RootsWeb is funded and supported by
Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community.
Learn more.
About Us | Contact Us | Copyright | Report Inappropriate Material
Corporate Information | Privacy | Terms and Conditions | CCPA Notice at Collection
William Ormskirk Bowler, the “Backwoodsman”,
Pioneer Poet of Brown County
by Kirby M. Law.
If you have ANY information about this man please contact Kirby at.
[email protected]
To find more about this man and his life see this site and http://www.bowlerinfo.co.uk
According to a family Bible, now lost, William Ormskirk Bowler was born in
Sherwood Forrest, Nottingham, England on February 13, 1756, the son of Joseph
Bowler (his birth date corresponds closely to the age at death given on his
gravestone). At the time of the Revolutionary War, he was reportedly conscripted
into the British Army to serve in the Colonies under General William S. Burgoyne.
He probably arrived in Quebec in May 1776. He deserted the British ranks sometime
after his arrival and eventually settled in New Hampshire where he married
Jane Lang of Sunapee/Saville/Wendell (the area has had various names) in 1779.
In "The Story of Sunapee" by John Henry Bartlett is the following:
"The Saville Town Meeting of 1780 reveals additional new names in town
as follows: ..William Bowler..". This would indicate that he moved to
Jane Lang's hometown shortly after their marriage. They moved to Palermo,
Maine, where most of their children were born, sometime about 1782. Details
of their family are given on page 73 of "The Lang Family in America"
by Howard P. Moore, 1935. There, he is listed as born in Sherwood Forrest,
Nottingham, England in 1757.
A family Bible (in possession of James Harvey Bowler's descendants, location now unknown) indicated that William and Jane had seven sons (the third and fifth unnamed). Jane Lang presumably died sometime after the birth of their youngest son, James Harvey Bowler, in 1792. William moved west by about 1796 stopping first in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania where he married Sarah Hilman/Hillman and where two of their five daughters were born. William Ormskirk Bowler was appointed Justice of the Peace for the district of Irvine in the County of Allegheny on February 8, 1799 ("Penn. Archives", Series 9, Vol. I, page 1484).
In about 1801 he moved to Ohio where he settled in Pleasant Township, Clermont County (which became part of Brown County when it was established in 1818). In "The Western Spy and Hamilton Gazette" published on September 30, 1801 there was a notice of mail for William O. Bowler at the Cincinnati Post Office. He was listed in Pleasant Township in the May 28, 1802 census of Clermont County. His neighbor then was Joseph Hilman, presumably a relative of his second wife. In "History of Brown County, Ohio" (published Chicago 1883, p. 525) he is listed as one of the first teachers of the school established in Clark Township in 1812 ("The first teachers were William I. Bowler [sic], the poet, known in the early newspapers as the `Backwoodsman`"). On pages 162 and 163 in "History of Clermont County, Ohio" there is a biographical sketch of William Ormskirk Boulware [sic] where it mentions that he was a personal friend of Jesse R. Grant, President Ulysses S. Grant's father.
After leaving Pennsylvania he married two more times. He married Nancy Cooper on July 11, 1819 in Brown County (listed in "Brown County, Ohio Marriage Records 1818-1864") and Catherine Mulloy Herrick on April 10, 1825 in Clermont County, Ohio (listed in "Marriage Records of Clermont County, Ohio 1800-1850"). He moved to Decatur County, Indiana to live with his son, James Harvey Bowler, sometime between 1830 and 1835 (the poem, "The Backwoodsman's Farewell to Brown County" was published on April 10, 1833). He died on February 8, 1835 (per gravestone, "Died Feb. 8, 1835 Aged 78 ys 11 mo 25ds") and was buried in Fugit Township, Decatur County, Indiana.
Few of his writings survive, but those that do reflect his personality. One is a little doggerel which he composed describing his trials in finding the town of Mechanicsburg (now Chilo) where his son, James Harvey was living beside the Ohio River (source: the writings of Tena Williamson, about 1930).
"He met a dutchman of whom he enquired the way. The dutchman
scratched his head and said:
There is a slough where I hunts my brindle cow,
A blacksmith’s shop without a floor,
A hatter’s shop without a door,
Mabbe eet’s Mechanicsburg."
This, said to James Harvey Bowler, the hatter, would make him angry. There was a little pamphlet of his poems printed but a borrower failed to return it. Some of the poems were very humorous. James Harvey Bowler could repeat many of them but none of them were recorded except for “Mechanicsburg” and "The Lost Child". Tena Williamson, William Ormskirk Bowler’s great-granddaughter, wrote down these poems in about 1930. Her mother had learned them from Bowler’s fourth wife.
The latter poem was set to simple music, similar to the ballads found in the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee. It is about a little girl lost in the woods and never found (almost certainly Lydia Osborn, age 10, who became lost from Williamsburg, Ohio on July 13, 1804). This poem was referenced in "History of Clermont County, Ohio" published 1880, page 163: "The "Backwoodsman" wrote many fugitive pieces, some of them being of rare merit; and the one portraying the loss of Lydia Osborne was extremely pathetic. Some of the pioneers well recollect its being sung on certain occasions, so that all who heard it were affected to tears."
The Lost Child
As through these woods I once was walking,
Where nothing dwelt but beasts of prey,
A woman to herself was talking,
Close by the fountain where she lay.
Her eyes like sunbeams through the showers,
Brightened her tears as they did fall,
While she invoked the heavenly powers,
And did on them for pity call.
O God of love the worlds Creator,
Cans’t thou delight in human woe?
And must my sorrow still be greater,
And must my tears forever flow?
Within these woods pathless and dreary
O I have lost a darling child,
My strength is faint and I am weary
Traveling through these deserts wild.
There howling wolves and panthers screaming
Heighten the dismal gloom of night,
Where horrors worse than poets feigned,
Which might the stoutest hearts affright.
While with hunger sore oppressed
Her tender flesh with briers torn
In every want my child’s distressed
And wanders through these woods forlorn.
A little hut her hands had reared
To shield her from the impending storm
With withered leaves her bed prepared
And stopped the chinks to keep her warm.
But Oh the humble habitation,
Of its poor tenant was bereft
And unto all a sad vexation,
Only her footsteps round is left.
The hardest heart with pity heaved
The coldest eye could drop a tear,
To find again our hopes deceived
For the poor wand’rer was not there.
You who are mothers know my feelings
Who do your tender infants love
My wounds are past the art of healing,
How can my heartfelt grief remove.
Can I be at my table carving?
How can I eat how can I sleep
And think that my poor child is starving
Left in the wilderness to weep.
O God of pity pray forgive me,
That I be no more resigned,
Oh send in mercy to relieve me,
For I am sore distressed in mind.
Me thinks I hear the Voice applying,
Poor mortals all thy griefs give ‘ore,
Thy child has paid the debt of dying,
And now is blest forever more.
The following is a list of all known writings that can be attributed to William Ormskirk Bowler. Roughly half were published in the “Western American” between October 1814 and December 1815 and most of the others were published in “The Castigator” between November 1826 and February 1828. Based on how prolific he was during these two short periods, it is likely that he wrote many more poems during his lifetime.
UNTITLED (Mechanicsburg) source: writings of Tena Williamson, about 1930. This is a humorous short poem about the village of Mechanicsburg, Ohio (now Chilo).
"The Lost Child" source: writings of Tena Williamson, about 1930. It is about a little girl lost in the woods of Ohio and never found (almost certainly Lydia Osborn, age 10, who became lost from Williamsburg, Ohio on July 13, 1804). This poem was referenced in "History of Clermont County, Ohio" published 1880, page 163.
UNTITLED (On a calm night) by Backwoodsman, "History of Clermont County, Ohio" published 1880, page 163. It is about the rape and murder of Polly Maloney by her uncle, John Rowe. It is probably the poem referenced in letter to Vincent Moss of Maysville, OH dated September 24, 1814 held at Western Reserve Historical Society Library, Cleveland, Ohio (see below).
Letter to Vincent Moss of Maysville, KY dated September 24, 1814. Original held at the Western Reserve Historical Society Library, Cleveland, Ohio.
"Perry's Victory on The Lake" by William O. Bowler, original manuscript included in a letter to Vincent Moss of Maysville, KY dated September 24, 1814 held at Western Reserve Historical Society Library, Cleveland, Ohio. Perry achieved his victory on Lake Erie on September 10, 1813.
"A NEW SONG" unattributed, but probably by William O. Bowler, dated October 8, 1814, published in Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on October 22, 1814. The introduction says that the verses are "rough as the back woods of Clermont, where they were written". [Brown county was not created until 1818]. The subject is McDonough's victory on Lake Champlain. He commanded a fleet of 14 vessels on Lake Champlain in their defeat of the British near Plattsburg, NY on September 11, 1814.
"VISION" by Back Woodsman, published in Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on November 26, 1814. It is a prophecy of Napoleon's escape from Elba. In fact, Napoleon did escape from Elba three months later, on February 26, 1815.
"THE BRITISH SINE QUA NON" by Back Woodsman, dated February 9th, 1815, published in Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on February 25, 1815. It is about the battle of New Orleans, which was won on January 8, 1815.
UNTITLED (A good old Priest) contributed by Backwoodsman, written about 1787 (probably by William O. Bowler), published in Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on March 25, 1815. It is about Shays' rebellion in 1786 and 1787.
"PERRY'S VICTORY" unattributed, but known to be by William O. Bowler based on the signed original manuscript (see above), published in Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on April 1, 1815. It is about Perry's victory on Lake Erie.
UNTITLED (Vive la great Bonaparte) by The Back Woodsman, dated May 15th, 1815, printed in Western American, published Williamsburgh, OH on May 27, 1815. It is about Napoleon's return to the French throne.
"THE BAD SCHOLLAR'S WANTS" by DICKEY DULL BIRD in Pleasant Township, dated May 11, 1815, published in Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on June 24, 1815. This is a humorous poem about a bad student. Attributed to William O. Bowler based on its subject and the fact that it was written in Pleasant Township.
Obituary of Miriam Bowler, daughter of William Ormskirk Bowler and his wife Sarah, who died on July 16, 1815 (16th ultimate) published in the Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on August 5, 1815. Possibly written by her father.
"A CAVEAT AGAINST MURMURING, Occasioned by the death of the author's Daughter." by Backwoodsman, dated July 17, 1815, published in the Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on August 5, 1815. It's a poem about the death of his daughter, Miriam Bowler, on July 16, 1815.
"THE BACKWOODSMAN'S Post-haste, comic observations on the new TOWN OF STAUNTON", published in Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on September 16, 1815. This is a humorous poem about the founding of Stauton, OH.
UNTITLED (Shew me a being if you can) by Backwoodsman, dated September 26, 1815, published in Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on October 21, 1815. This poem is about inconsiderate parishioners bringing their dogs into church. A response by PHILANTHROPOS was published on December 23, 1815.
Letter to the editor published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on November 2, 1826 signed WILLIAM O. BOWLER. Disclaims involvement in writing an "Answer to a Burlesque".
"EPISTOLA: - To Mr. Jesse R. Grant, TANNER IN GEORGETOWN." by Backwoodsman, dated November 10, 1826, published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on November 23, 1826 and November 30, 1826. An epistola is a letter. This was a humorous greeting to "Jesse R. Grant, my loving friend", perhaps in response to an invitation to visit. Jesse R. Grant responded in "Reply to the Backwoodsman" published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on December 14, 1826. William O. Bowler's friendship with Jesse R. Grant was mentioned in "History of Clermont County, Ohio" published 1880, page 163: "He was the personal friend of Jesse R. Grant (himself a poetaster of more than common repute), and usually carried on his correspondence with him in rhymes."
UNTITLED (Five times 5 years, he lived a single life) by THE BACKWOODSMAN published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on January 23, 1827 and corrected and re-published on February 6, 1827. A elegiac poem about James Hillman, who died on April 16, 1826 in Ross Township (previously part of Pine Township) at the age of 98 and was probably Sarah Hilman's father or grandfather. References to events in his life include the Revolutionary War, being wounded by Indians, the Wyoming Valley troubles (Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, 1782-1787) and the War of 1812.
Letter to the editor dated January 27, 1827 and published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on February 6, 1827 signed THE BACKWOODSMAN. Discusses causes of land depreciation in Brown County.
"Christmas Tales" by THE BACKWOODSMAN published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on February 13, 1827 and continued in subsequent issues on February 20, 1827, February 27, 1827 and March 6, 1827.
UNTITLED (Retir'd from cares and meditations deep) by BACKWOODSMAN published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on September 25, 1827. An elegiac poem about the death of John, "an honest citizen, formerly of Brown County."
UNTITLED (On a dark night) by BACKWOODSMAN published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on October 16, 1827. Same poem, with some changes, that was printed in "History of Clermont County, Ohio" published 1880, page 163 (see above). It is about the rape and murder of Polly Maloney by her uncle, John Rowe.
UNTITLED (I'd seen another setting sun) by BACKWOODSMAN published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on November 20, 1827. A re-print of "Vision", originally published in Western American, Williamsburgh, OH on November 26, 1814.
"The BACKWOODSMAN, To the WOODLAND RHYMIST." published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on January 8, 1828 and again on January 15, 1828. It was also published in Spirit Of The Times published in Batavia, OH on January 19, 1828 with some editorial comments. This poem was written to his friend and fellow poet, Samuel Bartholomew. Bartholomew wrote a response "Dedicated to a Poetical Friend, William O. Bowler, the Backwoodsman", published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on November 4, 1828.
"Hymeneal" by BACKWOODSMAN published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on February 19, 1828. This poem was written to celebrate the incorporation of the towns of New Richmond and Susan. A hymeneal is a wedding song or poem, alluding to the marriage of New Richmond and Susan.
Obituary of James Rice, son of Philip Rice, who drowned on June 29, 1828 published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on July 22, 1828 signed W.O.B.
"THE BACKWOODSMAN'S FAREWELL TO BROWN COUNTY" published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on April 10, 1833. Reported to be an extract from the Sentinel and Star in the West published at Philomath, Union county, Indiana (no date given).
William O. Bowler's obituary was published in The Castigator, Georgetown, OH on March 16, 1835.
William Ormskirk Bowler’s wives and children are listed below. Of his family in Maine, only his youngest son, James Harvey Bowler, eventually joined him in Ohio.
WILLIAM ORMSKIRK BOWLER b: February 13, 1756 in England d: February
8, 1835 in Fugit Twp., Decatur, Indiana.
* 1st Wife: +JANE LANG b: March 2, 1759 in Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire.
m: October 14, 1779
1 JOSEPH BOWLER b: July 22, 1781 in Salisbury, Merrimack, New Hampshire. d:
December 2, 1850 in Palermo, Waldo, Maine. +HANNAH GREELEY b: September 14,
1780 m: March 11, 1801 in Alna, Lincoln, Maine. d: May 27, 1852 in Palermo,
Waldo, Maine.
2 STEPHEN LANG BOWLER b: June 22, 1782 in Palermo, Waldo, Maine d: September
6, 1857 in Palermo, Waldo, Maine. +SUSAN LONGFELLOW b: September 8, 1787 in
Palermo, Waldo, Maine. m: May 12, 1810 in Palermo, Waldo, Maine. d: October
15, 1860 in Palermo, Waldo, Maine.
3 UNKNOWN
4 WILLIAM BOWLER b: April 30, 1788 in Palermo, Waldo, Maine. d: September
24, 1873 in Vassalboro, Kennebec, Maine. +SARAH GURRELL b: June 11, 1791 in
Alna, Lincoln, Maine. m: September 2, 1810 in Alna, Lincoln, Maine. d: June
14, 1867 in South China, Kennebec, Maine.
5 UNKNOWN
6 BENONI BOWLER d: At sea after 1814.
7 JAMES HARVEY BOWLER b: February 8, 1792 in Palermo, Waldo, Maine. d: February
24, 1857 in Flora, Illinois. +PHEBE HENDERSON b: June 19, 1797 in Licking
River, Kentucky m: February 20, 1816 in Clermont County, Ohio d: September
18, 1866 in Flora, Illinois.
*2nd Wife of William Ormskirk Bowler: +SARAH HILMAN b: Bet.
1775 - 1784 in Pennsylvania m: abt. 1796 d: Bet. 1815 - 1819
8 CATHERINE BOWLER b: abt. August 24, 1797 in Pennsylvania. d: May 31, 1888
+ENOCH JOLLIFF b: December 20, 1795 in Virginia. m: April 17, 1817 d: September
6, 1872 in Salt Creek Twp., Franklin, Indiana.
9 MIRIAM BOWLER b: abt. 1799 d: July 16, 1815 in Pleasant Twp., Clermont (later
Brown), Ohio.
10 MARIA BOWLER b: September 10, 1803 in Ohio. d: 1877 in Kelso, Washington
+JAMES HUNTINGTON b: December 25, 1800 in Windsor, Vermont. d: May 14, 1872
in Kelso, Washington.
11 SARAH BOWLER b: abt. 1805 d: 1853 in Brown Co., Ohio +JESSE TUCKER PRICKETT
b: August 17, 1804 in Franklin Twp., Brown, Ohio m: July 28, 1825 in Brown
County, Ohio d: November 12, 1883 in Brown Co., Ohio.
12 SUSAN BOWLER b: abt. 1806 in Ohio d: Aft. 1880 +JOHN SLACK b: January 7,
1807 in Ohio m: June 3, 1830 in Brown County, Ohio d: January 3, 1892 in Hensley
Twp, Johnson, Indiana.
*3rd Wife of William Ormskirk Bowler: +NANCY COOPER m: July 11, 1819 in Brown Co., Ohio.
*4th Wife of William Ormskirk Bowler: +CATHARINE MULLOY HERRICK
b: January 11, 1786 in Litchfield, Kennebec, Maine m: April 10, 1825 in Clermont
Co., Ohio d: After 1870 in Edina, Knox, Missouri.
13 SAMUEL H. BOWLER b: abt. 1828 in Ohio d: Aft. 1870, probably in Edina,
Knox, Missouri.
If you have ANY information about this man please contact Kirby at.
[email protected]