MICHAEL BOWERS, a well known and reliable resident of Salem township, where he has large land interests, was born in Delaware County, Ind., May 9, 1841, a son of Andrew and Mary (Shafer) Bowers, natives of Rockingham county, Va., of German parentage. In the year 1839, Andrew and Mary Bowers immigrated to Delaware county, Ind., where Mrs. Bowers died in 1864, and in 1881 Mr. Bowers was called away. They were the parents of ten children, four of whom are yet living. Michael Bowers lived at home with his parents until he was twenty-three years of age. As he was the next to the eldest in a large family, he was early obliged to work, and had but limited means of acquiring an education. In 1864, feeling that his country needed his services, he enlisted in the Twenty-filth Indiana light infantry, was sent to Nashville, and from there marched to Huntsville, requiring twenty-two days to make the trip, owing to the rain which fell in torrents during sixteen days of the time. From this place the regiment was sent to Decatur, Ala., and here Mr. Bowers remained until he was mustered out, and discharged July 24, 1865. He came home safely, but one of his brothers died in the awful prison pen at Andersonville of starvation.

On leaving the army, Mr. Bowers engaged in work for his uncle for $200 per year, and on March 5, 1867, was united in marriage to Martha E. Summers, daughter of Terrel and Elizabeth (McClintock) Summers. Mrs. Bowers was one of a family of four children, and she became the mother of four children, but died January 23, 1883. She had been a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and left a large circle of sorrowing friends. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Bowers were: William O., a graduate of DePauw university; Dora, the wife of George E. Painter, who resides in Henry county; Laura, a teacher in this county, and Edna. Mr. Bowers is the owner of 1O2 acres of fine land, and this property is the result of the honest and persevering labor of its owner. He lives in much comfort and is one of the representative farmers of the county. In 1885, he married Mrs. Dorothea J. Kirp, a widow with four children. Socially, he is a member of the I.O.O.F.*, No. 561, located in Cowan. The Christian church is the religious body with which he has membership, and in this denomination he is much esteemed. Politically he is a republican, and boldly asserts the principles of that party.