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[Identification of Item], [box #, folder #], William H. Bowman Papers, 1856-1897, SC 0087, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.
On deposit by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society.
Packaged in a large envelope on which was written: "From Dorice Graham from her great Uncle Ott Minnich. Donated [as a] collection of old papers from the collection. Presented [to the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society] on April 30, 1980."
In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017.
William Harpine Bowman was born on August 26, 1833 in Shenandoah County, Virginia. George Bowman, his first ancestor in Virginia, built the old Bowman homestead, called Fort Bowman or Harmony Hall, at Cedar Creek near Strasburg in 1751. After marrying Emily Frances Huffman, born January 25, 1837, in Harrisonburg, William Bowman settled in Peach Grove, Virginia, in Rockingham County, just southeast of Harrisonburg. There, he was involved in community affairs and served as the treasurer and possibly as the president of the Undine Lodge, where he also worked to support a community effort to purchase a stove for the New Union School in 1857. He further served his community by acting as a Justice of the Peace in the Ashby Township, Rockingham County, from 1870-1872.
The William H. Bowman Papers, 1856-1897, consist of 334 items arranged in three series: Financial Papers, 1850s-1890s, Judgments and Warrants, 1870-1872, and Personal Papers, undated.
Series 1: Financial Papers, 1850-1890, is arranged in five folders. The first four folders detail the years from 1850-1890 and are primarily made up of receipts, purchase and debt payment notices, and tax forms. Earlier documents from the 1850s and 1860s include information on slaves owned by Bowman and his land holdings. Also included are subscriptions to the
Series 2: Judgments and Warrants, 1870-1872, is divided into two folders of documents from Bowman's tenure as Justice of the Peace. The first folder contains items from 1870, the large majority of which are addressed to Rockingham County constables with orders to summon various individuals for hearings. The second folder spans the years of 1871-1872. Summons to court once more are the greater part of the folder but judgments commanding individuals to pay debts within an allotted time period are also included.
Series 3: Personal Papers, undated, is comprised of four items. Of interest is a letter from the Shenandoah Normal School principal, G.W. Hoenshel, dated February 15, 1891, with information concerning tuition and room and board expenses along with a brief description of the school and the date of the beginning of the spring term. A July 12, 1861, letter from Port Republic, Virginia, exempting William Bowman from military duty after a Regimental Court of Inquiry for the 58th Regiment is present.
This collection is arranged in three series: