Beginning at the northeast corner of section 1, township 41, range 30; thence west six miles; thence south six miles; thence east six miles; thence north six miles, to the place of beginning.

The surface generally is high and rolling, and the land in the north and northeastern part of the township is broken, the soil in many localities being poor and thin.

Bone Creek rises in the southwestern part of the township. Wildcat Branch is a small affluent of Bone Creek. The water and timber supply of the township are meagre.

This, being mostly prairie, was probably the last settled township in the county. The settlers, needing logs for building, for fuel and to split into fencing timber, and with the whole country to choose from, would of course select locations where this much-needed material was to be found in abundance. Therefore all the early settlers located along the margin of the streams whose banks were skirted with forests, and although a few good locations of that kind were in what is now known as Mound Township, none of them were occupied until a comparatively late date.

Boston H. Bowman was a native of Ohio. He married Sarah C. Raper, in Illinois. In the spring of 1841 he started west; lived ten years in Jackson County, Missouri, and then came to Elk Fork, and rented a farm for one year and finally, in 1855, settled and always afterwards lived on Bone's Fork, in the south part of Mound Township, being the first settler within its limits. Mrs. Bowman related circumstances which, were they surrounding the settlers of to-day, would be considered decidedly inconvenient. Wolves, even in 1855, were very numerous, and sheep had to be closely watched.

Except when water was plentiful, they were compelled to go twenty-five miles, to Balltown, to mill, and sometimes had to wait a long time for their grist. Mrs. Bowman recollects that her husband at one time occupied a week in going to mill and returning home. She was, however, enthusiastic over the advantages and pleasures of those days as contrasted with the present. All the necessaries of life were easily obtained in the greatest abundance, and the people were so much more friendly and unselfish than they are today.

Mr. Bowman took his family to Illinois in the spring of 1864, and remained until the war was over. He died April 5, 1868. Mrs. Bowman resides with her youngest son, on Bone's Fork. They raised nine children. Hiram S., John H. and George live in Bates County. Henry R. is dead, Jasper N. absent and not heard from for four years. Harriet N , Isabella, Sarah M. and Joanna G. are now living.

Bates County Missouri MOGenWeb