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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



Kirks


Several members of the Kirks family were closely associated with the Bowens.

In 1762, William Bowen Sr and Amy deeded land to sons Jesse Bowen and David Bowen. At the same time, they deeded "for affection" the same amount of land to Samuel Kirks. The relationship was not stated, but it would appear that Samuel Kirks had probably married a daughter of William Bowen Sr and Amy. Samuel Kirks' wife's name can be proven by his deeds as Edith or Edy. At least one son was born to that marriage, William Kirks, who appeared on the 1789 tax records listed under Elizabeth Bowen, widow of Hicks Bowen. His later Mecklenburg marriage record to Jane Arnold names his father as Samuel Kirks.

Kirks, William & Jane Arnold, 26 Jan. 1790, William McCan sec. Note from Samuel Kirks, father of William, Mecklenburg Co.
This was followed a few days later by another marriage bond in Brunswick Co:
Jane Arnold & William Kirks, 4 Feb 1790, Brunswick Co.

The Mecklenburg Co deeds reflect other Bowen/Kirks deeds involving a Charles Kirks and Jesse Kirks, but their connection to Samuel Kirks hasn't been established.

Littleberry Bowen Kirks was the son of Winifred Kirks. It is not known if Kirks was her maiden name or married name. Some time after the birth of her son Littleberry Bowen Kirks, she became the wife of Jesse Bowen who named wife Winneford and Littleberry Bowen Cearks in his will. His name also appeared in the records as Littleberry Kirks Bowen and Littleberry Bowen Jr. It's not known if he adopted the name Bowen from his stepfather or if the name Bowen was originally a part of his name. After Jesse Bowen died, his widow Winifred married Jesse's nephew Littleberry Bowen who named Littleberry Bowen Kirks as a "son" in his will. Winifred was not named in the will and appears to have predeceased her husband. In 1809, Littleberry Bowen Kirks deeded a slave to David Bowen (Jr) and wife Savory for "natural love and affection", but the deed stated no relationship.

James Voughn (Sr) moved from Bristol Parish to the part of Surry Co that was later taken in by Brunswick Co several years before the Andrews and Bowens. He left his will in Brunswick Co dated 1735 naming, among others, son George Vaughan and son James Vaughan and Winne Curcks. Winne's relationship was not stated in the will and it's not known how or if she was related to Winifred Kirks above. Similarly, any relationship between Winne Curcks to Samuel Kirks is not known.

The earliest Kirks record for a male was found in Brunswick Co six years after James Voughn Sr's will that named Winne Curcks as an heir.

Order Book 2 p 20
From an entry dated 2 July 1741 which began on p 5.
Order'd that Theophilus Field merchant pay Hugh Kirk one hundred and ten pounds of tobacco for two days attendance at this court as a witness for the said Theophilus against Thomas Seemore, Junr and for coming and returning twenty miles according to law.

The distance of 20 miles agrees with Hugh Kirk living near James Voughn Sr and William Bowen Sr near Little Creek on the north side of the Meherrin in what is now southeastern Lunenburg Co. A 1747 Brunswick Co record for William Bowen Sr also directs that he be paid as a witness. The distance he traveled was also 20 miles. So Hugh Kirk of this record could easily have been the husband of Winne Curcks named as an heir in the 1735 will of James Voughn Sr, but no additional records have been found to prove this.

Brunswick Co WB 3 p 426
Will of Hugh Lambert 18 Nov 1764 pr 24 June 1765
Wife (not named), son William, dau Ann Hammock, grson Hugh Hammock, grdau Mildred Hammock, son Lewis, dau Lorana Kirke. To James Kirke & his wife lend negro girl Pat & at their deaths said Pat & her increase to be divided between the heirs of my dau Lorana Kirke. Son Richard, son Hugh, grson Robert Hammock. Exr son Thomas Lambert.
Wit James Lindsey, John Morton, Joel (X) Morton

Brunswick Co WB 5 p 212
Will of Thomas Lambert 26 Dec 1776 rec 23 Mar 1778
Wife (not named), Stephen Morgain. If he dies without heirs, to Wm Kirke. Rest of estate to Wm Kirke. Exr Wm Kirke.
Wit James Tarpley, Thomas Holcomb, Henry Martin

Brunswick Co DB 13 p 177
20 Aug 1778 William Kirk to Aaron Haskins. About 200 acres in Brunswick Co on Rocke Run & Wild Cat Cr given the said William Kirk by last will & testament of Thomas Lambert dated Dec 26, 1776.
Wit William Brown, John Brower, Peter Clark, Christn. Haskins

The Brunswick Co index to deeds lists the following later deeds. The date is the date the deed was recorded and may not be the same as the date the deed was signed.

1797 William Kirk from Richard Putney deed DB 16 p 443
1798 Jesse Kirks to Randolph Singleton POA DB 17 p 220
1798 Charles Kirks from John Drummond deed DB 17 p 259
1798 William Kirk and wife to Charles Hamson deed DB 17 p 330

Kirks found in the early Mecklenburg records were:

Marriages
Bowen, Richard Jones & Betsey S. Kirks, 22 Nov. 1808, James Bowen sec.
Harrison, John, of North Hampton Co. N. C. & Lelilah Parham, 22 Mar. 1792, William Kirks, of Orange, N. C., sec.
Kirks (Kirk), Charles & Mary Persize, 10 Nov. 1787, Joseph Mason sec.
Meariman (Merriman), Epps & Amey Kirks, 26 Jan. 1790, James McCan sec.
Kirks, William & Jane Arnold, 26 Jan. 1790, William McCan sec. Note from Samuel Kirks, father of William. [same date, same security]
Vaughan, David & Patty Kirks, 3 Aug. 1803, John Hudgins sec.

Saml (X) Kirk, Lathel (X) Kirk, Joseph Finn witnessed the 1780 will of James Tomoson

Mecklenburg DB 9 p 451
7 April 1798 Charles Kirks to Charles Bowen. 58L 58a Beginning at Charles Bowens corner on the long branch thence along the said Bowens line to James Williams line thence along the said Williams line to Thomas Noblings line on the lightwood meadow thence along the said Noblins line to William Thomasons line thence along the said Thomasons line to Sarah Ornsbey's line thence along the said Sarah Ornsbey's line to the beginning.
Signed Charles Kirks.
Wit David Bowen, Jeffe (+) Bowen, Jesse (X) Kirks.
Ack 13 August 1798

Mecklenburg DB 10 p 156
25 August 1798 Mary Kirks wife of Charles Kirks releases right of dower to land sold by Charles Kirks to Charles Bowen deed dated 7 August 1798. Also note in this record that she released her right of dower in Brunswick Co 24 April 1799. Rec 9 September 1799.

Mecklenburg DB 11 p 356
30 October 1802 Jessie Kirks to Littleberry Bowen. 22L 42a Beginning at Littleberry Bowens corner thence along the said Bowens line to William Thomersons line thence along the said Thomersons line to the corner to Charles Bowens line thence along the said Bowens line to the beginning.

Signed Jessie (X) Kirks.
Wit David Bowen, Littleberry (X) Bowen Junr, Charles (X) Bowen.
Court 13 June 1803 oaths of David Bowen, Littleberry Bowen Jr, Charles Bowen.
[Note: Littleberry Bowen Jr was another name used by Littleberry Bowen Kirks.]

Miel Thomason, William (+) Thomason, Littleton Kirks, Loury Bowen witnessed a deed from Aggatha Thomason to Salathael Bowen in 1814.

Drury Penington, Thos Kirkes, Salatheel Bowen witnessed a deed from James Fisher of Lunenburg to Lowry Bowen of Brunswick in 1829.