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Genealogy of the Bowen Family before Sterling Bowen
(Pre 1800)


"Living Made Simple"
By D E Bowen



B&W Photos
1880-1950


from Elise Brown Bowen

from Eunice Bowen Branyon


Very Early Bowens

Quick Summary of the pre1800 history

1050
Starting in Wales and the Crest


Welsh Immigration Time Line

Bowen's of Bristol Parish

1730
Bristol Parish Bowens


??-1762
William and Amy Bowen


??-1780's
Robert Bowen


1730
William,Jr son of William & Amy


1731-1804
David,Sr son of William & Amy


1732-1790
Ephraim son of Robert & Avis Bowen


1734-1797
Jesse son of William & Amy


Bowen's of Mecklenburg County

1740-80
Bowens of Mecklenburg County


1750-1822
Sterling Bowen


1787??
Drury, Sterling, & Isaac Bowen's Move to Abbeville County, SC


1750?-1817
Charles Bowen


Families associated with the Bowens in Mecklenburg County

Vaughan

Avis

Andrews
Drumright
Gee


Turner

Kirks

More Info & Bowen's of Mecklenburg County

1748-1764
Lunenburg Tithes before 1770


1780
Mecklenburg Census


1782
Mecklenburg Taxes


1782
Mecklenburg Land Taxes


1780???
John Bowen


????-1787
Hicks Bowen


????-1819
Littleberry Bowen


????-1824
William Bowen III


????-1821
Isham Bowen


????-1826
James Bowen


????-1832
Asa Bowen


????-1815
David Bowen, Jr.


1762-182?
Bracy Bowen


1767-???
Littleberry Bowen Kirks


1805-????
Edwin Bowen


Other Stuff

1840's-1900's
Bible Records of Thomas Adam Bowen


1841-1911
James Bryant Bowen


1806
Mecklenburg Taxes


1824
Mecklenburg Land Taxes


Pre 1890
Bowen Marriage Records in Virginia


Eunice Bowen Branyon
1907-1980


Elise Brown Bowen
1920-2012





Bowen Coat of Arms



William Bowen Jr.

William Bowen Jr was born 2 Dec 1729 to William Bowen Sr and Amy according to his birth record in the Bristol Parish records.

In 1762, William Bowen Sr and Amy made three deeds dividing his patent of 225 acres between son Jesse Bowen, son David Bowen, and Samuel Kirks. Although the deeds stated that each received about 70 acres (15 acres short of the 225 total), it appears that all the land went to those three and the acreage was underestimated in the deeds. The 1764 tithes list showed Jesse Bowen and David Bowen with 75 acres each. At any rate, no remaining tract of 15 acres has been found. William Bowen Jr seems to have received no land from his father from that patent or any other patent to William Bowen Sr.

William Bowen Jr was responsible for paying quitrents on a piece of land as early as Feb, 1748/49. It is known that William Bowen Sr received a patent in 1747 and sold the land in 1749, but still his name did not appear in this quitrents list.

Lunenburg Order Book 2, p 139 February Court 1748/49
8 Feb 1748/9 - Court for laying the County Levy
To whom granted William Bowen Junr
by whom granted Rob H Dyer
date of cert 19 Nov 1748
quitrnts Tob[acc]o 140

There was a Robert Henry Dyer who patented 997 acres in Brunswick Co on Green Creek in 1727, but I have found no record indicating that any of his land came into the possession of William Bowen Jr. In Feb 1748/49, William Bowen Jr was not of legal age and could not purchase land. It's more likely that he was leasing the land and therefore the court was making him responsible for paying the quitrents on it - laying the levy on Bowen rather than Dyer. The later Lunenburg Co deeds do contain references to a Green Creek, but I haven't seen anything to help prove it was the same Green Creek where Dyer's land was located.

The Lunenburg tithes listed William Bowen Jr separately from his father in 1748, but under his father in 1749. In 1750 and 1751, William Bowen Jr was again listed in his own name separate from his father.

Lunenburg Order Book 2, p 410 April Court, 1751
Wm Bowing, infant under age 21, by Wm Bowing his next friend plaintif agst Dennis Larke; dismissed.

By April of 1751, William Bowen Jr was 21 and no longer a minor since he was born 2 Dec 1729 and would have turned 21 on 2 Dec 1750. Was this record referring to William Bowen III who might have actually been an infant at this time, or was this a continuing case that had originated before William Bowen Jr turned 21?

No deeds have been found prior to 1764 in which William Bowen Jr was the grantee. The 1764 Lunenburg tithes listed William Bowen Jr with no land. However, there is a reference to a William Bowen's land in a 1763 which cannot be explained.

Lunenburg DB 9 p 333
5 December 1763 Thomas Twitty of Brunswick, Gent., to John Ezell of Lunenburg 1310 acres bounded by Geo Vaughn, William Boin, George Walton, John Bugg.
Wit Saml Marshall Jr, William Ezell, William Robinson, Willm (+) Bowen.

This is exactly half of a previous grant to Thomas Twitty below, but William Bowen is not mentioned as a neighbor in the Twitty grant, and none of the lines in the Twitty grant agree with the 1761 grant to William Bowen. Although the Twitty grant was dated 1763, the description comes from the survey made years earlier.

Patent granted to Thomas Twitty. 30 Aug 1763. 2620 acres Lunenburg Co. On the head branches of Stiths Creek and Taylors Creek. Beginning at George Vaughans corner hickory at the head of the first fork of Taylors Creek thence a new line North eighty three degrees West four hundred and seventy poles to a white oak in Stiths line thence along his lines South thirty six degrees West sixty six poles to a white oak and black jack North seventy degrees West forty poles thence along the old Orphan line South twenty degrees West three hundred and thirty four poles to a red oak South eighty degrees East three hundred and forty poles to a black jack North forty degrees East one hundred and eighty poles to a hickory in Houses line thence along his line North forty five degrees West sixty poles to a red oak North twenty six degrees east two hundred and thirty six poles to a white oak on Taylors Creek thence down the same as it meanders to Bates line thence along his lines as it meanders North sixty degrees West thirty two poles to a red oak North fifty three degrees east thirty poles to the first fork of Taylors Creek and thence up the same as it meanders to the first station.
Patents 35, p 326-327

The name of the creek called Stith's Creek in the early records seems to have evolved to Smith Creek over the years. This Twitty land is clearly too far south and west to adjoin William Bowen Sr's patent on Eagles Nest Creek, and none of the lines in the Twitty grant agree with the lines in Bowen's grant. However, the land did adjoin George Vaughan's patent, so it was located relatively nearby.



The first piece of land that William Bowen Jr is known to have purchased came from George Vaughan's patent which adjoined William Bowen Sr's patent on the south. Through the years, Vaughan sold other tracts of land to James Thomason (150 acres in 1760), James Cammell/Campbell (150 acres in 1761), Peter Moon (50 acres in 1769), and Isham Davis (150 acres in 1777).

Lunenburg DB 8:184
10 Jul 1764 Geo Vaughan, planter, to Wm Boin Jr, both of Lunenburg Co, 10 pounds, 50 acres, adjoining Geo Walton, Wm Ezell
Rec: 12 Jul 1764
William Bowen Jr sold this 50 acres to William Dizmang in 1766 who sold it to John Thomason in 1771. William Bowen Jr purchased another 50 acre tract from the Vaughan patent from Peter Moon in 1777.

Mecklenburg Co Deed Book 1 p 241
28 June 1766 William Bowen Jr of Mecklenburg Co to William Dizmang Sr of Lunenburg Co. 70 pounds. 50 acres part of a tract patented in George Vaughan's name 1 Oct 1747 on the Little fork of Taylors Creek.
Signed William (+) Bowen, Lucrecy (+) Bowen
Witnesses Drury (+) Bowen, Jesse (+) Bowen, John Howell, William Robinson

These two tracts that came from the Vaughan patent that William Bowen Jr purchased would seem to be near the Twitty/Ezell land above.

A record from a few years before clearly associates William Bowen Jr with the Turner family.

Lunenburg Co Order Book 5 p 65
Wm Bowing Jr granted admons estate Robt Turner decd; Wm Bowing Sr security.
Any 3 of Geo Vaughn, Jas Thomason, Jas Campbell, Henry Parish to appraise slaves/personal estate Robt Turner decd.
(April Court, 1758)

This is an interesting record from another point of view.

Lunenburg Co Order Book 3
p 3 Geo Vaughan & wife Agnes to Jas Tomerson, deed, bargain/sale
p3 Geo Vaughan & wife Agnes to Mathew Turner, indenture bargain/sale
May Court, 1754

Lunenburg DB 7, p 77 1 Apr 1760 George Vaughn and Agness Vaughan to James Thomason. 150 acres on the north side of Eaglesnest Creek bounded by Bowen, Walton.

Lunenburg DB 7, p 88 1 May 1761 George Vaughn and Agness his wife to James Campbell. 150 acres whereon the said Campbell now lives bounded by the road upon Walkers line, William Bowing, Eagles Nest Cr, James Thomerson.

It would appear that all the appraisers of the Robert Turner estate, except perhaps Henry Parish, at one time or another, in one way or another, acquired some of the land owned by George Vaughan. Was there some connection between these families more than just being near neighbors?

However, just two months after William Bowen Jr was granted administration of Robert Turner's estate, another record indicates that either another Robert Turner had died, or that, for one reason or another, William Bowen Jr was no longer the administrator of his estate.

Lunenburg Co Order Book 5 p 91
John Jenings granted admons estate Robt Turner decd; Gray Briggs security.
Any 3 of Reuben Vaughan, Jas Arnold, John Howell, Wm Allen to appraise slaves/personal estate Mathew Turner [sic] decd.
(June Court, 1758)

The name Matthew Turner would seem to be the name that was in error here as Lunenburg WB 1, p 257 dated 10 Jun 1758 states that the inventory of the estate of Robert Turner decd was presented by James Arnold, Wm (A) Allen, and Reuben Vaughn, apprs. But .... among the items listed in the inventory was an ax at Mathew Turners'. This suggests that Robert Turner was somehow related to Matthew Turner. I did not find another inventory for a different Robert Turner returned by Geo Vaughn, Jas Thomason, Jas Campbell, and/or Henry Parish.

George Walton had patented land on the west side of the grants to William Bowen Sr and George Vaughan. William Bowen Jr was among several who purchased tracts from Walton.

Mecklenburg DB 3, p 80
20 Dec 1770 George Walton of Prince Edward Co to William Bowen Junr of Mecklenburg Co. 7 pounds. 57 acres on the branches of Eagles Nest Creek. Beginning at Stafford's corner stump by Bowens Battery on the Road in Tomerson's line ....
Signed Geo Walton
Wit Laborn Stafford, James (X) Cammell, Littlebery (X) Bowen

Other tracts were sold to Thomas Noblin (196 acres in 1770), Charles Bowen (t-- hundred acres [200?] in 1770), William Drumright (150 acres in 1770), Laban Stafford (109 acres in 1770), James Cammell/Campbell (415 acres in 1771). James Cammel resold 100 acres to James Merrymoon and another 100 acres to Abram/Abraham Merrymoon the same year. Since the Bowen, Vaughan, and Walton grants adjoined each other, these families were near neighbors and closely associated with each other.

On 11 Oct 1777, Peter Moon sold to William Bowen 50 acres "granted to the sd Peter Moon 1 Oct 1747". The deed was witnessed by another William Bowen, and neither was noted as Jr or Sr. (DB 5:229) This 50 acre tract had actually been granted to George Vaughan on that date and sold by Vaughan to Moon on 11 Aug 1769. (DB 2, p 249) So two tracts of land that came into the possession of William Bowen (Jr and/or III) had originally come from the same patent to George Vaughan.

There may have been some connection between the Thomason, Merrimoon, and Bowen families as reflected in the following deeds. It can be proven that William Bowen Jr's daughter Mary married James Thomason's son John (records below), but the early deeds might point to another connection.

On 8 May 1775, William Bowen, James Thomerson, and Abram Merrymoon sold 91 acres in Mecklenburg adjoining Thomerson, Merrymoon, and Ezell to Hutchins Burton and Noah Dortch. Lucracy Bowen, Francis Thomerson, and Ann Merrymoon, wives of the same, released their right of dower. (DB 4:38)

On 10 Oct 1777, William Bowen and Abraham Merrimoon sold 70 acres in Mecklenburg adjoining James Tomerson [Thomason], James M.Can [McCan], Balaam Jones, and James Merrimoon to David Bowen. James Hicks, Littleberry Bowen, and David Bowen were the witnesses. (This deed reflects two David Bowens, one probably William Bowen Jr's brother and the other William Bowen Jr's son) (DB 5:104) Anne Merrimoon released her right of dower, but there was no reference to Lucrecy Bowen. Had she died?

James Thomason was still living, but apparently did not own an interest in the second tract of land, at least not at this time.

Again, no earlier records for this shared land have been found. However it is known that James Thomason had purchased land from the western part of George Vaughan's patent previously, land that adjoined Walton's patent. It is also known that James Cammel sold 100 acres to James Merrymoon and another 100 acres to Abraham Merrymoon from the 415 acres he had purchased from George Walton. William Bowen Jr had also purchased some of the Walton land.

Lunenburg DB 7 p 77 1 Apr 1760 George Vaughn and Agness Vaughn of Cumberland Parish in Lunenburg to James Thomason of same. 10L for 150 acres in the Parish of St James and Lunenburg on the north side of Eaglesnest Cr bounded by Bowen, Walton, it being part of a survey obtained by George Vaughan dated 12 May 1759. Wit William Pinnell, John Stonge.

Memorandum of livery of seizin wit by John Ezell. Rec 5 May 1761. Perhaps the land that was sold jointly by William Bowen Jr, Abraham Merrymoon, and James Thomason and then again by William Bowen Jr and Abraham Merrymoon was land that was carved out of their adjoining lands from these previous purchases.

In many cases, it is difficult to determine exactly which records referred to William Bowen Sr, William Bowen Jr, and William Bowen III (referred to as William son of William in the land tax records). For that reason, it is difficult to determine a date of death for William Bowen Jr. The last records we can be sure were his were the 1777 deeds. The land tax records from 1785 on were for his son, William III. Only one William Bowen was listed on the 1782 census. His household contained 6 whites, so he was no doubt William Bowen III. Unless William Bowen Jr was still living but not listed under his own name, this would suggest that William Bowen Jr died between 1777 and 1782. He and Lucrecy were certainly deceased by 1787 as the notations following Hicks Bowen's will did not name either of them among the heirs assigning their rights to the estate.

There are no records reflecting the death of William Bowen Sr - no will or administration records, no inventory of his estate. We have found no later sale of any unknown land by his legatees. According to John P. Alcock, President, Friends of the Virginia State Archives:
"The law did not require that the county clerk be informed of a death. So if the deceased was debt-free and had no real estate, the family could agree among themselves on the disposition of his assets."
That may well have been the case here. Either that or the records have been lost.

The only son of William Bowen Jr and Lucrecy who can be proven directly is William Bowen III because he was referred to as "William son of William" in the land tax records. However, we can also prove indirectly other siblings indicated by the will of Hicks Bowen d 1787 as additional children because William Bowen (III) was included in the list of Hicks' heirs assigning their rights to the estate to Hicks' wife and godchildren as specified in Hicks' will. With the exception of the eldest son, their birth order is unknown.

Littleberry Bowen (eldest) b ca 1748, d 1820
David Bowen (Jr) d 1815
William Bowen (III) d 1824
Hicks Bowen d 1787
Alexander Bowen
John Bowen (possibly nicknamed Hughberry or living in Hughberry, GA in 1787)
Mary Bowen, wife of John Thomason, and apparent daughter Polly Thomason
Agness Bowen, wife of Matthew Millsass
Miss ??? Bowen d by 1787, wife of William Drumright Sr

Littleberry Bowen's date of birth is estimated based on a 1769 record in which he witnessed a deed from George Vaughan to Peter Moon, indicating that Littleberry was "of age" or at least 21 at that time. We also know that William Bowen Jr was made responsible for quitrents on a piece of land belonging to Robert Henry Dyer in 1748 which again would indicate he had left his parents' home to establish a home of his own. If the 1748 date for Littleberry's birth is accurate, then William Bowen Jr who was born in 1729 must have married young at about age 18 or 19. The marriage would have required his father's consent. Unfortunately, there is no record of his marriage.

Lunenburg WB 3 p 42 includes an account of the sales from the estate of John Chamless dec'd. William Bowen purchased 5 pewter spoons and Alexander Bowen purchased a pewter dish. This record was recorded 11 May 1780. Alexander Bowen did not appear on any of the Mecklenburg tax lists which began in 1782 although he was certainly still alive in 1787. Perhaps he left the county after the 1780 record.