A quarter of a century of activity in the business life of Northville has entitled Isaac E. Bowman to a leading place among its merchants. He is a partner of the firm of Kested & Bowman, druggists, whose establishment is one of the old familiar places on Main street. The son of Julius F. and Matilda R. (Lobdell) Bowman, he was born in the town of Northampton, Fulton county, June 4, 1861. His mother was a native of Northville and his father was born in Ghent, Columbia county. During the Civil war Julius F. Bowman served for three years and nine months as a first sergeant in the Union army. When he came home from the southern battle fields he resumed his occupation of a farmer and operated a farm in Fulton county until he retired in 1892. At that time he moved to Northville, where he lived until his death in July, 1901. His wife passed away in February of that year.
Isaac E. Bowman was reared on his father's farm and went to the country schools of his district. Later he attended a select school in Batchellerville. By profession Mr. Bowman is a photographer, having learned the business in Michigan as a young man. Later he returned to the east, where he ran a photographic studio for sixteen years. In 1899 he entered upon his present line of work by buying an interest in the Northville drug firm, of which he is still a member. His partner in this enterprise has always been William L. Kested, who is well known in this vicinity as one of the old and substantial business men. The partners have always done a good business and enjoy a liberal patronage from the residents of the village and the surrounding countryside.
In September, 1883, Mr. Bowman was married to Miss Jennie McKnight, who passed away in November of the following year, leaving a little daughter, Lena May, who is now the wife of Ralph L. Watson of Denver, Colorado. Mr. Bowman was married in October, 1899, to Miss Margaret Shipman.
In addition to his business affairs Mr. Bowman has taken an active part in the civic and fraternal life of the community. He was village trustee for a couple of years and served three terms as village president. That his administration of the village business met with the approval of the majority of the citizens is shown in the fact that they twice elected him to succeed himself in that responsible office. Mr. Bowman's political affiliations are with the republican party, but he is no blind partisan. He believes that local questions should be decided chiefly upon their merits, regardless of the issues at stake between the parties nationally. And he always sought, while he was an officeholder, to discharge his duties in accordance with the best interests of the residents of the village. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Presbyterian church and he is prominent in Masonic circles, belonging to Fish House Lodge, No. 298, F. & A. M.; Knights Templar Commandery, No. 51, of Gloversville; and Cyprus Temple of the Mystic Shrine, at Albany. Also he has been a member of the local lodge of Red Men for the past thirty-five years.