BOWEN
History
The surname Bowen has a rich and interesting history - both an Anglicization of the Welsh name Ab Owain (itself derived from the Latin Eugenius), meaning "son of Owen" and the Irish name O' Buadhachain, meaning "descendant of Bohan". Family rumour indicates our line is of the Welsh persuasion, but we only have solid documentation of American Bowens, so it's really anyone's guess.
Stephen Bowen
1814 - 1872
Stephen was born in North Carolina in 1814, to unknown parents. In the late 1830s, he married Mary Wilson, and the two went on to have nine children. Stephen was a farmer for most of his life. He passed away in 1872.
Stephen and Mary's children:
Sources:
Stephen and Mary's children:
- Willy Bowen, b. 1840, d. 1862
- James Bowen, b. 1841, d. 1862
- Mary Bowen, b. 1843
- Lucinda Bowen, b. 1845
- Sarah Bowen, b. 1850
- Stephen Bowen, b. 1852
- Luther Bowen, b. 1854, d. 1936
- Robert Bowen, b. 1856
- Ellen Bowen, b. 1859, d. 1904
Sources:
- 1850 & 1860 Census
Luther Bowen
1854 - 1936
Luther was born in North Carolina in 1854, the seventh child of Stephen and Mary. He joined his father in farming at a young age, and remained a farmer his entire life. In 1880, he married Rebecca Crawford, and they went on to have seven children. It is currently unclear when and why they moved where they did, but census records indicate the family lived in both Texas and Oklahoma. Luther died in Comanche County, Oklahoma in 1936.
Luther and Rebecca's children:
Sources:
Luther and Rebecca's children:
- James Bowen, b. 1882, d. 1953
- Telia Bowen, b. 1890, d. 1966
- Minnie Bowen, b. 1892, d. 1893
- Arthur Bowen, b. 1894, d. 1900
- Clifford Bowen, b. 1897, d. 1981
- Ruth Bowen, b. 1899, d. 1993
- Alex Bowen, b. 1902, d. 1951
Sources:
- 1900 & 1910 Census
- Gravestones
- Marriage Index
Telia Bowen
1890 - 1966
Telia was the second child of Luther and Rebecca, born in 1890. In 1911, she married William 'Pat' Hooker, and they had two children, ten years apart. During a Thanksgiving trip in the 1940s, the car they were traveling in struck a deer, and left Telia unable to walk without the use of crutches; she was later confined to a wheelchair. By all accounts, Telia and Pat had a deeply loving relationship - family members recall them always wanting to be near one another, and that Pat happily cared for Telia as her mobility declined. The two spent their later years living with their eldest daughter and her husband (my great-grandparents). Telia passed away in 1966, a few months after her 76th birthday.
For information on Telia and Pat's children, please visit the Hooker page.
Sources:
For information on Telia and Pat's children, please visit the Hooker page.
Sources:
- 1900 Census
- Family information