West Liberty History 1838-1938

Source: One Hundred Years of History
* Commemorating a Century of Progress in the West Liberty Community * WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
GEORGE JACKSON BOWLSBY

Another early settler who helped shape the history of this community was George Jackson Bowlsby.

George Bowlsby was born at Pipsisaway, N. J. in 1818, he came to Iowa where he secured his first job, that of mail carrier. His route lay between Iowa City and Bloomington, now Muscatine, a distance of 33 miles. Since mail was carried by horseback it took two days to make this trip, up one day and back the next.

The following year he returned to New Jersey where he married Lydia Ann Fisher. Two children, Levi and Mary A., were born to them. They returned to Iowa in a covered wagon, all their possessions packed in a chest of drawers. This chest is now in the Bert Richards home.

Mr. Bowlsby passed away in 1900, his wife followed in 1903.

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