Theo P. Bowman
Success in this life comes to the deserving. It is an axiom demonstrated by all human experience, that a man gets out of this life what he puts into it, plus a reasonable interest on the investment. The individual who inherits a large estate and adds nothing to his fortune can not be called a successful man. He that falls heir to a large fortune and increases its value is successful in proportion to the amount he adds to his possession. But the man who starts in the world unaided and by sheer force of will, controlled by correct principles, forges ahead and at length reaches a position of honor among his fellow citizens achieves success such as representatives of the two former classes can neither understand nor appreciate. To a considerable extent the subject of this sketch is a creditable representative of the class last named, a class which has furnished much of the bone and sinew of the country and added to the stability of the government and its institutions.
Theo. P. Bowman was born in Richland county, Ohio, on the 19th day of April, 1873, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Plank) Bowman. He is descended from German antecedents and inherits the sturdy qualities which made representatives of that nationality such a desirable element in our great cosmopolitan population. Henry Bowman was born in Pennsylvania and when a young man came to Ohio, settling in Richland county, where he followed agricultural pursuits. He retained his residence there until his death, which occurred in 1891, at the comparatively early age of forty-eight years. Mary Plank Bowman was born and reared in Wayne county and is now living at Butler, Richland county. By her union with Henry Bowman she became the mother of six children, named as follows: Sherman E., of Richland county; Theo., subject of this sketch; Ira C., of Richland county; Anna E.,who is the wife of William McKnowan and resides in Richland county; LeRoy, of Butler, Ohio, and Arthur, who resides with his mother at Butler.
Theo.P. Bowman remained with his parents until he was fifteen years old and secured a fair education in the common schools. At the age mentioned he went to Mifflin, Ashland county, and entered the employ of an uncle, who operated a flouring mill, with whom he remained three years. In 1894 he came to Wooster and went to work for Plank & Gray, millers, with whom he remained twelve years, seven years as a miller and five years in the capacity of a traveling salesman. In May, 1902, Mr. Bowman established himself in the grocery business and has from the start met with a gratifying success. His store is well stocked with a carefully selected line of goods, and everything in the various lines usually carried in a well-equipped grocery are to be had. Especial attention is given to the individual wants of his customers with the result that his trade has steadily grown from year to year.
In 1896 Mr. Bowman married Flora B.Matz, who was born and reared in Wooster, the daughter of Wellingon Matz. To this union two children have been born, namely: Neal F., born June 3, 1899, and Esther Fay,, born in August, 1901.
Mr. Bowman is a Republican in politics, though he does not take a very active part in public affairs. His fraternal relations are with the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. and Mrs. Bowman are consistent members of the German Reformed church, to which they give their earnest support. The subject is a man of strong purpose and unfaltering industry, a reliable and enterprising gentleman and ever faithful to his duties of citizenship.
From The History of Wayne County, Ohio, B. E. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, 1910