James Butler Bowlin | |
|---|---|
James B. Bowlin | |
| United States Minister to New Granada | |
| In office April 10, 1855 – May 20, 1857 | |
| President | Franklin Pierce |
| Preceded by | James S. Green |
| Succeeded by | George Wallace Jones |
| Member of theUnited States House of Representatives fromMissouri's At-large district | |
| In office March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1847 | |
| Preceded by | John Miller |
| Succeeded by | District dissolved |
| Member of theUnited States House of Representatives fromMissouri's 1st district | |
| In office March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1851 | |
| Preceded by | New district |
| Succeeded by | John Fletcher Darby |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1804-01-16)16 January 1804 |
| Died | 19 July 1874(1874-07-19) (aged 70) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Occupation | Lawyer, politician |
| Known for | Diplomat, U.S. Representative |
James Butler Bowlin (January 16, 1804 – July 19, 1874) was aU.S. Representative fromMissouri. Born inSpotsylvania County, Virginia nearFredericksburg, Bowlin took an apprenticeship to a trade but abandoned it to teach at a school. He received a classical education and moved toLewisburg, Virginia in 1825. Bowlin studied law and wasadmitted to the bar in 1822, commencing his practice in Greenbrier County. He moved toSt. Louis, Missouri in 1833 and continued the practice of law. Bowlin also established the Farmers and Mechanics' Advocate. He owned slaves.[1]
Bowlin served as Chief Clerk of the State House of Representatives in 1836. He served as a member of theMissouri House of Representatives in 1836 and 1837, was appointed district attorney for St. Louis in 1837, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the State House of Representatives in 1838. Bowlin was elected judge of the criminal court in 1839 and served until his resignation in 1842.
Bowlin was elected as aDemocrat to theTwenty-eighth and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1851). He served as chairman of the Committee on Private Land Claims (Twenty-ninth Congress), Committee on Public Lands (Thirty-first Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1850 to the Thirty-second Congress.
Bowlin was appointedMinister Resident toNew Granada by PresidentPierce December 13, 1854. He was appointed commissioner toParaguay by President Buchanan September 9, 1858, and served until February 10, 1859, when theexpedition to that country ended.
Afterwards, Bowlin resumed the practice of law. He died in St. Louis, July 19, 1874, and was interred inBellefontaine Cemetery.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMissouri's at-large congressional district 1843–1847 | Succeeded by None (District dissolved) |
| Preceded by None (New district) | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMissouri's 1st congressional district 1847–1851 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | United States Minister to New Granada 10 April 1855 – 20 May 1857 | Succeeded by |