Bowers, J. C. 1841 - 1897

BOWERS

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 3/11/2021 at 10:56:40

Source: Decorah Republican Dec. 2, 1897 P 9 C 6

Accidental Shooting near New Hampton.
Gazette. Our city was thrown into a wild state of excitement this morning when the news was spread that J. C. Bowers was dead. He and his son, Ray, went out rabbit hunting yesterday about 11 o'clock, east of the city. Along in the afternoon Mr. Bowers used up all his shells and took Ray's gun and the boy went home. His father told him he would be home ere long. As he did not return the family alarmed some of the neighbors and Ray and some of the others went out to search for him. Not succeeding they come to town and others went in search. At about 4 o'clock this morning Ed. Hewitt, Ed Sheffield and Ray Bowers found his body lying beside a log just in the edge of the timber one mile northeast of the city. From all appearances it seems that he had stepped onto the log and had slipped and fell and in trying to recover himself the hammer of the gun caught on the log and he caught the muzzle of the gun in his hands and the contents of one barrel were discharged striking him under the chin and passing upwards blew the entire left side of his head off. About two years ago his son, Edward, was accidentally killed near the same place while out hunting.

Transcriber’s Note: Find a Grave shows he was born in 1841 and died Nov. 26, 1897. He is buried in the New Hampton Cemetery.

Source: Decorah Republican May 30, 1895 P 2 C 4

Accidentally Shot.
New Hampton Tribune:—One of the saddest events that has happened in the vicinity of New Hampton for a long time occurred on Saturday about five o’clock. Shortly after noon of Satur­day, Ed. Bowers, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Bowers, of this city, a young man nearly nineteen years old, in company with his brothers and another boy, went hunting and fishing along the Wapsie east of town. They stayed there till between four and five o'clock when Ed turned back to find something he had lost. The other boys came on home. A short time after this as Mr. and Mrs. U. Carver came along on their way home, and about twenty feet from the road they saw a body lying on the ground. On going closer they saw blood on the hat that was lying a short distance from the body. On going up to the dying person they recognized him at once, he was not yet dead, but could not speak and died without saying a word.