William Bowlsby (1901)

BOWLSBY

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 10/7/2009 at 10:28:04

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, June 20, 1901
Page 5

County and City

Mr. B. F. Bowlsby returned from Osceola Tuesday where he was called by the illness and death of his father, Wm. Bowlsby, who died last Saturday. Mr. Bowlsby was a former resident of Winterset and one of the early settlers of Madison county.
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The Osceola Democrat
Osceola, Iowa
Thursday, June 20, 1901
Page 1, Column 5

William H. Bowlsby was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, March 18, 1815. At the age of one year his parents removed to Union county, Indiana. His father died when he was 15 years old, and his mother 4 years later, leaving him an orphan at the age of 19 years. He was bound out to learn the blacksmith trade at the age of 16 years, which he completed when he was 20.

He was married to Mary Ann Garretson at Windsor, Indiana, May 5, 1836. In September 1837 at a camp meeting near Deerfield, Indiana, he gave his heart to Jesus, and with his companion, united with the M.E. church in which he remained until the year of 1841. There was an M.P. church organized in the town they lived in, and he with his family and many others united with it. He lived in Indiana eleven years and then removed to Dark county, Ohio, in the year of 1845, residing there 8 years. He, with many families, emigrated to Iowa in 1852, which was then a very new country. He settled first in Oskaloosa, Mahaska county, living there 20 months, but having entered land in Madison county, he moved his family to Winterset in May 1854, and resided there until November 6, 1866. In order to have church privileges he removed with his family to Osceola, Clarke county, where he united with the M.P. church, where they worshipped in the little blue church—and remained a faithful and consistent member until he went to join the church triumphant, which was June 15, 1901, at 12 o’clock, after an illness of eleven days.

Again the white veiled boatman has borne from our midst a brother, a husband and father, to that “bourn from which no traveler returns.” Methinks I hear him as he approaches the river’s edge and is lothe to bear so precious a burden from the cries and sobs of the loved ones who stand around his dying bed, but the Divine that has gone forth, and hearts were agonized, and looks grew sadder and sadder as they saw him leave the shores of time. He told his companion that he was ready to go, and it would not be long until they would be reunited in the paradise of God. Oh, how bright the religion of Christ shines in the dying hour of the child of God.

He was the father of nine children, four of whom preceded him to the glory land. Those living are Benjamin F. of Winterset, Iowa, Mrs. E. J. Compton of Shawnee, Oklahoma, James F. of Des Moines, Mrs. May Kearney of Creston, and Addison K. with whom he made his home. All of whom were present at the funeral (except Mrs. Compton) together with fourteen grandchildren and three great grandchildren, and they with his aged companion are left to mourn the loss of a kind and loving husband, father and grandfather.

He was always cheerful, contented and happy, and being almost blind, he could not read, so spent much of his time when at home, singing the old familiar hymns he loved so well, and even on his death bed, four days before he passed away, he sang three of his favorite hymns and seemed so happy.

His voice of testimony and song will be missed in the house of God, but his memory will ever be sacred to many in Osceola and elsewhere. The esteem in which he was held was evidenced by the large crowd of sympathizing friends that gathered at the church and the many floral offerings given to pay the last tribute of respect to the departed.

Funeral services were held at the M.P. church in Osceola at 2:00 p.m., on Monday, 17th. Sermon by his pastor Rev. Wm. McCorkle. He was assisted by Rev. G. W. Robinson, after which we laid his body tenderly to rest in Maple Hill cemetery, there to await the resurrection morn.

M. K.

Link to Gravestone Photo
 

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