Descendants of John Bowie 1725 - 1781

Notes for JAMES PEEL BOWIE:
MENTIONED AS A CONTRIBUTOR TO DURHAM PARISH, AND IN WILLS BELOW. NO WIFE IS MENTIONED IN ANY RECORDS EVERETTE BOWIE REVIEWED.
Notes for PETER BOWIE:
MOVED FROM DURHAM PARRISH, CHARLES COUNTY, MD. TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY. ISSUE UNKNOWN.

Notes for Mary Peel Bowie:
Mary Peel Bowie married (1) Thomas Rigg, (2) William Parsons, and (3) ____ Bussell.
William Parsons and Mary Peel, his wife, filed the account of Thomas Rigg, with
John Boy and Oswald Boy as securities.
Mary Peel Bussell was 47 years old when deposed on 26 Aug 1790.
See web pages related to Mary Peel Bowie http://www.number-one.org/~rigg/dlr0148.htm
and Thomas Rigg http://www.number-one.org/~rigg/dlr0001.htm
which contain transcripts/images of the referenced documents.

NOTE ON THIS BRANCH OF THE FAMILY IN GENERAL: THERE IS MUCH BEWILDERMENT AMONG GENEALOGISTS AS TO WHICH OF JOHN BOWIE SR.'S WIVES WAS THE FIRST AND WHICH THE SECOND, WITH SOME EVIDENCE POINTING TO EACH OF THEM AS BEING HIS ONLY WIFE.

HERE ARE THE NOTES ON ALL THIS, PLUS WILLS, FROM EVERETTE BOWIE'S PAGE AT from http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/o/w/Everette-W-Bowie/GENE2-0004.html --

Notes for JOHN BOWIE:
Most records show John Bowie, son of Abraham Boye (Bowie) married only once to Elizabeth Brawner. However, Howard Coulby, Jr. indicates he was married to Isabella Peel. If this is the case, then John Bowie was married twice. He quotes the will of John Bowie as follows: (1) I give to daughter Mary Person one shilling sterling no more. (2) I give to my daughter Lain Groves one shilling sterling no more. (3) To wife Isabella Bowie whole and every part of myestate. At the death of wife estate to be divided equally to children after named wife. James Peel Bowie, Benjamin Bowie, William Bowie, John Bowie, also my daughters Elizabeth Bowie and Susannah Bowie. Ex: Issabella (sic) Bowie JB (His mark)
John Bowie Test: John Smith Rhody Adams L. Adams Rhody Posey
Judging by the mark above, John Bowie was not literate, at least unable to write. Later an inventory of his goods was conducted. The names of Isabella Bowie, William Bowie, and Mary A. Bowie appear. The inventory was completed 23August 1781. His next of kin was mentioned as James Peel Bowie and John Bowye(sic). No mention anywhere in the abstract above of children Ann Bowie, Elenor Bowie, Peter Bowie, Matthew Bowie, or Alexander Bowie. It is possible the latter three children were born after the will was written, but if that is the case why were they not mentioned in the probate? Could these children
not mentioned have died prior to the execution of the will? Also many records do not mention a John Bowie, Jr. Others do mention him, as indicated above in Howard Coulby's notes. There is some indication in certain documents that John Bowie was married only once, to Elizabeth Brawner. All of which leaves the strong feeling that Isabella Peel was the wife of John Bowie, Jr., which would change everything we think we know. For example: If John Bowie was married twice, and Rhodi Bowie being born to Elizabeth Brawner in 1752, did she die and John marry Isabella and still have time to have 13 children before her death and probate of her will on 27 July 1787? Questions, question, questions!

Addendum 17 March 1998: Further
research concludes that John married twice. First to Elizabeth Brawner and second to Isabella Peele. John was in the Census of 1790 in Charles County, MD with "1 free white male over 16, one free white male under 16, and one free white female, and 4 slaves. Source: Bowies and Their Kindred of Scotland and The Colonies, By Robert Bowie and Richard Bowie, page 249.

Notes for ISABELLA PEEL:
This may be the only wife of John Bowie (Boye), the first born of Abraham. Howard Coulby, Jr. indicates records in Charles County do not support the idea of a marriage to Elizabeth Brawner. She will be left her as spouse #1 until more accurate information is available. Addendum 20 June 1998: From Mark G. Davis of Upper Marlboro, Maryland:

Last Will And Testament of Isabella Bowie April Court 1787 Isabel Bowie p; Will

In the name of God, Amen. I, Isabel Bowye of Charles County in the Province of Maryland being sick and weak but of sound mind and memory thanks be to God therefore calling to mind the uncertainty of this life and that it is appointed for all woman (sic) to die do make this to be my last will and testament in the following manner making null and void all other wills by me made hertofore. First and principally I commend my soul unto the hands of Almighty God that gave it to me and my body to the earth to be buried in a descent Christian manner at the discretion of my exucetor hereafter named. Such as to what worldly estate it hath pleased God to bless me with I dispose of in the following manner: (Word unreadable) I will that all my just debts and funeral charges be first paid. Item- I give to my son James Peel Bowye sixty acres of land a part of Manisclare Chase to be paid off from the first sale of (unreradable) tract of land in a four square. Item- I give to my son Benjamin Bowye the remaining part of my land where I now dwell. If my son William Bowye is a mind to come back upon the land to live again; to live his lifetime upon it where hee (sic) lived before and after my two sons death, Benjamin Bowye and William Bowye his heirs lawfully begotten forever, in witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed my seal the 9th day of February 1783. Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of John smith, Rhody Adams, and Josias Adams. At the foot of which will is thus written Charles County 12 March 1787 then came James P. Bowye heir at law to Isbel (sic) Bowye late of Charles County deceased and made oath on the Holy Evangel of Almighty God that ehe forgoing instrument of writing is true (unreadable) Last Will and Testament of the said deceased that hath come to his hand and possession and that he doth not know of any other. signed: John Muschett Register of Wills Then came John Smith, Rhody Adams, and Josias Adams the three subscribing witnesses to the forgoing Last Will and Testament of Isbel Bowye of Charles County deceased and (unreadable) made an oath on the Holy Evangel of Almighty God that they did see the testator therein named, sign and seal this will, that they heard her publish, pronounce and declare the same to be her last will and testament. That at the time of her so doing she was to the best of their apprehension of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding and that they respectively subscribed their names as witnesses to this will in the presence and at the request of the Testator and in the presence of each other. Certified: John Muschett Register of Wills On the 12th day of March 1787 Letter of Administration with will (unreadable) on the estate of Isabel Bowie to James Peel Bowie and his bond with Thomas Posey and Josias Adams his securities was taken in the form of Two Hundred Pounds current money for due
Administration.

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