Background
Bowden was born near Williamsburg, Virginia and attended the College of William and Mary.
Bowden was born near Williamsburg, Virginia and attended the College of William and Mary.
College of William & Mary.
During the American Civil War he became a Republican. Bowden sought reelection in 1869 but was defeated by James Craig Taylor in the election held on July 6, 1869. Bowden resigned as attorney general effective August 1, 1869.
Until Taylor took office on January 19, 1870, Charles Wittlesey was appointed in fill the vacancy.
Not long after leaving office, Bowden moved to Washington, District of Columbia, where he practiced law for more than twenty years. He was the author of Blunders in Educated Circles Corrected (1889).
Bowden died in Washington, District of Columbia, and was buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Williamsburg, Virginia.