E. D. BOWEN.

It took me a long time to figure this one out...

There were two men by the name of Bowen.

The main one we are interested in was E. D. Bowen, early Arkansas City merchant, who later moved to Harper.

The second one was Elisha Bowen, who lived in Bolton township.

I failed to separate the two!

Excerpted from a lengthy article...

[LETTER FROM CRESWELL: T. A. WILKINSON.]

Walnut Valley Times, June 3, 1870. Front Page.

[Correspondence of the Times.]

LETTER FROM CRESWELL.

MESSRS. EDITORS: In my last I promised to begin where I left off, but as events of that time are now in a fossil state compared with those of the present, I will merely state that since the Indians went to their mission east of here, we have seen nothing of them. Everything we once hoped for in regard to our town enterprise, is being reduced to practical tangibility.

Stores are being erected by parties who fully appreciate the importance of our location, and who mean business. Capt. Norton has a store well stocked with groceries, dry goods, and provisions, and is having a brisk trade.

Mr. Sipes has just opened his new hardware store on Summit street, and presents a fine display of goods in his line.

Mr. Walsey [Woolsey], of Iowa, has returned with his family, and will soon begin the erection of a large hotel. Mr. Wolsey [Woolsey] is a very fine appearing gentleman, and brings with him a son and two beautiful daughters, who share in a great degree their worthy parent’s polite and cultivated manners. And what makes him extremely welcome among us is the fact that he will start his house on the temperance principle.

The teams, we understand, have gone to your town to aid Mr. Sleeth in bringing down his mill, and we hope soon to manufacture our own lumber, which will certainly enhance the energy already manifested among businessmen here.

Mr. Bowen has the lumber on hand for another grocery store, and Mr. Goodrich hopes to complete his store the coming week. He tells me he has a thousand dollar stock ready packed in Emporia, and is only waiting to complete his building when he will have them sent down.

Excerpts from an article...

[LETTER FROM M. F. (MAX FAWCETT).]

Emporia News, June 24, 1870.

ARKANSAS CITY, June 14th, 1870.

EDITORS NEWS: We are having frequent and terrific rains here now. Our town is improving rapidly, forty more houses are under contract, and are being built as fast as lumber can be obtained to build them with. Mr. W. H. Speers, of Peoria, Illinois, has a new thirty horse power stationary steam saw mill on the way, which will be here in a day or two. Mr. Speers has had a number of years of experience in the mill business, having run mills in Iowa, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Illinois. When his mill arrives we will have two mills. Mr. Wolsey [Woolsey] has his shingle machine in operation and is turning out six or eight thousand first class shingles a day.

Our four merchants are doing a staying business. C. R. Sipes tells me that he sells four times as much as he expected when he commenced, and our other merchants, Norton, Bowen, and Goodrich, are not behind him in sales, and all sell at reasonable rates, nearly or quite, and sometimes below, El Dorado prices. Our carpenters are all busy. Messrs. Channell, Smith, and Thomson, carpenters, have just finished a neat, roomy cabinet shop, and are running a lumber yard in connection with their other business. Channell starts for Emporia tomorrow for the purpose of bringing back his better half.

Excerpts from a long article...

[LETTER FROM T. A. WILKINSON.]

Emporia News, September 2, 1870.

FROM ARKANSAS CITY.

Arkansas City, July 31, 1870.

MESSRS. EDITORS: When we left Emporia in January last, I promised you that I would try to write frequently the progress of events connected with our town project; but as I passed through El Dorado, my good friend, Danford, took a potent grasp upon my sympathies by means of an excellent dinner, and I must needs have written for his paper, or incur the lasting displeasure of my lacteal system. So I “writ,” and my wants being all supplied (physically, I mean), I forgot my moral obligations to you, and to you I did not “writ,” hence the theorem, etc. And I now return as did the prodigal, full of repentance and literary husks, to eat the fatted calf which, of course (following the example of Scriptural injunction are in duty bound to kill for me), will have in readiness. If I should set out to write a fairy story, I could find no fitter subject for my plan than to describe a wild region of country, inhabited by savage beasts and a degraded and ignorant race of human beings, transformed in an inconceivably short time, as it were, by some mysterious hand, into a lively town of civilized people, bringing with them refinement, moral culture, and social advantages far superior to a great many towns of a number of years standing in the east.

Such it is the brief history of Arkansas City, as she now stands without a rival this side of Emporia. Many others, realizing the importance of this point, came here soon after our town company did, and on finding the ground occupied and themselves disappointed in their plans, instead of wisely taking claims nearby and cooperating with the company, they made the vain attempt to discourage our efforts, by various detrimental rumors and insinuations. Good judges of human nature would have known that such a course of conduct, if it had any effect whatever on enterprising men, would be to stimulate to greater achievements. But it has not had even that much effect. The town company have treated all of their blowing with silent contempt, not even giving it a passing remark. No more than does a train of cars notice the whiffit that comes on its track and barks in ignorant impudence, until the engine, wholly unconscious of its presence, crushes the insignificant creature out of existence. No trivial cause can retard or accelerate the growth of this place, for it is simply the unfolding or developing of a preconceived plan by men who have fully proven in a former enterprise that they well know when and how to make the most of a good opportunity. I refer to the rise and growth of Emporia. I have before mentioned that our project actually began on the 1st of January. But the principal work up to about March 1st was simply to hold the claims in the interest of the town company. Before the latter date the town project was all ideal, but since then it has actually sprung into existence, and when we consider the time since the first family (that of Capt. Norton) moved onto the town site, and behold the change that has been produced since then, we cannot but express our candid admiration of the genius and energy of the men who are operating the machinery so successfully in this great scheme. Nor do we think it detracts from their credit at all to say that they have every natural advantage in their favor, simply because it was their wise foresight which enabled them to discriminate in choosing from the many inviting points in the Walnut Valley the one having all these natural commercial advantages, which, when combined, enhance the importance of any location.

A mountain’s peaks catch the first gleam of the morning sunlight long before it reaches the valleys below. So great minds illumined by superior wisdom acquired by long experience, which enabled them to see the possibilities and advantages of this section long before it entered the minds of the great mass of immigration now pouring into the country, foretold the future greatness of this point, and are now simply fulfilling their own prediction, much more rapidly, however, than the most sanguine expected. Nor shall we be unmindful of the credit due to the many individual enterprises now in successful operation, each of which may be regarded as an important spoke in the wheel of town building.

Our principal hotel, Mr. Woolsey, proprietor, is doing a flourishing business. We also have a good-sized boarding house with daily increasing patronage; a hardware store by Mr. C. R. Sipes, a young gentleman noted for promptness in business, and whose general address is candid and right to the point. Mr. Bowen has a very good stock of groceries and provisions; and bids fair to come out a successful merchant as the town advances. Mr. Goodrich has a general assortment of dry goods, groceries, and ready made clothing, and no one who goes there to trade comes away dissatisfied with either price or quality of goods. Capt. Norton and brother still hold forth at their old stand, but soon intend to move into a large and commodious building on Summit street. The increase in the number of stores has not diminished their custom, because the influx of immigration more than keeps up the demand, and their sales, which have been heavy from the first, are constantly on the increase.

Excerpt...

[ITEM FROM THE TRAVELER.]

Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 2, 1873.

The schoolhouse in Bowen’s district, south of the Arkansas River, was struck by lightning last Saturday night and damaged considerable.

Winfield Courier, February 27, 1874.

Miles, the horse-thief who made his escape from the city jail last Friday week, was retaken by constable McIntire, A. W. Patterson, and Mr. Draper last Saturday, on Coal Rock Creek, thirty miles east of this place, at the house of Mr. Johnson. He made his escape by chipping the wood with a hatchet and burning the door of the jail. The hatchet used he claimed to have stolen from Bowen’s Grocery. After his escape he laid out in the grass near Pat Somers’ place all day and all night, and then went to houses on the Walnut, where he was fed by people knowing him to be the identified thief who had escaped. He was delayed two days on account of not finding the Walnut River bridge, but afterwards crossed it and went to Grouse Creek and from thence to Coal Rock Creek, where he was taken. Traveler.

Miles was brought to Winfield and placed in the county jail for safekeeping.

Winfield Courier, April 8, 1875.

Item From the Traveler.

CITY OFFICERS.

The following city officers were elected on Monday, April 5th.

For Mayor: S. P. Channell.

Councilmen: H. Godehard, E. D. Bowen, J. H. Sherburne, Dr. Shephard, and I. H. Bonsall.

Police Judge: T. McIntire.

Unknown if the following pertains to E. D. Bowen...

Winfield Courier, September 2, 1875.

[Item from The Arkansas City Traveler.]

Bowen & Berkey, of the flat-boat expedition, have returned to the City. They report the “Arkansaw” navigable 80 miles, as far as they went, and now say if Arkansas City will raise them $1,000 they will put a steamboat on the river in running order. They stopped their boat at the Pawnee Agency, as there they learned that flour in Little Rock, Arkansas, was selling at $2 per cwt. and wheat at 60 cents per bushel. They will probably attempt to turn the river “end for end,” and ship wheat and flour down here next.

Arkansas City Traveler, January 26, 1876.

The Beethoven Singing Society met at the frame church last Friday evening, and elected the following officers.

President, E. D. Bowen.

Vice President, C. R. Sipes.

Treasurer, Miss Eva Swarts.

Secretary, Mrs. A. A. Newman.

Organist, Mrs. R. C. Haywood.

Director, Prof. E. W. Hulse.

A concert will be given within three weeks.

Arkansas City Traveler, January 26, 1876.

In consequence of conflicting with other appointments, the Beethoven will meet next Friday night, instead of Saturday, as voted. As the Concert is to be given in two weeks, all must be present. E. D. BOWEN, President.

Arkansas City Traveler, February 2, 1876.

AGENTS. Mr. I. H. Bonsall and S. E. Maxwell are agents for the Rose Hill Nursery. Mr. Hoffmaster, Wm. Anderson, E. Bowen, G. W. Harmon, D. Hunt, and S. P. Berryman will handle trees for the same firm.

[GOVERNMENT OF ARKANSAS CITY.]

Arkansas City Traveler, February 9, 1876.

MAYOR: S. P. CHANNELL.

COUNCILMEN: H. GODEHARD, E. D. BOWEN, J. H. SHERBURNE, J. T. SHEPARD, I. H. BONSALL.

POLICE JUDGE: T. McINTIRE.

STREET COMMISSIONER: GEORGE McINTIRE.

CITY CLERK: I. H. BONSALL.

Arkansas City Traveler, February 16, 1876.

The Beethoven Society gave one of their musical feasts at the schoolhouse, last Saturday evening, at which many were present. The exercises consisted of vocal and instrumental music of the highest order, and were exquisitely rendered and duly appreciated. PROGRAM LISTED. #15 WAS “HARK! APOLLO STRIKES THE LYRE.” PARTICIPANTS: C. R. SIPES, WILL MOWRY, PROF. HULSE, MRS. C. R. MITCHELL, E. D. BOWEN, E. R. THOMPSON, MISS SHERBURNE, MRS. NEWMAN, MRS. R. A. HOUGHTON, MRS. R. C. HAYWOOD. The receipts of the evening were $18.90, a portion of which will be given to the school bell fund.

Excerpt...

THE WINFIELD COURIER.

CENTENNIAL ISSUE.

WINFIELD COURIER, THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1876.

In 1870 the following enterprises were established and were the first of the kind in the city: C. R. Sipes’ hardware store; Sleeth & Bro. saw mill; Richard Woolsey, hotel; Newman & Houghton clothing house (first in the county); Paul Beck, blacksmith shop; E. D. Bowen grocery store; Keith & Eddy drug store; J. I. Mitchell Harness shop; T. A. Wilkinson, restaurant and boarding house; Wm. Speers, first ferry across Arkansas River.

Excerpt...

Cowley County Democrat, Winfield, Kansas, Thursday, July 13, 1876.

HISTORY

OF

COWLEY COUNTY.

Read at the Centennial Celebration, July 4th, 1876, at Winfield, Kansas.

BY WIRT W. WALTON

During the year of 1870 the following enterprises were established, being the first of the kind in the city.

Sleeth & Bro’s saw mill; C. R. Sipes’s hardware store; Richard Woolsey, hotel; Newman & Houghton, clothing house; Paul Beck, blacksmith shop; E. D. Bowen, grocery store; Keith & Eddy, drug store; J. I. Mitchell, harness shop; T. A. Wilkinson, restaurant; Wm. Speers, the first ferry across the Arkansas River.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 22, 1876.

E. D. BOWEN is in Missouri.

Arkansas City Traveler, April 12, 1876.

RETIRED.

The old Council retired last week, and the new members were sworn in to fill their places. During their administration we know of nothing that has been done by them but what has been for the general good, and met with the sanction of the majority. Their aim was to benefit the city and promote prosperity, which, we are happy to state, was done as well as it could be. S. P. Channell, Mayor, Dr. Shepard, J. H. Sherburne, H. Godehard, E. D. Bowen, and I. H. Bonsall composed the body.

Excerpts...

Arkansas City Traveler, April 19, 1876. Front Page.

Full Report of All the Business Transacted by the Board of County Commissioners Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, April 10, 11, and 12.

COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE,

WINFIELD, KANSAS, April 10, 1876.

Board met in regular session. Present, R. F. Burden, W. M. Sleeth, Commissioners; A. J. Pyburn, County Attorney, and M. G. Troup, County Clerk. Journal of last regular session read and adopted.

Bills were presented and disposed of as follows.

E. D. Bowen, pauper bill: $4.00

[FOURTH OF JULY.]

Arkansas City Traveler, July 12, 1876.

Animated by that spirit of independence which characterized our patriot sires of old, a small party of Arkansas City Fourth of July-ers turned their backs upon the great show at Winfield, and started for the Territory; where upon the broad prairies, by the sparkling waters of the Shilocco, we might have room to “spread” ourselves, and liberty to partake of the Legislature’s forbidden fruit for which we all had an “orful hankerin’.” Our objective point was the spring—everybody knows where that is. We left town at 8:30, with banners flying, and at 9:15 passed the State line and beyond the limits of the game law. And right here I would like to call the attention of the authorities to a system of lawlessness that exists along the border, which if persisted in will disgrace us as a community, and cause great annoyance to the Government.

I allude to the disgraceful conduct of Polk Stevens et al., in cutting up the State line and using the pieces for well ropes, lariats, etc.

After passing into the Territory, O. P. Houghton, E. D. Eddy, Kendall Smith, Henry Mowry, and others, armed with double barrel shot guns and dogs—I mean dogs and double barrel shot guns—started out to hunt for game, while the rest of the party went to look for the spring, which (everybody knowing exactly where it was) we found immediately. Here we corralled our wagons, and to the tops thereof stretched wagon covers, and soon had a comfortable tent commodious enough to cover our whole party of fifty. The next thing in order was to prepare the “wittles.” L. McLaughlin’s pony express came in on time bringing a game sack full of game, consisting of young quails, snipes, woodpeckers, and prairie chickens of all ages, from the newly bedged with parts of its late domicile hanging to them to the toothless old hen of “ye olden time.” Eddy, under the supervision of Mrs. Houghton and Mrs. L. McLaughlin, cooked the game in a very satisfactory manner, while Tyler McLaughlin, as chief cook of the coffee department, covered himself all over with glory and cinders.

Kendall Smith and Jim Benedict roasted three pecks of wormy sweet corn, and Mrs.—candor compels me to say it—Mrs. Meigs ate it. Evidently the author of “Ten Acres Enough” had never seen Mrs. Meigs eat roasting ears. Other parties disposed of grub in the same proportion, but the undersigned sat between Jim Benedict and the “picter” man, and as a consequence, went home hungry, and “Oh! how dry I was.”

After dinner we had a patriotic song by Mrs. Alexander and O. P. Houghton, and an eloquent address by E. D. Bowen, M. D. The toast, “The flag of our Union: long may it wave, from Kansas to Maine and Georgi(e)a,” was responded to by E. D. Eddy. Mrs. Alexander was the life and spirit of the party (she carried the spirit in a bottle). After our patriotism had effervesced, T. H. McLaughlin set up the lemonade, and we started for home. On the way Mrs. L. McLaughlin unfolded some blood curdling panther “tails” of the early days in the backwoods. Just as the Centennial sun sank to rest, we returned to our homes, with a feeling of pity for those people of limited means who could not afford to travel, but were compelled to put up with the skeetery and weedy woods of Winfield.

ANNIE VERSARY.

Arkansas City Traveler, August 9, 1876.

BIRTHS. Since our last issue we have heard of three additions to society in the way of births, and being unable to learn the dates and particulars of each, we shall “lump” them. Mr.

E. D. Bowen, one of our oldest settlers, is the happy father of a baby, gender unknown. Mrs. John Brown presented her liege lord with a bouncing girl of about eighteen pounds weight (so Geo. Allen says). As regards baby No. 3, there was an express stipulation in the contract that the printer was to know nothing of it: so we’ll just tally one for Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, over the Walnut, and keep still.

Wonder if Jefferson Bowen might be a son of E. D. Bowen...

Arkansas City Traveler, September 27, 1876.

TEACHERS.

The following teachers were in attendance at the examination held at Winfield, Friday and Saturday, September 15 and 16, 1876.

ARKANSAS CITY. Lizzie Landis, Laura E. Turner, T. Kate Hawkins, Adelia DeMott, Fannie Skinner, Frank A. Chapin, Xina Cowles, H. M. Bacon, Stella Burnett, Anna O. Wright, J. M. Hawthorne, Georgia Christian, Jefferson Bowen, Mrs. A. R. Hauser.

It appears that E. D. Bowen gave up grocery store and started freighting...

Excerpt...

[A JOURNEY TO THE INDIAN COUNTRY: BY C. M. SCOTT.]

TRAVELER, FEBRUARY 21, 1877 - FRONT PAGE. And TRAVELER, FEBRUARY 28, 1877 - FRONT PAGE.

Noticing a number of wagons coming from the south on the evening of our arrival, we went to where they were camped and found them to be Arkansas City freighters on their return from Fort Sill, namely: E. D. Bowen, A. A. Davis, R. B. Scott, Gardner Mott, Johnny Mott, Brown, Provose, Thompson, Dilworth, Belknap, and Campbell. The latter three were on their way down. After leaving the last TRAVELER and telling all we could think of, we left them for the night.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 21, 1877.

BOWEN has rhubarb ten inches long.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 21, 1877.

W. B. TRISSELL respectfully solicits the patrons of Rose Hill nursery to call at his delivering ground in Arkansas City on Thursday, March 22nd, and on Monday, March 26th, and get their nursery stock, as Mr. Bowen desires his lots for planting.

[COMMUNICATION FROM BOLTON TOWNSHIP: AUTHOR NOT GIVEN.]

Arkansas City Traveler, May 2, 1877.

The farmers are all busy planting corn. Mr. Bowen has thirty acres up and looking well, but the grasshoppers have begun work on it. Wheat never looked better, and if the grasshoppers but mind their business, the farmers will be all right.

Arkansas City Traveler, August 29, 1877.

I WILL TRADE one bushel of peaches for one bushel of good wheat. E. Bowen; 2½ miles southwest of the Arkansas River bridge.

[BOLTON BACKS HARTSOCK—INVESTIGATING STEAMSHIP PLANS.]

Arkansas City Traveler, July 17, 1878.

BOLTON TOWNSHIP, JULY 14, 1878.

At a meeting held at the Bland schoolhouse, July 13, for the purpose of making arrangements with D. B. Hartsock to carry our produce down the Arkansas River to Little Rock, Capt. R. Hoffmaster was called to the chair, and A. H. Buckwalter was chosen Secretary.

On motion the following six men were appointed to solicit subscriptions in aiding Mr. Hartsock in building a boat: E. Bowen, Lyman Herrick, G. O. Herbert, W. Chambers, Frank Lorry, and Wm. Trimble. Moved and seconded that the proceedings of this meeting be published in the TRAVELER. R. HOFFMASTER, Chairman.

A. H. BUCKWALTER, Secretary.

In connection with the above, we will state that Mr. Hartsock’s plan is to raise money on the wheat solicited from the farmers, and then build or purchase a steamboat at Little Rock, or some other river town where boat building is carried on. Mr. Hartsock is a river man of large experience, having spent most of his life on the water, and if successful in raising the wheat, he will put a boat on this river as soon as one can be built. It will pay our farmers to contribute liberally to this enterprise, as they can more than save the amount of their donations in the price they will get for their grain shipped south. As we said last week, the surest means of success is in unity of action, and the farmers cannot do better than to join in advancing this project. Mr. Hartsock is a thoroughly reliable, honest, and upright man, and has only taken hold of this at the earnest solicitation of numerous friends in Bolton Township, who are alive to the necessity of a water outlet for their grain, and he proves his confidence in the practicability of the scheme from the fact that he puts all his own wheat (the product of a hundred acres) in with the rest.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 4, 1878.

Wm. Coombs has rented the Bowen building, and intends opening a meat market. L. H. Gardner also intends keeping all kinds of fresh meat in the room adjoining Benedict’s store.

Arkansas City Traveler, October 9, 1878.

Steamboat Meeting.

BOLTON, OCTOBER 5TH, 1878.

The meeting was called to order by Capt. Hoffmaster, who was elected chairman, and J. O. Wilkinson, secretary. Amos Walton came forward and explained the object of the meeting in an extended speech, explaining the reason why the Arkansas River has not been navigated ere this. He gave his experience in navigating the river last spring, proving conclusively that the river can be navigated with light draught boats nearly the whole season, and that the channel did not change in the regular chutes at all. He showed by statistics that steamboat transportation is far cheaper than any other kind. He then read a letter from a gentleman now surveying the Kaw River, stating that he intended to survey the Arkansas after he had completed the survey of the former stream. Mr. Walton, continuing, said there was nothing in the politics of any party that was one-tenth the value to the farmers of this county, Bolton in particular, as there was in the successful navigation of this river. He then referred the people to the boat now building by McClaskey and Seymour, and said that those gentlemen had promised him not to ask for any aid from the people until their boat was constructed. That time has now arrived, and he now asked the people to respond according to their own judgment of what was right. Mr. Walton closed his remarks by calling for a general expression of opinions by the members of the meeting.

Captain Hoffmaster was called, and said that he was willing to give all he had donated to the Hartsock enterprise, Mr. Hartsock having given it up. Mr. Herrick came forward and said that he was willing to do the same. All then came forward and turned their donations to the Hartsock fund over to McClaskey and Seymour. Messrs. Herrick, Bowen, Sample, and Conaway were appointed a soliciting committee, when the meeting adjourned, to meet next Saturday night, October 12. R. HOFFMASTER, Chairman.

J. O. WILKINSON, Secretary.

Children of E. D. Bowen....???

Arkansas City Traveler, January 8, 1879.

School Report.

Deportment and standing of pupils in the “A” and “B” grades, in District No. 69.

DEPORTMENT.

Allie Bowen, 100; Angie Bowen, 100; Nannie Scott, 100; Clara Scott, 100; Maggie Turner, 100; Sadie Scott, 100; May Deweese, 100; Kate Deweese, 100; Callie Donelly, 100; Joseph Ramsey, 100; Willie Ramsey, 85; Hattie Wood, 100.

ARITHMETIC.

Allie Bowen, 100; Angie Bowen, 85; Nannie Scott, 100; Clara Scott, 85; Maggie Turner, 85; Sadie Scott, 85; May Deweese, 85; Katie Deweese, 90; Callie Donelly, 60; Joseph Ramsey, 90; Willie Ramsey, 85; Hattie Wood, 60.

[Skipped Geography and Grammar. Repetition of many names already given.]

Reading and spelling of both classes were of high grade. J. O. WILKINSON, Teacher.

Could the following be a daughter of E. D. Bowen...?

Arkansas City Traveler, March 26, 1879.

MARRIED. When they want to get married over in Bolton, they get married. Mr. Sid Clark to Miss Alice Bowen, at Mr. J. B. Plumb’s.

[This could be the “Allie Bowen” mentioned above in School Report.]

Arkansas City Traveler, June 18, 1879.

DAVID MERICLE,

ARKANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

ICE CREAM, LEMONADE, AND CONFECTIONERY.

MEALS AT ALL HOURS. GIVE ME A CALL. BOWEN BUILDING.

D. MERICLE.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 24, 1879.

Teacher wanted in district sixty-nine. Male teacher that has had several years experience in teaching, and that is capable of teaching music. Young teachers need not apply.

E. BOWEN, Director.

It appears that “Elisha” might have been first name of E. D. Bowen...

Arkansas City Traveler, October 8, 1879.

Affidavit signed by the District Board of 69.

We, the undersigned District Board of School District No. 69, County of Cowley, State of Kansas, sign our names to the following declaration, to wit:

Mr. J. O. Wilkinson was never turned out of our school by us nor had we the slightest occasion to take any legal steps for his dismissal; believing, as we now do, that he taught us the best school we ever had in the District. ELISHA BOWEN, Pres.

MARY URQUHART, Clerk.

Did E. D. Bowen’s wife move to Harper County?

Arkansas City Traveler, October 27, 1880.

On Tuesday evening of last week a gathering of old settlers was held at the residence of T. H. McLaughlin, in honor of Mrs. Meigs and Mrs. Bowen, who have been visiting their friends in this vicinity. They returned to their homes in Harper County last Saturday.

[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]

Winfield Courier, November 25, 1880.

Trial docket for December term, commencing on the first Monday (6th day) of December, A. D. 1880:

FIFTH DAY, CIVIL DOCKET.

Eliza J. Bowen vs. Elisha Bowen

Did E. D. Bowen and his wife obtain a divorce?

Arkansas City Traveler, December 1, 1880.

COWLEY CO. DISTRICT COURT.

Trial docket for December term, commencing on the first Monday (6th day) of December, A. D., 1880.

CIVIL DOCKET. FIFTH DAY.

Eliza Bowen vs. Elisha Bowen.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 7, 1881.

Mr. Bowen, an old-time resident of this city, is in town with his family upon a visit to Mr. and Mrs. T. H. McLaughlin.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 14, 1881.

Mrs. Finney has purchased the residence of E. D. Bowen, in the west part of town.

Arkansas City Traveler, October 27, 1881.

On Tuesday evening of last week a gathering of old settlers was held at the residence of T. H. McLaughlin, in honor of Mrs. Meigs and Mrs. Bowen, who have been visiting their friends in this vicinity. They returned to their homes in Harper County last Saturday.

Arkansas City Traveler, December 14, 1881.

Our Schools.

SENIOR DEPARTMENT. Pupils perfect in deportment during third month.

Charley Randall, James Robinson, Walter Pickering, Fred McLaughlin, Eddie Garris, Frank Barnett, Horace Vaughn, Mollie Christian, Jessie Finley, Stella Swarts, Zonie Hostetler, Dora Pearson, D. O. Deets, Ella Barnett, Annie Bowen, Emma Theaker, Fannie Peterson, Lula Walton, Alto Maxwell, Willie Edwards, Frank Gamel, Alice Warren, Abby Pettit, Cora Pettit, Hattie Hand, Alvin Sankey.

According to next item, Elisha E. Bowen, age 48, died in Bolton Township...

Arkansas City Traveler, January 25, 1882.

DIED. On Wednesday last, January 18th, 1882, at his residence, in Bolton Township, of pleura pneumonia, Elisha Bowen, in the forty-eighth year of his age. The funeral took place on the Friday following at 2 p.m., and the remains were deposited in their last resting place in the Mercer cemetery in the presence of many sorrowing relatives and friends.

Mr. Bowen was born in Ohio, but came to Kansas while it was yet a Territory, and afterwards moved to Bolton Township—eleven years ago—where he resided up to the time of his death. He leaves a wife and five children to mourn his loss, and to them is extended, the deepest sympathy in their sad bereavement.

Winfield Courant, February 9, 1882.

Application for the appointment of an administrator of the estate of E. Bowen, deceased, late of Bolton Township, has been filed in the Probate Court.

Winfield Courier, February 23, 1882.

Demand of the Cowley County Bank allowed against the estate of Elisha Bowen for $102.70.

Arkansas City Traveler, May 30, 1883.

Mrs. H. O. Meigs and Mrs. E. D. Bowen, of Anthony, Kansas, are at Geuda Springs.

Arkansas City Traveler, June 14, 1882.

E. D. Bowen, one of our first townsmen, but now of Anthony, Harper Co., Kansas, was in the city last week upon a visit to old friends and of course did not fail to pay his respects to the TRAVELER.

Arkansas City Traveler, May 16, 1883.

We were pleased to meet in this city, last week, Mr. Ed. Bowen, an old-time citizen of this place, and now of Anthony, Harper County.

Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, March 12, 1884.

RECAP SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF ELISHA BOWEN, DECEASED. MRS. ELIZA J. BOWEN, ADMINISTRATOR.

Arkansas City Republican, August 9, 1884. Miss Anna Bowen, who two years ago, was an excellent student of our high school, is expected next week in the city, to visit her aunt, Mrs. T. H. McLaughlin.