Elisha Bowman

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Elisha Bowman

Elisha Bowman was appointed to a circuit in Louisiana in 1805. After a brief attempt in New Orleans, he moved on to Opelousas and formed a Methodist Society in 1806.

In 1804, Elisha Bowman was assigned to the Louisiana Territory by Learner Blackman, who was in charge of the Natchez District. After a short stop in New Orleans, where his preaching was not well received, he proceeded westward. By the end of his first year (1806), he had started a Methodist Society at Opelousas which boasted 17 members. The Opelousas church has sometimes been called the “Mother Church” of Louisiana Methodism. Rev. Bowman’s ministry reached from the Acadiana area up to central and northern Louisiana.

          ELISHA WILLIAMSON BOWMAN born 25 Dec 1775 VA, died 3 Oct 1845 Estill Co., KY; son of Cornelius Bowman Sr. (b. 1740; also a Methodist preacher) and Susannah "Betsy" ____ (some say Abbott, but her maiden name is unproven; it might have been Williamson). Following his missionary work in Louisiana, Elisha returned home and settled on Cawood farm on the River above his father in old Madison Co. (now Estill Co.) in1815. He married 28 Nov. 1816 Estill Co. KY to Sarah "Sally" McMonigle born 1796 Estill Co. KY, died 30 Oct.1865 Estill Co., KY. Sarah was daughter of Sarah Susan Pyle and Barnett "Barney" McMonigle.
          Children of Elisha Bowman and Sally McMonigle:
               1) Madison McMonigle Bowman born 26 October 1817 at Estill Co., KY
                       (married Mary Jane Broadus or Broddus, 26 March 1838 at Estill Co., KY)
               2) Seldon Fletcher Bowman born 30 July 1821 (married Armina Hunt, 2 Feb. 1852)
               3) Narcissa L. Bowman born ca. 1826 at KY (married James Poynter, 22 Feb. 1844 at Estill Co., KY)
               4) Sarah A. Bowman born 27 January 1826 (married John M. Wilson, 24 Jan. 1846 at Estill Co., KY)
               5) Constantine F. Bowman born 27 November 1827 at Estill Co., KY
                       (married Mary Jane Elliott, 14 March 1851)
      You might be interested to know that, in addition to his father, two of Elisha's brothers were also Methodist ministers: Thomas Bowman b. 1782, and Jacob A. Bowman Sr. b. 1784. Like many of other children of Cornelius and Susannah, Jacob and Thomas settled in what is now Owsley Co., KY.

REFERENCES:
A Compendious History of American Methodism, Abel Stevens, Carlton & Porter: NY, NY 1867.
Cyclopedia of Methodism, M. Simpson, Philadelphia, PA 1881.
The History of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Nathan Bangs, Mason & Lane, NY, NY 1839.
Louisiana Methodism, Robert Harper, Kaufmann Press, Washington, DC 1949.
The Story of Methodism, A. B. Hyde, Willey Publishing Co., Greenfield, MA 1887.
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