John Bryan Bowman was a member of the Disciples of Christ and attended Bacon College; his father being an incorporator and trustee.
Four years later, he married Mary Dorcas Williams and settled down as a farmer after inheriting the Old Forest Farm in Mercer County.
In 1857, he led a campaign to found a new academic institution, Kentucky University, on the site of the defunct college administrated by the Disciples of Christ.
With the assistance of Major James Taylor, he was successful in gathering $30,000 in his county and, traveling to nearby communities, gained $150,000 within five months.
Under his administration, Bowman's liberal-minded policies saw Kentucky University grow as a modern center for education and learning during the next several years.