Jacob Bowman

Captain (John) Jacob Bowman, Sr., (02 Dec 1733 - 20 Jun 1781) He was an 18th Century American pioneer, Grandson of Jost Hite, Colonial Militia officer of Virginia Colony, Veteran of the French and Indian War, City of Strasburg Trustee, large land owner in Virginia and South Carolina, a South Carolina State Representative (Third Whig), District 96 Road Commissioner and Revolutionary War Patriot noted for supplying mill goods to the Continental Army. In 1753 he helps his father in the construction of Ft. Bowman (aka Harmony Hall) near present day Strasburg, Virginia.

Four of his younger brothers Col. John (aka Johannes) (John_Bowman_(pioneer)), Col. Abraham, Maj. Joseph and Capt. Isaac Bowman were excellent horsemen and later known in John Wayland's book as the "Four Centaurs of Cedar Creek", and all of whom were among the earliest pioneers to settle in Kentucky and serve as prominent officers in the Continental Army. While his younger brothers were in Kentucky, he and brother-in-law George Wright had earlier removed to the old 96th District in the Province of South Carolina where he owned a Grist Mill and Trading Post on the Reedy River.

He was also the brother-in-law of frontiersmen Isaac Ruddell, Lorentz Stephens, Peter Deyerle, Henry Richardson, George Brinker and the aforementioned George Wright. A future great grandson: Abram Hite Bowman in 1919 would found Kentucky's first Airport: Bowman Field which is the oldest continually operating airport in North America. His grandnephew, Col. Abraham's grandson John Bryan Bowman, founded the University of Kentucky and the University of Kentucky|Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky.

Early life
Born in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia Colony to pioneer Georg Bowman and Mary Hite (daughter of pioneer Jost Hite) on Cedar Creek in what was then: Spotsylvania later Shenandoah County, Virginia Colony, he is first recorded as having fought in the 1754 - 1763 French and Indian War becoming a Captain in the Virginia militia in 1758. Living in Botetourt County. In November of 1761, (John) Jacob serves as a Trustee for the City of Strasburg.

By marrying Sarah Stephens in 1766, (John) Jacob marries his young step-niece the daughter of Lawrence Stephens and a step-daughter of (John) Jacob's sister Mary (Bowman) Stephens. Between Aug 1766 and Mar 1768, Brother-in-law George Wright & sister Sarah (Bowman) Wright talk (John) Jacob and Sarah Stephens Bowman into moving to the Carolinas where George Wright and he had visited family in 1764.

Removes to South Carolina
Within a year after his father's death in March of 1768, he sold his remaining real estate including 500 ac on Linville Creek and his part of the Cedar Creek Estate given as part of his inheritance from his father, and finally settles next to the Wrights on the Reedy River, Laurens County, Province of South Carolina near Greenville where he builds a Mill and Trading Post. Here they raise seven children: (John) Jacob, Jr., Mary, John, Rebecca, Sarah, Nancy and George. The Bowmans: A Pioneering Family in Virginia, Kentucky and the Northwest Territory''. Staunton, Virginia: McClure Co., 1943.

In 1776 (John) Jacob would have been 43 years of age and 50 when the Revolutionary War ended in 1783. During the war he took a leading role in the new colonial government and in November of 1778, (John) Jacob was elected to the South Carolina Legislature as a state Representative for the 96th District. He was a member of the Third South Carolina Whig General Assembly and was later recognized for his civil and private service to the people of South Carolina.

In Jun of 1781, (John) Jacob was shot in the doorway to his mill by Indians or Tories dressed as Indians, nobody knows for sure. His widow filed for administration of the estate 02 Oct 1782 in Ninety-Six District as (Sarah 'Stephens' Bowman of Reedy River).

Clearing the record
Unfortunately, this man has been linked to several inaccuracies through time. First one says he was killed at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill in North Carolina 20 Jun 1780. Although a Captain John Bowman was mortally wounded in that battle, it was not the same (John) Jacob Bowman. Another inaccurate link would be the husband of Grace Grizel Greenlee. Grace did marry a John Bowman but again she did not marry (John) Jacob Bowman. A third link would be the confusion that exists between him and his own brother: 1738 Colonel John Bowman (aka Johannes). With somewhat similar adult names, one has to remember that their lives after 1768 were spent in two different locals. (John) Jacob was in the Province of South Carolina while Colonel John was in the area of what would become the state of Kentucky.

Late court case discovery
In a Mercer County court case lasting from 1840 to 1842 brought by Pendleton and wife Sarah (Dunklin) Thomas (a granddaughter of (John) Jacob and Sarah (Stephens) Bowman) who brought suit again her Uncle George for the wrongful distribution of Sarah (Stephens) Bowman's estate. These court records fully established a true death date, the names of (John) Jacob and Sarah (Stephens) Bowman's children and their never ending supply of goods and materials channeled to the Continental Army. These findings were most helpful in gaining them acceptance as DAR Patriots in 1995. Ref. Pendleton Thomas and wife vs George Bowman, Mercer County Circuit Court, yrs 1840, 1841 & 1842, File Box #39.