Help! My grandfather was named William Henry Bowden. He was born on July 10, 1859 and died exactly 96 years to the day later. However, it is as if he was the starter of all Bowdens in my line. Before 1890, our family seems not to exist in Arkansas and Louisiana, the two places where they might have been.

My branch of the family is believed to be Irish. Family story is that three brothers came over, one settling in the Viriginia area, one in Georgia/Florida and my branch coming in at New Orleans and settling in Louisiana and S.E. Arkansas.

Any cousins out there that have W.H. Bowden or William Henry Bowden or Will Bowden's parents? All older relatives are deceased and I didn't get the info that I needed before they passed. After 1900 he and his wife, Mary, lived in Desha County. But can't find anything before that