Timothy Rowley was born in 1746 in England.[1] He arrived in Otwego/Schenectady, New York about 1761. It is said that he had six brothers, and the three eldest were ships' captains. Timothy was apprenticed to a shipbuilder, and one day got into an altercation with his employer, which ended in blows-- or so goes the story. Fearing disgrace and punishment, he was whisked to America aboard one of his brothers' ships.
He married first Jemima Dibble in 1769 in Cornwall, Connecticut[2] and had one child:
He married next in 1783 Naomi Rute or Root (abt 1756-bef 1818) and had the following known children:[3]
He married 1818 Mrs. Mary Purdy,[3] and took her son Aaron N Purdy, aged 12, into his household.
At least 3 of Timothy's children Martha, Dolley and Elizabeth were christened at the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Florida, Minaville, Montgomery County, New York[4]. As this was done many years after the children were born, it stands to reason that Timothy and Neomy (as it is spelled on the records) were making a strong political statement by bringing their children into this flock.
He served as a Private during the Revolutionary War in 1st New York Regiment, Continental Army. He enlisted in Fishkill, New York.[5]
He appeared on the 1790 U.S. Federal Census in Duanesbury, Albany, New York[6][7]
He filed for a pension for his Revolutionary War service on 13 May 1818 from Jeruselem, New York[1] On that date he was living in Wayne, Steuben County, New York with his wife Mary and step-son Aaron B Purdy, aged 12.
Timothy died 7 Oct 1829 in Urbana, Steuben, New York.[1]
Using DNA it has been shown that Timothy was not a descendant of Henry Rowley of Plymouth, thus not a son of Eleazer Rowley. [Action Item: create page explaining this]
This is another case where DNA may resolve the issue of parentage for Timothy Rowley Jr.
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Featured National Park champion connections: Timothy is 12 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 18 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 11 degrees from George Catlin, 14 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 21 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 12 degrees from George Grinnell, 24 degrees from Anton Kröller, 12 degrees from Stephen Mather, 21 degrees from Kara McKean, 15 degrees from John Muir, 15 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 25 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.