John Bowen, Sr.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72488263/john-bowen

JOHN BOWEN, son of Moses Bowen and Rebecca Rees, was born about 1680 in Wales and died 1769 in Virginia. He married 1720 in Chester County, Virginia to LILY MCILHANEY, born about 1705 in Ireland and died 1780 in Virginia.

John Bowen and Lily Mcilhaney spent most of their lives in Augusta Co., VA.

John and Lily moved to Augusta County, Virginia where the first record of land to him was dated April 15, 1748. His will was proven in Augusta County on May 19, 1761

They had thirteen children; 8 sons and 5 daughers. The sons were all Revolutionary soldiers.

John Bowen is well written about, being described as "..the Quaker who was remarkable for his personal prowess, and an active, energetic farmer of considerable wealth for that day". Late in life he fell in love with a very beautiful young Scotch-Irish girl, whose family had just landed in the colonies from Ireland. She was about 17 years old and he was over 40. But he won the heart and hand of Lily McIlhaney and she became his loving and helpful wife. She proved to be a very remarkable woman. She had a strong descriminating mind, decision, and energy of character. They purchased slaves as soon as they were introduced into the colonies, to work on their large landed estate, but the Quakers, as a class, were opposed to slavery. Lily persuaded John to move to Augusta County, Virginia about 1730, at that time a frontier settlement. The land was rich, and the prospect for a good class of people moving to that portion of the state was good. There is much to be found about this family in the county and court records published in Lyman Chalkley's Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia - Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County 1745-1800.

Nancy (1729-59, married Archibald Buchanan)

John (1735-69, married Rachel Matthews

Agnes (1735-1803, married James Mcferran)

Reese (1737-1780, married Louisa Margaret Smith)

Henry (1738-1808, married Ann Cunningham)

Jane (1739-1780, married Joseph Lewellyn Looney)

Rebecca (b. 1740, married George Smith)

Robert (1740-1817, married Mary Gillespie)

William R (1742-1804, married Mary Henley Russell)

Arthur (1744-1816, married Mary Mcmurray)

Mary (1748-1820, married William Porter II)

Chalres (1749-1833, married Nancy Gillespie)

Benjamin (1756-1836, married Mary Finley)

Moses (b. 1758)

Hunter and her daughters brought the first small flax wheel to Pennsylvania. John and Lily moved from Pennsylvania to Augusta Co., Va. perhaps as early as 1730 in a part of the County that now embraces Rockbridge.The were parents of fourteen c

hildren. Their sons (9) were all revolutionary soldiers and some of their daughters married men who were Revolutionary soldiers. John Bowen will probated May 19, 1760

He was married to Lilly MCILHENY in 1730 in Rockbridge, Va.. Lilly MCILHENY was born in 1705 in Ireland. She died on 4 Apr 1780 in Washington, Co., Va.. She was buried UNKNOWN. She has reference number 4. Lillys will probated June 20, 1780 Washington Co., Va. John BOWEN (A QUAKER) and Lilly MCILHENY had the following children:

child+7 i. Nancy BOWEN.

child+8 ii. Agnes BOWEN.

child+9 iii. Jane BOWEN.

child+10 iv. Henry BOWEN.

child+11 v. John BOWEN JR..

child+12 vi. Robert BOWEN.

child+13 vii. Hugh Rees BOWEN.

child+14 viii. William BOWEN.

child+15 ix. Arthur BOWEN.

child+16 x. Rebecca BOWEN.

child+17 xi. Charles BOWEN.

child18 xii. Moses BOWEN was born in 1754 in Flintcastle, Va.. He died in 1774 in Point Pleasant, Va. (Died Smallpox). He was buried UNKNOWN. Moved from Augusta County, Va. to Clinch Valley. When the Dunsmore War came both he and brothers Rees and William with Captain William Russell's company on the Lewis expediation against the Shawnee Chief Cornstalk and others in the fall at the mouth of the Kanawha River and were prominent figures in the eventful battle at Point Plesant. He caught smallpox enroute and died in the wilderness.

child+19 xiii. Mary BOWEN.

child+20 xiv. James BOWEN.

Also 300 acres on James River at Buckeye Bottom. DB 4-127 (Ch III 300)

On 8 Oct 1754 John Sprout (Spratt) deeded to him 320 acres which he had from Col. James Patton, by deed of 28 Nov 1751; on Broad Springs, a branch of James River. DB 6-480 (ChIII 381) On 15 Nov 1757 he and Lilly deeded to John Bowen Jr. 10 acres by patent, dated 3 Nov 1750 on a branch of James River. Delivered to him on Oct 1761. DB 7-499 (Ch III 349)

On 17 Feb 1758 he was listed as a debtor of Col. James Patton in the appraisal of his estate, with debt dated 15 April, 1740 WB 3-205 (Ch III 75)

On 13 Mar 1760 he decised to his wife, Lillie, as sole executrix and guardian to his daughter Mary, 1 mulato slave; to his son Charles. Teste John Smith, Margaret Smith, Peter Luney (Looney), Walter Crockett, Jonathan Smith and John Buchanan. Proven 19 May 1761. WB 3-24 (Ch III 62)

On 8 Aug 1761 an appraisal for his estate was filed by John Daily, John McClure, and Neal McCluster. WB 3-47 (Ch III 64) On 18 Nov 1761 there was an additional appraisal of his estate made and filed by John Dayley, John McClure and Neal McNEal. WB 3-101 (Ch III 67)

On 2 Aug 1762 Robert Orr of Johnson Co, NC deeded to John Thompson 179 acres on Glade Creek of Roan Oak by patent10 Mar 1756, corner John Bowen's land. DB 11-331 (Ch III 401)

On 15 Nov 1762 Lily Bowen, executrix of John Bowen, 230 acres on Glade Creek of Roanoke River, DB 11-42 (Ch III 390)

GEDCOM Note

Category: Media Research Bureau, Washington, DC, Fraud

Biography

John Bowen ... <ref>Entered by Jared Goodpasture, Jun 6, 2011</ref>
:Also found Birth Place Wales

Werna Rudy notes birthplace of John as Wales Llanelly, Carmarthenother notes:was a Quaker.lived for awhile in Maryland then moved to Augusta co.VA now the county of Rockbridge circa 1730.the earliest record of his placement there is a bond to Col.Patton dated 15th April 1748 (this was part of a grant for 100.00 acres on the upper James River surveyed in 1747)

his will was probated on may 19 1761
Note: John had 8 sons and 5 daughters. The 8 sons were John, Hugh Rees, Henry, Robert P., William R., Aurthur, Charles and Moses. Moses died from wounds suffered during the French and Indian War. He was only 20 at the time of his death and is believed to have died from disease caused by washing his wounds in unboiled water. During the Revolution, John's sons William, Robert, John, Arthur were Captains, Hugh Rees and Henry were officers and the youngest at that time, Charles, was a Private. Seven of John's eight sons mustered in with the Tazewell Co. Militia in 1780. Four of them were Captains, one was a Lieutenant, one was a Sergeant and one was a Private. At least four of them marched or rode down the Over The Mountain Victory Trail which concluded with the Battle of Kings Mountain, SC. There, the Over the Mountain Men defeated Major Furgeson and approximately 1,000 Tories. Hugh Rees BOWEN was killed in the battle, 1 of 28 Patriots to die on the field. Some stories state he was buried on Kings Mountain but many doubt that because, with 4 brothers there, they probably would not have left him. There is an organization called OVTA (Overmountain Victory Trail Association) that is trying to preserve parts of the actual trail these men took that have not yet been developed. "Among the early Quaker settlers in Pennsylvania was John Bowen who became a wealthy planter of Lancaster County, PA. As was the custom of the times, at harvest gathered the lads and lassies of the surrounding country to his harvesting. One of these, Lilly McIlhaney, by her grace and beauty, so attracted the old bachelor's heart that he bowed at the shrine of Matrimony." From this marriage came Capt. William Bowen, the Indian fighter and the more celebrated Reese Bowen, who was killed at the Battle of King's Mountain. Captain William was one of the early settlers of Sumner County. John Bowen and Lily were leaders in the development of southwest Virginia and the frontier where there was continuous conflict between the settlers, the French and the Indians. Then came the Revolutionary War when their sons and sons-in-law, with one exception, were leaders in their services with the Continental line and the Virginia Militia. Rebecca Bowen Whitley's son, Moses, disagreed with his mother's family. He had the courage to fight for his convictions and was an officer in the British Army. They descend from Moses Bowen / Rebecca Rees, who came from Wales in 1668 with a large group of Quakers, who settled in Pennsylvania around Chester and Lancaster Counties. It's thought that Rebecca was a Quaker, but Moses wasn't. Their only "known and proven" child was John Bowen, who married a beautiful young heiress, fresh of the boat from Ireland. She came with her mother, one full brother, many half siblings and a stepfather. She and her brother were their father's only heirs, so she was very well off. Her name was Lillian McIllhaney, a 17 year old miss. A very interesting note about this remarkable family. Lillian and her mother and sisters were "Master Flex Weavers" and were the first to bring the industry into Pennsylvania. It's quoted in many accounts of the time, that a very wealthy planter, John Bowen fell in love almost "at first sight". They soon married, and moved several places before finally settling in Augusta Co., Virginia. Their beautiful home was located just outside of what is now Clifton Forge (Unfortunately the home fell into disrepair and for many years remained so. Finally it was torn down to make way for "progress". A gas station was built on the site, but the family cemetery can still be found on the hill behind what was the home.) John and Lillian had a total of 13 children, five of the Bowen sons were in and around Southwest Virginia with the advent of their brother, Rees Bowen discovered and naming of "Maiden Springs" and where his home and huge estate is still in the family's possession. Most of Rees's brother's moved on to Tennessee, as many people did after the Revolutionary War. Whenever new and free lands became available, that's where you'll find people moving to. Anyway, Rees was one of the first to explore and settle the area and of all the Bowen's that went to "the Battle of King's Mountain.", in North Carolina, he was the only one of his clan that died there. Anyway, the brothers that were in the area around Tazewell which was made up of Montgomery, Smyth and Russell counties, and were also at the battle, were William, Robert, Arthur, John, Charles and Rees's oldest son John. The birth place differs. There is a will of Evan Bowen of Whiteland, PA where a son John and brother John is mentioned. There is no mention of Moses or Rebecca. However, I found this One Moses Bowen, a Quaker, is said to have emigrated from Wales to Guinnedd Township, Penn., about 1698 with his wife Rebecca Reece. He had, probably among others, a son named John, who married a Scotch-Irish girl named Lily McIlhaney and removed to Augusta County, Va. from The name and family of Bowen Compiled by : The Media Research Bureau,Washington, D.C. Transcribed by George C. Shaw II. at
:http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/9155952/person/6447958913/mediax/3?p...

Hopefully, this will help clarify WikiTree information. Jo Ann

Sources

"BOWENS OF VIRGINIA AND TENNESSEE, DESCENDANTS OF JOHN BOWEN AND LILY McILHANEY", By Jamie Ault Grady,

Volumes I, 969 (LDS Microfilm #0896875 - Salt Lake City, UT), Volume II, 1976, (LDS Microfilm #1036121, item 6, - Salt Lake City, Utah

• William Russell and His Descendants <references/><!-- Please edit, add, or delete anything in this text, including this note. Be bold and experiment! If you make a mistake you can always see the previous version of the text on the Changes page. --> Author: Ellen Smith I am adding <a href="/wiki/Category:Media_Research_Bureau%2C_Washington%2C_DC%2C_Fraud" title="Category:Media Research Bureau, Washington, DC, Fraud">Category: Media Research Bureau, Washington, DC, Fraud</a> to this profile to alert people interested in this profile to the possibility that information about this man and his family (whether in this profile or in another source) may have been contaminated by Media Research Bureau fraud. <p>Please do not remove the category. </p> Author: John Beardsley See <a href="http://fasg.org/about/first-fifty-years/" class="external text" title="http://fasg.org/about/first-fifty-years/" rel="nofollow">Fasg.org</a> which documents Media Research Bureau as a fraudulent company which was forced out of business. Author: Isabelle Rassinot <a href="/wiki/Bowen-3245" title="Bowen-3245">Bowen-3245</a> and Bowen-595 appear to represent the same person because: Duplicate husband of Lilian McIlhaney and father of Rees Bowen. Author: JoAnn Miller <a href="/wiki/Bowen-595" title="Bowen-595">Bowen-595</a> and Bowen-952 appear to represent the same person because: Their birth year is 1696 , their spouse is Lily McIlhaney, their parents are Moses Bowen and Rebecca (Reece/Rees) Bowen and many children overlap.<p>The birth place differs. There is a will of Evan Bowen of Whiteland, PA where a son John and brother John is mentioned. There is no mention of Moses or Rebecca. However, I found this One Moses Bowen, a Quaker, is said to have emigrated from Wales to Guinnedd Township, Penn., about 1698 with his wife Rebecca Reece. He had, probably among others, a son named John, who married a Scotch-Irish girl named Lily McIlhaney and removed to Augusta County, Va. from The name and family of BowenCompiled by : The Media Research Bureau,Washington, D.C. Transcribed by George C. Shaw II. at <a href="http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/9155952/person/6447958913/mediax/3?p..." class="external free" title="http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/9155952/person/6447958913/mediax/3?p..." rel="nofollow">http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/9155952/person/6447958913/mediax/3?p...</a><b>1&pg</b>32817%2C0&pgpl=pid%2Cpid%7CpgNum

</p><p>Hopefully, this will help clairfy WikiTree information.

Jo Ann </p>

GEDCOM Note

• Religion: The Quaker John Bowen Sr.
  • Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Oct 18 2021, 18:46:12 UTC