Franklin Welsh Bowdon (February 17, 1817 – June 8, 1857) was an Alabama congressman (December 7, 1846 – March 3, 1851).
Bowdon was born in Chester District, South Carolina, graduated from the University of Alabama in 1836, studied law, was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Talladega, Alabama. He was a member of the State house of representatives in 1844 and 1845 and was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-ninth United States Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Felix G. McConnell. He was reelected to the Thirtieth United States Congress and Thirty-first United States Congress. He was chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds during the Thirty-first Congress.
He did not stand for reelection in 1850 and moved to Henderson, Rusk County, Texas in 1852, where he resumed his law practice. He died in Henderson and was interred in the City Cemetery. The town of Bowdon, Georgia was named after him due to the mistaken belief that it was in Alabama. He was the uncle of Sydney Johnston Bowie, who was an Alabama congressman from 1901 to 1907.
Famous quotes containing the words franklin and/or welsh:
“Most people dislike vanity in others, whatever share they have of it themselves; but I give it fair quarter, wherever I meet with it, being persuaded that it is often productive of good to the possessor, and to others who are within his sphere of action: and therefore, in many cases, it would not be altogether absurd if a man were to thank God for his vanity among the other comforts of life.”
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
“God defend me from that Welsh fairy,
Lest he transform me to a piece of cheese!”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)