Bowyer Family History
BOWYER FAMILY HISTORY
Page # 1
MICHAEL BOWYER, SR.
BORN: 1704 YORK COUNTY, PA.
(moved to Augusta Co, Va)
DIED : PRIOR TO 1761
SON ;
MICHAEL BOWYER JR. ADAM BOWYER, SR.
Married: Francis Carpenter
Dtr. Of Nicholas Carpenter
Born: l706, Augusta Co, Va.
Spouse: Kate
Born: 1710 Augusta Co., Va.
Died: Monroe Co, W.V.
KATE'S MOUNTAIN IN GREENBRIER CO. NAMED FOR HER AS SHE FLED THERE TO ESCAPE AN INDIAN ATTACH ON THE HOME. HER FAMILY
RESCUED HER FROM THE MTN. AND FOUND HER TO BE SAFE AND SOUND.
CHILDREN OF MICHAEL BOWYER JR. AND FRANCIS CARPENTER
#l. John Bowyer born l752 Monroe Co
#2. James l754 "
#3. William l756 "
#4.Thomas l758 "
5. Mary "Polly" l760 " (died about l785 in Monroe Co.
married James Caldwell -
community along Rt. 60 in Grnb.
County named for them)
#6. Francis B. l762 (married William Bedford)
#7. Elizabeth B. l764 (married John Copeland - a clerk
from Maryland. Henry Clay of Ky.
Married into this family)
ADAM BOWYER SR.
Born: l742 YORK COUNTY, PA.
DIED:l800 MONROE CO.WV
MARRIED Abt. 1763
SPOUSE; CHRISTINE LAUTERBACK
BORN l742
DIED l828/l829 MONROE CO, W V
CHILDREN OF ADAM BOWYER, SR. AND CHRISTINE LAUTERBACK
#1. Margare m. John B. Sams 3 Jan l887 (l850 Census of Monroe shows
Mary Ann Ried Bowyer age 70 , living with them).
# 2. REUBEN BOWYER Born: abt. L781 SECOND CREDDK DISTRICT MONROE COUNTY
MARRIED; MARY ANN REID (Reed) born: l782 Monroe Co.
12 November, l803/l804
#3. Mary "Polly" m. Moses Higginbottam l5 Apr. l823
#4. PHILLIP m. Mary Glen l8 Dec. l834 (Uncle of James by whom he
was living at age 21 with wife Eliz.
Age 20 in Salt Sulphur Springs
Report of an early census of Monroe)
#5. Susan m. Wm. Burns Jr. 4 Jan. l836
#6. Sara m. Joseph C. Malcolm 29 Oct. l846
#7. Adam Jr./Jacob ( l850 Monroe Census shows his worth $2,500)
married Mary ___________died age 50
children of Jacob/Mary
#1. Rebecca
#2. Harriet
#3/ John E.
#4. Lewis E. C
#5. Ellen
BENJAMIN REID BOWYER , SR.
(Moved from Monroe Co, WV. To Sewell district in Fayette Co. along with his brother who owned land and a store at present day Danese
formerly known as Noel. The community was named for Sherman
Bowyer's Daughter DANESE.)
Marriages of Benjamin Reid Bowyer, Sr.
#1. SARAH WHITE
5 Dec. l826
CHILDREN BORN TO BENJ. REID BOWYER, SR AND SARAH ;
JAMES A and BENJAMIN REID BOWYER JR. Confederate Civil War record shown
Tim McKinney's Book, "W.V. Civil
War Almanac,"
He was a Private - 11 Regiment
Infantry.
Benjamin Reid Bowyer , Jr. (also shown in the above book as being in Confederacy)
Born: l835 Died abt. 19l8
JAMES A. BOWYER
BORN; l829 FAYETTE CO.
MARRIED 25 DECEMBER, l849
SPOUSE; ELIZABETH THOMAS
BORN; l834 MONROE Co.
DIED; before 1910
ELIZABETH WAS THE DAUGHTER OF;
RICHARD THOMAS BORN IN DELAWARE AND
SUSANNAH SYMNS BORN IN MARYLAND
Richard Thomas owned a mill on Rt. 122 past
Greenville, WV in Monroe Co. The stones are
Still in place where the mill stood.
RICHARD WAS A FOUNDING ELDER OF THE
CIRCLEVILLE (GREENVILLE)
METHODIST CHURCH.
Richard Thomas, Jr. Brother of Eliz. Fought in
Confederacy at the Battle of Antietiam Creek,
Maryland where he died in the make shift POW
Camp the Union setup at ROCKY POINT.
Richard Sr's brother was killed when he set a
Stump afire inside a cave (near if not, Saltpeter
Cave in Monroe Co.) When he entered the
Cave early the next morning, the gases killed
him.
.Benjamin Reid Bowyer, Sr. Wife # 2. Alice Jones
Wife # 3. REBECCA JANE BURDETTE ll Nov. 1850
Children by Rebecca Jane
#1.Sarah J.
#2.Delila
#3.Mary Jane
**
#4.William Lewis (Billie)
Born: l Nov. l856
Died: l6 Nov. _______
William son of Benj. Sr. and Rebecca Jane Burdett
MARRIED CATHERINE NEFF Born: l2- l8 - l856 Died 6 - 26 - l921
CHILDREN OF JAMES A. BOWYER AND ELIZABETH TOMAS BOWYER
HENRY BOWYER WALTER PRESTON JAMES JR.
(no known wife nor
children)
HENRY came as an old man to Walter and Virginia Bowyer's home at Cirtsville
He died well after l900 buried at the John W. Davis Cemetery at Maple Fork.
He had a hollow wooden leg to replace the one lost in a train accident while
Riding the rails as a hobo. He had a stuttering speech pattern but was
(according to Mom and Dad) a kind hearted, gentle person who was well liked
by the family.
HENRY BOWYER is shown in the Fayette Co. records stating, "The Commissioner of the Poor, ordered to remove the infant Henry from the home of James Bowyer and placed under the care of Samuel Tyree>" (Samuel was one
Of Mom's relatives thur her Grandmother Lucinda Tyree)
JAMES BOWYER JR.
Born at Sewell District in Fayette Co. l4 Feb. l856
James died of heart trouble at Brooke in Summers Co.
Of Heart problems.
Married: Louisa Fannie Persinger (she was age l9 /he 22 years old)
Lousia was the dtr. Of Lettie Preston Bowyer who married a Persinger
From which the girl Louisa Fannie was born. in 1754
Lousia was the granddtr. Of Phillip Bowyer, Sr. - spouse: Elizabeth
PHILLIP BOWYER, SR. HAD 4 children:
Lettie Preston Bowyer,, William Patton,, Phillip Jr.,, Jonathan
It was this family who built the Presbyterian church at Sinks Grove in Monroe Co.
James Bowyer, Jr. cont'd
After the death of his first wife: Fannie Louisa Persinger, James married
SARAH C. BOONE
Born: 11 June l854
Dtr. Of Hugh and Sarah J. Boone of Monroe Co.
Sarah was 44 yrs old and James 37 at the date of their marriage l5 Dec. l898
Sarah Boone's first marriage: John H. Simmons of Raleigh Co. married by
R.Pack.
John was the son of Empriam and Sara Simmons.
John DIED 27 Nov. l896 at the age of 42 killed by train # 34.
John was born l854.
Children of John and Sarah Boone Simmons included Albert Simmons who
Came to Bradley and opened a Drug store which housed the
First post office in the community. Albert died after l950
Elizabeth Thomas Bowyer, his mother, married Henry Wiseman of Raleigh Co.
'when she as 69 yrs old and he was 77. He died shortly thereafter, buried in
Sand Lick in Ral. Co. She went to live in the home of James Jr. and Sarah
Boone Simmons Bowyer. There she died at their place at Sandstone in
Summers Co. before l9l0.
Sarah Boone Simmons Bowyer died in Hinton W V of TB 73. Date of Death 30 Dec. l927.
CHILDREN OF JAMES A. BOWYER AND ELIZABETH THOMAS BOWYER
# 1. WALTER PRESTON BOWYER #2. HENRY BOWYER #3. JAMES JR.
May have been others
JAMES JR. WAS THE HOME IN WHICH HIS MOTHER ELIZABETH DIED in l902?
In Sandstone in Summers Co. At age 69, Elizabeth married Henry T. Wiseman age 77 however he died shortly thereafter. She having no home of her own, lived with her son. Henry buried Sandlick in Raleigh Co.
HENRY BOWYER (no known wife or children)
FAYETTE CO. RECORD OF HIM: Court record states" Commissioner of the poor, ordered to remove the infant Henry from the home of James A Bowyer and placed in the tutledge of Samuel Tyree until age 21"
Samuel Tyree one of Mom’s relatives through her Grandmother, Lucinda O. Tyree
Came as an older man to live with Walter and Jinny – died there after l900, buried in the
John W Davis cemetery at Maple Fork. Had a hollow wooden leg, presumably lost in a train accident while riding the rails as a hobo. Had a reputation for stealing - - - Mom and Dad often spoke of how sorry they were for not looking in that wooden leg at the time of his death. He was
Supposed to HAVE kept loot in there.
James Jr. m. Persinger (you have that record) then a Simmons who had several children including
Albert Simmons who built a drug store at Bradley that housed Bradley’s first post office.
His grand dtr. continues to live in his house and has a beauty shop in the drug store bldg.
SON of James A. Bowyer and Elizabeth Thomas
WALTER PRESTON BOWYER
Born: l858 Fayette Co., WV
Died: 1936 or 1937 Raleigh Co., WV
Married: 8 Jan. 1879 in Summers Co. WV
SPOUSE; VIRGINIA McDOWELL dtr. of Hugh McDowell and Nancy Allen McDowell
Born: l860 Summers Co WV
Died Dec 1945 Fayette Co. Walter and Virginia are buried in the John W. Davis Cemetery at Maple Fork.
Both Hugh and Nancy Allen McDowell parents of Virginia McDowell Bowyer are buried
On Zion Mtn. Rd. Road, above Hinton W V.
Can get to their grave off Rt 12 onto Seminole Rd.
at Forest Hill in Summers Co.
Past Fairview Baptist Church proceeding on about 4 miles to Low Gap
Where Andrew and Nancy Kirby Boywer (Mom's grandParents) are buried.
CHILDREN OF WALTER AND JINNY
#l. JAMES H. born l881 at Marie in Summers Co., WV. d. 1928 in mining accident at Twin Branch, a Fordson Coal Co. mines in McDowell Co. married MARY PERRY from Kelly’s Creek in Kanawha Co. Both are buried in the John W. Davis cemetery at Maple Fork in Raleigh County, WV.
Mary Perry Bowyer born 1882 d. 1958 child or Roman and Marth M. Graley Perry
Their Children are:
Pearl married Henry Buckland their son Henry Jr. served as a seaman
In the U.S. Navy KILL PEARL HARBOR Dec. 7, l941 (photo)
Margie (see photo) m. Ed. Grey with whom she had 3 children, second m. to Johnny_____
Margie had no children with Johnny
Sadie m. and is now deceased
Elaine, as a child, Elaine visited our home at Maple Fork. She was a light haired, blue eyed you
girl who looked so much like her Mother, Mary Perry Bowyer.
Earl lived in Cabin Creek, Kanawha Co. his son works for State Highways
Ernest served at Chief of Police in South Charleston born 10/22/1917 D. 11/28/1973 buried
Cunningham Cemetery at St. Albans in Kanawha Co., W.V.
Joe: was held prisoner of the Japanese in WW II on Corrigidor for years
Hurley m. Bessie Ellis lived at Maple Fork (buried at BlueRidge Cem. at Prosperity)
Charley m. Fanny ____ Fayette Co. lived at Maple Fork(buried at John W. Davis Cem. at Maple Fork)
Charley and Fanny had 4 sons(all 4 deceased)
James (Bootie) m. lived in Washington, D.C.
Now deceased
Charles "B O" m lived in Washington, DC
" Jackie- only child at Maple Fork stricken with polio in our Early childhood
. M. lived in Fayette Co. raised family
Deceased buried John W. Davis Cemetery near his Parents
Frank worked in the Alderson Area - deceased
Charley and Fannie owned a small grocery store at Maple Fork – Betty’s worked at her first job there as Clerk!
Dad went to Charley’s store every evening after work, as did many of the local men to talk men stuff. Betty had ended her shift and walked home by that time of day.
Dad did all the grocery shopping which included a TOUGH TOUGH TOUGH
BEEF ROAST FOR SUNDAY DINNER EVERY WEEK Mom would cook it until it was
Not just tough BUT BLACK AS COAL.
While most families may had said a blessing over a meal, at our house, Dad sang
His song , , " OLD STEER , OLD STEER WHY ARE YOU HERE, YOU’VE
PLOWED THE FIELD FOR MANY A YEAR."
Can’t remember the rest of it
Dad and Charley were close. They say each other every day. When Bootie came to our house early on a Sunday morning to tell " Uncle Omer" that Charley had died suddenly
in the night with a heart attach, it almost killed dad.
Dad grieved over the loss of his beloved nephew all the days he had left to live
on earth. He gave Jim (his brother�s) watch to Bootie. If you saw Dad�s gold watch
and chain that was given to Bob � just imagine this one � it was twice as nice!
Jim was Superintendent of Mines at Nuttalburg when Dad first went there –
From Nuttalburg,, Jim went to Twin Branch where he was killed. It was rumored that
he was murdered in the mines by a husband whose wife Jim was seeing, (Ms. Matheny)
He would bring this woman to his mother’s house and stay for days.
We will never know how many murders there were in the mines.
But it was made look like an accident so his large, starving family could received Worker’s
Compensation.
#2. LOUISA ANNIE married BRESLEY THOMPSON traveled to Oregon .
Record of Annie
UMATILLA COUNTY, OREGON
Thompson Louisa Ann b 28 Mar 1885; d 24 Dec 1930 "Mother" bn-W.Va . w/o Bresley E. Thompson M-2
Thompson Bresley E. 1883-1963 "Father" M-3
Milton-Freewater IOOF Cemetery, Umatilla County, Oregon-T
Milton-Freewater Cemetery Milton-Freewater Cem Maint Dist #3 Cemetery Road Rt 1 Box 175-D Milton-Freewater, OR 97862-9801 (541) 938-5137
4 children (2 girls lived and worked in Washington, D.C. came to see Gertie- Ann's Sister)
l son Herbert lived in Calif.(see photo).
1 son Jack worked for Gulf Oil lived in Texas came to Gertie’s in the mid l950s or so to visit.
Bress made 2 visits to W V after l950 – on one of those trips Dad took him
To Flat Top Mtn. where Rose and Bob lived. Bress died after l955. Both are buried in Oregon
#3. WILLIAM O,. born 1884 d. 1952 m. Della Toney
William "Bill" Bowyer was born at Marie in Summers Co., WV.
DELLA TONEY B. 1884 dtr. Raleigh County, dtr. of
John. N. Toney and Francis A. Williams lived at Toney's Fork on Clear Creek.
(both buried at Clear Creek on Toney's Fork Rd.) at the Ewing's Creek Church Yard.
Bill's name comes from his Mother's Uncle, Overton McDowell, brother of Hugh McDowell.
Therefore, it is William Overton Bowyer.
William "Bill" worked for Long Branch Coal Co. as a Blacksmith for
.621/2 cents per shift.
children were: Wilbur m lived at Prosperity – had l son Cecil who lives in the
area. (Wilbur deceased) He drove the school bus when I
was a child going to Price Hill School.
Willis m lived in Huntington. Now deceased – He had
Bethel m. Denny Thompson, they had 5 children. Lived up Bee Branch Road near Pax
near where Bill and his family lived. Four of the children are living all in the State of Ohio who are: Carolyn, Alan Dale, Patty, and Larry, (Kenneth deceased).
Oscar , , maried Sylvia Thompson and raised his children near Bill's homeplace
Bethel and her family went out of the area. to work in the mid l950’s. Oscar and his family
went too. He was employed at the zoo in Baltimore,Md.
Both Oscar and Bethel had several children.
Oscar was married to: Sylvia Thompson with whom he had 3 children. After her death,
he married Ardith Bowyer. From this marriage, there were 7 children. (see photos)
Oscar's children are: Marcella, Lorena, Eddie, Edgar, Freda, Carl (deceased), Ada,
Lena, Wanda, Danny.
John Robert "Bob" lived near Bethel - Bob had 3 marriages out of which was born 4 children who are
3 are living who are: Louise, John Robert Jr., and Sandy.
Jack lived in Florida. His first wife was Earnestine with whom he had 3 children.
His second wife, Nancy had 2 children in this marriage.
Eva m. Orlan McNeeley lived at Mullens had 2 children died and is buried at Pax Community Cemetery graves of Richard Tyree . Eva and Orlan had 3 children, 1
continues to live in the Mullens area. 1 lives in South Carolina, and 1 is deceased.
TED deceased as a youngster.
In Bill’s older years, he married for a second time and had l dtr:
Whose name is VIRGINIA a successful student at Mt. Hope High School.
May now be living in TENN.
Virginia McDowell Bowyer was living at Bill’s house up Bee Branch at the time of her death in
Dec. l945.
Her funeral was held at the Methodist Church at Pax. called the Long Branch Methodist.
She was a member of the Cirtsville Methodist Church which was closed and torn down when
the Turnpike went thur that area in the mid l950s.
My sister and I went with Dad
every Sunday morning to see her. The drive up the hollow was most often a trek up a
mud filled road. Crushed stones are a late arrival to roadways in W V.
We loved going to Bill’s. He had a punch mines on his property that Dad
would caution the two of us about, "Don�t you go in that dangerous mine, or
I will never bring you with me again."
As soon as we got to Bill’s(who was so warm and pleasant) , we’d
stand so close to him and ask, "Bill can we go to the mines?"
"Sure, sure, go on over there, but don’t get in the cart!" he’d say.
We would run for the mines, go right inside, and hop in the
cart that he had made to bring his coal outside, and off we�d go
riding the rails from wherever we found the cart to the outside, perhaps
2,000 feet.
#4. CHARLES EMERT BOWYER born 1882 d. 1947 m. Macie Bowyer dtr. of
George Burn Bowyer (Brother of Mom’s
Mother) and Sarah Davis (sister to Mom’s Dad) both are buried at the John W. Davis Cem. at Maple Fork
Mom and Macie double first cousins
Their children
Owal Bowyer deceased m. Juanita Painter lived at Cirtsville (deceased)
Sarah Bowyer m,. Harlow Williams many children. Both are deceased
Gladys m. Mike Yoakie (both deceased) Scarbro in home she and Mike built
before his death. 1 son Mikie died in a car wreck
Irene married Herman Pittman, they live at Maple Fork
Emert "Emitt" was born in Marie in Summers Co., WV
as were all of the children except the youngest child, Gertrude
#5. Omer Allen Bowyer m. Pruda Davis 25 Dec. l9l5
born: June 8,l894 at Marie in Summers Co, WV
died: Jan., l96l in Raleigh Co., WV
buried: Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens at Prosperity, W V
Pruda dtr. of John W. Davis and his second wife, Virginia Bowyer Davis
Virginia died when Mom was 13 months old and Jenny Bell
Was 6 weeks old. They never knew her nor her people.
Virginia was 29 years old at the time of her death.
Pruda born: Jan 20,1898
Died Sept., 1990
Member of the Maple Valley Baptist church whose lumber was cut and donated
by her father, John W. Davis in 1911.
Children were:
Herbert Allen Bowyer born at Weirwood in Fayette Co near Pax.
Weirwood was a brand new mines in 1915 when Mom and Dad went to house keeping there.
Dr. Bruce delivered Tom in 1917. Dad ran to Pax for him on that cold
Dec day, and immediately upon entering the house, the Doctor had an
Epileptic fix which scared both of them. However, he recovered quickly
and proceeded to deliver their first child.
Coal was not marketable at Weirwood, so Mom and Dad moved to Nuttlaburg
Shortly after "Tom’s" birth. Dad’s brother Jim was superintendent there but left shortly
for his new job at Twin Branch mines in Ral. Co.
James Lawrence (born abt l920) was the first of the children born at Nuttalburg.
Omar Bowyer "Bob" b. Nov. 30, l926 at Nuttalburg.(D) Aug., 1999
This was the same year John W. Davis
(Bob’s grandfather ) died and while
He had been a man of means, but it was left to Omer and Pruda Bowyer to
pay for the funeral and burial costs.
Bill Joe Bowyer b. between l926 – l932 invalid child lived 2 years buried John W. Davis Cemetery born
at Nuttalburg. a town on the New River in the New River Gorge owned by Henry Ford.
Mom always spoke so kindly of him, declaring that he was her prettiest baby
Betty Vanyla b. Aug l3, l932 d. June 29,1989 shortly after Dad had bought the house at Maple Fork and moved his family there while he cont’d to work at Nuttalburg for as long as he could before the Great
Depression shut down the mines.
Mr. White was General Superintendent after Jim Bowyer left. I wonder if he could have
been a
relative of Dad�s gr. Grandmother Sarah White.
Betty was born shortly after they moved to Maple Fork. Dr. Adair from Mt. Hope delivered her.
The house they bought was a small – 3 roomed house that had burned and was
damaged by fire. A Mr. Coleman owned it and sold it to Dad for $750.00’
Betty and Bob went to Cirtsville school where they walked until Betty was in about the 3rd.
grade when a school bus began to travel the Maple Fork Rd. She continued in school at Price Hill in the
Bradley area where I went to school.
Mary Ruth: born 1937 at Maple Fork delivered by Dr. Adair of Mt. Hope.
It was a Sat. afternoon and Dad walked down to Gertie with Betty.
They stayed there all afternoon until word came that I was born.
#6. GERTRUDE MAE born at Sun in Fayette Co., WV in 1882 d. 1947 m. Sparrel Davis (Sparrel was Mom’s brother – Gertie was Dad’s sister)
They went to housekeeping in the John W. Davis homeplace where Mom was born (first child to be born in that house) ( Gertrude was born at Sun in Fayette Co., W V after her parents had left Marie in Summers Co and
headed into the coal camps where Walter P. Bowyer would learn to work for a cash wage. He went from coal mines to coal mines, as was common in those early days. Every mtn. appeared to be dotted with coal mines.
Their children were
Howard "Tine" m. Lockie Worrell from Sand Branch deceased
Troy m. Bernice Wingrove "
Jeff single best friend of Tom killed in a timbering accident when Noah Roles (Becky’s husband) cut a tree on him.
Harold m. Mary Whitebird (Native Am. ) live on tribal lands in Minn. With their family
Harold served in the Rangers Corp of the U. S Army in WW II Was apart of the
Normandy Landing . Rangers were first to land.
John W. m, Pauline (both deceased) lived N.C. had l dtr. Vickie and l granddtr.
David m. Margaret Maynor they live at Maple Fork with their 3 children.
Jane "Sis" was stricken with a paralysis as a young child at about 7 years old
And spent the rest of her 30 or so years in a wheel chair where Gertie and
the family took care of her. She, along with her parents, is buried at the John W Davis
Cemetery. It was thought that her ailment was caused from Gertie having the
Measles while she was pregnant with Jane.
Dorothy Mae Davis m.. Mack Ellison of Sherwood Rd. near Mt. Hope.
They live in the John W. Davis home place at Maple Fork.
Had 3 children.
The dtr. Rose, lives close to the house with her husband and 2 children.
Son Johnnie lives near the house with his wife and 4 children
Son Mach Jr. the oldest served in the U.S. Air Force for 12 years – lives in Kansas City Kansas with his wife and l son.
