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Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JOSEPH H. BOWERS resides about
one mile east from Delight and there owns a fine estate of four hundred
and eighty acres which is all under cultivation, fenced and well improved.
Mr. Bowers has about twenty head of stock and farms his place largely to
wheat. He has made a first class success in raising this cereal
and is considered one of the good men of the community. He has shown
thrift and industry in his labors and is worthy to be classed as one of
the upbuilders of Adams county.
Joseph H. Bowers was born in Mount Pleasant,
Iowa, on November 1, 1865, the son of Amos and Elizabeth (Spry) Bowers,
natives of Ohio. They moved to Iowa in 1852, to Missouri in 1868,
in 1874 to Illinois, to Nebraska in 1880, and finally journeyed to Washington,
landing here in 1888. They are now dwelling in Adams county and the
father keeps the postoffice at Delight. They are the parents of seven
children, named as follows, Marion W., Levina J., Sarah E., Rose F., Edward
T., Joseph H., and Bertha M.
Our subject has been on the frontier a good
portion of his life and therefore had but little opportunity for securing
an education, but he made the best of what he had. At the age of
twenty-one he left his father's place and began work for himself.
This was in Nebraska. For two years he operated rented land and in
1888, came thence to Washington where he took a homestead, the same being
part of his present estate. Since then he has purchased enough to
make the estate three fourths of a section and he has given his entire
attention to its cultivation and improvement. He handles as high
as six thousand bushels of wheat annually. He also owns residence
property in Lind.
Mr. Bowers is still contented to dwell in
single blessedness. In political matters, he is a Republican, well
informed in the questions of the day and interested in everything that
tends to the upbuilding and progress of his county. He is a member
of the M. W. A. and also of the Methodist church.
Mr. Bowers has a sister, Mrs. Sarah E. Freestone,
who dwells with him, her homestead adjoining his place. She has resided
here for fifteen years and has shown remarkable fortitude and tenacity.
While holding her homestead, she was obliged to go out to work to support
her two daughters, and her lot is really more to be commended than the
male pioneers, for they were forced to contend with less to overcome than
she has had. She has always taken an interest in advancing the country
and her labors show her to be an industrious and substantial lady.
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