James T. Bowman, 1837-1902
From American Series of Popular Biographies. Massachusetts Edition. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (Boston: Graves & Steinbarger, 1891).
JAMES T. BOWMAN, a well-known real estate dealer of Dorchester, was born in Boston, June 28, 1837, a son of Abner H. Bowman. He is of thrifty Scotch ancestry, his grandfather, James Bowman, having been born and bred in Aberdeen, Scotland. A few years prior to the Revolutionary War James Bowman emigrated to America, and settled first in Boston, where he worked at his trade of a chairmaker. He subsequently removed to Milton, where he resided until his death, at an advanced age. His wife was Susannah Hunt, of Milton. They had twelve children.
Abner H. Bowman, their sixth child, was born March 2, 1797. In 1812 or about that time he entered the employ of Jacob Tidd, a distiller, with whom he remained in a subordinate position until becoming a member of the firm. Later he succeeded to the business of his former employer, and the firm name was changed to Bowman & Truce. He married Joanna Howe Dorr, who was born in Boston, a daughter of Nathan Dorr. She survived him several years, her death occurring in 1888, at the age of eighty-three years; while he died in 1866, when but sixty-nine years old. Of the nine children born of their union two, Marietta and Frank, died in infancy; and James is the special subject of this sketch. The record of the others is as follows: Joanna married a Mr. Gridley. Margaret, who became the wife of Major Milton J. Stone, died January 26, 1899. Louisa married John L. Sewall. Abner H. died at the age of twenty-six years, leaving a widow. Marietta, the second of that name, became the wife of Charles B. Wood; and Frank F. is now residing in Brookline.
James T. Bowman was educated in Boston in private schools. During his early years of business activity he was employed as a clerk on Central Wharf with a firm engaged in the East India trade. He was afterward engaged in the shoe business on his own account until the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861, when he retired for a time. Mr. Bowman became interested in real estate in 1875, and has since dealt extensively in Dorchester and Roxbury property, carrying on a lucrative business.
October 31, 1860, Mr. Bowman, married Miss Susan E. Blaney, of Boston, a daughter of Benjamin Blaney. They have one child, a son, Abner H. Bowman, who is engaged i