Bowerman, James R. F.
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Bowerman, James R. F.
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J A ME S
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R I C HAR D F R A S E R
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B 0 WE R M A
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- oJames Richard Fraser Bowerman was born at
Tamworth , Ontario, October 16 , 1873, son of
Professor James and Mary
c.
Bowerman , who were of
Quaker descent and were United Empire Loyalists .
After completing his hi gh school work James
took up the art of printing.
Later he studied and
was graduated as an optometrist .
Feeling that he was called to the ministry
he came to Michigan and was appointed by Dr . J .
c.
Floyd, Presiding Elder of the Kalamazoo District ,
supply pastor at Douglas followin g the session of
The Michigan Annual Conference at Ionia in 1899 .
He had been converted early in life and united with
the Methodist Church of Canada .
Marriage
July 25, 1900 , James F. Bowerman was married to
l
Mary Elizabeth Maud Hutchins , a trained nurse of
Amherst I sland , Ontario .
They became the parents
of:
Floyd Fraser, who died at the age of seventeen
at Holland, Michigan ;
Harry ) J . R. and Donald K. , both of Lansing;and
Gwendolyn, who married Earl Ma rshall and lived
at Bellevue, Michigan .
Mr . Bowerman joined the Michigan Annual
Conference in 1901 and was ordained Deacon in 1903
f
and Elder in 1906 .
His appointments after joining
the Michigan Annual Conference were: Pipestone, 1901;
Poka gon, 1903; Girard, 1904; Constantine , 1907 ;
Grand Haven and Spring Lake, 1909;
Fr~mont ,
1913;
Holland and \Vest Olive , 1916; Grand Rapids , Burton
Heights , 1919; Jackson, Haven, 1923; Jackson, St .
Luke's and North Street , 1925; Retired , 1926; Parma ,
1927; Springport and Pope , 1931; Bellevue , 1934 ;
Sonoma Parish, 1937 .
' Vhile preaching a Temperance Sermon Sunday,
October 29 , 1939, he was stricken with a heart
attack .
After a serious operation and we eks of
patient suffering, he passed away January 24, 1940 .
The funeral service was conducted from the
Methodist Church in Bellevue 9n Saturday, January
Dr . L. H. Nixon, District Superintendent ,
27, 1940 .
was in charge and preached the sermon.
Other
ministers assisting were : Dr . M. W. Duffey, H.
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Ellinger , H.
Davi sr.
l.
·~ .
Ellsworth, Dr . S. B. Owen and Eaden
Burial was in Pilgrim Cemetery , Holland,
beside the body of his son Floyd Fraser .
Mr . Bowerman was a man of strong convictions,
and indomitable courage and a faithful pastor .
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Bowerman, James R. F.