Lillian Stella (McIlhaney) Bowen (abt. 1709 - 1780)

Born about 1709 in Ireland

Ancestors

Wife of John Washington Bowen — married 1730 in Chester, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 1 Apr 1780 at about age 71 in Washington, Virginia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Jayme Hart [send private message], Timothy Upton [send private message], Gloria Hedge [send private message], and Chris Wallace [send private message]

Biography

Lily (McIlhaney) Bowen was born in Ireland.

Lily (McIlhaney) Bowen was a Virginia colonist.

Lillian McIlhaney was a patriot. She furnished supplies and fed and clothed Colonial Troops of the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

She was described as "A beautiful Scotch-Irish girl of seventeen came from Ireland with her mother and Stepfather to Penn. She had a strong discriminating mind."

On 20 May 1761, Lilley Bowen obtained Letters of Administration of the estate of Moses Bowen, deceased:^[1]

• On the Motion of Lilley Bowen who made Oath According to Law Certificate is granted her for Obtaining Letters of Administration of the Estate of Moses Bowen deceased she having with Security Entered into and Acknowledged their Bond According to Law.
• Ordered that Moses McClure John McClure Neill McClester and John Maxwell or any three of them being first Sworn do appriase the Personal Estate and Slaves if any of Moses Bowen deceased and return the Appraisement to the next Court.

In 1762, she conveyed to Rees 230 acres on Glade Creek of Roanoke. In 1765, she conveyed to Rees 197 acres of land of the Buckeye Bottom.

Lillian had four sons who served in the Virginia militia. All her boys served in the American Revolution.

Smyth County, Virginia, placed on the Courthouse lawn a monument honoring their Revolutionary War soldiers and patriots. This monument contains the names of 60 soldiers and patriots who were authenticated by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Washington, D.C.

These western mountain patriot soldiers marched in September 1775 to Williamsburg to aid Patrick Henry in forcing Governor Dunmore to return the great store of gunpowder he had removed from the powder magazine in fear of the colonists.^[2] They fought the savage Battle of Kings Mountain^[3] (1780) and the Battle of Guilford Court House^[4] (1781). Thomas Jefferson called the Battle of Kings Mountain "The turn of the tide of success," and it led Cornwallis to remove to Yorktown and surrender. Many died or were terribly wounded.

The monument lists Arthur, Charles, Henry and Captain Robert P. Presumably, Hugh Rees Bowen is not on the list because he was not from Smythe County. Also included is the name of Lillian McIlheney Bowen.

Her son Lieutenant Hugh Reese BOWEN was killed at the Battle of Kings Mountain (7 October 1780) while serving with three of her other sons, Captain John BOWEN, Captain William BOWEN, and Private Charles BOWEN.

She died before 20 June 1780 when her Will was proved in Washinton County, Virginia.

Will & Death

Last Will and Testament of Lilly Bowen^[5]
Washingon County, Virginia.
4 April 1780.

"I, Lilly Bowen of Washington County and Commonwealth of Virginia, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament and therefore first of all do recommend my soul to Got who gave it, and my body to the earth to be decently interred, no doubting but I shall receive it again at the general resurrection by the Almighty power of God.

As to my worldly goods I will and desire that they be disposed of in the following manner.

I give and bequeath to my son Henry Bowen at my death my negro wench Jean, also my young black mare. To my sons Reese, William and Robert Bowen the sum of five shillings each, they having had their full share of their fathers Estate already.

To my daughter Agnes Buchanan, my young white mare, my bed and bed cloaths, also one third part of my pewter, in which is to be included, two large basons, also a third part of the principal and interest of my Loan Office Certificate of one hundred pounds.

To my daughter Jean Looney, another third part, and the remaining third part of sd certificate to my son Charles.

To my son Arthur Bowen a moiety or that part of the Crab Orchard Tract of Land whereon he now lives, the dividing line between him , and his brother Charles, to be run as they have already agreed on.

To my son Charles Bowen the remaining, or that part of the said tract of land whereon he now lives, and my negro man called Wyatt, and a negro fellow called Jack, left him by his father, and of which he is now wrongfully dispossessed of. Also together with all the remainder of my personal estate, not herein bequeathed, of which I may be in possession of at my death, who is to depay my funeral expenses and pay all my just debts.

And I do hereby constitute and appoint my sons, Henry Bowen and Charles Bowen, Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and disannulling all former wills and testaments by me made.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fourth day of April one thousand seven hundred and eighty.

Lilly XX Bowen (Seal)

her mark

Signed and sealed in

presence of

Arthur Campbell

David Campbell

Eleanor Maxwell

At a court held for Washington County the 20th of June 1780 this last will and testament of Lilly Bowen decd was exhibited in Court and proved by the oaths of Arthur Campbell, David Campbell, and Eleaner Maxfield and ordered to be recorded

Teste

Jno. Campbell C.W.C.

Burial:^[6]

Bowen Family Cemetery

Alleghany County

Virginia, USA

Research Notes

Vital Statistics

Birth date listed as 1705 in DAR index book.

Lillian was born in 1709. She passed away in 1780.

Her death on 1 Apr 1780 (certain) in the datafield is unsourced.

Fact: Burial (4 April 1780) Abingdon, Washington, Virginia.

Her FindAGrave memorial lists her grave as being in the Bowen Family Cemetery being in Alleghany County, Virginia.

Relationships

Is this the same Lilly Bowen, administrator of Moses Bowen, deceased, in 20 May 1761 Court Order?^[7] Which Moses is this?

Gunpowder Incident

Wikipedia:Gunpowder Incident describes this incident as occurring in April-May 1775, rather than September 1775.

American Revolution

Her name does not appear on the index maintained by the DAR Patriot Lookup Service but is listed as Patriot Service "PS" in DAR index book.

The profile of John Bowen Jr (bef.1729-bef.1768) says he died in 1768, and the profile of Moses Bowen (abt.1753-1773) says he died in 1773, both before the American Revolution. So all her sons did not serve in the American Revolution. Perhaps meant to say all her living sons. Spratlin-29 15:49, 21 April 2022 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ County Court, Augusta County, Virginia, Court order books, 1745-1867, Order books, v. 7-9 1761-1765; database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4H-8QQQ-J?i=18&cat=275633), image 19.
2. ↑ Wikipedia:Gunpowder Incident.
3. ↑ Wikipedia:Battle of Kings Mountain.
4. ↑ Wikipedia:Battle of Guilford Court House.
5. ↑ County Court, Washington County, Virginia, Will books, 1777-1908; general index to wills, divisors and divisees, 1777-1937, Will books, Vol. 1-3 1777-1812; database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PX-293B-4?i=59&cat=366153), image 60.
6. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #72488463 for Lillian Stella "Lily" McIlhaney Bowen.
7. ↑ County Court, Augusta County, Virginia, Will books, 1745-1871; index to wills, 1745-1903, Will books, v. 3-4 1761-1772; database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9P7-S9S5-3?i=29&cat=279443), images 30-31.

See also:

• Jamie Ault Grady, Bowens of Virginia and Tennessee, Descendants of John Bowen and Lily McIlhaney, Part One (1969); image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/362974/?offset=0#page=1&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=).
• Jamie Ault Grady, Bowens of Virginia and Tennessee, Descendants of John Bowen and Lily McIlhaney, Volume Two (1976); image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/360140/?offset=0#page=1&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=).
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 02 February 2020, 23:09), entry for Lillian Stella McIlhaney (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:L523-W4S; contributed by various users.
• GenealogieOnLine.
• Family notes.