John Jacob Bowman (1773 - 1843)

Born 13 Apr 1773 in Rockingham County, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Eva (Steele) Bowman — married 25 Apr 1796 in Washington County, Tennessee

Descendants

Died Jan 1843 at age 69 in Floursville, Washington, Tennessee, United States

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He is referred to as "John Jacob Bowman" in this WikiTree profile because his Washington County probated Will refers to him as first John Bowman then as Jacob Bowman repeating the Will in entirety under both names. Because his children and wife are identified in that Will and all other particulars in the two documents are the same it is obvious that the probate court was referring to one individual under these two given names. ^[1]

Biography

John Jacob Bowman, the son of Jacob Bowman and Susanna Milhouse, was born April 13, 1773.

He married Elizabeth 'Eve' Steele April 25, 1796, Rockingham, Virginia. ^[2] The couple relocated to the newly available lands in northeast Tennessee where they lived in the Boones Creek farm community, Washington County.

John's will was recorded in Washington County October 9, 1840.^[1] Today, almost all the Boones Creek farming community lands have been annexed by nearby Johnson City. Boone Lake, which feeds the tributary, was named for pioneer Daniel Boone.

Will of John Bowman

Washington County, TN Will Book 1, pages 316-317.

John Bowman, b. 1773, Rockingham Co. VA; d. 1843, Washington Co. TN; m. Eve Elizabeth Steele, 1796 in Rockingham Co. VA. His will was written in October 1840 and proved in January 1843, the presumed month of his death. The will is brief in that it appears that most of his heirs had already received their inheritance. It is a bit unusual as it contains several contextual errors, hopefully of no consequence.

I, John Bowman, of the State of Tennessee, Washington County, being now in feeble health but of sound mind and memory but knowing that it is appointed for all men to die, and such worldly estate it has pleased God to bless me with, I now make this instrument of writing my last will and testament as directed in the following manner:

First – that all my just debs should be paid out of my estate.

Second – I leave John and Madison to take care of my beloved wife Eve; they are to maintain her or cause it to be done by their heirs or assigns.

Third – Catherine Klepper has got her part of the estate.

Fourth – Susannah Klepper has got her part of the estate.

Fifth – I leave to Sarah Zimmermans heirs of her body one thousand dollars after Jacob Bowman get four hundred dollars if it can be collected.

Sixth – Mary Highsinger [Hysinger] has got her part of the estate.

Sevetnh – Joseph Bowman has got his part of the estate.

Eigtht [Eighth] – Isaac Bowman has got his part of the estate.

Eigtht [Ninth] – Rebecca Meads [Mead] has got her part of the estate.

Tenth – Daniel Bowman has got his part of the estate.

Eleventh and Twelfth are missing]

Thirteenth* – Benj. Bowman has got his part of the estate.

Fourteenth – Samuel Bowman has got his part of the estate.

Fifteenth – I hereby nominate and appoint my two sons Joseph and John Bowman Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all other wills, legacies and bequests made by me and pronounced this to be my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the sixth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty.

John Bowman, (Seal)

Signed, sealed and acknowledged In presence of us: Test.

Wm. D. Smaulen [Smallen/Smallin], Solomon [“X” his mark] Smaulen [Smallen/Smallin], Joseph Bowman

The foregoing will was proven in open Court by the oaths of Wm. D. Smaulen [Smallin/Smallenn] & Joseph Bowman, two of the subscribing witnesses thereunto at Jan [January] term 1843.

[ ] indicates additions, corrections or comments by the transcriber.

Transcribed by Ronald L. Akers from a photocopy of the original; spelling and composition have been left unchanged from the original, ^[1]

Death

John died in 1843 and was buried on the Dee Hale farm near Floursville, Tennessee.^[3]

Floursville, Tennessee is the historic downtown area within the Boones Creek farming community. ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Washington County, Tennessee Will Book 1, pg. 316-317. Transcribed by Ronald L. Akers from a photocopy of the original; spelling and composition have been left unchanged from the original. https://tngenweb.org/washington/records-data/index-to-wills-and-inventories/#bowman
2. ↑ Dodd, Jordan, comp. "Virginia Marriages, 1660-1800" Reprinted ($ online db) Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 1997. Reprinted (online db) FamilySearch.org FHL Film No. 33497; Ref. ID. p.6. Accessed 9 Apr 2024. Source text quoted verbatim.
3. ↑ Dr. Emmert F. Bittinger, “The Jacob and Varena Bowman Family, Brethren Pioneers of Maryland and Virginia,” Mennonite Family History, Vol. XVI, No. 3 (July 1997); Vol. XVI, No. 4 (October 1997) (page 158); and Vol. XVII, No. 1 (January 1998).Digital version
4. ↑ Wikipedia "Boones Creek, Tennessee" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boones_Creek,_Tennessee#:~:text=Boones%20Creek%20is%20a%20neighborhood,a%20neighborhood%20of%20Johnson%20City.