Peter Lee Bowerman was born June 9, 1863 in Texas, son of James P. Bowerman and Matilda M. Grady. In 1870, Peter, age 7, was living in Sugarloaf, Arkansas (Sebastian County) with his father, James, age 49, a farmer, born in Tennessee; and his mother, Matilda, age 48, born in Kentucky; and five siblings: Henry, age 20; Martha, age 16; David, age 15; and Franklin, age 10. Living next door was William Bowerman, age 21, a farmer born in Texas; and his wife, Martha, age 16, born in Missouri. By 1880, the family had moved to Spring Creek, Arkansas (Yell County).

On January 9, 1888, in Yell County, Arkansas, Peter married Melvina C. Bess, who was born March 10, 1872, in Arkansas, daughter of Rance Bess and Easter E. Bumgarner. Peter and Melvina had five children: Nora Etter, born October 2, 1888; William Herbert, born November 14, 1890; Mary Costa, born March 21, 1897 in Texas; Dewey Rance, born April 28, 1899, in Ada, Oklahoma (Pontotoc County); and Lattie Elizabeth, born May 7, 1902, in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma.

In 1900, Peter, a farm laborer, born January 1865 in Arkansas; and his wife, Vina, born June 1875 in Arkansas; were living in Township 4, Indian Territory (Chickasaw Nation) with three children: Herbert., age 9, Oscar, age 3; and baby boy, age 1; both born in Indian Territory. It is believed that Oscar was Mary Costa and the baby was Dewey Rance, since the census showed that Herbert and Vina had given birth to only three children by 1920 and the dates match.

Melvina died on May 7, 1902, and was buried in Egypt Cemetery in Ada, Oklahoma. In December 1903 in Indian Territory, Peter married Loula Josephine "Josie" See, who was born in 1871 in Missouri, daughter of Abraham See and Mary Jane Coleman. Peter and Josie had six children: Lester Lee, born March 22, 1907 in Oklahoma; David E., born April 19, 1908 in Bebee, Oklahoma; Clifford Jewel, born March 17, 1910 in Oklahoma; Henry A., born April 23, 1912 in Ada, Oklahoma; Albert, born 1914 in Oklahoma; and Willis, born August 18, 1916 in Oklahoma.

In 1920, Peter, age 56, and Josie, age 48, were living in Saline, Arkansas (Sevier County) with their six children: Lester, age 12; David, age 11; Jewel, age 9; Henry, age 7; Albert, age 6; and Willis, age 3.

Peter died December 28, 1928 and was buried in Egypt Cemetery in Ada, Oklahoma. Josie married Henry H. Harris in 1901 in Bebee, Oklahoma. She died on June 3, 1944 and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Wewoka, Oklahoma (Seminole County).