Blair County PA Archives Biographies.....Bowles, Prof. James B. October 13, 1839 - ????
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Source: Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Blair Co, PA: Philadelphia, 1892.
Author: Samuel T. Wiley

PROF. JAMES B. BOWLES,
one of those who have been largely instrumental in the advancement of the
educational interests of the city of Altoona, during the latter quarter of
the nineteenth century, is a son of Robert and Jane (Ross) Bowles, and was
born at Concord, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, October 13, 1839.  John
Bowles (paternal grandfather) was born in Scotland, but before reaching the
age of manhood, he crossed the dark Atlantic to find a home in the new
world.  He was one of the early settlers of Franklin County.  Samuel Ross
(material grandfather) was a native of the Emerald Isle, but at some time
during his early life he came to America and located in Maryland, where he
became a planter and slave owner, but afterwards gave freedom to his slaves
and removed to Franklin County, Pennsylvania, where he died at a ripe old
age.  Robert Bowles (father) was born in Franklin County in 1796, where he
learned the saddlers' trade, and in which business he was engaged until a few
years prior to his death.  During the latter part of his life he resided upon
a farm in Fulton county, where he died at the age of fifty-two years.  In
1817 he married Jane Ross, a native of Maryland.  For sixty years of her life
she had been a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and died in
1871 at the advanced age of seventy-one years.
   James B. Bowles was reared in Fulton County, where he received a good
academic education.  Influenced with a desire for knowledge, he worked with
unflinching zeal, and at the age of sixteen he began teaching, and has been
engaged in that profession ever since.  In the autumn of 1862 he enlisted in
the civil war, and for nine months served as a private in Co. A, 125th
Pennsylvania infantry, and at the expiration of that time received an
honorable discharge at Harrisburg.  He was twice drafted during the war, but
was exonerated soon after being drafted the first time, as he was the only
support of his mother; the second time he paid three hundred dollars, and was
thus exempted.  He was in several severe conflicts, one of which was the
battle of Chancellorsville.  In 1858 he removed to Altoona, and taught school
in this county for four terms.  In 1863 he began teaching in Altoona, where he
has ever since been successfully engaged in that profession, and is now
principal of Madison school, Eighth ward.
   On December 28, 1875, J. B. Bowles was united in marriage with Mary L.
Beeler, daughter of Peter Beeler, of Sharpsburg, Maryland.  To their union
have been born four sons and one daughter:  Ross, Crawford M., Kyle H.,
Chester W., and Jane E.
   In religious sentiment J. B. Bowles closely adheres to the Methodist
Episcopal church, in which he is a class leader.  In politics he is a
democrat, and has always been interested in the success of his party.  He is
also a member of Altoona Lodge, No. 473, Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
and Fred C. Ward Post, No. 468, Grand Army of the Republic.  Having taught in
the city of Altoona for over a quarter of a century, he has witnessed the
advancement of its educational interests from their infancy to their present
prosperous condition.  When he began teaching in Altoona there were only
sixteen schools, now there are over one hundred schools.  His whole life has
been spent in teaching in the public schools of Pennsylvania.  During his
first term in the city of Altoona there were about one thousand pupils in the
public schools, now there are about five thousand pupils.  He visited Altoona
in its infancy, September, 1853.

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2001. Transcribed by Cheryl Heny  MHeny@Prodigy.net.

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