Henry Clay Bowman
Born: October 1st, 1843
Died: June 9th, 1923
Obituary
Henry Bowman, veteran horseman of this community and a citizen of Des Moines county for half a century, died suddenly in his home on the Agency road, four miles west of Burlington, late Saturday.
Mr. Bowman always took an active interest in the Tri-State fair, especially the horse races, and when he was not riding in a sulky behind a fast horse, he could always be found in the judges’ stand at the fair.
The last time he drove in a race was last Fourth of July when he piloted Delbert Murray’s Edna, sired by Mr. Bowman’s own horse, Billy Sandle, in a road race at the fairgrounds and finished in the money.
Back in the old days he and John Berry had training stables at the old fairgrounds. They kept a fine string of racehorses, the best known perhaps being “Billy Sandle,” a record of 2:14 1/2, and his trotter “Pneumatic,” will be remembered by racehorse enthusiasts.
Mr. Bowman injured his knee a week ago and apparently was on the road to recovery when he died suddenly Saturday afternoon. His death was due to heart trouble.
He was born in Pennsylvania Oct. 1, 1843, and at the age of 17 years enlisted in the Civil War. He was wounded twice during the war. After being discharged he came to Burlington and this community had been his home for the last fifty years.
Surviving are two children, Mrs. JB Leffler of Flint River township, and William I Bowman of Minneapolis, Minn.; one sister, Mrs. HE Long, of Duluth, Minn., and four brothers, one in California and three in Pennsylvania, as well as eleven grandchildren. His wife and four children preceded him in death. He was a member of the G.A.R.
CIVIL WAR VETERAN. SERVED WITH CO A 93RD PA INFANTRY. FROM LEBANON COUNTY, PA. LEARNED THE SHOEMAKING TRADE BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR. ELISTED AT AGE 17. MOVED WEST TO IOWA 1866. MARRIED SOPHIA SPERBER.