Falk Relations: Bower Family

compiled by Steve Wilson, last updated December 27, 2014.
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Descendants

Outline

George Bower♦ (b. c. 1590, d. 30 Dec. 1656, Cambridge MA), 1m. 9 Feb. 1615 at Braithwell, Yorkshire to Barbara Smith (b. c. 1596, d. 25 Mar. 1644, Cambridge MA), 2m. 15 Apr. 1649 at Cambridge MA to Elizabeth Worthington

Ruth Bower (ch. by 1m., b. c. 1620, England, d. 1687, Eastham MA), m. 15 Aug. 1639 at Plymouth MA to Richard Knowles (b. c. 1614, England, d. 1 Feb. 1682, Plymouth MA)
John Bower (ch. by 1m., b. c. 1623, England), m. c. 1651 to Rebecca Gregson
Matthew Bower (ch. by 1m., b. c. 1625, England, d. 30 Jan. 1645, Cambridge MA)
Benanuel Bower (ch. by 1m., b. c. 1627, England), m. 9 Dec. 1653 at Cambridge MA to Elizabeth Dunster
Patience Bower (ch. by 1m., b. c. 1633, England), m. by 1653 to Humphrey Bradshaw (b. c. 1628, d. 9 May 1682)
Silence Bower (ch. by 1m., b. c. 1636, England), m. 14 Dec. 1656 at Dedham MA to Elnathan Dunckly (d. 17 Feb. 1669, Dedham MA)
Jerathmeel Bower (ch. by 2m., b. 2 May 1650, Cambridge MA)
Henry Bower (ch. by 2m., b. 3 Feb. 1654, Cambridge MA)
George Bower (ch. by 2m., b. 3 Feb. 1654, Cambridge MA)

Our Descent

George Bower (c1590-1656), m. 1615 to Barbara Smith (c1596-1644)

Ruth Bower (c1620-1687), m. 1639 to Richard Knowles (c1614-1682)

Mehitable Knowles (1653--), m. by 1676 to George Brown (1652-1721)

James Brown (c1679--), m. 1704 to Ruth Snow (1679--)

Ruth Brown (1710-1768), m. 1727 to Israel Higgins (1706-1788)

Jesse Higgins (1731-1778), m. 1772 to Keziah Stevens (1754-1832)

Samuel Higgins (1774-c1849), m. 1798 to Elizabeth Nims (1778-c1846)

Horatio Higgins (1812-1890), m. 1837 to Mary Jane Felch (1820-1898)

Harvey Alva Higgins (1864-1928), m. 1889 to Lillian Belle Agee (1868-1947)

Elsie Laura Higgins (1895-1959), m. 1915 to George Washington Falk (1895-1969)

Documentation ♦

George Bower (c1590-1656): 1m. Barbara Smith (c1596-1644), 2m. Elizabeth Worthington

9 Feb. 1615, "George Bower, of Manby, dioc. Lincoln, and Barbara Smith, of Braythwell - at Braythwell" [England, Braithwell, Marriage Register]
7 Mar. 1637, "The Names of the Freeman ... Georg Bower" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 1:52-53]
7 June 1637, "Mr John Lathrop, pastor of Scituate, Thomas Hill, Francis Sprage, and Georg Bower were admitted freemen, and tooke their oaths." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 1:60]
17 July 1637, "Steephen Hopkins of Plymouth gent hath the day & yeare aboue said for and in consideracon of the sume of threescore pounds of lawfull money of England to be payd in manner and forme following That is to say thirtie pounds of lawfull money of England at or vpon the first day of May next ensuing the date hereof and thother thirty pounds at or vpon the twenty ninth day of September next ensuing the foresaid payment Hath freely & absolutely bargained sould alienated enfeoffed & confirmed vnto Georg Boare of Scituate yeom All that his Messuage houses tennements outhouses lying and being at the Broken Wharfe towards the Eele Riuer together wth the six shares of lands therevnto belonging containeing six score acres together wth all and singler the meadowes pastures Comons and all & singuler thapprtencs therevnto belonging & all his interrest right title clayme & demaund of and into the said prmisss and euery pte & pcell thereof To haue & to hols the said Messuage houses lands tennemnts & prmisss wth all and singuler their appurtences vnto the said George Boare his heires and assignes foreur To the onely pper vse & behoofe of him the said Georg Boare his heires & assignes foreuer." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 12:21]
2 Oct. 1637, "Georg Clark complaynes agst Edward Dotey ... The jury names were these:- ... George Bower" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 8:6-7]
2 Jan. 1638, "Presentments by the Grand Jury ... We psent Georg Bowers for leaueing no passage for man or beast, neither by the sea side, nor for cattell through his ground." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 1:75]
6 Mar. 1638, "John Stockbridg complaines against Georg Bower, in an action vpon the case, to the damnage of iiijli. This suite is respited to the next Court, in regard that the defnt alleadged that he would then proue that the pltiff accepted of payment from Mr Cudworth, and another man, wherevpon tyme was graunted him till the next Court." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 8:8]
6 Mar. 1638, "Whereas Georg Bower was psented for not suffering heigh wayes through his ground, it is referred to be considered vpon, and a view to be taken by some especially appoynted that there may be wayes layd forth through his ground, so as it may be least pjudiciall to Mr Bower, and yet sufficient for the passage of his maties subjects." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 1:80]
5 June 1638, "The Names of the Grand Inquest ... Georg Bower" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 1:87]
5 Mar. 1639, "George Bower elected Constable for Plymouth." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 1:116]
4 June 1639, "Constables. George Bower for Plymouth ... sworne." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 1:125]
6 Jan. 1640, "Memorand That Mr Edward Winslow for an in consideracon of the sume of one hundred pounds sterl to be payd by Georg Bower in manner & forme following That is to say tenn pounds the first of ffebruary next fourty pounds the first of January wch shalbe in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fourty one and thother fourty pounds the first of January in the yeare of our Lord G. one thousand six hundred fourty and two Hath freely and absolutely bargained and sould vnto the said Georg Bower his heires and Assignes All that his barne and stable scituate in Plym together wth the two pcells of lands lying and the North and South ends of the said Barne and Stable wth liberty of ingresse egresse & regresse in the fould yard for his cattell to come & goe to the said barne & stable as occation shall serue and liberty to lay donge in the said fould yard And seauen acrees of enclosed lands lying on the North side of the said towne of Plym betwixt the garden placs and the lands of Mr Willm Bradford on the north & south sides thereof together wth the land belonging to the said seauen acrees not enclosed And also nine acrees of ... lying on the north side of the said Towne of Plym on eich side the first brooke (vizt) the most northerly of the two acrees wch the said Edward Winslow purchased of Captaine Standish and foure acrees purchased of ffrancis Eaton adjoyneing therevnto & one acree adjoyneing purchased of Henry Sampson all these lying on the south side of the said first brook and two acrees lying on the north side of the said first brook wch fell to the said Edward Winslow in his first diuision and one acree wch was exchauned wth Josias Winslow for thother southerly acree purchased of Captaine Standish as aforesaid together wth all & singuler the prueledges and graunts graunted to the said Edward Winslow for enclosure of the same wth all and singuler thapprtences therevnto belonging and all his right title & interrest of and into the said prmisss & euery part and pcell thereof (except liberty of housrome this yeare for the said Edward Winslowe & his Assignes to lay his Corne groweing on the said seauen acrees wthin the said Barne To haue & to hold the said Barne & stable & pcells of lands at thends thereof the said seauen acrees enclosed wth the land thereto beloinging and the nine acrees aforesaid wth all & singuler their apprtencs to the said prmisis belonging & euery pt & pcell thereof vnto the said Georg Bower his heires and Assignes for euer to the onely proper vse and behoofe of the said Georg Bower his heires and Assignes for euer Prouided alwayes that if the said Edward Winslow shall come and build vpon the two furthermost of the nine acrees and dwell vpon them himself That then the said Edward shall haue them at the same rate that the said Georg Bower now payeth for them, allowing him such further charge as the said Georg shall then haue layd forth vpon them." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 12:52-53]
3 Mar. 1640, "Concerning the prison, John Barnes & Georg Bower are appoynted by the Court to see the tymber & frame of the said prison, to be brought to the place where is thalbe erected, & to puide the leighter to fetch yt, but Duxborrow men to layd it into the leighter, and they to receiue yt here & se it vnloaden, & puide carriage to bring it to the place where it is to be set vp, & to get hands & help to finish the same." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 1:142]
13 Apr. 1640, "Memorand That Georg Bower of Plym Plant doth acknowledg That for and in consideracon of the sume of fourty & foure pounds sterl to him in hand payd by Christopher Winter of Scituate Planter hath freely & absolutely bargained & sould vnto the said Christopher All that his house & ground thereto belonging wch he bought of John Stowe of Rocksberry or had by division allotted by the ffreemen of Scituate wch house and lands are lying and being in Scituate aforesaid & containing by estimacon foure acrees of vpland & three acrees of Marish ground be the more or lesse lying at the easterly end & southerly side of the said four acrees and one lott of vpland lying in the third Cliffe in Scituate aforesaid containeing by estimacon twenty acrees be it more or lesse lying betweene the lands of Willm Gilson and Humfrey Turner and a pcell of Marish ground lying at the Southwest end thereof containeing by estimacon nine acrees be it more or lesse together wth all the allotments wch shalbe hereafter layd forth to the said house and lands by the ffreemen of Scituate and all his Right title and interrest of and into the said prmisss and euery part & pcell thereof wth all & singuler thapprtencs therevnto belonging To haue & to hold the said house and foure acrees of vpland three acrees of marish land adjoyneing twenty acrees of vpland and nine acrees of marish ground adjoyneing therevnto and all other the allottments to be layd therevnto wth all and euery their apprtencs to them or any of them belonging vnto the said Christopher Winter his heires and Assignes foreuer to the onely proper use and behoofe of him the said Christopher Winter his heires and Assignes for euer." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 12:57-58]
13 Apr. 1640, "Memorand That Christopher Winter of Scituate Plant doth acknowledg that for and in consideracon of the sume of fourty & fiue pounds sterl to him in hand payd by John Whitcombe of the same Plant hath freely & absolutely bargained & sould vnto the said John Whitcombe All that his house & ground there vnto beloinging wch were formly bought by Georg Bower of John Stowe of Rocksberry, or had by diuision allotted by the ffreemen of Scituate wch house & lands are lying and being in Scituate aforesaid & containeing by estimacon foure acrees of vpland & three acrees of Marish ground be the more or lesse lying at the Easterly end & Southerly side of the said foure acrees and one lott of vpland lying in the third Cliffe in Scituate aforesaid containeing by estimacon twenty acrees be it more or lesse lying betweene the lands of Willm Gilson and Humfrey Turner and a pcell of Marish ground lying at the Southwest end thereof containeing by estimacion Nine acrees be it more or lesse together wth all the allottments wch shalbe hereafter layd forth to the said House and lands by the ffreemen of Scituate ..." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 12:58-59]
5 May 1640, "Richard Knowles is graunted a pcell of meddow ground at the head of George Bowers meddow, by the Eele Riuer head." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 1:152]
1 Sep. 1640, "Peter Worden, executr of the last will & testament of Peter Worden, deceased, complns agst Nicholas Symkins ... John Shawe complns agst Mr Richard Derby ... The juries names for these tryals are these:- Georg Bower ..." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 8:18]
5 Jan. 1641, "The differrencs betwixt Georg Bower & Georg Bonum, by the consent of both pties, are referred to foure arbitratrs, vizt, John Winslow and Willm Paddy on George Bowers part, and Manasseth Kempton and James Hurst on Georg Bonums pt; and if they cannot agree, then the said foure arbitrators to choose a fift man vnto them, to make a fynall end thereof." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 2:6]
1 Feb. 1641, "A jury was impannelled and sworne to lay forth certaine heigh wayes now in differrence, and to set forth the bounds and land markes betwixt John Shawe, Kenelme Winslowe, and Mr John Atwood, at Playne Dealeinge, and the heigh wayes from the towne of Plymouth to Wellingsley, and through Georg Bowers ground, and a heigh way for John Dunhame and Willam Pontus, from their meddows at the waterside, and a heighway for Nathaniell Sowther, from his field to the towne." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 2:7]
2 Mar. 1641, "Presentmnts by the Grand Inquest. We psent Georg Bowers, for defamacon of the goument. Capt Standish, Mr Collier, Mr Done. We psent the aforesaid Georg Bowers, for a defamacon against Mr John Browne, Assistant, the wch defamacon doth or may appeare by lres vnder his owne hands." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 2:11-12]
1 June 1641, "Georg Bowers, for his defamacon of the goument, wch notwthstanding his trauers, was found agst him, is fyned vli. Georg Bowers is psented for a neusance in setting his fence towards the Goose Poynt so neare the banke side that there is not roome for a cart to passe by." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 2:18]
24 Jan. 1642, "The Contributors for building of a Bark of 40 or 50 Tunn, estimated at the Charge of 200li. ... Georg Bower, xvjth part" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 2:31]
1 Mar. 1642, "The jury for the trauerse vpon the psentment agst John Barnes for extortion, in selling but ouncs of bl. xbr., three for viijd, the found him not guilty:- ... Georg Bower" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 8:28-29]
1643, "The Names of the Freemen of eich Towne. Plymouth ... Georg Bower" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 7:173-174]
22 Apr. 1644, "Know yee that William Crocker of Scittuate in America Planter Hath ... sold vnto Nathaniell Tilden of Scittuate aforesaid Planter two acres of Marsh land more or lesse lying and bounding as followeth to the lands of Thomas Chittington towards the North to the lands of the aforesaid Nathaniell Tilden towards the East to the lands of Thomas Besbeech towards the South to the lands of William Crocker and Georg Bower towards the West vnto a water course or Creeke below the third Cliffe and land called Greenefeilds ..." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 12:103-104]
Higgins, Mrs. Katharine Chapin, Richard Higgins, A Resident and Pioneer Settler at Plymouth and Eastham, Massachusetts, and at Piscataway, New Jersey, and his Descendants, 1918. On p. 28: "Mr. George Bower ... landed at Plymouth in 1639 and was at Scituate and then Cambridge. He went to Cambridge for the education of his sons. ... George was a planter."
Hufbauer, Virginia Knowles, Descendants of Richard Knowles, 1637-1973, 1974. On p. 9-11: "Mr. George Bower (or Bowers), planter, was early at Scituate in the Plymouth Colony, where he was freeman 7 Mar. 1636/7 ... By the spring of 1639 he had removed to Plymouth ... soon removed to Cambridge, apparently for the education of his sons."
Pulsifer, David, ed., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, v. 9-12, 1859-1861. Transcriptions of the court records of Plymouth mentions George Bower, abbreviated PCR in above references. Acts of the Commissioners in v. 9-10, Laws in v. 11, Deeds &c. in v. 12.
Shurtleff, Nathaniel B., ed., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, v. 1-8, 1855-1857. Transcriptions of the court records of Plymouth mentions George Bower, abbreviated PCR in above references. Court Orders in v. 1-6, Miscellaneous Records in v. 7, Judicial Acts in v. 8.