James B. Bowlin

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 the United States House of Representatives from Missouri's At-large district
In office March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1847
Preceded by	John Miller
Succeeded by	District dissolved
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri'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 Spotsylvania County, Virginia, U.S.
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 a U.S. Representative from Missouri. Born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia near Fredericksburg, Bowlin took an apprenticeship to a trade but abandoned it to teach at a school. He received a classical education and moved to Lewisburg, Virginia in 1825. Bowlin studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1822, commencing his practice in Greenbrier County. He moved to St. 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 the Missouri 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 a Democrat to the Twenty-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 appointed Minister Resident to New Granada by President Pierce December 13, 1854. He was appointed commissioner to Paraguay by President Buchanan September 9, 1858, and served until February 10, 1859, when the expedition to that country ended.

Afterwards, Bowlin resumed the practice of law. He died in St. Louis, July 19, 1874, and was interred in Bellefontaine Cemetery.