ALLEN BOWLES

According to military records, Allen's father, Jeremiah Bowles was a member of the Buffalo Guards in Buffalo, Putnam County, Va. This was a Confederate Unit that later became the 34th, Virginia. However, on March 14, 1865, in Point Pleasant, WV Allen enlisted as a member of the 7th West Vifginia Infantry which was a Union Regiment. He was honorably discharged on July 1 1865.

According to family tradition Allen served on both sides of the war which I am finding was a common thing in the mountain area of Virginia, and also that he was a drummer-boy at the beginning of the war. This part of Virginia did end up becoming a seperate state, now known as West Virginia.

According to Allen's pension papers, he was not in the Confederate Army. He signed a paper to this effect in order to receive a pension. Sick and unable to work in the coal mines, it is entirely possible that the truth was stretched a bit to enable the man to receive assistance in order to raise his children.

The following information is taken from Allen Bowles' Pension Papers that I received from our National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Allen, in a document signed by him on November 12, 1898 lists six children, which are listed in my descendency chart He also states that he married Octavia Cooper in 1876 in Brownstone by Rufus workman and the record is at the Clerk's office in charleston, West Virginia. His wife died in 1896 and he was left with the six children to raise. Since the time of his discharge from service, he lived in Kanawha County, near the Lewiston Post Office.

Allen Bowles, Private, Co B., 7th Reg, West Virginia Volunteer Infantry.

                                 April 6, 1912
Hon A. B. Littlepage,
    House of Represenatives
My Dear Mr. Littlepage,
    In response to your inquiry of 4th instant, receivd the fifth.
relative to the pension case, certificate # 1,000,935 of Allen
Bowles, who served in Co B, 7th WV Voluntry Infantry, and whose
postoffice address you give as Boomer, WV, I have the honor to
advise you that the rate of $10 per month, allowed under the act
of June 27, 1890, on issue of October 1, 1907, was properly made
to commence from July 17, 1907, date of medical examination in
claim filed in 1900, not as stated by you.
    The claimant had failed to comply with orders for his medical
examination, issued in that claim under dates of April 27, 1901, 
and October 10, 1903, and he has no arrears of pension due him.
               Very respectfully,
                          J. L. Davenport
                            Commisioner

There is a signed statement by Allen Bowles that he had not served in the Confederate Army. This was backed up by a statement from the War Department, Adjutant General's Office, on August 23, 1907, stating that no record was found in the Confederate Archives of the service of Allen Bowles.

From The War Department, Adjutant General's Office, Jan 23, 1909:

      Allen Bowles, Co B, 7 Regiment WV Inf, in the addition 
to the statement or statements herewith returned, the military 
records show the following:
     Age: 18 yrs, 2 months; height 5 feet, 4 inches; complexion,
dark; eyes, blue; hair, brown; place of birth, Putnam, Va;
occupation, farmer; Enlisted as a substitute May 1, Burker(?)
Station, Va; Recruit from WV.