John Mitford 'Johnnie' Robert Bowker

Known as Johnny, he served under Comandant B.E. Bowker during the frontier war of 1879. John and his brother, Duncan, undertook a long mule-cart trip from Kimberly to Bulawayo to find farming land which was free of ticks. When they got there they found that the ticks were as bad there as in South Africa so they returned.

He farmed and died on 'Cossack's Drift' near Rosmead.

DEATH NOTICE:

MOOC 6/9/2594 R3939

Name of Deceased: John Mitford BOWKER

Birthplace of Deceased: Grahamstown, Cape of Good Hope

Names of Parents of the Deceased: Father: John Mitford BOWKER

Mother: Mary Ann BOWKER

Age of Deceased: 84 years 7 months

Condition in Life: Farmer

Married:

Name of Surviving Spouse: Sarah Elizabeth BOWKER

Place of Last marriage: Somerset East

Date of Death: 29 January 1924

Place of Death: Cossak's Post, Middelburg

Names of children and whether major or minor:

Ethel Mitford BOWKER (deceased) married Charles L. HART

Anne Mitford BOWKER

Ellen Mitford BOWKER MARRIED William B. SURMAN

James Henry BOWKER

Robert Mitford BOWKER

Harriet May Mitford BOWKER

All Majors

Whether deceased has left any property, and of what kind: Movable & Immovable

Signed R.M. Bowker, Son

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http://www.eggsa.org/newspapers/index.php/south-african-magazine?id...

Monday, February 4, 1924

Local and General Grandson of 1820 Settler. The death occurred last week, at the age of 84, of Mr. John Letford BOWKER, grandson of Miles BOWKER, an 1820 settler. The funeral took place on his farm, Cossack’s Post, Middelburg, at which there was a large gathering of relatives and representative farmers. The BOWKER clan is one of the most numerous and influential of the settler descendants, and the deceased was a fine type of man, of simple habits and sincere piety.