Mary Bowen

Not a known child of Thomas Clifton

Disputed Origins

Some sources say the Mary Clifton Bowen was a daughter of hers, but Mary was born in 1628 (well before the marriage of Thomas Clifton and Mary), and she may have been a daughter of Thomas Clifton by a prior wife.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Clifton-250

The name of the wife of Obadiah Bowen was Mary; however, her LNAB is Unknown. She has long been said to be Mary Clifton, however, there is no evidence that this is true. The most recent scholarly article on the Bowen family rejects the name Clifton.[1] She was also previously connected as the daughter of Thomas Clifton Esq and Anne Halsall. Even if Mary was a Clifton, she could not have been a daughter of this couple; they had a daughter Mary who was born too late and married someone else. She has been said to be a daughter of Thomas Clifton of Rehoboth. This is also unsubstantiated, and he also is not a son of Thomas Clifton Esq. Thomas Clifton and Anne Halsall have been disconnected as parents.

Suggestions that she was born on 18 Jan 1628 on Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts come from the FamilySearch Ancestral File and are incorrect.

Family

When Obadiah Bowen was 23, he married Mary ?. Born in 1628. Mary died in Swansea, Bristol Co., MA, on 18 Feb 1697/1698; she was 69.

• 'New England families, genealogical and memorial: a record of the ..., Volume 4 edited by William Richard Cutter
• New England families, genealogical and memorial: a record of the ..., Volume 4 edited by William Richard Cutter
• Pg. 1799
• Richard Bowen, the immigrant ancestor, came from Kittle Hill, Glamorganshire, Wales, to this county about 1638 and settled at Rehoboth, Massachusetts. He was a son of James and Eleanor Bowen, of Ilewyndwar, Pembrokeshire, Wales, and grandson of Mathias Bowen or Bowin. He was a proprietor and town officer in Rehoboth, and was admitted a freeman, June 4, 1645. He married (first) Ann ___, and (second) Elizabeth ___. He was buried February 4, 1674, and in his will, dated June 4, 1673, he bequeathed to his wife and children. His widow was buried in 1685. Children: William; Obadiah, mentioned below; Richard; Thomas; Alice, married ___ Wheaton; Sarah, married ___ Fuller; Ruth, married ___ Leverich.
  • ' (II) Obadiah Bowen, son of Richard Bowen, was born in Wales about 1627, died 1727. He married Mary Clifton. Children, born in Rehoboth: Obadiah, September 18, 1650; Mary, January 18, 1652; Sarah, November
  • Pg. 1800
  • '6, 1654; Samuel, July 16, 1659; Joseph, mentioned below; Thomas, August 3, 1664; Hannah, May 3, 1665; Lydia, April 25, 1666; Marcy, March 18, 1672; Isaac, September 20, 1674.
    • (III) Joseph Bowen, son of Obadiah Bowen, was born June 17, 1662. He married Elizabeth ___. Children: John, born September 26, 1689; Ruth, October 15, 1691; Elisha, mentioned below; Obadiah, June 26, 1695; Naomi, September 9, 1697; Joseph, November 9, 1699; Jabish, November 23, 1701; Elizabeth, June 6, 1704; Mary, July 1, 1706.

      ---

• 'New England families, genealogical and memorial: a record of the ..., Volume 3 By William Richard Cutter
• New England families, genealogical and memorial: a record of the ..., Volume 3 By William Richard Cutter
• Pg. 1043
• (VI). Rev. George Kelton, son of John (2) Kelton, was born at Rehoboth, February 10, 1787, and died November 21, 1862. He married, April 5, 1810, Hannah Bosworth, who was born June 24, 1791, and died December 7, 1864. Hannah Bosworth was daughter of David and Elizabeth (Luther) Bosworth; David, born 1767, died 1834, son of Ichabod (2) and Hannah (Horton) Bosworth; Ichabod (2), born 1739, was son of Ichabod (1) and Mary (Bowen) Bosworth; Ichabod (1) born 1706, died 1775, was son of Jonathan (2) and Sarah (Round) Bosworth; . . . . . Mary Bowen, wife of Ichabod (1) Bosworth, was daughter of Joseph, son of 'Obadiah and Mary (Clifton) Bowen'.

GEDCOM Note

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Clifton-250

Biography

NAME : Mary Clifton : Mary Bowen

BIRTH :Date: 18 Jan 1628:Place: Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts (Family Search LKNK-KLF, poses the birth of Mary Marg Clifton, in Clifton Lancashire, England)

MARRIAGE :Date: BEF 1651 :Place: Swansea, Bristol Co. MA ::Note: Mr. James Parker was authorized by General Court 28 (11) 1640, to m. Thomas Clifton and Mary Butterworth DEATH :18 FEB 1697 :Swansea, Bristol Co., MA

PARENTS : Date: ABT 1630 ::Note: 'daughter or sister of Thomas Clifton of Rehoboth.::Note: Obadiah (1627 - 1710) rep. Gen. Ct.; m. Mary Clifton (Thomas , rep. Mass. Gen. Ct. m Mary Butterworth);

RELIGION : Religion: 13 of 2d mo 68:: Mary the wife Obadiah Bowen propounded and was assented to if no objection to be brought in before 5 day mo: :: Date: 13 MAY 1668 :: Place: Swansea Baptist Church, Swansea, Bristol Co., MA

References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Clifton-250 cites
  • Richard LeBaron Bowen Jr., "The Ancestry, Wives and Children of Richard Bowen of Weymouth and Rehoboth, Massachusetts", in The American Genealogist, vol. 76 (October 2001): pages 263-278.link
  • Source: S435 Title: Compendium of American Genealogy Abbreviation: Compendum of American Gen Author: Virkus Repository: #R27
  • Source: S444 Title: Richard Bowen's Descendants to the Fifth Generation Abbreviation: Richard Bowen's Descendants Author: Shepard, Charles Publication: Troy, MI, 1921 Repository: #R47
  • Source: S54 Title: New England Historical and Genealogical Register Abbreviation: NEHGR Publication: Boston, MA
  • Source: S64 Title: Pioneers of Massachusetts Abbreviation: MA, Pioneers of Author: Pope Publication: 1900
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/collaborate/LKNK-KLF
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8639479/Mary-Bowen