Colonel William Bowyer

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA with the rank of COLONEL. DAR Ancestor # A013163

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Boyer-1095

1776 Project
Colonel William (Boyer) Bowyer served with Augusta County Militia, Virginia Militia during the American Revolution.
Daughters of the American Revolution
William (Boyer) Bowyer is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A013163.

William Bowyer was born about 1834 [sic: 1734] in Augusta County, Virginia.[1] He was the son of Michael Bowyer and Elizabeth Burrows.

William Bowyer was a merchant in Staunton from 1766 to 1775, and probably longer.[2] During the same period, he served variously as a member of the vestry and a church warden of Augusta parish.

William had a distinguished Revolutionary War military career, as recognized in his DAR record.[3] As Lieut. Colonel of militia, he commanded a body of men sent to reinforce General McIntosh on the Ohio river, in August 1776. He was Lieut. Colonel of Col. Sampson Mathews' regiment, in the expedition to lower Virginia, in 1781. He was Sheriff of Augusta in 1784.[4]

William first married Elizabeth Starke Christian, daughter of Israel Christian.[5] They had two daughters -

1. Priscilla and
2. Mary.[6] (See Research Notes)

Elizabeth died around 1775.

Soon after, William remarried to Margaret Ann Lewis, widow of John McClanahan.

William and Margaret had five children together -

1. William C.,
2. Strother,
3. Malinda A.,
4. Peter C., and
5. Luke Henry.[4] (See Research Notes)

Col. William Bowyer lived in Staunton, Augusta, Virginia at the place now known as Kalorama.

William died intestate some time before 1808, and his step-son, John McClanahan, administered his estate.[4]

Bio Sketch

."William Bowyer was a merchant in Staunton from 1766 to 1775 , and probably longer. In 1772 he was a member of the vestry of Augusta parish , and a church warden in 1777. As Lieut . Colonel of militia, he commanded a body of men sent to reinforce General McIntosh on the Ohio river , in August , 1776. The Court Martial of the county, on April 15 , 1779, fined him £10 for not attending a previous meeting. He was Lieut. Colonel of Col. Sampson Mathews' regiment , in the expedition to lower Virginia, in 1781. He was Sheriff of Augusta in 1784. His first wife was a daughter of Israel Christian, by whom he had a daughter who married a Miller, ancestor of the late Fleming Bowyer Miller of Botetourt. His second wife was Margaret Ann, daughter of Thomas Lewis, and widow of John McClanahan, (son of the first Robert McClanahan.) A son of the second wife, William C. Bowyer , was a lawyer, and married a Miss Burwell. Col. William Bowyer lived at the place in Staunton now known as Kalorama . He died intestate some time before 1808, and his step-son, John McClanahan, administered on his estate."[4]

Research Notes

• Frazier et al (1985) lists seven children for William and Margaret,[1] but says that daughter Priscilla married John Miller, which would seem to make her the daughter with his first wife who "married a Miller, ancestor of the late Fleming Bowyer Miller."[4]
• Moreover, a Christian family history asserts that daughter Mary Bowyer married her first cousin, Leonard Israel Fleming, indicating that Mary's mother was Elizabeth Christian (and Leonard's was her sister Anne). The history says "She [Mary] had resided in the family of Col. William Fleming for a number of years after the death of her mother, who was the first wife of Col. William Bowyer, of Staunton , Va."[6]
• So this would indicate that William had two daughters, Priscilla and Mary, with his first wife Elizabeth, and five children, William C., Strother, Luke Henry, Peter C., and Malinda, with his second wife, Margaret.
• Note that the DAR database lists William's birth year as 1738 and his death year as 1808. [3]

Sources

1. WikiTree contributors, "William (Boyer) Bowyer (abt.1734-bef.1808)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Boyer-1095 : accessed 14 September 2024). cites
   1. Frazier, Irvin; Cowell, Mark W. Jr.; and Fisher, Lewis F. (1985). The Family of John Lewis, Pioneer. Fisher Publications, Inc., San Antonio, TX. 1985. Page 80.
   2. Ancestry.com. U.K. and U.S. Directories, 1680-1830 [database on-line]. Avero Publications. Biography Database, 1680-1830. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England: Avero Publications, 1998. Ancestry Record 3877 #364942
   3. Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 10 Feb 2018), "Record of William Boyer", Ancestor # A013163.
   4. Waddell, Joseph A. (1902). Annals of Augusta County, Virginia, from 1726 to 1871. Staunton, VA: C. Russell Caldwell, Publisher. 2nd edition. 1902. Page 180. Link
   5. Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Ancestry Record 7836 #133900
   6. Whitsitt, William H. (1888). The Life and Times of Judge Caleb Wallace. Louisville, Kentucky: John P. Morton & Company. 1888. Pages 80, 96. Link
   7. SAR Application - Ertel V. Bowyer Link
   8. SAR Application - John V. Bowyer Link
   9. Title: Family Record Author: Anonymous Publication: Unpublished/c. 1911-1920 [oldest portion] Note: The oldest portion of this notebook, which has the most detailed data about the Parks and McKnight ancestors, was likely written by Sarah Lavenia Parks, as her burial place is entered in a different hand. The latest date entered in the earlier hand is 1911. The remainder is in more modern ink, printed rather than cursive, and adds some data about the Lewis and Logan lines. There are also a few newer entries in cursive pencil. Repository: #R39 Media: Manuscript Italicized: Y Paranthetical: Y Repository: R39 Name: Willis Family Papers Address: Robert B. Nichol CONT 6000 Forest Creek Circle CONT Wilmington, NC 28403
   10. Possible military record familysearch
2. https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:William_Bowyer_%282%29
3. The Bowyer family is featured in a genealogical column in a 1905 issue of the Times-Dispatch (Richmond, VA); confirms William Bowyer's two wives and that he died in Staunton, VA. < link >
4. Boyer, Melville James. “American Boyers.” (1963) page 1. < Archive.Org >
5. Peyton, John Lewis. History of Augusta County, Virginia. Page 287. < GoogleBooks >