Ezra James Bowers Sr. (abt. 1883 - abt. 1963)

Born about Mar 1883 in Paris, Logan, Arkansas

Ancestors

Died about 1963 at about age 79 in Johnston County, Oklahoma

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Biography

Ezra James Bowers was born Mar 19, 1883 in Paris, Logan County, Arkansas. He was the son of Madison James Bowers and Ellen Anderson. We first find Ezra living with his parents and siblings in Short Mountain, Logan County, Arkansas in 1900.^[1] Ezra is 17 years old and has two older sisters; Martha Jane "Etta" Bowers, 22 years old and Lilly June Bowers, 20 years old. Ezra has one younger sisters and three younger brothers; Freda May, 13 years old; Charles Dennis, 15 years old; Harrison McKinley, 8 years old and Ezra's twin sister; Ellen Edna, 17 years old.

Ezra James Bowers met and married AnnIe Reed in Carter County, Oklahoma.^[2] In 1910 we find Ezra (sic Edwin) living in Tishomingo, Johnston County, Oklahoma with his wife Annie and their daughter Gwendolyn.^[3] Edna Gwendolyn Bowers was born 7 Jul 1908 in Ada, Oklahoma.^[4] Ezra Sr., 27 years old, is working as a salesman. Sometime in 1909 Jo Ellen Bowers was born in Oklahoma. Ezra James Bowers Jr. was born sometime after April in 1910 in Oklahoma. His sister Geselend Bowers was born sometime in 1915.

In Sep 1918 Ezra registered for the World War I draft. He was 35 years old. Ezra stated that he was born Mar 19 1883.^[5] In 1920 the family is living on Kemp Avenue in Tishomingo, Johnston County, Oklahoma.^[6] Ezra is now the owner of a Dry Goods store. He is 36 years old and Annie is 29 years old. Gwendolyn is 11 years old, her brother Ezra Jr. is 9 years old and their sister Jo Ellen is 5 years old. Sometime in 1920 Ezra James Bowers Jr. passed away.^[7]

In 1930 Ezra ia now 47 years old and his Dry Goods store is going strong in Tishomingo.^[8] Gwendolyn is now 21 years old and still living at home. Geselend is 15 years old and the latest addition to the family, Billy J. Bowers was born about 1928 in Tishomingo, he is 2 years old. In 1931 we find Jo Ellen Bowers attending Central High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.^[9] By 1934 Jo Ellen Bowers is attending the Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha, Oklahoma.^[10] She is a member of the Q Club.

In 1942 Ezra registered for the World War II Draft. He was 59 years old and living at 1640 So. Florence Pl. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ezra is working as an Insurance Broker for the Frates Insurance Company in Tulsa.^[11] In July of 1963 Ezra James Bowers passed away and was buried at Tishomingo City Cemetery in Tishomingo, Johnston County, Oklahoma.^[12] On 24 Nov 1974 Annie (Reed) Bowers passed away in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.^[13][14][15] Annie Reed Bowers was buried next to her beloved husband at Tishomingo, Johnston County, Oklahoma.

Research Notes

In the Oklahoma County Marriages Index the Transcription is in error and spelled Ezra's last name Bowens.

In the 1910 U.S. Census Ezra was initially entered as E.J. Bowers. Someone went back and wrote Edwin J. over the E.J.. The Census is in error.

Jo Ellen Bowers born in 1909 shows up in the census several times beginning in 1920 but the 1930 Census is the only time we see her sister Geselend also born in 1915. Geselend is never seen again in the Census.

Sorry about using Ancestry sources for High School year books, it is the only place I could find them.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M36K-T79 : accessed 18 May 2017), Ezra J Bowers in household of M J Bowers, Short Mountain Township Paris town, Logan, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 61, sheet 14B, family 262, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,066.
2. ↑ "Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXLR-RQ3 : 12 December 2014), E J Bowens and Annie Reed, 1906.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLQN-TZM : accessed 18 May 2017), Edwin J Bowers, Tishomingo Ward 1, Johnston, Oklahoma, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 131, sheet 2A, family 30, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1254; FHL microfilm 1,375,267.
4. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J1KB-RYM : 19 May 2014), Gwendolyn B Slover, 19 Nov 2001; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
5. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZDJ-2V1 : 12 December 2014), Ezra James Bowers, 1917-1918; citing Johnston County, Oklahoma, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,851,783.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJMN-XJM : accessed 18 May 2017), E J Bowers, Garrett, Johnston, Oklahoma, United States; citing ED 99, sheet 6B, line 85, family 133, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1464; FHL microfilm 1,821,464.
7. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVKP-QFN6 : 13 December 2015), E.J. Bowers, ; Burial, Tishomingo, Johnston, Oklahoma, United States of America, Tishomingo City Cemetery; citing record ID 46510753, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC7T-PM9 : accessed 18 May 2017), E J Bowers, Tishomingo, Johnston, Oklahoma, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 23, sheet 2A, line 13, family 32, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1908; FHL microfilm 2,341,642.
9. ↑ U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012 Author Ancestry.com Publisher Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Publisher Date 2010 Publisher Location Provo, UT, USA
10. ↑ U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012 Author Ancestry.com Publisher Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Publisher Date 2010 Publisher Location Provo, UT, USA
11. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZDJ-2V1 : 12 December 2014), Ezra James Bowers, 1917-1918; citing Johnston County, Oklahoma, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,851,783.
12. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVKP-QFNX : 13 December 2015), Ezra James Bowers, ; Burial, Tishomingo, Johnston, Oklahoma, United States of America, Tishomingo City Cemetery; citing record ID 46510745, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
13. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JRB9-QQ7 : 20 May 2014), Annie Bowers, Nov 1974; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
14. ↑ "United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK51-3GLL : 18 October 2016), Annie Reed Bowers in entry for Edna Gwendolyn Bowers Slover Slover, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, 22 Nov 2001; from "Recent Newspaper Obituaries (1977 - Today)," database, GenealogyBank.com (http://www.genealogybank.com : 2014); citing Daily Oklahoman, The, born-digital text.
15. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVKP-QFND : 13 December 2015), Annie Reed Bowers, ; Burial, Tishomingo, Johnston, Oklahoma, United States of America, Tishomingo City Cemetery; citing record ID 46510732, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.