CHAPTER XXVII - BIOGRAPHICAL (Part 115)
BIOGRAPHICAL
John Bowen - The Bowen Coal Company of Windsor and Henry County, Missouri, composed of Richard Bowen and his sons, John, Thomas R. and William S. Bowen, is one of the most important mining concerns in western Missouri. For several years since the organization of this company, they have been mining coal in this section of Missouri and have been active developers of this important mining field.
Richard Bowen, founder of the Bowen Coal Company, was born at Thornley, Durham County, England, May 17, 1839. He is the son of James and Elizabeth (Tulip) Bowen, the former of whom was a soldier in the British Armies, having fought in America during the War of 1812 and was a soldier in Wellington's army, which defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. Richard Bowen was reared to young manhood in England and became a coal miner. He immigrated to America in 1863 and arrived here on May 9. He first settled in the coal mining country near Steubenville, Ohio, later going to the mining section of Allegheny County, Maryland, where he was employed in the mines for a year. He then went to Clarksburg, West Virginia, and was there employed for three years. From Clarksburg, he went to Ritchie County, West Virginia, and had charge of coal mines at that place for four years as mine boss and superintendent. In 1876, he came to Henry County, Missouri, and took charge of the Bancroft and Company's mines. Later, he was manager of the Osage mines. In 1882, he embarked in mining on his own account and became a member of the Tebo Mining Company. For twenty years thereafter, he was interested actively in coal mining and organized the Bowen Mining Company of which he was the head until his retirement to a home in Clinton, Missouri. Mr. Bowen is now making his home in Kansas City, Missouri. He is still interested in mining.
In February, 1858, Richard Bowen and Elizabeth Thompson were married in England. This marriage was blessed with nine children. Five of these children died in infancy. The others living are: John, William S., Thomas R., and Elizabeth, widow of Henry Peckinpaugh, of Clinton, Missouri. The late Mrs. Elizabeth Bowen was born August 4, 1838, and departed this life February 7, 1913.
John Bowen, the immediate subject of this review, was born at Thornley, Durham County, England, December 13, 1858. He accompanied his parents to America in 1863 and was here reared to young manhood, following in his successful father's footsteps as miner and operator of coal mines. His public school education was obtained at Clarksburg, West Virginia, and not long afterward he became engaged with his father in coal mining. In 1882, he joined his father in the mining business and they operated coal mines at Lewis Station, Henry County, where the concern also conducted a general merchandise store, of which John Bowen had charge until 1902. He made his home in Clinton, Missouri, until 1901 and then came to Windsor. The Bowen brothers discovered a splendid vein of coal west of Windsor on the Henry-Johnson County line and they began developing it. With the opening of the mines, a town sprang up in that vicinity which has been named Bowen.
On January 25, 1881, John Bowen and Miss Mary A. Thompson were united in marriage. The children born of this marriage are: Elizabeth G., wife of Robert G. Frazer, Tallulah, Louisiana; Richard J., his father's assistant; John W., bookkeeper of the First National Bank of Windsor; Ralph T., engaged in the mining business. Mrs. Mary A. Bowen was born in England, the daughter of James A. and Grace (Nichol) Thompson, who emigrated from England in 1870 and settled at Laconing, Maryland, residing there until 1878, when they came to Missouri. James A. Thompson was a coal miner and was interested in the mines at Lewis, Henry County, where he resided until his death on December 9, 1880. His wife passed away at Windsor in 1906.
Mr. Bowen is president of the First National Bank of Windsor and is a director of the Clinton National Bank of Clinton, Missouri. He was elected mayor of Windsor in 1911 and served for two years in this capacity. He is affiliated fraternally with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Clinton Lodge No. 548, and Royal Arch Chapter No. 73 of Clinton. Mr. Bowen is an energetic and public-spirited citizen who has the best interests of his home city and county at heart.
Henry C. Churchhill, retired druggist, Windsor, Missouri, was born in Union County, Kentucky, August 31, 1845, and has spent fifty-two years of his life in Missouri, being one of the pioneer residents of this section of the State. He is the son of Armstead and Rebecca (Catlett) Churchhill, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. Armstead Churchhill was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, October 27, 1810, and died at Knob Noster, Missouri, April 12, 1873. He followed agricultural pursuits during his active life and settled in Missouri in April, 1866. His wife, Rebecca Catlett, was born in Morganville, Kentucky, October 14, 1815, and died April 16, 1876. Armstead and Rebecca Churchhill were parents of ten children, four of whom grew to maturity.
Henry C. Churchhill was reared to young manhood in his native State of Kentucky and was educated at St. Mary's College, Louisville, Kentucky. He served in the army for one year during the Civil War. Mr. Churchhill attended Barnes Commercial College at Louisville, Kentucky, and also conducted a store in that city for a few years. When his parents came to Missouri, he accompanied them and followed farming in Johnson County for three years. In the spring of 1871, he located in Windsor, Henry County, and conducted a hardware store for two years. Having previously studied pharmacy under his uncle, Henry Catlett, and being somewhat familiar with the drug business, he purchased a drug store in Windsor and conducted it for a number of years. He then purchased a flouring mill in partnership with R. N. Ousley and was engaged in the milling business successfully until his retirement in 1903. Mr. Churchhill has made a success of his life and has become well-to-do in the course of his long business experience in Henry County. He is owner of farm lands in Henry and Johnson Counties and is now living in comfortable retirement at his pleasant home in Windsor.
Mr. Churchhill was married on November 20, 1866, to Miss Virginia Ousley, who was born in Johnson County, Missouri. Three children have been born to this union: Armstead L., of Vinita, Oklahoma; Mrs. Eliza Evans, Eldorado, Kansas; Florence S., wife of P. Ball, Mangum, Oklahoma. The mother of these children is deceased. Mr. Churchhill's second marriage was to Miss Missouri Campbell, who was born in Circleville, Ohio. Two children blessed this marriage: Samuel B., Vinita, Oklahoma; and Mary J., at home with her parents.
The Democratic party has always had the support of Mr. Churchhill and he has generally taken an interest in political and civic matters. He served one term as mayor of the city of Windsor and has always endeavored to do a good citizen's part toward the building up and material progress of his home city. He is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and he and Mrs. Churchhill are members of the Congregational Church.
Reuben Harkless, a widely known and successful auctioneer through out this section of Missouri, is a native of Pettis County, Missouri. He was born on a farm in Pettis County July 5, 1880, and is the son of James and Jane (Elliot) Harkless, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Missouri, respectively. James Harkless was born near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and his wife was born within five miles of Green Ridge on the old John Elliot homestead, which was one of the widely known and noted pioneer farms in Pettis County. The old stage route ran by the Elliot homestead, and John Elliot was a skilled cabinet maker and wood worker, who made coffins for the early settlers of the surrounding country. James Harkless came to Missouri from Minnesota with his parents when six years old, the family making the trip overland in 1855 and the little six year old boy walking practically all of the distance to the new home in Johnson County. They settled near Knob Noster. James was born in 1849 and died at his old home in Pettis County in March, 1915. His wife was born in 1849 and departed this life February 8, 1913. She was a distant relative of Daniel Boone.
Reuben Harkless was reared to the life of a farmer and tilled the soil until November of 1909, when he located in Windsor and launched his successful career as an auctioneer. In 1914, he took the agency for the Buick automobile and conducted an automobile business until he sold out April 17, 1918. Mr. Harkless first began to cry public sales in his neighborhood and has averaged over one hundred public sales each year. His largest public sale was one held in Windsor in 1911, which included the stock, business property and residence of a citizen and brought $26,000.
On January 10, 1904, Reuben Harkless and Mona Schnabel were united in marriage. One child has blessed this union, Balfour, born July 17, 1909. Mrs. Mona Harkless was born in Pettis County, Missoui, the daughter of Louis J. and Ellander (Rogers) Schnabel, natives of Benton County and Shelby County, Missouri, respectively. Louis J. Schnabel is a successful merchant of Lonia, Missouri, and is father of six sons and four daughters. The Schnabels are of German descent, the father of Louis J. Schnabel having left his native land to escape from the intolerable and degrading military oppression of the ruling classes and to find a free home in America. He homesteaded a tract of land in Pettis County and built up a splendid farm.
Five sons and two daughters were born to James and Jane Harkless, as follows: John E., a farmer of Pettis County; Charles R., Sedalia, Missouri, who is a Spanish-American War veteran and was a sharpshooter in Company M, 32nd Regiment Volunteer Infantry, United States Army; Reuben, subject of this sketch; Count, living near Green Ridge, Missouri; Mrs. Bertha Downing, Jefferson City, Missouri; Sarah May, wife of William I. Pittman, whose farm adjoins that of Mr. Harkless in Pettis County; Luster, Sedalia, Missouri.
In addition to his activities as an auctioneer, Mr. Harkless attends to a fine farm of one hundred twenty acres located in Pettis County not far from Windsor. He is a Republican and a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
Walter Clifton Thompson - The Windsor Manufacturing Company, makers of brooms, owned and operated by Walter C. and Benjamin Thompson, is one of the thriving local industries of Windsor and Henry County. The factory was established in 1904 by Hezekiah Thompson, father of the present proprietors. The factory was installed in the old canning establishment which has been remodeled and well equipped with the most modern broom making machinery. Thirty people are employed and the output of the factory will exceed fifty dozen brooms per day. Four traveling salesmen dispose of the product of the Thompson factory to the trade and the concern is in a flourishing condition. The Thompson factory building is 100x40 feet in dimension and is arranged so that plenty of light and ventilation is easily obtainable. This concern does a business of over $150,000 yearly, a considerable item of cash which naturally flows through the channels of trade in Windsor and the surrounding country.
Hezekiah Thompson, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1864, and while a youth, he learned the trade of broom maker. He established a broom factory in his native city and remained there until 1901, when he went to Jefferson City, Missouri, and organized and placed in operation the broom manufacturing plant operated in connection with the State prison and now known as the Central Broom Factory. Selling out his holdings in Jefferson City in 1904, he located in Windsor and established the factory now owned and operated by his sons. Later he went to Long Beach, California, and established a broom factory at Huntington Beach, near the latter city.
Mr. Thompson was married in 1882 to Emma Lawrence, a native of St. Louis. The following children were born of this marriage: Walter Clifton, of this review; Benjamin, associated in business with his brother; Eva, wife of Harry Bowman, Long Beach, California; Harry, stenographer for a ship building concern, Long Beach, California. The mother of these children was born in Ohio on February 14, 1863, and accompanied her parents to Missouri when a child.
Walter C. Thompson was educated in the public schools of St. Louis and at the age of sixteen years, he became interested in the broom manufacturing business with his father. Under his father's tutelage, he learned every phase of the business of manufacturing brooms and accompanied his father to Windsor in 1904, when the Windsor Manufacturing Company was placed in operation. In partnership with his brother, Benjamin, they are making a pronounced success of the business, which is of decided benefit to the growth and development of Windsor.
On October 22, 1902, W. C. Thompson and Grace Isabelle Aird of St. Louis, Missouri, were united in marriage. This marriage has been blessed with two children: Gladys and Esther Thompson. Mr. Thompson is an independent Democratic voter, and he and Mrs. Thompson are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Benjamin F. Thompson, junior member of the Windsor Manufacturing Company, Windsor, Missouri, was born in St, Louis, Missouri, May 7, 1885, and is the son of Hezekiah Thompson, a successful broom manufacturer, a sketch of whose career appears in this volume in connection with that of Walter C. Thompson.
After receiving a good common school education in the public schools of St. Louis, Benjamin F. Thompson entered his father's factory and thoroughly learned the making of brooms and the various phases of manufacturing and selling of brooms. He accompanied his father to Jefferson City, Missouri, and came to Windsor in 1904 and has since been associated with his brother in the management and operation of the Windsor Manufacturing Company.
On June 25, 1906, Benjamin F. Thompson and Miss Grace E. Tuckley were united in marriage. Mrs. Grace E. Thompson was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, and is the daughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Kielman) Tuckley, well known residents of Jefferson City. One child has been born to Benjamin F. and Grace E. Thompson, namely, Tuckley.
Mr. Thompson is an independent Democrat who prefers to do his own thinking along political lines and votes for the office seeker who seems best fitted to perform the duties of the office sought. He and Mrs. Thompson are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He is fraternally affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America.
