Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
LOUIS HAMILTON BOWMAN is now
conducting a real estate and insurance business in Leavenworth, and is
one of the leading business men of Chelan county. He has always been
progressive and active in business circles, where he has lived and is a
stirring man of good ability. He was born in Black River Falls, Wisconsin,
on August 17, 1858, the son of Samuel W. and Sarah E. (Hamilton) Bowman,
natives of West Virginia and Delaware, respectively. The father was
a banker and lumberman and now resides in South Dakota. The mother
was the daughter of Lewis Hamilton, a sea captain and a pioneer to the
colonies. Our subject graduated from the high school in his native
town when seventeen and then came to the James river valley, in Dakota.
He opened a stage line from Watertown to a place he started, now known
as Ashton. He did a real estate business in connection with his stage
line and as soon as the required sixty settlers were on the ground he inaugurated
action for a separate county, and Spink county was organized. Ashton
became the county seat and so Mr. Bowman was instrumental in opening up
an entire section. Later he went to Aberdeen and there conducted
the largest real estate business in government lands of any single individual
on record. Ten years he was occupied thus and then he came to Olympia.
A year later, it being 1892, he came to Wenatchee and soon thereafter he
laid out the towns of Mission and Leavenworth. His efforts with A.
Gunn and Frank Reeves, which resulted in the organization of Chelan county,
are mentioned in another place in this work. Mr. Bowman was eminently
successful in all these labors and has always been a real leader.
In political matters he is a Republican and since his majority has always
been a member of the conventions. He has labored for his party, not
for personal preferment, but for the welfare of the communities where he
has lived, believing the principles of this party are for the best interests
of all. He is at present chairman of the Chelan county central committee.
On July 6, 1892, Mr. Bowman married Miss Addie
L. Hinman, a native of Lansing, Michigan, and daughter of William Hinman.
The father was one of the founders of Lansing, and there spent most of
his life. He died in 1903, aged eighty-three. He had married
Miss Bush, who died in 1900. Mr. Bowman stands first-class in the
county, and has hosts of friends. He is a genial man, active and
well informed, and always allied on the side of upbuilding and general
improvement in all lines.