This collection includes photographs and other materials pertaining to the Barr, Barrow, Jackson, Lovvorn, and Morris families.

John William (J. W.) Barrow was born in Bowdon on September 5, 1866 to James R. Barrow and Martha “Mattie” Holmes. At the age of fourteen, J.W. became an orphan and placed under the care of an uncle, William Barrow. He attended Mercer University before opening up a mercantile store on the main street in Bowdon. Later, he built several other brick buildings and expanded his store in Bowdon Hardware, the only store in Bowdon to have an elevator. J. W. also built the Barrow House in the 1910s which is still owned by family members today. While also the owner of a store, Barrow was also the director of the local bank and a trustee of Bowdon College. At the start of the Great Depression, J. W. lost his store but he continued to start several other businesses which he operated until his death.

On December 25, 1887, J. W. Barrow married Martha Ellen Lovvorn. She was born on September 2, 1868 in Randolph County, Alabama to Col. W.D. Lovvorn and Sarah Delia Burden. The Lovvorns were millers and owned Lovvorn Mill. Col. W. D. Lovvorn decided to move his family to Bowdon in order for his children, eleven total, to receive an education. In doing so, Lovvorn became a prominent benefactor of Bowdon College and his wife, Martha, even gave money for wooden seats for the school.

J.W. and Martha Barrow had five children: William Otis, Roy, Hugh Witt, Martha Gladys Rubble, and Sarah Frances Jackson. On December 29, 1944, Martha Ellen died and seven years later, on July 29, 1951, J.W. also passed away. Both are buried in the Bowdon City Cemetery.

Hugh Witt, one of J. W. Barrow’s sons, was born on January 13, 1894. Hugh worked at numerous jobs throughout his life including being a truck driver for the family store, a shop foreman for Ford Motor Co., and a rural mail carrier. He married Virginia Mae “Gin” Trammell on October 24, 1917. They had four children: Virginia Ellen “Jean”, Sue Barrow, Hugh Will “Bill”, and David Trammell “Buddy”. On November 10, 1950, Hugh Witt died and Gin passed away on August 21, 1969.

Hugh Witt Barrow’s oldest daughter, Virginia Ellen or Jean, was born on November 24, 1918. She married John H. Barr Jr. on January 30, 1938. The Barr family originally lived in Cave Springs before moving to Bowdon where John attended Bowdon College. They had four children: John H. Barr III “Johnny”, Robert, Carol Ann, and Virginia Ellen “Gini”. John died on January 19, 1998 and Jean passed away on May 22, 2003. Both are buried in the Bowdon City Cemetery.

A cousin to the Barrows, Dr. Joseph G. “Joe” Morris was the local Bowdon dentist. He was related to the Barrow family through his mother, Becky Lovvorn, who was the sister of Martha Ellen and another daughter of Col. W. D. Lovvorn and Sarah Burden. Morris was born on July 11, 1888. He attended Emory University and later Southern Dental College, graduating in May 1912. He married Livisa King who worked as Morris’ dental assistant. Dr. Morris died on August 2, 1981.

Thomas J. Lovvorn was the uncle of Frances Barrow. He was born in Newell, Alabama on January 11, 1953 to Col. W. D. Lovvorn and Sarah Burden. Thomas married Martha Ann Kidd in the 1870s. After Martha died on March 16, 1886, Thomas then married Polly Smith Ridley. When his parents moved to Bowdon, he moved into the house that they previously occupied in Randolph County, Alabama. Thomas also owned a mercantile store. He died on May 26, 1935 and is buried in the Antioch Baptist Church in Newell, Alabama.