Mrs. Margaret A. Bowman, widow of William Bowman, died suddenly last Thursday afternoon of heart disease at the home of her nephew, Cyrenius Stilwagon of Morrisville, with whom she lived. Mrs. Bowman spent part of the day at Red Bank and went home apparently in the best of health. After reaching home she went out in the yard and picked two large bouquets. She took the flowers in the house and put them in water. A minute later she was taken with violent pains and died almost immediately.

Mrs. Bowman was 71 years old and had lived in Holmdel township all her life. She was the daughter of Elizabeth and Peter Stilwagon. One son was the result of her marriage to William Bowman. The boy died from overgrowth when he was sixteen years old. At that age he stood six feet two inches in his stocking feet, and weighed 180 pounds. He died 32 years ago. Mrs. Bowman’s funeral was held on Sunday afternoon at two o’clock from her late home. The service was conducted by Rev. Garrett Wyckoff, pastor of the Holmdel Reformed church. The body was buried at the cemetery on Elwood Magee’s place.

Source: Red Bank Register, Wednesday, June 14, 1899

Some additional excellent resources for your research are:

• New Jersey Census, 1772-1890 - Ancestry.com

• Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760 - Ancestry.com

• Interment.net - NJ ~ New Jersey Cemetery Transcriptions on the net.

• MyCinnamonToast.com ~ Keep up with FREE databases as they come online