Posted on: Starke County Biographies
Reply Here:
http://genconnect.rootsweb.com/gc/USA/In/StarkeBios/10004
Surname: Bowman, Strope, McAlpin, Van Valkenburg
-------------------------
BIO: Mrs. Jessie L. (Strope) Bowman was born 13 January 1861 in Pierre
(Starke Co.), IN. Her daughters are Grace L., born 15 July 1887 in South
Bend, Indiana, and Edith M., born 3 October 1889, also in South Bend. This
lovely mother and her young daughters are pictured on the cover of the
May-June 1994 issue of "Everton's Genealogical Helper."
This photo, taken in 1891, was a turning point in Jessie's life as Jessie
struck out on her own to support her family and her elderly father. She
was over 80 years of age when she wrote an account of her struggle as a
business woman between 1891 and 1911, during which time she established
millinery stores, restaurants, boarding houses and inns, also worked as
a physician's assistant and in her own podiatry or chiropody practice.
Jessie's ancestors, Sebastian and Lydia (Van Valkenburg) Strope, were part
of the second family group to settle permanently in Bradford Co, PA, in
1773. Her parents, William D. and Mary L. (McAlpin) Strope came west to
Indiana in 1854.
Her husband and father of her children was William H. Bowman who was born
28 February 1861, Porter Co., IN.
The name and address of the submitter can be found in that issue. Hopefully,
this information will serendipitously provide "just the right clue" to
Bowman and Strope researchers.