The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1921-12-08
II. a. BOWEN
Oldest Living EX-Superintcndcnt of
Education Of PickenS County

E Every day there may be seen on
4 the streets Of Pickcns man Of small
= stature and thin gray whskcrs walk
ing slowly with his stick lie is
IA Scventy-sevcn years old, fought in the
Sc Confederate army and for two years
ea carried in his hip minnie ball re-
e ceivcd in battle. One of his hands
is also disfurgurcd by wounds re-
l" ccivcd in battle, and he was prom
incnt actor in the most perilous times
-. this state ever saw. A few years ago
~, he saw his wife. his life companion
Of more than fifty years, laid in her
I'll grave. Although the winds of seven
!, tyscven winters have beat about his
r, noble head and turned his hair to
frosty white, and he has been through
many great trials, his faith in God
al today he grects every one heartily
O, and with cherry smile He is Rob
IN. ert A. Bowen Of Pickens
nj, Mr. Bowen was born four miles east
Of Pickens court house June 7, 1844,
f q sen Of Mr.. and Mrs. Reece Bowen.
six At the age of seventeen years he VII
la unteered for service in the Confedcr-
Mi ate army, serving under Capt. Ham
Pi, iilton BoGgs of Pickens county in Co.
f, End Regiment, South C,rolina
Riiiics. He was in several OF the
Erv bloodist battles of the war and his |
- comrades say that he was one of the !
oravest soldiers in the army. At the |
en- battle of Frazier's Farm il is said
Da that after he was incapacitatcd by a |
ono wound IN the right hand he ran out
to IN front of his company and waving
mu ms bloody hand in the air cried.
BOYS, you see what they done for
me, come on and give it to en-" 1t
,,e was also in this battle that he was
g., shot in the hip with minnie ball and
-, rendered unfit for further duty in
~. the army. The ball was taken out
~ two years later in Charleston.
After the war and during recon
Struction days he was a leader among
~, the Democrats of Pickcns county In
-, fact it may be said that r. A. Bowen,
49, MAJOR d. f. Bradley, Col. r. f.. Bow
r en- and DR.. W. r. Field were the
m; +I,
n; Standard bearers Of Democracy in
PickcnS county during these troubu-
lous days when it was not easy to be
49,, Democrat. He is particularly proud
80 or the fact that he has always been
~, staunch Democrat and that the party
:, has been as true to him as he was to
an, IT, IN conversation he often repeats
the statement that he wants to be
placed on the Democratic party's "roll
of honor Useless to say his name
ow is on it.
per Mr.. Bowen was a member of tbe
| lf Pickcns county Red Shirts and he
iia' has seen negroes serve on iurics and
- equalization boards in Pickens county
K. A. Bowen was the first clerk of
ana court Of Pickens county, serving one
H. fterm Of four years. He was the co,1n-
tvs second school commissioner
serving a two-ycar term. AS school
Kec commissioner, he was promised a sal
AIRY Of $500 year, but as there was
b66 "'ou''o u
and salary. He was United States deputy
marshal during Grover Clcvela.ld's
''''' first administration
While still interested in the publ,
affairs of his county he no lonce,
hon takes an active part in thon, ,,,,,
a'So feeling that he has done what h,
wan could he leaves the work for youngc
men to do.
He is member of the Methods
~ church and a Christian gentleman.