He was born on 1 June 1840, in Schellsburg, Bedford, Pennsylvania, to John W Bowen and Mary Smith. [sources: date: 13, 18, 20; 6 (24 in 1864), 11 (31 in 1870), 12 (40 in 1880), 13 (59 in 1900), 14 (69 in 1910), 15 (79 in 1920), 19 (9 in 1850). place: 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20. parents: 18, 19, 20]
In 1850, he was living in Napier, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He was living with John and Mary Bowen (his parents),a nd with Matilda, Louisa, and Aricisa (his siblings). He had not attended school within the year. [source: 19]
On 30 June 1861, he married Mary Ann Housel, in Schellsburg, Bedford, Pennsylvania. She was born on 22 January 1843, in Pennsylvania. They had five known children:
[sources: 11, 12, 13, 20]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 7-1/2 inches tall, and had a fair complexion, hazel eyes, and dark hair. [source: 6]
He was drafted. He enlisted and was mustered into service on 24 September 1864 or 21 September 1864. He enlisted for one year, at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. His enlistment was credited to the sixteenth congressional district. He was a private in company C. [sources: 1 (24 Sep), 6, 7 (?), 8 (21 Sep), 21]
On 17 October 1864, he was detailed by Colonel Gregory as a brigade saddler, and ordered to report to Captain S J Wright, AQM. [sources: 4, 5, 9]
He was discharged on 30 May 1865 by general order. He was a private, in company C. [sources: 1, 8, 21]
In 1870, he was living in Allegany County, Maryland (post office Flintstone). He was living with Eliza (presumably his wife), and with Elie and MM (presumably their children), along with P F Hoffman [?]. He was a saddler, and owned $200 in personal property. [source: 11]
In 1880, he was living in Everett, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Mary, and children Ealey, Mary M, and Ida, along with a boarder. He was a saddle harness maker. [source: 12]
On 1 February 1883, his wife, Mary Bowen, died, in Everett, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. She was buried in the Everett Cemetery, Everett, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. [source: 20]
In 1884/85, he remarried, to Mary J [unknown surname]. She was born in December 1843, in Maryland. She had no children. This was his second marriage, and her first. [sources: 13, 14]
In 1890, he was living in Everett, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. [source: 8]
On 29 July 1890, he successfully applied from Pennsylvania for a pension. [sources: 3, 10]
On 2 February 1895, he filed a General Affidavit supporting Samuel Mock's application for an invalid pension. His post office address then was Everett, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. [source: 2]
In 1900, he was living in Everett Borough, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Mary J and daughter Ida C. He was a harnessmaker. [source: 13]
In 1910, he was living in Everett Borough, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Mary J. He was a saddle shop proprietor. [source: 14]
He again applied for a pension on 22 June 1910. [source: 10]
In 1920, he was living at 320 East Main Street, Roaring Springs Borough, Blair County, Pennsylvania. He was a boarder at a hotel. He was widowed. He was not working. [source: 15]
He died on 2 June 1920, in Everett, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He was a saddler. He died of chronic myocardial insufficiency, with arteriorsclerosis and old age contributing. On 4 June 1920, he was buried in the Everett Cemetery, Everett, Bedford County. [sources: 16, 17, 18]
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster)
2 general affidavit, in Samuel S Mock's pension file, 2 February 1895 (Bedford County, Pennsylvania)
3 Veterans' administration. Pension index, by name (searched 11 Mar 01 on <www.ancestry.com>)
4 special order 96, HQ 91st PA, 17 October 1864 (Alvy Bowen)
5 [list of detailed men, probably from Sept 1864] (Alvy Bowen)
6 company C, descriptive book, entry 128 (Alva Bowen)
7 company C, untitled list, probably of status at muster out, entry 16 (Alva B Bowen)
8 1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Bedford County, Everett Township, supervisor's district 7, enumeration district 70, page 3 (Alva Bowen)
9 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 18 October 1864 (Alvy Bowen)
10 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company C (Alva Bowen)
11 1870 US census, Maryland, Allegany County, District No 9, post office Flintstone, microfilm series M593, film 567, page 284 verso = 28 handwritten (Alva Bowen)
12 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Bedford, Everett, supervisor's district 8, enumeration district 221, microfilm series T9, film 1098, page 116 = 11 C handwritten (Alvey B [?] Bowen)
13 1900 US census, Pennsylvania, Bedford County, Everett Borough, supervisor's district 13, enumeration district 13, microfilm series T623, film 1375, page 158 = 10 A handwritten (Alvy B Bowen)
14 1910 US census, Pennsylvania, Bedford County, Everett Borough, supervisor's district 16, enumeration district 12, microfilm series T624, film 1312, page 90 = 11 A handwritten (Alba B Bowen)
15 1920 US census, Pennsylvania, Blair County, Roaring Springs Borough, supervisor's district 297, enumeration district 113, microfilm series T625, film 1540, page 181 = 19 B handwritten (Alva B Bowen)
16 'List of veterans buried in Bedford County since last Memorial Day', Bedford Gazette, 13 May 1921, page 1 (Alva Bowen)
17 Pennsylvania death indexes, 1920 [note that 'Bowen' is 'B500' in the Soundex index] [note also that the 1921 index does not have an Alva Bowen] (Aloy [sic] B Bowen, Everett, [died] 6/2, [file number] 68410)
18 death certificate, Pennsylvania, 2 June 1920, Bedford County, file 68410 (Aloy B Bowen)
19 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Bedford County, Napier, microfilm series M432, film 751, page 45 verso = 90 handwritten (FamilySearch) (Abram [sic] B Bowen)
20 'Barclay Parker Links-2', a family tree, available on Ancestry (accessed 8 December 2012) (Alvy Bolyn Bowen)
21 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Alva B Bowen)
| line | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 |
| Dwellings visited | 105 | |||||
| Families visited | 107 | |||||
| Name | John Bowen | Mary " | Matilda " | Abram B " | Louisa " | Aricisa " |
| Age | 45 | 44 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| Sex | m | f | f | m | f | f |
| Color | ||||||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | Printer | |||||
| Real estate owned | 200 | |||||
| Birthplace | Do [sc. Pa] | Do | Do | Do | Do | Do |
| Married within year | ||||||
| Attended school within year | ||||||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | ||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | Dumb |
| line | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Dwelling-house number | 191 | ||||
| Family number | 200 | ||||
| Name | Bowen Alva | " Eliza | " Elie | " M M | Hoffman [?] P [?] F [?] |
| Age | 31 | 27 | 7 | 2 | 29 |
| Sex | M | F | M | F | M |
| Color | W | W | W | W | W |
| Occupation | Saddler | keeping house | Saddler | ||
| Real estate value | |||||
| Personal estate value | 200 | ||||
| Birthplace | Pa | " | " | " | " |
| Father foreign born | |||||
| Mother foreign born | |||||
| Birth month if born within year | |||||
| Marriage month if married within year | |||||
| Attended school past year | |||||
| Can't read | |||||
| Can't write | |||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | |||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old | 1 | ||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
| line | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| street name | ||||||
| house number | ||||||
| dwelling visit # | 86 | |||||
| family visit # | 96 | |||||
| name | Bowen Alvey B [?] | - Mary A | - Ealey | - Mary M | - Ida C | Smith Richard |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | M | F | F | M |
| age | 40 | 37 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 23 |
| month born if born in year | ||||||
| relationship | Wife | Son | Daughter | Daughter | boarder | |
| single | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| married | 1 | 1 | ||||
| widowed/divorced | ||||||
| married during year | ||||||
| occupation | Saddle harness maker | Keeping house | apprentice at S + H | Scholar | ||
| months unemployed | ||||||
| currently ill? | ||||||
| blind | ||||||
| deaf/dumb | ||||||
| idiotic | ||||||
| insane | ||||||
| disabled | ||||||
| school this year | 1 | 1 | ||||
| can't read | ||||||
| can't write | ||||||
| birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| father's birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| line | 31 | 32 | 33 |
| street | |||
| house number | |||
| dwelling number | 192 | ||
| family number | 194 | ||
| name | Bowen, Alvy B. | - Mary J. | - Ida C. |
| relationship | Head | Wife | Daughter |
| color | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | F |
| birth date | June 1840 | Dec 1843 | Jan 1874 |
| age | 59 | 56 | 26 |
| married? | M | M | S |
| # years married | 15 | 15 | |
| mother of how many children? | 0 | ||
| # of children living | 0 | ||
| birthplace | Pennsylvania | Maryland | Maryland |
| father's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Maryland | Pennsylvania |
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Maryland | Pennsylvania |
| immigration year | |||
| # years in USA | |||
| naturalized citizen? | |||
| occupation | Harnessmaker | School Teacher | |
| # months not employed | 0 | 7 | |
| # months in school | |||
| can read | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| can write | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| speaks English | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| owned/rented | O | ||
| free or mortgaged | M | ||
| farm/house | H | ||
| # of farm schedule |
| line | 17 | 18 |
| street | Water Street | |
| house nr | ||
| dwelling nr | 204 | |
| family nr | 207 | |
| name | Bowen Alba B | - Mary J |
| relationship | Head | Wife |
| sex | M | F |
| color | W | W |
| age | 69 | 67 |
| marital status | M2 [?] | M1 |
| #years present marriage | 26 | 26 |
| mother of # children | 0 | |
| mother of # living children | 0 | |
| birthplace | Pennsylvania | Maryland |
| father's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Maryland |
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Maryland |
| immigrated | ||
| naturalized/alien | ||
| speaks English | English | English |
| occupation | Proprietor | None |
| nature of industry etc. | Saddle Shop | |
| employer etc. | Emp | |
| out of work 15 Apr 1910? | ||
| # weeks out of work 1909 | ||
| can read | Yes | Yes |
| can write | Yes | Yes |
| school since 1 Sep 09 | ||
| owned/rented | O | |
| owned free or mortagaged | F | |
| farm/house | H | |
| nr on farm schedule | ||
| civil war vet | UA | |
| blind | ||
| deaf & dumb | ||
| line | 63 |
| street | East Main st |
| house number | [320] |
| dwelling visit number | [427] |
| family visit number | [427] |
| name | Bowan Alva B |
| relationship | Boarder |
| own/rent | |
| free/mortgaged (if owned) | |
| sex | M |
| race | W |
| age at last birthday | 79 |
| marital status | Wd |
| year of immigration | |
| naturalized/alien | |
| year of naturalization | |
| attended school since Sept 1919 | |
| can read | yes |
| can write | yes |
| birth place | Pennsylvania |
| native language | |
| father's birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| father's native language | |
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| mother's native language | |
| can speak English | Yes |
| occupation | none |
| industry, business | |
| employment status | |
| number of farm schedule |
A list of names of Service men who have been buried in Bedford County since Memorial Day 1920, or names that were missed from former lists.
...