Lester Herman Bowen

Relatives and friends were greatly shocked Wednesday morning when word came over the telephone anouncing the sudden and untimely death of Lester Bowen of Elkhorn township.

Mr. Bowen was engaged in plowing corn and had stopped his team in the shade of a tree for a short rest. Romadell Hill, a young boy, who was working with Mr. Bowen, handed him the water jug and he drank a quantity of the cool water, spoke a few seconds to him and then suddenly fell off the cultivator to the ground. The young man immediately ran to the home of J.S. Woods, some distance away, and summoned help. Mr. Woods returned with him to the field and found Mr. Bowen lying with his face on the ground and that death had occurred. Young Hill also testified that Mr. Bowen had made the trip to town the day previous and that when he returned home that evening he had complained of becoming too hot. Wednesday morning he had remarked that his head pained him and that he was not feeling as well as usual.

The coroner's jury, after hearing the testimony of the witnesses rendered a verdict that death was due to becoming too hot.

Lester was well known throughout Brown county and especially in Elkhorn township, where he had lived many years. He was aged about 55 years and followed the occupation of farming all his life. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bowen, and was united in marriage to Bertha Surratt. To this union nine children were born, two of whom, an infant son and Mrs. Stella Dunbar, preceded their father in death. He leaves to mourn his passing his wife, his father, Charles Bowen, of Buckhorn, and seven children; Mrs. Florence Graham of Chicago, Mrs. Marie Behrends of Hersman, Mrs. Opal Riley of Ripley, Mrs. Isabel Wilson of Pike county, Gennis and Misses Mildred and Zelma, of Chicago; also a number of brothers and sisters.

On May 17, 1895 Lester Bowen married Bertha Surratt, daughter of Absolm and Isabel Patterson Surratt. They were married by Dr. Sidney Wm Scandland. They lived on a farm near Versalles, IL for several years until they moved to a farm in the Jacques Mill vicinity. While living on this farm Lester built a country store consisting of three large rooms and an upstairs over all, which was used for the Woodman Lodge to hold their meetings and a recreation center. Lester, with his wife Bertha operated this country store for several years in the vicinity of Jacques Mill, along with the work of farming.

Information taken from an old newspaper clipping and from Versailles H.S. article.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 31 2017, 2:54:03 UTC