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David Thomas BOWERS
(1857-) |
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David Thomas BOWERS 2 3
- Born: 10 Dec 1857, Grainger County, Tennessee 2 4
- Marriage: Minnie KENNEDY about 1876 1
- Died: Ft. Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas 2
- Buried: Oak Cemetery, Ft. Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas 2
 General Notes:
George G. Johnston reports that David was comparatively wealthy and that he had a mill, a gin and a grocery store in Kennady, LeFlore Co., OK.
Ruthie King recalls a family story about David's grave. It was unique in that the coffin was covered with glass with the body fairly well preserved. Rather than being filled with dirt, the grave was covered with a removable cement slab. When his sister, Louisa, visited his grave, she would pay the groundskeeper $1 to have him hook a chain onto the slab and pull it off with his horse, just so she could see her brother. 2 5
Research Notes:
Polk McAlvain's Daybook has date of birth as Dec 1857.
David had a family bible which is now in the possession of a descendant. It's contents have not been shared with the rest of the family. 4
Noted events in his life were:
1. Census: 1860, Grainger County, Tennessee. 6
Household of John Bowers:
David Bowers, 3, M, TN
2. Census: 1870, Grainger County, Tennessee. 7
Household of John Bowers:
David, 12, M, W, At Home, TN, Attended School, Illit
David married Minnie KENNEDY about 1876.2 (Minnie KENNEDY was born about 1867 2.)
Marriage Notes:
Either the year of marriage or the year of birth of wife, Minnie, or both, would appear to be incorrect; otherwise she was age 9 when she and David married. George Johnston's notes contain the following entry: "Marriage Record: 12th Census - Choctaw Nation. 20 yrs old. Born Mi ssissippi." I expect further review of this census might help to clear this matter up. 2
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Sources
1
Family Records of George G. Johnston. George G. Johnston, son of George Goold Johnston and Ola Pearl Bowers, belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Motivated by love of family and the teachings of their church, George, who passed away in 2005, and his wife, Lela, who passed away in 2001, spent much of their life together researching their families. This included not only research at the Family History Libraries in Mesa, AZ and Salt Lake City, UT, but also genealogy trips to interview other Bowers and Anderson descendants and to find the burial places of our Bowers and Anderson ancestors, as well as extensive correspondence with other descendants. George and Lela not only researched the past, but also kept up with the marriages, births and deaths of the current descendants of John DeWitt Bowers and Tilitha Ann Anderson. Our family is indebted to them.
2
Family Records of George G. Johnston.
3
"Daybook of Polk McAlvain." Polk McAlvain was Louisa Matilda Bowers' Choctaw husband. The original daybook passed from Florence Thomas nee McAlvain, daughter of Polk and Louisa, to her daughter, Lucille Blackard nee Thomas, in 1990. George G. Johnston has viewed the daybook and taken notes and photographs of it. The author has a copy of his notes.
4
"Daybook of Polk McAlvain."
5
Ruth McLellan, Choctaw McAlvain Genealogy, Ruthies Genealogical Realm, http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/2765. Ruthie King is a 2nd Great Grandaughter of Polk McAlvain and Louisa Matilda Bowers (Curtis Alton Pugh, Lois Lucille McAlvain, Thomas Jay McAlvain, Polk McAlvain).
6
1860 Census, Grainger County, Tennessee, FHL Film No. 805,250, Page 521 (Districts 13 & 14, Dwelling 1667, Family 1667).
7
1870 Census, Grainger County, Tennessee, FHL Film No. 553,029, Page 132 (12th District, Clear Spring P. O., Dwelling 13, Family 13).
