Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/347

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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Samuel Cecil Bowen, M. D. The Bowens of Tazewell county, Virginia, trace their an- cestry to Moses Bowen and Rebecca (Reese) Bowen, his wife, who emigrated to this country with a large company from Wales about 1698, and settled in Alassachusetts, from whence they later removed to Mont- gomery county, Pennsylvania, where they spent the remainder of their days. A branch of this family came south at an early day, settling first in Delaware, then in western Maryland and northern Virginia.

John Bowen, son of Moses and Rebecca (Reese) Bowen, was a man of considerable wealth for that day. He married Lilly Mc- Ilhaney, whose family emigrated from Ire- land, and the}' migrated to Augusta county, Virginia, about 1730, at that time a frontier settlement. They were the parents of twelve children: i. Moses, died of small-pox while serving in the Virginia Colonial army. 2. John, married Rachel Mathew. 3. Jane, married (first) a Mr. Cunningham, and (sec- ond) a Mr. Loring. 4. Nancy, married Archie Buchanan. 5. Rebecca, married a Mr. Whitley. 6. Henry, served in the revo- lutionary war ; married Anne Cunningham. 7. Arthur, married Mary McMurry. 8. Rob- ert, married Mary Gillespie. 9. ^Nlary, mar- ried a Mr. Poston. 10. Charles, served in the revolutionary war, married Nancy Gil- lespie. II. William, of whom further. 12. Reese, of whom further.

Captain William Bowen, son of John and Lilly (jMcIlhaney) Bowen, gained his title by service in the revolutionary war. He married Mary Henley Russell, daughter of General William Russell, by his first wife, Tabitha (Adams) Russell, his second wife having been the widow of General W'illiam Campbell, the hero of Kings Mountain, and before her marriage was Elizabeth Henry, sister of Patrick Henry. Children: i. Colo- nel John H. Bowen, who was a noted law- yer and a representative in congress from Tennessee for several years. 2. Catherine, married David Campbell, brother of Gov- ernor Campbell, of Virginia, and their son, William Bowen Campbell, was elected gov- ernor of Tennessee, serving from 185 1 to

1853-

Captain Reese Bowen, son of John and Lilly (Mcllhaney) Bowen, served in the revolutionary war, there earning his title and rank. He was one of the first settlers of Tazewell county, Virginia, locating at

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Maiden Spring, about 1772, where he owned a vast estate, which is still in the possession of his descendants, having been owned by a Reese Bowen for five generations. He was killed at the battle of Kings Mountain, Oc- tober 7, 1780. He married Levisa Smith, and they were the parents of eight children : I. Reese, married his cousin, Rebecca Bowen, no children. 2. Nancy, married Major John Ward ; left a large family. 3. Peggy, mar- ried Thomas Gillespie ; left a large family. 4. Rebecca, married a Mr. Dufif. 5. Tilly, married a Mr. Hildreth ; they went to Keii- tucky, where many of their descendants are residing at the present time. 6. Louisa, mar- ried William Thompson; left a large family, and many of their descendants reside in Tazewell county, Virginia, at the present time. 7. John, married a Miss Gillespie, and left one daughter. 8. Henry, of whom fur- ther.

Colonel Henry Bowen, son of Captain Reese and Levisa (Smith) Bowen, was an officer of a Virginia regiment during the second war with Great Britain, 1812-14, and also served his state in the legislature and state senate. He married Eleanor Tate, niece of General William Campbell, and they were the parents of five children: i. Ellen, married a Mr. Taylor. 2. Jane, mar- ried Captain Edmundson. 3. Louisa, mar- ried Dr. John W. Johnston, a brother of General Joseph E. Johnston, of the Con- federate army, and they had one son, Judge John W. Johnston, who was United States senator from Virginia, and who married Nicketi Floyd, daughter of Governor John Floyd, brother of Governor John B. Floyd, and they were the parents of five children: Dr. George Benjamin Johnston, ex-presi- dent of the American Surgical Association ; Joseph E. Johnston ; Lavalette Johnston, who married a Mr. McMullin ; Sallie John- ston, who married Captain Henry Lee, brother of General Fitzhugh Lee : William Johnston. 4. Henry, who gained the title of colonel, married a Miss IBlack, of Mont- gomery county, Virginia; no children. 5. Reese Tate, of whom further.

General Reese Tate Bowen, son of Colo- nel Henry and Eleanor (Tate) Bowen, was one of the most distinguished members of this family of distinguished men. He served his state as a memljer of the house of dele- gates, as state senator and as congressman from the ninth Virginia district. He served