Polk Co. IAGenWeb

BOWMAN, M. T. V. - General Agent of the Washington Life Insurance Company, is a native of Waterville, Maine, and was born on the 6th day of July, 1838, and resided in his native place until sixteen years of age. His early youth was spent in attending school. In 1854 he went to West Virginia, where he was for two years engaged in teaching. He then attended Granville College, now Dennison University, in Ohio, two years, and returned to Maine, and resumed the occupation of teaching, which he continued until the outbreak of the rebellion, when he enlisted in the First Maine cavalry, and was commissioned first lieutenant. He remained in the service four years, most of the time as brigade and division commissary. Returned to Augusta, Maine, and was mustered out of the United States service. He then engaged in mercantile pursuits at Charleston, Mass, and after prosecuting his business for a short time, he, in 1867, availed himself of an opportunity to engage in the hardware trade in Newton, Iowa. After conducting this a short time he was employed as a special agent of the Washington Life Insurance Company. He came to this city in 1870 as General Agent of the Brooklyn Life Insurance Company, and after holding this office eleven months he accepted the general agency of the Washington Life Insurance Company, and the success which has attended his career is an evidence of his peculiar fitness for the position. As a business man he is prompt and energetic. Upright in all his dealings he has secured the esteem with all whom he has to do. In the spring of 1880 Gov. Gear appointed him aid-de-camp on his staff, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was united in marriage with Miss Josephine Webber on the first of January, 1864. She is a native of Maine, but a resident of Charleston, Mass. Their family consists of four children: Leona, De Forest, Harold M., Hermon T. They have lost three: Maud, Curtis H., Howard H.