Why Read This? (First published August 2007, and significantly revised and updated November 22, 2007; with an additional update December 27, 2007; with DNA results re: son Elias added January 12, 2008; update re: son George II added February 16, 2008; with a complete rewrite on April 18, 2008)
If you are a descendant of the George Bowman (Bauman) who resided in both Berks County, PA and in Rockingham County, VA, you will be fascinated with the new information about him found in this web site!
Descendents of George's son, John Bowman - as outlined in the two George Bowman genealogy books noted below - have known of their ancestry back to the immigrant George Bowman for many years. But now they know of immigrant George's family and life in Germany before coming to America. And they also know they have many additional relatives because George had other children, unknown to John Bowman's descendents until now.
For example, descendents of Elias Bowman of Berkeley County, WV and Washington County, TN know they are descendents of the same George Bowman and Maria Barbara Keller, as Elias was one of the German-born children of George and Barbara Bowman. And descendents of two grandsons of immigrant George and Barbara, namely George Bowman III and Nicholas Bowman, can trace their ancestry back to Germany through George Bowman II, the eldest German-born son of immigrant George and Barbara Bowman.
Here is what is newly known:
- - Information about George while a resident of Bodigheim, Mosbach, Baden, Germany before coming to Pennsylvania, including his marriage, his occupation, his parents and his grandparents.
- - The name of George's wife, Maria Barbara Keller, and her parents.
- - Names of George and Maria's children born in Bodigheim, and information about their whereabouts in America. Recent DNA testing has confirmed, as noted above, the relationship of Elias Bowman and George Bowman II as German-born sons of the immigrants, confirming they are relatives to son, John's, descendents.
- - Record of the sale of George's property in Bodigheim prior to his departure, and payment of his manumission tax.
- - The name of the ship on which George and Maria came to Pennsylvania, including a copy of George's signature on the ship's roster.
- - The correct date for son, John's birth in Pennsylvania, including information about the churches the Bowmans were associated with.
- - Information about the tract of land George owned in Greenwich Township, Berks County, Pa.
- - Side information about the Kamps and Lindemuths that support these families lived nearby and related extensively both before and after coming to America.
For more information, please read on! The last section, The Search and DNA provides the story of the search, with special emphasis on the role of DNA. Any genealogical search is a work in process. If this web site inspires you to research, please share your findings, especially if further research provides the opportunity to correct errors! My contact information is immediately below. If you wish to use any of this material, please contact me and reference the web site.
Thank you, Anna Bowman
It is important to recognize the work of Anna M. Harman Bowman who presented all descendents of George Bowman a tremendous gift when she published her Bowman genealogy book in the 1970s. We owe her a huge debt of gratitude.
An updated edition of that book has been printed, thanks to Mary Ruth Parsons, and this book is now available. For information, please contact Mary Ruth at Chocolate7@aol.com.
From Anna Harman Bowman’s book we know:
-- George immigrated from Germany mid-18th century to GreenwichTownship, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
-- He owned property in that Township up until 1768 or 1769, and then relocated to a farm outside Timberville, Rockingham County, Virginia.
-- He bought the land near Timberville from Andrew Hudlow in 1772. Soon thereafter he built the house that has since been dismantled and re-built at FrontierCultureMuseum.
-- George became a naturalized citizen on October 16, 1765.
-- He had one son, John, who purchased his father’s Timberville farm in Rockingham County, Virginia. The Bowman genealogy book notes(in error it turns out) that John was born on July 1, 1750, probably before George migrated.
-- Bernie Bowman
Maryville, Tennessee bernarddbowman@charter.net
The Bowman House
With the re-building of the George Bowman house (left) at Frontier Culture Museum at Staunton, Virginia, others, in addition to the Bowman family, have a vested interest in learning about George’s life. The Bowman House is a treasure our family shares with all! For more information on the Bowman House at the Museum, visit www.frontiermuseum.org/visit.php and click on "Bowman Exhibit."
Read more
For more about George Bowman, please click on the pages in the column at left to see background information as well as images of records and documents on file in a variety of archives.