Bowden Family - Family Histories - Coleman County, Texas

     James Taylor Bowden, born January 6, 1852, came from Arkansas to Texas at the age of 25 and settled in Williamson County. He was the son of Jackson Bowden and Selina Leigh (an Indian). Soon after his arrival there, he met Mary Carnelia Josephine "Mollie" Burden. born May 20, 1861, and they were married September 14, 1876, at Round Rock. They had eleven children, and with this large family decided to move West where the climate was much healthier. James Taylor came first, looking for a new location. He found a place with 640 acres, located 10 miles south of Santa Anna and 4 miles north of Trickham, buying from Mr. Vollentine. In the fall of 1903, Mr. and Mrs. Bowden, their Il children, 2 in-laws and 3 grandchildren started their journey to Coleman County. The ladies and children came by train and the boys and James Taylor came by wagon and horseback; driving the cows and other livestock. They were settled in their new home by winter. There was a one room school on the farm called Mukewater, where their children went to school. They attended church in Trickham (they were Church of Christ). When the children began to get married and leave home, Jim and Mollie moved to De Leon in March 1923 to be near their son, George. Mollie died November 20, 1923. and Mr. Bowden later returned to the county and married a Mrs. Robbins. He died in Santa Anna September 20, 1924. He and Mollie are buried at Trickham. Five of their children, Sallie, Henry, Charley, Lillie and Thomas. and three grandchildren are also buried at Trickham. The children of James Taylor and Mollie:

     (1) Dora Ross, October 22, 1877-July 7, 1945, married George Thomas Ryan. October 22. 1896. Children: Era. Nelson. (see Wesley Flint James), Willie, Maude, Graham, Carroll, Jessie, Jim, Georgia and Elbert (see Manton Jamison).

     (2) Carroll Jackson, February 7, 1880-August 18, 1962, married Lillie Mae Miller, August 30, 1908. Children: Cecil and Ilene (see Fred Haynes and Laughlin).

     (3) Arthur Dillingham, January 28, 1882-April 22, 1953, married Elenor Elizabeth Clayton, August 5, 1903. Children: Inez, Ercel, Henry, Willie and Murray.

     (4) George Allen, September 17, 1884-July 26, 1949, married Lucy James in 1913 (see W. D. James). Children: Gerald Allen, Estes and Hill.

     (5) Sallie Alphasine, April 11, 1887-May 3, 1949, married Willie Dennis Page, October 22, 1905, (see William Dennis Page).

     (6) James Henry, March 18, 1890-January 29, 1970, married Ethel Mae Rhodes. December 18, 1910. Children: Marvin Weldon and Robert Melvin.

     (7) Charley Weldon, August 18, 1892-November 29, 1972, married Bessie Lee James, April 6, 1913 (see W. D. James). Children: Molly, Ervin, Frank and Ruby.

     (8) Jessie Angeline, February 16, 1895-January 22, 1936, married (1) Green Ryan, child, Josephine, married (2) Frank Burkeen in 1920. Children: John Potter, Jannie Bell, Francis and Stella.

     (3) Jennie May, March 7, 1896-June 24, 1935, married Elbert Rutherford (see William H. Rutherford).

     (10) Lillie Carnelia, June 9, 1899, married Buck Nichols, July 2, 1918. Two children died at birth.

   (11) Thomas Earl, January 9, 1902-July 14, 1976, married Gladys Gertrude Buse, March 17, 1923. No children.

pictures to be added

The Bowdens, Jim, Molly, Carroll, George, Henry, Charlie, hired hand (rear], Thomas, Angie, Gennie, Era Blackwell (granddaughter}, and Lillie Ufront]