Representative Thomas Mead Bowen View All Years

THOMAS M. BOWEN, the pioneer of Iowa-born legislators and public officials, died at his home in Denver, Colo., Dec. 30, 1906. General Bowen was born in the county of “De Moin,” Territory of Michigan, Oct. 26, 1835. The place is understood to be near the present city of Burlington, but before there was such a city, and even before an “Iowa” appeared on any map. A part of his schooling was at the Iowa Wesleyan University at Mount Pleasant. He was admitted to the bar before he attained his majority. He was also elected to the House of Representatives before he was of age. Before the Legislature met, however, he was out of his minority; and in December, 1856, he took his seat in the 6th General Assembly, which was the last to meet at Iowa City. He represented the counties of Wayne and Decatur. A year or two after his Iowa legislative experience, be removed to Kansas. On the outbreak of hostilities against the Union, he went into the service as captain of Company F, in the First Nebraska Infantry. He subsequently recruited and commanded the Thirteenth Kansas regiment, continuing in the service until the end of the war; first, in the Army of the Frontier, and later in the Seventh Army Corps, at times commanding brigade and division. He was brevetted brigadier-general. After the war he remained in Arkansas for several years, and was a member of a convention that framed a constitution for the State, and presided in that convention. Later, Gen. Bowen was one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the State. In 1871 President Grant appointed him Governor of the Territory of Idaho, but he resigned before the close of that year. In 1873 he was a candidate for United States Senator from Arkansas, but Stephen W. Dorsey was his successful competitor. In January, 1875, he removed to Colorado. There, on the establishment of the State government, he was chosen District Judge, serving in that capacity for four years. In 1882 he was chosen a member of the Legislature of that State, and, while acting as such he was elected a Senator of the United States, in the room of Horace A. W. Tabor, who had been chosen to fill out the term of Henry M. Teller. Six years later he gave place to Edward O. Walcott. After that time he devoted his attention largely to the extensive mining interests in which he was concerned.