Last year I purchased a 5 volume set of biographies "North Carolina, The Old North State and the New" published in 1941 by The Lewis Publishing Company. I understand this Book is out of print. There are a couple of Biographies on Bowers Families., for Colleen's challenge, follows is most of the biography of WILLIAM RAY BOWERS - if anyone can claim this family and would be interested in the full biography please email me and I will send a photo copy via snail mail. PLEASE NOTE: This Bowers Family is not related to me, although his father must have fought along side a relative of mine (unrelated to my Bauers) during the civil war with John Hunt Morgan's Raiders. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WILLIAM RAY BOWERS, a farmer of Halifax County, living in the vicinity of Littleton, was born in the county, April 2, 1880, his parents being WILLIAM EZRA and SALLIE MAUDE (HUNTER) BOWERS. His father, whose birth occurred in Halifax County, January 19, 1846, was educated in a private school and then engaged in farming and also was a horse dealer but retired from active business about four years prior to his death, which occurred May 9, 1928. He was a soldier of the Civil War, having enlisted in 1863 in a cavalry regiment, with which he served until the close of hostilities. He was one of Morgan's raiders and was wounded in an engagement. The Democratic party always received his stanch support and he was chosed to represent Halifax County in the State Legilature and also filled the officed of county commissioner, county treasurer and magistrate. He belonged to the Baptist church, in which he served as deacon, and he was a member of the Masonic Lodge. His wife, who was about a year his junior, was born in Halifax County and died in February, 1912. They had a family of seven children: Pattie Leah, the wife of W.H. Kimball, of Henderson, North Carolina: Mary Ellen, who is the widow of W.B. Daniel and resides in Henderson; Joseph Paul, deceased: William Ray, whose name introduces this record; Daisy B., and Annie D., both at home; and Margaret I., the wife of David L. Wilson, living on the old home place. After attending private schools, W. Ray Bowers continued his education at Oak Ridge for two years, after which he was with his father on the home farm until the father's death. He has sinced lived on his present farm of 1,200 acres and in addition to general farming he owns and operates a cotton gin. On the 16th of February, 1916, Mr. Bowers was married to Miss SALLIE EGERTON GARDNER, a daughter of Winfield Scott and Sallie Egerton Gardner, of Warren County, North Carolina... (>>> there is more on the Gardner family...) Mrs. W.R. Bowers was born in Warren County, December 22 1888, attended public schools until she completed the high school course and continuted her education in Louisburg College, after which she taught school for a short time. Mr. and Mrs. Bowers have become parents of Four children: Pryor Winfield, born January 28 1917, who was educated in public schools, at Oak Ridge Military Institute and at Wake Forest College; Thomas Egerton, born June 23 1918, who was also educated in grammar and high schools, at Oak Ridge Military Institute and at Wake Forest College, being graduated from the last named with the class of 1940; William Ezra, born August 31, 1920, who is a student in North Carolina State College at Raleigh, and Sallie Ray, born June 24, 1925. Both Mr. and Mrs Bowers have membership in the Baptist church and are interested in all that pertains to the material, intellectual and moral progress of their community. Fraternally Mr. Bowers is a Mason and his political opinions are in accord with the principles of the Democratic Party.