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Frank L. Bowman was a lawyer, Morgantown mayor, and United States House of Representatives member. Born in 1879, Bowman received both a bachelors and law degree from West Virginia University. He served as Morgantown’s postmaster before being elected as the town's mayor in the largest victory margin the position had ever seen. Despite Bowman’s popularity, he declined to run for reelection and focused on business interests instead. Bowman reentered politics in 1925 and represented West Virginia in the United States House of Representatives for eight years. Bowman was active in local Morgantown organizations before returning to Washington D.C. to serve on the Board of Veteran Appeals. On September 15, 1936, Bowman died in Washington.

Portrait of Frank L. Bowman.

Portrait of Frank L. Bowman.

Political display by Bowman. The display reads "I'm a wise old owl 'sitting on top of the World' Why Not I am Wearing a Pair of President Hoover's Specs Courtesy of Congressman Frank L. Bowman."

Political display by Bowman. The display reads "I'm a wise old owl 'sitting on top of the World' Why Not I am Wearing a Pair of President Hoover's Specs Courtesy of Congressman Frank L. Bowman."

Attending Physician of Congress, Dr. George Calver, collected signed photographs from the Congressmen he saw. Bowman's pointed signature reads that Dr. Calver, "regulates the air we breathe, supervises the food we eat and otherwise interferes with our constitutional rights of personal freedom."

Attending Physician of Congress, Dr. George Calver, collected signed photographs from the Congressmen he saw. Bowman's pointed signature reads that Dr. Calver, "regulates the air we breathe, supervises the food we eat and otherwise interferes with our constitutional rights of personal freedom."

Frank L. Bowman was born in Masontown, PA in 1879. Bowman’s father was a merchant and moved the family to Morgantown in the late nineteenth century to take advantage of more plentiful business opportunities. Bowman attended West Virginia University, where he was an active member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. Bowman was also a celebrated student – he won the Inter-Society Oration and Debate prize and was lauded by his professors and peers. After graduating in 1902, Bowman worked at the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Morgantown for two years. He then returned to West Virginia University, this time to study law. Shortly before re-enrolling, Bowman was married to Pearl Silveus. The couple later had two children.

Bowman was admitted to the bar in 1905, and began practicing law in Morgantown. He also developed an interest in the coal industry and pursued this through shareholding and board membership. Bowman’s political career began in 1911 with his appointment to postmaster of Morgantown. He served in this capacity for four years before resigning to run for mayor of Morgantown. Bowman defeated his mayoral opponent by the largest margin ever seen up to 1915. Bowman was a highly celebrated leader and it was expected that he would win the 1917 reelection in a landslide. However, he declined to run again, opting instead to focus on his business interests. The former mayor filled a variety of executive positions with the Tropf Coal Company. In addition, Bowman served as an attorney for many other coal companies.

In 1925, Bowman reentered the political scene with his election as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives. He served in the sixty-ninth through seventy-second Congresses before being defeated in 1933. Bowman returned to Morgantown and was extremely active in local organizations. He belonged to the Rotary Club, Knights Templar, Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine, and Knights of Pythias. Bowman’s final political stint occurred in the years before his death, when he served as a member of the Board of Veteran Appeals from 1935 until 1936. Bowman died in Washington D.C. on September 15, 1936.

BOWMAN, Frank Llewellyn, History, Art & Archives United States House of Representatives. Accessed September 11th 2020. https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/B/BOWMAN,-Frank-Llewellyn-(B000704)/.

The History of West Virginia, Old and New. Volume II. New York, NY. The American Historical Society, Inc., 1923.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

U.S. House of Representatives. Accessed September 11, 2020. https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/B/BOWMAN,-Frank-Llewellyn-(B000704)/.

Gibson, Scott. West Virginia & Regional History Center. Accessed September 11, 2020. https://wvhistoryonview.org/catalog/012027

Underwood and Underwood. U.S. House of Representatives. Accessed September 11, 2020. https://history.house.gov/Collection/Detail/15032436532.