William A. "Billy" Bowen, Jr.

William A. “Billy” Bowen, Jr. N M V R C P B T K Y

Photo: “I don’t have or know of any photos of Peter, Sr., or Jr. (BH?) I can send you a photo of both Henry Clay and William A., Jr., his brother. I know I have a postwar photo of Henry Clay in uniform and maybe William.”[793] Image file is saved in BHC Work Folder\Cavalryman Photos. Possibly came from Ray Gill. Dink has individual photo.[794]

Born: 26 December 1842.[795] [NOTE: ask Egans re dob. the Dec 26 date frm bible is prob for the twin Wm] 15 January 1805.[796] Note: he would have been 55 years old at beginning of the war. [NOTE: Check with Dink. Eml to HB re this for fc, 2006 Dec 10.]

Married: Susan Elizabeth “Bettie” (Martin) [797] (1841–1933), who is buried at Warrenton Cemetery.[798] When Bettie died, the rains were so bad that she could not be brought to the Martin cemetery where her husband lay.[799] A storm had made the road to the Martin farm impassable, “so she was buried in Warrenton.”[800] Susan Elizabeth Martin (9 July 1841–2 May 1933) on 15 October 1868. Her parents were Susan A. (Fisher) and John Martin.[801] [NOTE: need her parents here. need her full dates if come across them.] [NOTE: NB, undated note, handwritten by Lynn, on graph paper (perhaps transcript for 22 Apr 2002 Interview w/ Helen Helm of Remington?) in “Helm- Nixcroff-Bowen” subfolder of “Bravest Working Folder” in top drawer, says Elizabeth Susan Martin]

Died: 27 October 1912.[802] Buried Martin Cemetery, Midland.[803] “William A. Bowen, Jr., died in 1912 and is buried in the Martin family cemetery. His grave has a marker placed there some years ago by a local S. C. V. [Sons of Confederate Veterans] member.”[804] Martin Family Cemetery.[805]

Obituary:

Children: Malcom (11 September 1879–14 April 1954).[806] “William A. Bowen, Jr., and Bettie Martin adopted a baby whom they named Malcolm Martin Bowen.”[807] He was left on their doorstep with a note, “October 11, 1879. Mrs. Bowen, This child is given to you as yours by his Mother.” [808] “His birth date is listed as 11 September 1879 in Liberty. Malcolm married Clara Ann Strickler on 22 December 1898 in Midland ….”[809]

Parents and Siblings: Ellen Dade (Fitzhugh) (dates? [NOTE: ask Egans; Gill may have these, too]) of Culpeper County and William A. Bowen, Sr., (1795–1866) of Fauquier County. His father’s first wife was Eliza (George) (circa 1805–1836 [810]) of Fauquier.[811] Eliza (George) and William A. Bowen wed in Fauquier on 4 September 1821. He and Ellen wed in Culpeper County on 10 November 1836.[812] William, Sr., and some of his brothers were active in Albemarle County real estate.[813] He was also a schoolteacher in Albemarle. “William A. Bowen taught near Ivy Depot, holding his examinations in Mountain Plains Church, and afterwards near Batesville, making a similar use of Mount Ed Church.”[814] Children of William A. Bowen, Sr., were: Mary Albena,[815] only child of first marriage; Sallie Battaile; William A., Jr. [BH]; Ellen Fitzhugh (c. 1845– [816]); Henry Clay.[817] [818] “Ellen Fitzhugh (Bowen) is correct for [William, Jr., and] Henry’s sister who married Pue. Ellen Dade (Fitzhugh) was the second wife of William A. Bowen, Sr.,” and mother of William, Jr.[819] “If we are talking about Ellen Dade (Fitzhugh), [second] wife Wm Bowen Sr., we believe she may have been buried at Ellerslie which was destroyed to a highway project. If we are talking Ellen Fitzhugh (Bowen) Brittle [niece of William A. Bowen, Jr., BH]—Warrenton Cemetery; Ellen Fitzhugh (Bowen) Pue [sister of William A. Bowen, Jr., BH]—don’t know.”[820] “Ellerslie was located just north of Remington. If you are familiar with the area it would have been in the triangle formed by the junction of Routes 15-29 and Routes 15-29 Bypass. It would be just south of Kings Hill Road. The bypass cut through the farm and the house was torn down at that time.”[821]

Other Family: His wife was sister of the Martin brothers [BH] and of the wife of James H. Childs [BH]; these four cavalrymen were William Bowen’s brothers-in-law. See the entry of George Washington Martin [BH] for more about his wife’s family. Cavalryman William, Jr.’s, paternal grandparents were Rachel (Bower) and James M. Bowen.[822] [NOTE: This fn lacks page number] “According to family notes she [paternal grandmother, Rachel Bower, 1767–25 October 1843] was born 4 March 1767 and died in Fauquier County. Again we suspect Pleasant Hill is site of burial. Her “[f]ather’s name was Peter and it was thought that he was the immigrant from Germany. Additional research is pointing away from his being the immigrant but have no confirmation as yet. Don’t have mother’s name. I show a total of seven children and have some limited info on six of them.”[823] “We have not determined for certain where he [paternal grandfather, James M. Bowen, 7 June 1750–26 February 1815, son of Sarah Ficklin and Stephen Bowen] was born, but circumstantial evidence points to Rappahannock County. Assume he died in Fauquier County and was probably buried at ‘Pleasant Hill’ (the old Wade Early farm) but the family cemetery cannot be located.” He was one of eight children.[824] Here, then, is the probable source of the family name “Peter Bower Bowen”, repeated through so many generations: Rachel (Bower) and James Bowen named their son for her father, Peter Bower. Rachel and James had thirteen children: James Marshall, Jr., Thomas Conrad, Peter B.(1786), and William A., Sr., “Thornton, Mary, Margaret, Peter B., Elizabeth M., Ann C., Sarah F., Thomas C., John W., Catherine R., Stephen D.”[825] Ellen Fitzhugh (Bowen), 1845–1871. Ellen Fitzhugh (Bowen), sister of William, Jr., married Ferdinand Pue on “June 12, 1866 in Fauquier County according to family notes.”[827] William, Jr.’s, maternal grandparents were Sarah Battaile (Dade) and George Fitzhugh. Sarah was “daughter of Townshend Dade, of ‘Albion,’ King George County.” George’s residence was “Bunker Hill”, Fauquier.[829] His paternal grandparents were Rachel (Bower) and James Bowen.[830] William, Jr.’s, father’s first wife was Eliza George of Fauquier.[831] “Eliza G. Bowen / consort of / William A. Bowen / who departed this life / February 27th 1836 / in the 31st year of her age” is buried at Bowen Cemetery, Calverton.[832] Their daughter, Albinia—William, Jr.’s, half- sister—was mother of Peter Bower Bowen [BH]. See Peter’s entry for more about his paternal genealogy. William, Jr.’s, sister Mary Albena (Bowen) wed [Frederic F. Bowen and [833]] J. A. Beale; his sister Ellen Fitzhugh (Bowen) wed Ferdinand Pue; his brother Henry Clay wed Georgia C. Rothrock. [NOTE: Ray doesn’t mention Sallie. Ask him whether he has marriage info re her.][834] His wife’s brothers were Black Horse cavalrymen Robert Edward Martin, George Washington Martin, and John Richard Martin.[835] Black Horse cavalrymen James A. Vass, George Fitzhugh Vass and Townshend Dade Vass were first cousins to William A. Bowen, Jr. [BH]. Their mother “Susan (Fitzhugh)… was sister to Ellen Dade (Fitzhugh) who married William A. Bowen, father of Black Horseman” William A. Bowen, Jr.[836] William, Jr., and Betty’s son, Malcolm, and daughter-in-law, Clara, ”… had four children. Their oldest daughter Mary married James Brewster Helm in 1922. They had Arnold Helm (now deceased) who was married to Helen Wood Fifield.”[837]

Stories, Letters & Biographies: See Bravest of the Brave. “Our friend, Billy Bowen, made a good record during the late war as a member of the famous ‘Black Horse Cavalry.’ “[838] See Stories Chapter. Mentioned in typed excerpt, of what appears to be a memoir, in Stone file with packet from Charles Andes. This excerpt mentions Capt. Randolph, Strother Jones (regarding moonshine), John W. Stone (regarding Iron Side Baptist), Billy Bowen, and Dick Martin. Billy Bowen noted in this as being one of the Cavalry, not Mosby. “Bob Martin had sworn that he would never be taken alive….”[839] See Stories Chapter under Robert Edward Martin. Billy Bowen’s future wife is a main character of this tale.

CSR: 5’10”, dark complexion, auburn hair, grey eyes; enlisted 25 April 1861; 19 years old; detailed to Quartermaster Dept. July to August 1863; wounded 11 October 1863 Stephensburg; absent with wound October 1863 and January to February 1864; paroled 6 May 1865 Winchester; agriculturalist, Warrenton.

Additional Information: Private.[840] Wounded at Virginia, October 8, 1864. Agriculturalist. Warrenton, Virginia.[841] Joined Virginia Militia, commissioned as 1st Lt., 41st Reg of the 5th Brigade and 2nd Division to rank from 17 June, 1866. Signed by Gov. Peirepont, 20 July, 1866.[842] What did the middle name “A” stand for? We have not determined that and have nothing that states.[843] He was admitted to C. S. A. General Hospital, Charlottesville, on 17 October 1863 with Vuln Sclo [gunshot]. He was age 23 when he was paroled, and was 5’11”.[844]