George Bowman (pioneer)
Encyclopedia
George Bowman was an 18th century American pioneer, landowner and a prominent Indian fighter in the early history of the Colony of Virginia. He, along with his father-in-law Jost Hite, was one of the first to explore and settle Shenandoah Valley
. His estate, on which Fort Bowman was founded, was one of the earliest homes to be built in Shenandoah Valley
and is the site of present-day Strasburg, Virginia
.
Four of his sons, Joseph
, Isaac
, Abraham
and John Jacob Bowman
, also became well-known frontiersmen in Kentucky
during the late 1770s. His great-grandson, John Bryan Bowman
founded Kentucky University and Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky
.
with his father-in-law Jost Hite and brothers-in-law Jacob Chrisman and Paul Froman during the early 1730s. He and his wife, Mary Hite, later settled on the banks of Cedar Creek
located 8 miles (12.9 km) south of Peter Stephens
' Newtown settlement (present-day Stephens City, Virginia
). They would eventually establish a 1000 acres (4 km²) tract of land on which Fort Bowman was built. He later received a tract of land from his father-in-law, 145 acre (0.5867947 km²) on Lenville's Creek in Frederick County
.
In 1752 or 1753, while still living on Ceder Creek, Bowman built a colonial mansion known as the Mount Pleasant estate. It was here they raised their thirteen children, including Abraham
, Isaac Bowman
, Joseph
and John Jacob Bowman
. In 1746 and 1749, he bought 2 large tracts of land amounting to over 1000 acres (4 km²) on Linville Creek on which he constructed and operated a grist mill later known as "Bowman's Mill"; the mill, as of 1972, was still in operation near present-day Bartonsville, Virginia
. On August 14, he deeded some of his property to his widowed mother livestock and various household goods. Among his property including one horse
, one mare
, two cows, two yearling heifers
and a slave known as Harry.
Following his death in 1768, his sons inheritied the estate. Part of the estate was sold by John Bowman to an Abraham Miller in July of that year. The Bowman home, one of the first homes built in the Shenandoah Valley, still exists and remains one of the oldest historical buildings in the state. His son Isaac and his first and second wife as well as Samuel Kercheval and his daughters are buried in the family graveyard located 200 yards (182.9 m) west of the house.
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
. His estate, on which Fort Bowman was founded, was one of the earliest homes to be built in Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
and is the site of present-day Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States, which was founded in 1761 by Peter Stover. It is the largest town, population-wise, in the county and is known for its pottery, antiques, and Civil War history...
.
Four of his sons, Joseph
Joseph Bowman
Joseph Bowman was a Virginia militia officer during the American Revolutionary War. He was second-in-command during George Rogers Clark's famous campaign to capture the Illinois country, in which Clark and his men seized the British-controlled towns of Kaskaskia, Vincennes, and others...
, Isaac
Isaac Bowman
Isaac Bowman was an 18th-century American soldier and militia officer who took part in the American Revolutionary War and the Northwest Indian War...
, Abraham
Abraham Bowman
Colonel Abraham Bowman was an 18th century American frontiersman and American Revolutionary War military officer, who served as an officer and later commanded the 8th Virginia Regiment popularly known as the "German Regiment".He and his brothers Isaac, Joseph and John Jacob Bowman were among the...
and John Jacob Bowman
John Bowman (pioneer)
John Jacob Bowman was an 18th century American pioneer, colonial militia officer and sheriff, the first appointed in Lincoln County, Kentucky. In 1781 he also presided as a justice of the peace over the first county court held in Kentucky...
, also became well-known frontiersmen in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
during the late 1770s. His great-grandson, John Bryan Bowman
John Bryan Bowman
John Bryan Bowman was a 19th-century American lawyer and educator, most notably, as the founder Kentucky University and the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky. He is the grandson of Kentucky frontiersman Abraham Bowman, as well as the grandnephew of Isaac, Joseph and John Jacob Bowman...
founded Kentucky University and Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
.
Biography
Born in Germany he arrived aboard the ship William and Sarah in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1727 where he later met and married Mary Hite in 1731. He was one of the first to settle in the Shenandoah ValleyShenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
with his father-in-law Jost Hite and brothers-in-law Jacob Chrisman and Paul Froman during the early 1730s. He and his wife, Mary Hite, later settled on the banks of Cedar Creek
Cedar Creek
-In Delaware:*Cedar Creek, Delaware*Cedar Creek Hundred, an unincorporated subdivision of Sussex County, Delaware-In Georgia:*Cedar Creek , former name for Vickery Creek, a tributary of the Chattahoochee River-In Indiana:...
located 8 miles (12.9 km) south of Peter Stephens
Peter Stephens (pioneer)
Peter Stephens was the son of Gabriel Steffen and of Barbara . Stephens is known for founding present-day Stephens City, Virginia.-Biography:...
' Newtown settlement (present-day Stephens City, Virginia
Stephens City, Virginia
Stephens City is an incorporated town in the southern part of Frederick County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 1,829 at the time of the 2010 Census....
). They would eventually establish a 1000 acres (4 km²) tract of land on which Fort Bowman was built. He later received a tract of land from his father-in-law, 145 acre (0.5867947 km²) on Lenville's Creek in Frederick County
Frederick County, Virginia
Frederick County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is included in the Winchester, Virginia-West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was formed in 1743 by the splitting of Orange County. For ten years it was the home of George Washington. As of 2010, the population was...
.
In 1752 or 1753, while still living on Ceder Creek, Bowman built a colonial mansion known as the Mount Pleasant estate. It was here they raised their thirteen children, including Abraham
Abraham Bowman
Colonel Abraham Bowman was an 18th century American frontiersman and American Revolutionary War military officer, who served as an officer and later commanded the 8th Virginia Regiment popularly known as the "German Regiment".He and his brothers Isaac, Joseph and John Jacob Bowman were among the...
, Isaac Bowman
Isaac Bowman
Isaac Bowman was an 18th-century American soldier and militia officer who took part in the American Revolutionary War and the Northwest Indian War...
, Joseph
Joseph Bowman
Joseph Bowman was a Virginia militia officer during the American Revolutionary War. He was second-in-command during George Rogers Clark's famous campaign to capture the Illinois country, in which Clark and his men seized the British-controlled towns of Kaskaskia, Vincennes, and others...
and John Jacob Bowman
John Bowman (pioneer)
John Jacob Bowman was an 18th century American pioneer, colonial militia officer and sheriff, the first appointed in Lincoln County, Kentucky. In 1781 he also presided as a justice of the peace over the first county court held in Kentucky...
. In 1746 and 1749, he bought 2 large tracts of land amounting to over 1000 acres (4 km²) on Linville Creek on which he constructed and operated a grist mill later known as "Bowman's Mill"; the mill, as of 1972, was still in operation near present-day Bartonsville, Virginia
Bartonsville, Virginia
Bartonsville is an unincorporated community located along Opequon Creek in Frederick County, Virginia between Winchester and Stephens City. Bartonsville is on Springdale Road to the west of Valley Pike...
. On August 14, he deeded some of his property to his widowed mother livestock and various household goods. Among his property including one horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
, one mare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
, two cows, two yearling heifers
Heifer
Heifer may refer to:*A young cow before she has had her first calf*Red Heifer, in Judaism is a heifer that is sacrificed and whose ashes are used for the ritual purification*Heifer International, a charitable organization...
and a slave known as Harry.
Following his death in 1768, his sons inheritied the estate. Part of the estate was sold by John Bowman to an Abraham Miller in July of that year. The Bowman home, one of the first homes built in the Shenandoah Valley, still exists and remains one of the oldest historical buildings in the state. His son Isaac and his first and second wife as well as Samuel Kercheval and his daughters are buried in the family graveyard located 200 yards (182.9 m) west of the house.
Further reading
- Lambert, Oscar Doane. Pioneer Leaders of Western Virginia. Parkersburg, West Virginia: Schull Printing Co., 1935.
- Armentrout, Georgie Carrier Early. Carrier-Carryer and allied lines: Lincoln, Harrison, Rhodes, Holsinger, Thomas, Bowman, Early, Summers, O'Roark, Phillips, and others. Baltimore: Gateway Press, 1985.
- Wayland, John W. The Bowmans: A Pioneering Family in Virginia, Kentucky and the Northwest Territory. Staunton, Virginia: McClure Co. , 1943.