Know what you mean. Welcome to the 80s club. I just had an 81st birthday last week. I worked very hard to get info on this family, and all the clues led to William Bowen and Elizabeth Smith (son of John Bowen Jr; grandson of John Bowen & Lily McIlhaney), but never could find them on the same piece of paper. And I couldn't find what happened to any of my gr-grandfather's siblings after 1860. John was in Coffee in 1860; youngest brother living with him, and it took forever to find him in Gibson Co 1870. Nothing on William after 1850. Still don't know what happened to James, William or the sisters.

If your 'person' is connected to a Bowen from Dyer County, then there is likely a connection to the John Bowen/Lily McIlhaney line. It seems in my past research I found some of their descendants there, but don't recall just who, and I don't have access to all my research material since I moved (and may never have).

Gibson marriages: I found two early male Bowen marriages in Gibson County so some of the Bowens were in Gibson Co early.
William Bowen to Easter D Craig 1833
Thomas Bowen to Obediance Bailey 1833

In looking for an A M Ledbetter, I found an Alford in Cannon Co 1860. He was age 11, making him about 19 or 20 IF he were the A M on the marriage to Mary Bowen. But so far, nothing else.