Emily Bowman, tenth child of Marchel (née Blizzard) and John Bowman, was born in Darke County, Ohio, where her parents were among the early settlers. The Bowman family migrated after 1860 to Champaign County, Illinois. As an adult, she went by Emma.

Emma Bowman and William T. Van Dorn married on 30 December 1884 in Champaign County, Illinois. The bride, age 25, was a Fisher, Champaign County, resident; the groom, age 41 was a Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska, resident. The couple were enumerated in 1885 in Yankee Hill Precinct, Lancaster County, and the couple's three children were born in that county.

By 1900, the Van Dorn family had moved to Chicago, where William T. Van Dorn worked in manufacturing. He died there in 1918. Emily Van Dorn later moved to Elmhurst, DuPage County, Illinois, where she lived with her daughter.

Notes

1860 U.S. Census, Neave Twp., Darke Co., Ohio; dwelling 1235, family 1196, lines 16-27, p. 90 (printed), p. 173 (written), 5 Aug 1860.
16. John Bowman, 65, farmer ($2,500; $400), Pa.
17. Michel Bowman, 37, Md.
18. Catharine -----, 21, Ohio.
19. Mary -----, 19, Ohio.
20. "Sameul" -----, 17, Ohio.
21. "Hezikiah" -----, 13, Ohio.
22. Rebecca -----, 8, Ohio.
23. John -----, 7, Ohio.
24. George -----, 5, Ohio.
25. Sarah -----, 3, Ohio.
26. William -----, 3, Ohio.
27. "Emly" -----, 8/12, Ohio.

1870 U.S. Census, Newcomb Twp., Champaign Co., Illinois; dwelling 108, family 108, lines 32-40, p. 16 (written), 22 Jun 1870.
32. Bowman, M (ary), 45, keeping house ($2,500; $600), Maryland.
33. ----- Mary, 26, at home, Ohio.
34. ----- Hezikiah, 24, Ohio.
35. ----- Ann, 20, Ohio.
36. ----- George, 15, Ohio.
37. ----- Sarah, 14, Ohio.
38. ----- Emiley, 10, Ohio.
39. ----- Lucinda, 8, Ohio.
40. ----- Manuel, 4, Ohio.

1885 Nebraska state census, Yankee Hill Precinct, Lancaster Co.; dwelling 7, family 8, lines 41-46
41. Van Dorn, W. T., 40 [head], fruit[?] farmer; born in Indiana, father in N.J., mother in Virginia.
42. ----- Emma, 25, wife, house keeper, Ohio.
43. ----- W. T., 78, father, gardener; self and parents born in New Jersey.
44. ----- Margaret, 75, mother, Virginia.
45. ----- Lucinda, 40, sister, single; born in Indiana, father in N.J., mother in Virginia.
46. White, Wm., 31, servant, single, gardener, Canada.

1900 U.S. Census, E.D. 322, Ward 11, Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois; dwelling 118, family 163, lines 27-31, p. 11A (printed), p. 11 (written), 8 Jun 1900.
26. Van Dorn, W. T., head, Sep 1848, 52; born in Indiana, father in Pennsylvania, mother in Maryland; Mnfr. Of Car Couplers.
27. ----- Emma, wife, Dec 1859, 40, married 16 years, 3 children (living); born in Ohio, father in Pennsylvania, mother in Maryland.
28, ----- Edith A., daughter, Dec 1885, 14, Nebraska.
29. ----- Herbert, son, Mar 1887, 13, Nebraska.
30. ----- Will, 9, son, Sep 1890, 9, Nebraska.
31. Krueger, Ida, 19, roomer, servant.

W. T. Van Dorn of Chicago, intending to travel with his wife Emma, applied for a passport in 1910.

Death notice in: Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov 1942.

Mrs. Emma Van Dorn obit.: "Former Fisher Resident Dies," The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Illinois, 3 Nov 1942, p. 9. Died at home of daughter, Mrs. Steve Gavin, in Elmhurst. States incorrectly that she was born in Fisher, but correctly that she lived there until her marriage.

The year of birth reported in the death certificate, 1857, is inaccurate.

Reviewed 20 November 2021.