Yuma County, Colorado Photographs

Yuma County Pioneer Photographs:

Fred Cornell, Wray


Cynthia R. "Segrove" and Joseph W. Bowles married in Denvr on December 16, 1867.

In 1870 Colorado Territory, Joseph Bowles is farming, 34, born in North Carolina, with Cynthia 23 in Missouri, and Charles 1.


"The following cattle outfits were operating on the head-waters of the Republican in those early days: American Cattle Company, George Benkelman, The See-Bar-See Land & Cattle Company, Reecks Brothers, Jacob Haigler, J. W. Bowles, Jacob Shearer and others. "
It was in 1876 that Charley Reeks settled on the Arickaree near the battle field of Beecher Island; the same year J. W. Bowles drove a part of his herds of cattle over from the Arkansas Valley and established the C 12 ranch at the head of the river, nine miles south-west of Wray; the same ranch, lessened in acreage, however, being operated in 1927 by Murray Cunning."

In 1880 Arapahoe County, Joseph is 42, Cynthia R. 32, Charles W. 11, Edward V. 8, Josie R. 4, and Harvey eight months.

October 1884 "Fred Cornell, a young man riding the range for J. W. Bowles, near Littleton, had the misfortune a few days ago, to have his shoulder injured by a horse falling on him. He is now at the Sisters hospital, receiving treatment."

In 1885 Littleton, Joseph Bowles, 48, Cynthia Bowles Wife 38, Charles W Bowles Son 16, Edward Bowles Son 14, Josie Bowles Daughter 9, and Walter A Bowles Son 3.

January 1898 "Mrs. J. W. Bowles returned from Pueblo last Saturday, where she had been attending a sick sister."

1898 Wray Times " It is reported that J. W. Bowles has sold the Bar Eleven (—11 ) ranch to H. Robinson of the firm of Clay, Robinson & Co., who will stock it with high-grade cattle."

July 1899 "Hon. J. W. Bowles of Littleton and Judge J. S. Hendrie were trout fishing at the Bar 11 yesterday morning. They report a fine catch."

1901

1903

Yuma Pioneer September 14, 1906 "Joseph W. Bowles, one of the old pioneers and best known residents of this section, died early this morning, aged 70 years. He had been ill but a few days, having been stricken with apoplexy. The decedent was a native of North Carolina and in 1838 crossed the plains, being 80 days on the way from Fort Riley, Kan., to Denver. He first located on Quartz Hill, in the Nevadaville district, where he carried on mining operations for three years. He served two years as sheriff while a resident of this section, under the miner's organization. In 1862 he purchased a ranch on the Platte ten miles above Denver, near the present town of Littleton, where he resided until his death. This ranch is now one of the most valuable in this section of the state.
Mr Bowles was one of the most successful farmers in Colorado and for eleven years, was engaged in stock raising on the Republican river. He served two terms of three years each as county commissioner of Arapahoe county, a position which his son, Charles W. Bowles, now holds. He also served a term in the state legislature, having been elected in 1880.
Mr. Bowles was married in Denver to Miss Cynthia R. Miller, who died four years ago. Of their four children there are still living, Chas W. Bowles, Edward V. Bowles, now president of the Littleton school board, and Walter J. Bowles, a prosperous farmer.
Funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 10 a. m. from St. Mary's Catholic church, and will be in charge of Rev. Fr. Brady."



1947 "Mr. and Mrs. Raymond H. Bowles, a publisher from Los Angeles, came to Wray Wednesday while on a visit to Denver. The former's father, Ed Bowles, and grandfather, Joseph W. Bowles, were the owners of the old Bar 11 ranch which they sold in 1905."

CHARLES

Charles W. Bowles and Adeline Lee married in Denver on March 20, 1892.

October 1896 "C. W. Bowles left for Yuma county yesterday on a visit to his brother."

In 1900 Littleton, Charles, born Nov 1868, is married eight years to Addie N. Sept 1875, with Nellie C. Oct 1893. All three were born in Colorado. Addie has had five kids, only one living.

May 1904 "Charles Bowles, while in the eastern part of the state had the misfortune to meet with an accident, breaking his ankle."

March 1907

June 1909


This is a photograph of two McCormick Harvesting Machine Company's Big 4 Mowers, six foot cut, and residence of C.W. Bowles, taken as the Mowers were on the way to the field to work. Mr. C.W. Bowles is a son of the Hon. Joseph W. Bowles of Littleton, Colorado. They have one of the most extensive ranches in Colorado, comprising several thousand acres of land. The land is very valuable, being located within ten miles of the City of Denver. Mr. Bowles has for years used McCormick Machines. He has, at times, purchased and used other makes. but comes back to the McCormick as the one that stands all kinds of usage, always doing the work satisfactory, and costing him less to keep in repair, than any other Machine.

In 1910 Littleton, Charles is farming, 41, with Adeline 34, Nellie C. 17, and Charles A. 3. An uncle Nimrod B. Miller, 74, born in Missouri is with them. and they have one hired man.

"August 23, 1912 "Thomas J. Lee, father of Mrs. C. W. Bowles, died, aged 77 years."

Charles Wesley Bowles was born November 10, 1868 and married Nancy Adeline "Addie" Lee March 20, 1892. She was the daughter of Thomas J. and Susan E. (Randolph) Lee. Her father was a prominent farmer at Fort Logan. Charles Bowles, himself, after owning large ranches not only in Arapahoe, but also in Elbert county, had sold them and retired by 1918. He still owned three hundred acres at Littleton, where, as explained above, he spent the summers. The farm was described by Stone as, "one of the most ideal places of the county, splendidly improved, and all kinds of fine shade trees surround the buildings".
Charles, 51, Nancy 43, and Charla 12 are in Littleton in 1920.

August 1919 "A deal has just been consumated in which Mr. Ruff of the San Luis Valley becomes owner of the C. W. Bowles ranch, one mile west of Littleton. This place consists of 320 acres of very fertile soil and carries with it water rights that insure perpetual water. The consideration for the place was $250 per acre. Mr. Ruff will have possession abóut the first of January but will move to the ranch the first of October."

October 1920 Littleton "Charles W. Bowles, who has been seriously ill of pneumonia, is much improved."

October 1920

April 1922 "Master Junior McKee is spending a few days this week with his grandpa and grandma, Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Bowles."
April 1922 "Mr. and Mrs. Lee Reynolds, Mr. and Mrs. Harry McKee, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Slack all of Denver and Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd McKee of Littleton will be dinner guests Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Bowles."

July 1922 "Mrs. A. H. Burleigh of Pueblo is spending a few days this week with her sister, Mrs. C. W. Bowles and family."

December 1922 "Joseph Bowlea of the east end of the county, called on his uncle C. W. Bowles, Tuesday."

April 1922 "Mrs. C. W. Bowles and Miss Charla will spend the week-end with relatives in Pueblo."
Adeline is in Long Beach, California in 1930, 54, with Charla A. 23 a secretary in a public school.
Charles is in Denver, 61, single, living alone, no occupation.

"After all of his achievements and reaching an idyllic retirement, Charles W. Bowles mysteriously disappeared one day. According to Littleton Independent editor Houstoun Waring, writing in 1974 about an event over forty years earlier, Bowles "left his hat and coat at the top of a mine shaft near Eldora [Colorado], apparently to give the impression that he had fallen in. That was over forty years ago. Some time later, however, Bill Hugins [a Littleton man] ran into him in Old Mexico." Research for this article did not further investigate the disappearance of Charles Wesley Bowles."

In 1940 Los Angeles, C. A. McGentrie is 36, born in Nebraska, with Charla 33 in Colorado. Adeline Bowles is 64, widowed.

Adeline Nancy Bowles, born Sept 20, 1875 in Colorado, died May 17, 1952 in San Joaquin VCounty, mother's maiden anem Randolph.
She's buried in Littleton # 115018857. "Ashes brought from CA by Mrs. Charles McGintie, interred 17 Apr 1957"

On the same tombstone is Jennie Owen Lee Ward 1871-1986.

Nellie Cynthia Bowles and George Lloyd McKee married on November 25, 1917 in Denver.

In 1920 Jefferson County, Colorado, George L. McKee is 28, Nellie C. 25, with newborn George L. McKee.

George 1890-1922 is buried in Denver # 124985891.

In 1930 Jefferson County, Thomas F. Gallagher is 32, Nellie B. 34, with George L. McKee 10 and Marion McKee 8.

Nellie C. Gallagher, 1893-1969 is buried in Twentynine Palms, California # 92953336, with Thomas Francis Gallagher 1889-1976.
Lloyd McKee 1919-2007 is buried in Denver # 90359508, with Marie 1921-1989.


Charla A. Bowles was born January 27, 1907 in Littleton, dying February 10, 2002 as Charla Adeline McGintie.
She died in San Marcos California.

JOSIE
Josie C. Bowles died in Denver on October 24, 1887, buried in Littleton, born January 1, 1876 # 10065436.

EDWARD

Edward V. Bowles and Nellie "Sherbet" married in Denver on September 7, 1890.



Franklin Armstrong and Mary Ann "Boles" married in Morgan County, Indiana on March 13, 1851.

1910

WALTER BOWLES

Yuma, Colorado, June 1899 "E. V. Bowles of Wray and W. A. Bowles of Littleton were Yuma business visitors Monday."

In 1900 Walter A. Bowles is living with his parents Joseph and Cynthia, born May 1881.

December 3, 1915 Littleton

Tessa is buried in Littleton # 11320451, with Walter 1881-1978 dying in Norwalk California. # 11320452.

September 1919 "Walter A . Bowles and Mrs. Nellie Bowles are now located at Long Beach, California."

July 22, 1921 Tessa's father Horace Thurman died

1928 Steamboat Springs "Walter Bowles and son, Weston, of Los Angeles, Calif., visited Mr. and Mrs. Jack Ellis last Thursday and Friday. Mr. Bowles and Mr. Ellis are cousins."

Walter is a real estate dealer in 1930 Los Angeles, widowed, 48, with Weston W. 19 born in Colorado.

Walter, born May 9, 1881, died in Los Angeles County March 13, 1978.

1931 Los Angeles "Fifteen-year-old Ralph Gonzales, newsboy, was killed instantly today when he was struck by one of two automobiles which collided near the safety zone in which he was stand lng. Young Gonzales was hurled 75 feet through the air. The drivers of the machines, Vernon E. James, 1242 East Colorado street, Pasadena, and Weston W. Bowles, Los Angeles, were absolved of all blame by police"

Weston W. Bowles and Margaret Keys married in California on May 16, 1939.

In 1940 Weston is a sales engineer for a rubber company in Los Angeles, 29, married to Margaret 39 a hotel assistant born in California. Her widowed mother Isabelle Keys 65 born in California is with them.

Weston Walter Bowles, born Nov 26, 1910, died March 8, 2006, last residence Gilroy, California.
Margaret, born Dec 25, 1910, died in Santa Clara County July 8, 1995, father Keys, mother Puttock.

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