I found a mention of an Universalist minister in Georgia, that I had not heard of, Giles Bowers.
I wondered if he was kin to the Bowers in the northeast Georgia, he's not (at least not close), but does have a little story to tell.
Giles was born in the White Oak Community of Coweta County, Georgia.
He was the first child of Jacob Bowers and Mary "Polly" Bowers. Both had been from
Newberry, SC; and Polly's father was the Rev. Elijah Lynch (Linch) , who was the Newberry ministerthat switched his church's denomination from Fraternity of German Baptist Brethren (Dunker) to Universalist.
We don't know much at all about this Rev Bowers, and he was listed only in the 1856 Universalist Companion (which came out around November 1854). He listed his address as Whitewater, Georgia,; and both it and the current Brooks are within 10 miles of Senoia, where Universalists had a meeting house. As an adult he had his house next to his father, and to his Uncle, David Linch. He died of disease in Richmond, Virgina during service in the Civil War, leaving a widow and five children. Buried in the Elmore Cemetery.
His father and mother are buried in the County Line Christian Church Cemetery.
His uncle, David Linch, was very active in the local Universalist Church.
Why only one year? Mistake on the part of the editor of the Companion, or his source?
Mistake on Bowers part? Left the ministry on his own, due to lack of time, lack of inspiration,?
or removed by his congregation?
We don't know anymore. There may be something in the Georgia Universalist newspapers, or those issues may not have stood the test of time.
