Mr. Bowen,
I'm sure you'll find this strange, but I think I have found a couple of your family's tombstones on my family's land near Luling, Texas. (CALDWELL COUNTY) The two tombstones were found at the old Moore family home about two years ago when it was being demolished (I think they were under the house.) I was trying to find out where they came from when I ran across your web site.
The engravings on the stones are as follows:
Father W.H. Bowen Born Sept. 27. 1872 Died Nov. 17. 1938
Mother Mrs. R.F. Bowen Born Feb. 8 1869 Died Apr. 4. 1931
[ Full image of Mrs. R.F. Bowen Stone ] [ Full image of Mr W.H. Bowen Stone ]
I saw that you had a William H. Bowen listed as being born in 1872 to William M. and Mahala Duke Bowen. Do you think these could be his and his wife's stones? The stones are hand carved and pretty primitive, but they are in excellent condition. Our land is at the southern tip of Caldwell County, very close to the town of Harwood (Gonzales County). I think some Bowens are buried in the Harwood cemetery, I was going to head over there and see if the stone styles are similar.
Now, I have no earthly idea what they are doing on our family's property! None of the family remembers seeing the stones, nor do they remember any Bowens. The only possible thing I can think of is that someone in the Moore household carved the stones, but they were never picked up.(?) We thought maybe someone had stolen the stones, but, why?? The house was vacant for several years, and we think some drifters came in and out... - I have no idea!!
I would like to get these to their rightful place, so maybe we can figure out where that place is! I have scanned pictures of the stones which I can send you if you wish. Please contact me if you have any information.
Sheila
My Answer........Yes, W.H. Was brother to my g grandfather James Lawrence Bowen, son of my GG grandfather William M. Bowen ( civil war veteran ) who himself is buried in Prarie Lea cemetery at stratton / Luling near Cuero. Much of the Bowen family lived in Luling,Cuero, & Yoakum... some were taken to the Peirce funeral home in Luling, such as was my g grandmother Mahala Duke Bowen, I have paperwork from my cousin Marlene on Mahala and signed by J.M. Peirce undertaker and witnessed by her son I.T. Bowen ,I have the death certificate of her son, my great grandfather James Lawrence Bowen also from the Peirce funeral home. I also have an obituary of Daniel Hodge Bowen of Luling ........
The case cracked? The Mystery Solved ?
William Henry Bowen (b.27 Sep 1872;d.17 Nov 1938)
married #1 Sarah Bartlett and had son William Ben Bowen;
married #2 Rachel Florence I. Bartlett and had dau. Florence Marie Bowen (she married Manford Jeffers).
William died 17 Nov 1938 and is thought to be buried at Smith Cemetery, Luling, TX. His first wife is buried in Grayson County.
spouse 1 : Sarah Bartlett
spouse 2: Rachel Florence Inscore Bartlett (d.4 Apr 1931)Sarah & Rachel were sisters.
Hello!
I called my mother in law, Louise Duke Hartman, and asked her about the Luling stones. She visited out there in 1973 with her father Robert Emmett Duke (we live in San Antonio). They visited with William Benjamin Bowen, called Ben, son of William Henry Bowen. I have seen a picture of Ben taken during that visit, but I don't have a copy of it. He is standing beside the old homestead... a very delapidated looking shed! Mom cannot remember visiting any cemetery or talking about where Ben's father was buried.
The above information was provided by Pat Jenkins Hartman related through Mahala Duke Bowen
The Bowen family web The Rootsweb edition 2000-2004
