John Bowers
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John Bowers (abt. 1630 - 1687)

Rev John Bowers
Born about in Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
Husband of — married 1662 [location unknown]
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 57 in Derby, New Haven, Connecticutmap
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Profile last modified | Created 2 Jun 2012
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Biography

John Bowers immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

Reverend John BOWERS [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]was born [11] 1629 in England. He died [12][13]Jun 1687 in Derby, New Haven, CT and was buried [14][15] in Derby Colonial Cemetery, Derby, New Haven, CT. John married Bridget THOMPSON.

~MY ANCESTOR The son of George Bowers (immigrant) of Scituate, MA, John Bowers immigrated from England at a young age with his parents, and graduated from Harvard in 1649. He was a school master in Plymouth Colony from 1652-1653, and was called to New Haven by Gov. Eaton and taught school in there for about 7 years (1653-1660). He was pastor of Guilford and preached in Branford after Rev. Pierson left (1667 to Feb. 1673). On Nov. 19, 1673, he was ordained and became the first pastor of Derby remainng there until he died in 1687. The town of Derby voted to build a house for their pastor & his family on Nov. 18, 1673 to be finished by the next May. He was to receive £35 for the first year. At a town meeting at Derby, April 18, 1677, he was grated 12 acres, a lot on which to build his home, all the swamp adjacent to his 12 acres of land. On Feb. 22, 1676, he was granted 3 acres of meadow called David's meadow on the west side of the brook. Dec. 30, 1678, the town agreed to give Mr. Bowers 15 pounds added to his 35 pounds to make his fence.

His wife was my ancestor, REBECCA GREGSON, daughter of THOMAS & JANE GREGSON. After her death, he married Bridget Thompson.

In "A History of the First Church & Society of Branford, CT, 1544-1919" by J. Rupert Simonds, he is described as not having eloquence or popularity, but he was honest, hard-working & a personal life above reproach.

His will dated Jan. 8, 1686, was witnessed by son-in-law John Frisbie and was recorded at Derby. "...my will is yt after my deceace my dearly beloved wife Bridget Bowers Shall have ye dispose of my whole Estate to dispose of it amongst our children..." I can honestly not say which of his wives was the mother of his children since there are no marriage dates for them, but the following children were born: 1. Ruth Bowers b. Dec. 20, 1657 at Branford; died April 26, 1736 in Branford; m. John Frisby 2. Mary Bowers b. 1665 in New Haven, CT., m. Samuel Nichols 3. Samuel Bowers b. Nov. 5, 1665, d. after 1710, m. Nov. 4, 1691 at Derby Lydia French. 4. John Bowers b. Dec. 3, 1667 at Guilford, d. Dec. 23, 1708 at Derby. 5. ANNA BOWERS, my ancestor, b. 1679 at Derby, d. Jan. 11, 1744 at New Haven, m. FRANCIS FRENCH, JR. Pictured is the old Church in Derby, est. 1600's. Parents: George Bowers (1590 - 1656) Barbara Smyth Bowers (1596 - 1644) Spouses: Rebecca Gregson Bowers (1634 - ____) Bridget Thompson Bowers (1636 - 1720)* Children: Ruth Bowers Frisbie (1657 - 1736)* Samuel Bowers (1665 - ____)* John Bowers (1667 - 1708)* Anna Bowers French (1679 - 1744)* Inscription: "First Minister of Derby, Feb. 1673 to June, 1687, Rev. John Bowers Died June 14, 1687, aged 58." Burial: Old Derby Uptown Burying Ground Derby New Haven County Connecticut, USA

Created by: Nareen, et al Record added: Apr 14, 2004 Find A Grave Memorial# 8635537


 : 'Rev. John Bowers (son of George and brother of Ruth) was schoolmaster at Plymouth and later (1653-1660) at New Haven, whither he went on the invitation of Governor Eaton.
'He afterwards taught in other towns in Connecticut and preached at Branford, 1667-1672/3, where one of his daughters married and remained and where Nathaniel Knowles settled, the first of the Knowles family of Cape cod to remove to Connecticut. From Branford Mr. Bowers Removed to Derby, Conn., where he was the first settled minister, and where he died 14 June 1687. His family continued in Derby. He married Bridget Thompson who survived him, daughter of Anthony Thompson of New Haven.'[16][17]
Event:
Type: Marr-n/r
Note: Bridget Thompson, daughter of Anthony Thompson of New Haven.[18]
Event:
Type: Children-n
Note: Ruth, bapt. at New Haven 30 Dec. 1657; m. (1) John Frisbie; (2) William Hoadley of Branford. Nathaniel. Mary, m. in 1682 Samuel Nichols.
Samuel, bapt. at New Haven 5 Nov. 1665.
John, b. at Guilford 3 Dec. 1667. Ann, M. in 1703 Francis French.
James.[19]


"John, who graduated H. C. (Harvard College) 1649, teacher in Plymouth and New Haven, minister in Guilford and Brandford, and pastor in Derby, Conn., 1677. until death. 1687. June 14."[20]


Sources

  1. Copied and compared with the original by Nancy O. Phillips, Sarah Riggs Humphrey Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Derby, Connecticut Town Records, 1655-1710 (New Haven, CT, The Tuttle, Morehouse and Taylor Company, 1901.), p. 29. . 18 Apr 1677 - Derby http://www.derbyhistorical.org/Records1655-1710/029.html.
  2. Phillips, Derby Town Records, p. 30. 22 Aug 1677 - Derby http://www.derbyhistorical.org/Records1655-1710/030.html.
  3. Selected and Introduced by Gary Boyd Roberts, Genealogies of Connecticut Families From The New England Historical and Genealogical Register ([CD]Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1983), vol 3, p 590.
  4. Donald Lines Jacobus, Families of Ancient New Haven ([CD]Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1981[originally]Rome, N.Y. and New Haven, Conn., 1922-1932), vol 5, p 1219.
  5. WEBSITE, (http://www.electronicvalley.org/tour/). Photograph of Olde Derby Uptown Burial Ground http://www.electronicvalley.org/tour/uptownburial.htm.
  6. Donald Lines Jacobus, Families of Ancient New Haven, vol 7, p 1750.
  7. Edited by Franklin B. Dexter, Ancient Town Records Vol. I, New Haven Town Records 1649-1662 (New Haven, 1917), p. 153. " ... Mr. Bower,* who is scoole master at Plymouth and desires to come unto these parts to live ...
    • John Bowers, son of George, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a gradute of Harvard in 1649."
  8. Donald Lines Jacobus, History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, CD-Local and Family Histories: CT, 1600's - 1800's, (Produced in collaboration with the Genealogical Publishing Company, 2000), vol 1, p 437.
  9. Samuel Orcutt, History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880 (1880, Reprint: Bowie, Maryland, Heritage Books, Inc., 1998), pp. 539-40.
  10. Donald Lines Jacobus, Families of Ancient New Haven, vol 3, p 624.
  11. Donald Lines Jacobus, Families of Ancient New Haven, vol 1, p 236.
  12. Frank F. O'Brien, 1934 WPA Headstone Inscriptions - Derby Colonial Cemetery, p. 256. http://oxfordpast.net/dccemscan256.html.
  13. Donald Lines Jacobus, Families of Ancient New Haven, vol 1, p 236.
  14. Frank F. O'Brien, 1934 WPA Headstone Inscriptions - Derby Colonial Cemetery, p. 256. http://oxfordpast.net/dccemscan256.html.
  15. Derby Colonial Cemetery Photograph - Derby, CT. http://oxfordpast.net/cem1260.html.
  16. Source: #S157 Page: p.9-10
  17. Source: #S54 Page: vol. 79; July 1925; p.p. 288-9
  18. Source: #S157 Page: p.9-10
  19. Source: #S157 Page: p.9-10
  20. History of Billerica, Massachusetts, with a Genealogical register by Hazen, Henry Allen, pg 14 (382 of 588 in pdf)

See also:

  • Copied and compared with the original by Nancy O. Phillips, Sarah Riggs Humphrey Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Derby, Connecticut Town Records, 1655-1710 (New Haven, CT, The Tuttle, Morehouse and Taylor Company, 1901.), p. 29. . 18 Apr 1677 - Derby

http://www.derbyhistorical.org/Records1655-1710/029.html.

  • Phillips, Derby Town Records, p. 30. 22 Aug 1677 - Derby

http://www.derbyhistorical.org/Records1655-1710/030.html.

  • Selected and Introduced by Gary Boyd Roberts, Genealogies of Connecticut Families From The New England Historical and Genealogical Register ([CD]Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1983), vol 3, p 590.
  • Donald Lines Jacobus, Families of Ancient New Haven ([CD]Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1981[originally]Rome, N.Y. and New Haven, Conn., 1922-1932), vol 5, p 1219.

http://www.electronicvalley.org/tour/uptownburial.htm.

  • Edited by Franklin B. Dexter, Ancient Town Records Vol. I, New Haven Town Records 1649-1662 (New Haven, 1917), p. 153. " ... Mr. Bower,* who is scoole master at Plymouth and desires to come unto these parts to live ...
  • John Bowers, son of George, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Harvard in 1649."
  • Donald Lines Jacobus, History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, CD-Local and Family Histories: CT, 1600's - 1800's, (Produced in collaboration with the Genealogical Publishing Company, 2000), vol 1, p 437.
  • Samuel Orcutt, History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880 (1880, Reprint: Bowie, Maryland, Heritage Books, Inc., 1998), pp. 539-40.
  • Donald Lines Jacobus, Families of Ancient New Haven, vol 3, p 624. vol 1, p 236. vol 7, p 1750.




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It may be possible to confirm family relationships with John by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with John:

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Comments: 3

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This person immigrated to New England between 1621-1640 as a Minor Child (under age 21 at time of immigration) of a Puritan Great Migration immigrant who is profiled in Robert Charles Anderson's Great Migration Directory (or is otherwise accepted by the Puritan Great Migration (PGM) Project).

Please feel free to improve the profile(s) by providing additional information and reliable sources. PGM encourages the Profile Managers to monitor these profiles for changes; if any problems arise, please contact the PGM Project via G2G for assistance. Please note that PGM continues to manage the parent's profile, but is happy to assist on the children when needed.

posted by Bobbie (Madison) Hall
There seems to be conflicting info here. John's first wife, Rebecca Gregson, is described in John's profile as living until 1720. But John's profile also shows him marrying another woman in 1662, presumably because Rebecca died. A personal genealogy blog (https://everyleafhasastory.com/2017/12/01/reverend-john-bowers-and-rebecca-gregson/) indicates that Rebecca Gregson died shortly after the birth of their first (and only) daughter Ruth in 1657 or shortly thereafter. John's second wife, Bridget Thompson, is shown in her profile to die in 1720. While I cannot provide iron-clad sources for Rebecca's death date, it seems clear that Bridget's 1720 death date was also plugged into Rebecca's profile by mistake.
posted by Timothy Bishop
Bowers-2087 and Bower-87 appear to represent the same person because: info coincides
posted by Timothy Laird

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Categories: Puritan Great Migration Minor Child