John Bowen is grandfather of Indiana Governor Otis "Doc" Bowen.
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OBITUARY
The Rochester Sentinel

Saturday, March 23, 1935

John T. BOWEN, aged 82, who resided on a farm in Richland township for many years died at 5:45 o'clock Friday afternoon at the home of his son Vernie BOWEN in Francisville. Death was due to pneumonia and followed an illness of three days. The son is the basketball coach of the Francisville High School and was the coach at Fulton for a number of years.

The deceased was born in Fulton county on January 17, 1853. His parents were Daniel and Nancy BOWEN. He moved from this county to Miami county. Thirty-one years ago Mr. Bowen returned to the county of his birth. He has lived on farms near Akron and in Richland township. Mr. Bowen was a member of the Methodist Church at Richland Center.

Mr. Bowen who was widely known was a retired farmer. His death followed that of his wife whose maiden name was Rebecca Jane HARTMAN, by nine days. Mr. and Mrs. Bowen celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on February 27.

Mr. Bowen is believed to have more descendants than any other resident in northern Indiana, they totaling 140.
Mr. and Mrs. Bowen were the parents of 15 children, two of whom, Ida [BOWEN] and Nellie Ann [BOWEN] died while quite young. Surviving are eight sons, Wesley [BOWEN], Nelson [BOWEN], Joe [BOWEN], George [BOWEN], Clem [BOWEN], Sam [BOWEN], Ray [BOWEN] and Vernie [BOWEN], five daughters, Mrs. Elva MECHLING, Mrs. Martha KINDIG, Mrs. Sarah WELLER, Mrs. Alice NORRIS and Mrs. Rose MILLER of this city, 59 grandchildren, 67 great-grandchildren one great-great-granchild, three brothers and a sister.

The body of the deceased will be taken to the home in Richland township Saturday afternoon. The funeral services will be held from the Methodist Church at Richland Center at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon with the Rev. Daniel SLAYBAUGH of Akron in charge. Burial will be made in the Omega Cemetery.


SOURCE:
Fulton County Indiana Obituaries – 1935
by Jean C. and Wendell C. Tombaugh

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NOTE: John Pierce Bowen, b.Henry Twp, Fulton Co Ind, son of Daniel and Nancy (Melvin) Bowen, m. February 27, 1873, Rebecca Jane Hartman (cau of Wesley & Sarah (Slusser) Hartman). They are listed as householders of Henry Twp in Census, 1880.

Fifteen children born to John Pierce and Rebecca Jane (Hartman) Bowen:

(1) Wesley M. (Milo), b.February 14, 1874, of Henry Twp, d. at his home, m.1896 Bertha Dukes,, and had children, Oscar, Walter, Mrs. Avery Brower, Mrs. Fred Kinley, Mrs. George Parker, Mrs. Bernard Hurst, and Mrs. Daniel Secor (Obit, The News-Sentinel, Rochester, Ind., December 15, 1951);

(2) Elva Elnora, b.July 13, 1875, near Akron, d.Argos, Ind., m.1892 Jacob L. Mechling who d.1939, and had children: Ruth (Mrs. Russell Dinsmore), Mrs. Gladys Carr, Mary Hope (Mrs. Alfred Winenger), Lorie, and Guy (Obit, The News-Sentinel, Rochester, Ind., July 8, 1968;

(3) Nelson, b.1877, d.1963, m.1900 (1st), Emma C. Nicodemus who d.1954, and m.1955 (2nd) Bessie (Kuhn) Krieg;

(4) Joseph, b.1878, d.1958, m.1901 Grace Alspaugh;

(5) Martha Jane, b.1881, d. ---, m. Charles Kindig (b.1874, d.1967 at Warsaw, Ind., bur. New Oak Hill cem, Plymouth, Ind), and had children - three sons & five daus, including Mrs. Hazel Thompson and Mrs. Mable Hagenbush, Sr., both of Argos, Ind.(Obit, The Sentinel, Rochester, Ind., June 1, 1967);

(6) George H., b.1882, d.1947, m. Mettie Elnora Miller;

(7) Sarah A., b. September 24, 1883 Fulton Co Ind, left Leiters Ford area in 1910, and was a resident of Waterman, Illinois at the time of her death; m. Michael Weller who d.1949; had children - Marie (Mrs. F. W. Kinney), and Lawrence Weller (Obit, The Sentinel, Rochester, Ind., October 13 & 14, 1966;

(8) Ida, March 20, 1885 - March 31, 1885;

(9) Alice, b.1886, m. December 24, 1907 to Leo Norris (1886-1964, bur Richland Center I.O.O.F. cem), and had children - Lucille (Mrs. Kenneth Fisher), Betty (Mrs. Robert Miller, Nelson, John Cecil, Wendell, Manford, and James & Woodrow deceased (Obit, The Sentinel, Rochester, Ind, January 21, 1964);

(10) Rosa May, b.1888, m.1906 (1st) Clem R. Miller, and m. (2nd) Lee Hatch;

(11) Clem E., b. January 17, 1890, d.Plymouth Ind, m.1909 to Marie Bayless who d. in May, 1967, and had children - Harold, Robert, Clem, Jr., Helen (Mrs. George Towel), and bur in the New Oak Hill cem, Plymouth, Ind (Obits, The Sentinel, Rochester, Ind, May 18, 1967, and September 10, 1971);

(12) Samuel J., 1891-1962, m.1911 in Rochester, to Lena Perkins (1892-1971, bur Richland Center I.O.O.F. cem), children - Floyd E., and John E. (Obit, The Sentinel, Rochester, Ind, April 23 & 24, 1971);

(13) Nellie Ann, 1893-1896;

(14) Ray, b. June 8, 1895 Fulton Co Ind, d.Plymouth, a resident of Argos, Ind, m. December 30, 1925 at Solin Mills, Illinois, to Laura G. Stine, and had children - Patricia (Mrs. Julius Novitzki), Joh, and was bur in th Argos Maple Grove cem (Obit, The Sentinel, Rochester, Ind, February 7, 1964;

(15) Vernie, b.1898, m.Pearl Wright, and they had five children - Esther (Mrs. Herbert Bremer), Otis Ray (M.D. and Governor of Indiana; m.1939, Elizabeth Steinman), Evelyn Maxine (Mrs. Earl Amacher), Richard (m.Alyette Dumarche),Sarah Jane (m. (1st) Garner Marvin, m. (2nd) Lee Scandling).


SOURCE: Fulton Co Ind M. App; Shirley Willard, Fulton Co Folks, Vol. 1, pp 108-110.

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