--photo by Leroy Blair, 2000

Bowlen Cemetery

Bald Knob, Arkansas

• List updated January 3, 2005
• Legal description: NW, SE, NW, Sect. 8, T8N, R5W
• Earliest listed grave: 1888
• Last listed grave: Active
  
• GPS Location : 630445 - 3910940
• Arkansas Archeological Survey site #: 3WH0658

This cemetery was visited December 31, 2004, by Leroy Blair of the White County Historical Society, who reviewed all stones and compared them with older lists and prepared the updated list that follows below. Blair, a member of the Society's Board of Directors and chairman of the Society's Cemetery Committee, had first visited this cemetery four years earlier, and reported seeing 17 graves marked only with rocks, four with illegible funeral home markers and 16 mounds or depressions that are probably unmarked graves.

To reach the cemetery from Bald Knob, take Highway 167 North approximately one mile and turn left on Heard Road. Turn left in front of the first house on the left onto a field road. The cemetery is on the right, about one and a third acres, tree covered. Most of the graves are on a rise in the center, toward the front of the cemetery. There are other graves, scattered rocks and old funeral home markers that cannot be read. In May 2000 a McGillvray family was doing the mowing. The cemetery was listed November 12, 1962, by Mrs. W.H. Collison of the White County Historical Society, W.H. Collison III and Roosevelt Johnson, then updated in May 2000 by Lois and Ray Etheridge of the Historical Society. The Etheridges found headstones for nine pre/1962 burials that were not recorded on the original list and eight headstones for burials after 1962.

The 1962 report stated, "Turn left at the old Hotopp Place. The cemetery is located in the woods south of Johnny Wilcox's home. Mrs. Johnny Wilcox said Jeff Norton and his wife Vannie Norton are buried on the edge of the northeast corner, with no marker. A few people had been buried in Bowlen Cemetery when Mr. Wilcox came to Bald Knob in 1901 from Bradford. Many Bowlens are buried in this cemetery. M.J. Bowlen was an engineer. He ran the first train that went over the tracks through Bald Knob, now Missouri Pacific Railroad. His wife Hattie Bowlen was buried beside him but her death date was never added to the stone. There was an old blind man who lived with the Bowlens and is buried here but no marker. Bowlen first owned Hotopp house, Thomas Thomas’ place, and where John L. Wilcox now lives. They first lived at Hotopp house then moved to the two/story house (now burned) where Mr. Wilcox now lives. There were two Hotopp boys, both of whom live in Texas. Ernie owns the old home place. They were Germans. Two old men - Byers - no markers. Old man - Benton - buried here, no marker."

The Etheridges added this information: "John L. Wilcox moved from Bradford in 1901. Johnny, his son, was born in 1921. He and Pearlie Mae are at Prince Cemetery. They used to spell it Willcox, so both spellings can be found at Prince."

If you have corrections or additions to this list or other information on Bowlen Cemetery, contact the White County Historical Society, P.O. Box 537, Searcy, AR 72145.