The Bowen Family
Honest John Martin’s daughter Susan Elizabeth Martin married William A, Bowen, Jr. His grandfather was James M. Bowen.[409] The Bowen family had long been established in Virginia. We start with the fifth generation of Bowens. This sketch only covers a few highlights of Billy Bowen’s family, mainly his father and three uncles.
James M. Bowen
James M. Bowen was born 7 June 1750 [where?] and died 26 February 1815 [where?]. His father was Stephen Bowen who married Sarah Ficklin. [Need more. Ask Ray Gill]
He served in the Revolutionary War in Capt. Peter B. Bruin’s Company, 11th Virginia Regiment. James was a fifth generation Bowen in Virginia.
He married Rachel Bower in Fauquier County December 7, 1781. She was born in 1767 [where?] and died 25 October 1843 [where?]. [Are their burial places known?] Her parents emigrated from Germany.[410] [Does Ray Gill know their names?]
They had 13 children including James Marshall Bowen [Jr.], Thomas Conrad Bowen, Peter B. Bowen, and William A. Bowen. We cover these four in this Chapter. [Is there a list of the others?] “Four brothers named Bowen brought land in Albemarle [County]. … they came from the vicinity of Jeffersonton, Rappahannock County [Jeffersonton is in Culpeper County] …”[411] “Thornton W. Bowen, who lived north of Whitehall was a brother of these gentlemen.”[412]
James Marshall Bowen [Jr.]
He was born 29 March 1793 in Fauquier County.[413] His three daughters married three physicians.
James for some years prosecuted business as a merchant. He prospered in his affairs, and in 1835 bought the old Ramsey place, with its Mill, building the large brick mansion which still stands, calling it Mirador, [located 18 miles West of Charlottesville on U.S. Rt. 250[414]] and making it one of the finest seats in the county. He married Frances Starke, and his children were Ann, the wife of Dr. John R. Baylor, Mary, the wife of Dr. O. R. Funsten, of Clarke and Eliza, the wife of her cousin, Dr. George M. Bowen, son of Peter. James died in 1880. His grandson, James Bowen Funsten, was recently consecrated Episcopal Bishop of Boise, Idaho…. In 1817, James and [his brother] William together made their first purchase of five hundred acres from Benjamin Ficklin—the old White place southwest of Batesville. James must have relinquished his interest to William, since in 1829 the latter with his wife, who was Eliza George, of Fauquier, sold this land to Rowland H. Bates…[415]
Thomas Conrad Bowen
He was born in Fauquier County 29 March, 1802.[416]
“When Thomas first came to the county, he was also engaged in the vocation of teaching. One of his schools was located beside the old Mount Pleasant Methodist Church, which stood on the hill three or four hundred yards west of Hillsboro, and there he had Slaughter Ficklin as one of his pupils.[417] In 1837 he purchased from John Pilson the place which he occupied till his death, which had been the old home of Isaac Hardin, and which consisted of three tracts… Thomas Bowen acted a more prominent part in the affairs of the county than his brother, and served as a magistrate prior to the Constitution of 1850. He was twice married, first to Miss Wheatley, of Culpeper, and secondly to Margaret Timberlake, of Clark County. He left two daughters, Mary Eliza, the wife of Colonel [John James][418] Grantham, of Jefferson County, and Julia, the wife of John Shirley. His death occurred in 1886.[419]
Peter B. Bowen
James M. Bowen’s son Peter B. Bowen (1786-?) married Sarah Fishback.[420] [421] “Peter, who was a physician, never resided in the county, though he more than once purchased land in the Greenwood neighborhood …”[422] They are buried at Spring Hill, [where is Spring Hill?] graves unmarked. They had Peter B. Bowen, Jr. and George M. Bowen.[423]
Peter B. Bowen, Jr.
He married his first cousin Ellen Fitzhugh [Gill says Douglas?] Bowen (1845-1871), [sister of Black horseman William A. Bowen, Jr. and Henry Clay Bowen]. He was born in 1842. He is buried at the Fishback Family Cemetery, one-mile northeast of Jeffersonton. His wife is buried with him. Bowen Creek runs through property. [source?? Ask Ray Gill.]
He served in the Black Horse Cavalry, Fourth Virginia Cavalry, C. S. A. His confederate service record notes: “Taken prisoner at Falmouth, Va. April 1865. Physician. Stafford Co. Va.”[424]
Keogh: bur. Jeffersonton. # [Can’t find in Baird.]
Recheck following from B.H. Roster. See William A. Bowen grave description.
George M. Bowen
He. married Eliza Bowen, daughter of James Marshall Bowen, Jr. and Frances Starke.[425] See James Marshall Bowen, Jr. below.
William A. Bowen
“William was a teacher, having had a school near Ivy Depot, and afterwards near Mount Ed church. He finally returned to Rappahannock.”[426]
William A. Bowen was born 25 August 1795 in Fauquier County and died in1866.[427] His first wife was Eliza George of Fauquier, who he married 4 September 1821 [in Fauquier County?]. She was born 1805/6-and died February 27th, 1836. She is buried in the family cemetery in Calverton.[428] Virginia herald (Fredericksburg, Va.) Died- In Fauquier County, on Saturday, February 27, Mrs. Eliza Bowen, consort of William A. Bowen, in her 31st year, leaving her husband and only child. (p. 3, c. 3) Wednesday, March 9, 1836. From the marriage and obituary citations compiled by Bernard J. Henley from Virginia newspapers on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. System Number 001138962
Sacred to the memory of Eliza G[eorge]. Bowen consort of William A. Bowen, who departed this life February 27th, 1836 in the 31st year of her age. My husband who weeps around my grave compose your mind to rest Prepare with me for sudden death and live forever blest [429]
His second wife was Ellen Dade Fitzhugh of Culpeper County who he married
November 1836 in Chesterfield, Virginia. She was second cousin to the
William Fitzhugh who built Chatham in Fredericksburg in 1771.[430] She was the daughter of George Fitzhugh and Sarah Battaile Dade.[431] They had four children, William A. Jr., Ellen Fitzhugh [Douglas?], Sallie Battaile, and Henry Clay Bowen.
William A. Bowen, Jr.
A Black Horse cavalryman, he married Susan Elizabeth Martin. See Chapter 8 for details on his family.
Ellen Fitzhugh Bowen
Ellen Fitzhugh Bowen married her first cousin, Peter B. Bowen. Jr. See him above. [from Ray Gill.] Resolve conflict. Ellen Douglas Bowen married Ferdinand C. Pue in 1866. [Check True Index 16 June 66:2.]
Sallie Battaile Bowen
She married George Tucker Crump in 1867.[432]
Henry “Harry” Clay Bowen
He was a VMI New Market Cadet.[433] Family tradition says he also fought with Black Horse and Mosby as opportunities arose.[434] [I have only been able to find him in the rosters of the 43rd Cavalry but family stories say he served with his brother in the 4th Virginia Cavalry on occasion. Ray Gill.]
The VMI Register of Former Cadets describes him: “Bowen, Henry Clay - Greenwood, Va. 8 mos. and 2 yrs. Grad 19 N. M. Prvt A Co. Battle of New Market; Capt Cav. CSA. Farmer, Lumber dealer. Died March 5, 1928 in Charlottesville Hospital”.[435]
He was born in Remington 3 April 1846. He married Georgia Carmichael Rothrock in December 1869.[436] She was born about 1849 in Fredericksburg. She died 24 December 1920.[437] She was the daughter of Col. William Rothrock of Fredericksburg and Mary Rose Taliaferro of Caroline County. Henry Clay Bowen and his wife Georgia Rothrock Bowen are buried in the Remington Cemetery.[438] Henry and Georgia had 10 children, six sons and four daughters. [439] [440]
a. A daughter Georgia married Leslie Meade Brittle in 1907. She was born in Rappahanock Station 7 March 1874 and died 24 February, 1908. Her husband, Leslie Meade Brittle, “the fourth son of Peyton Oliver Brittle and Sallie Nelson Strickland, born at ____, Va. March 10 1875 died March 18, 1996.[441] b. A daughter Ellen Fitzhugh Bowen married Samuel Cole Brittle.[442] c. They had Charles Hay Bowen [Brittle?] born 17 February 1888; died 1 June 1956, who married 29 April 1914 Grace Tilman (Tilghman) Cottingham of the Northern Neck, born 2 November 1889; died 20 January 1975. Charles and Grace had Henry Russell Cottingham Bowen who died 3 July 1995 and was never married; and Charles Hay Bowen, Jr. who married Simone Wouters of Belgium. He died 24 April 1995. They had Martha Cottingham Bowen. Martha married Raymond W. Gill, Jr. of Warrenton in 1966. [443]
[Crick may have UDC application to Black Horse Chapter.]
Insert Family Tree diagram of Bowen Family. Use TMG.
[From Ray Gill. FYI: I have pictures (tintypes) of William A. Bowen and Ellen Dade Fitzhugh. I also have William A., Jr. as a young man (doesn’t appear to be in uniform), and Henry Clay in his uniform (taken after the war)
I also have Henry Clay and William, Jr.’s original Southern Crosses as well as Henry Clay’s New Market medal issued by the VMI Alumni Association after the war.]