunger and stole from white settlers. In the ruthless which followed the outbreak, the Indians were beaten and driven into Dakota. Bands of these Indians for two years did much damage not only in Dakota, but throughout the entire northwest.

About the first of September 1862, it was discovered that some five hundred hostile Sioux were in the valley of the James River north of Yankton in Dakota Territory. Wild alarm spread through the settlements of southeastern Dakota. Stockades were built at Yankton, and Elk Point, as strongholds against attacks. On September 8, 1862, the report reached Elk Point that the Indians had beaten Captain Miner's company of soldiers and were attacking Yankton. “Fear filled every home.” Many retreated to Yankton where federal soldiers could aid in repelling an attack while most citizens of Elk Point “were in wild stampede towards Sioux City.” Some took refuge in Nebraska and a very few remained in their homes.

Fortunately no real attack was made upon any Dakota towns but as a result of these Indian troubles, many people left the territory never to return. But 1863 brought a few new families. Although it was several years after the Dakota Indian War, Isaiah Bowman’s father in law Asa Matteson was killed in 1865 by Indians during this trying times.

The year 1864 was a disastrous year for Dakota farmers. A severe drought and a horde of grasshoppers destroyed all that the farms had produced. The grasshoppers that had come in late July of 1864 and destroyed the entire crop of wheat and corn. However 1866 was a good year for Union County farmers though some corn was caught by a swarm of late arrivals.

The 1870 United States Census showed John Bowman residing in Civil Bend Township, Union County Dakota Territory as of 9 August 1870. Their Post Office was Elk Point. Again John’s name is spelled “John Boman” and he is listed as a 66 year old farmer born in Virginia. He didn’t own the farm he was working and his personal estate, livestock and etcetera was worth $300. His wife was 66 years old born in Virginia and was listed as keeping house. His household included his widowed daughter Sally Worley. Her husband was a soldier who died 10 July 1864 at Kingston, Bartow County in northern Georgia. Sally Worley was listed as 35 years old born in Indiana and keeping house. Others in John Bowman’s household were grand children Isaiah Worley age 16 born in Wisconsin, Rachel Worley age 8 born in Iowa, Mary Worley age 6 born in Wisconsin, and James Worley age 2 born 1868 in Missouri. Daniel Thomas was still within John Bowman’s household as a 17 year old boy born in Wisconsin. Also within this household is Louisa Briggs age 3 born in Dakota. The inclusion of Louisa Briggs within this household is curious. Living next door at household 114 is the family of R.R. Briggs a 28 year old Carpenter native of Illinois. He is extremely wealthy with $4000 worth of real estate and $300 worth of personal estate. John Bowman and Isaiah Bowman were probably farming his land. This Lousia Briggs is identified as Clara Louisa and is the daughter of Ralph R Briggs who in 1872 moves away to Minnesota.

Sally Worley’s child named James Worley who was born according to this census in 1868 4 years after John Worley died but carried his name is certainly older than 2. He was probably born in 1865 after his father died in July 1864 if not then he was born out of wedlock.

Isaiah Bowman is enumerated next to his father at household 16. He says he is a 42 year old farmer worth $300 in personal property and born in Virginia. His wife Esther A Matteson is 27 years old and keeping house. She said she was born in Vermont . The children listed in their household were Henrietta Bowman age 14 born in Missouri, Elizabeth C Bowman age 12 born in Iowa, Isaiah James Bowman age 10 born in Iowa, Mary Jane Bowman age 7 born in Dakota Territory, Robert F Bowman age 3 born in Dakota Territory and Francis age 1 born in Dakota Territory.

In 1873 the American people experienced one of their most severe financial crises and the depression that lasted for several years. There was small demand for labor; wages were very low and money was scarce. Relief committees were organized in several Dakota counties in 1874 and 1875 to solicit aid to the poor. The War Department sent 67,325 pounds of flour and 38,662 pounds of bacon to needy families in Minnesota and Dakota.

Two hundred twenty-six Union County families were listed as destitute and food, considerable clothing and some money was contributed by eastern people to aid them. This economic downturn along with another drought may have prompted John Bowman to return to Washington County, Virginia.

Perhaps with the Civil War over and the state in Reconstruction he thought life for his family could be better there. Or perhaps he was simply homesick for an early time. Most of wife’s family had stayed in the general area in the Blue Ridge moving back and forth between Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. For whatever reason John and Elizabeth Bowman along with their daughter Sally’s family had returned to Washington County and were residing in 1880 in Virginia some 1,100 miles away from his son Isaiah in Elk Point. Certainly they traveled by train back to their native county.

On 1 June 1880 in the Abingdon District, Washington County, Virginia John Bowman is listed in household 13. His brother Robert Bowman was listed as household 12. Other relatives were Robert Bowman’s sons in law residing at household 7 and 9. They were James Rosenbaum and Peter Bumgarder. In household 14 was Rebecca Ann Lethcoe a 30 year old washerwoman with two children under the age of 8.

John Bowman was listed as a 77 year old farmer born in Virginia who could not read nor write. His wife Elizabeth was 76 years old and keeping House. She could read but not write. Sallie Worley was a 44 year old “seamstress” born in Indiana and she could only read but not write. Rachel Worley was listed as a granddaughter age 18 and born in Wisconsin. She too was a seamstress. Another granddaughter was Josephine Worley age 7 and born in Nebraska. She would have been a daughter of Sallie Worley born out of wedlock. Also included in this household was Elizabeth’s brother “Arch Lethcoe” age 65 and listed as a laborer born in Virginia.

Robert Bowman was a 68 year old farmer born in Virginia who was recently wed to Anna Retta Lethcoe, Elizabeth Bowman’s youngest sister. Living with them is Eli F Lithcoe age 18 who is listed as a “nephew” rather than a grandson. His father had died during the Civil War.

This is the last record that can be found on John Bowman and his wife Elizabeth Lethcoe. As that they were both in their late seventies they probably died not too many years after this and are buried in Washington County, the place of their birth having pioneered Indiana, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. Many of this family were buried in unmarked graves in the Monk Hill Cemetery.