University of Virginia Library

THE BOWIE FAMILY

In the year 1742, or thereabout, two brothers—Scots—bearing
the names of John and James Bowie, obtained a grant of land
in Caroline county, near Port Royal, on the Rappahannock, and
here settled. The estate of James Bowie, who was never married,
was named "Braehead," and the estate of John Bowie was called
"The Hill."

Bowie Arms

John Bowie married Judith Catlett, daughter of Col. John
Catlett and Mary Grayson and had issue (1) James Bowie who
m. Catherine Miller; (2) Catherine Bowie who m. James Pendleton;
(3) Elizabeth Bowie who m. James Smith; (4) Judith Bowie
who m. a Mr. Noel; (5) Eleanor Bowie who died unmarried;
(6) Mary Bowie who m. a Mr. Timberlake; (7) Janette Bowie
who m. Joseph Duerson.

James Bowie, only son of John Bowie and Judith Catlett,
married, first, Catherine Miller, a niece of the wife of Robert
Gilchrist and had issue: (1) John Catlett Bowie who served in the
War of 1812.

John Catlett Bowie m. first, Jane Timberlake and had issue:

(1) Lucy Anne Bowie, who m. John L. Quesenberry. John L.
Quesenberry and Lucy Anne Bowie had issue: (1) John James
Quesenberry; (2) William Bowie Quesenberry. William Bowie
Quesenberry m. Emma Fitzhugh and had issue: (1) Mary Brockenbrough
Quesenberry and (2) William Fitzhugh Quesenberry.
John Catlett Bowie m. second, Sarah Cox and had issue: (1)
Allen Brockenbrough Bowie; (2) James Livingstone Bowie; (3)
Catherine Miller Bowie.

Allen Brockenbrough Bowie enlisted in the Caroline Artillery,
commanded by Captain T. R. Thornton, but on account of ill
health was transferred to the Commissary Department and
served in South Carolina under General Drayten. Allen Brockenbrough
Bowie married Elizabeth Lovell Duncanson, a descendant
of Col. James Duncanson, of Revolutionary fame and had issue:
(1) Mary Alphonsa Bowie; (2) John William Bowie; (3) Allen
H. Bowie; (4) James G. Bowie.

Julia Duncanson Bowie married Capelle H. Archer, a prominent
real estate dealer of Richmond and had issue: (1) Elsie V. Archer;
(2) Allene B. Archer; (3) Mary Randolph Archer; (4) Katherine
Bowie Archer.

John Wm. Bowie settled in Covington, Va., operating a drug
establishment.

Allen H. Bowie served in the Spanish-American War and was
hospital sergeant in the McGuire Unit during the World War,
being stationed at Toul, France. He married Ella Mae Womble
and has issue: (1) John W. Bowie, (2) Allen Morris Bowie and
(3) Robert Duncanson Bowie.

James Livingstone Bowie, second son of John Catlett Bowie
and Sarah Cox, served as Lieutenant in the Caroline Artillery
during the Civil War and afterward settled in Louisville, Ky.,
where he became auditor for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.
He married Alice Duncanson and had issue: (1) Catherine Bowie,
(2) Livingstone Bowie, a broker; (3) Alice M. Bowie, an attorney
and (4) James L. Bowie, business man of Louisville, Ky.

Catherine Miller Bowie, only daughter of John Catlett Bowie
by his second wife, Sarah Cox, and an unusually brilliant woman,
married John Henry Martin, a descendant of Colonel John
Martin who was prominent in the life of Caroline from its very
beginning as a county and who represented the county in the
House of Burgesses 1738-1741. A large section of the county
now known as "The Chase" was originally owned by this Colonel

John Martin of pre-Revolutionary fame. Many of his descendants
are now to be found in Orange county, seven or eight
miles east of the courthouse, where they first settled upon removing
from Caroline.

John Henry Martin and Catherine Miller Bowie had issue:
(1) Julian Bowie Martin, well known educator, who m. Ruby
Snead, of Fluvanna county and had issue: Julian Bowie Martin
II, and Catherine Isabel Martin.

(2) Sallie Martin who married Dr. Arthur Lewis Martin, of
Naulakla, Caroline county, descendant of Warner Lewis, and who
has three daughters, Pattie Livingstone Martin, Mary Bowie
Martin and Garnett Lewis Martin.

(3) Henry Miller Martin, A. B., A. M., Ph. D., is Professor of
Spanish in the University of Illinois. He was a Fellow of John
Hopkins University, from which he received his Ph. D. He studied
abroad for several years.

(4) Judith H. Martin, of "Clay Hill" Caroline county.

Walter Bowie, son of James Bowie and Catherine Miller, was
twice married: First, to Julia A. Spindle by whom he had issue:
(1) Catherine N. Bowie, who m. a Mr. Chewning; (2) James
Barbour Bowie, who m. Anna Forbes; (3) Walter Bowie, C. S. A.
veteran and Professor of Mathematics in V. M. I., and who
married First a Mrs. Miller and Second, Eugenia Miller, of
Caroline. Walter Bowie lived on his estate—"Kernan"—in
Westmoreland. His grandson, Gordon Forbes Bowie, was a
prominent physician. His second wife was Mary S. Todd by
whom he had the following children: (4) Walter Bowie, II, who m.
Gillie Jones; (5) Sarah, who m. T. M. Murphy; (6) Mary; (7)
Margaret, who m. Col. R. S. Lawrence; (8) Edwin, (9) Ella who
m. Judge J. T. Pendleton.

Walter Bowie, II, married Gillie Jones and had issue: (1)
Walter Russell Bowie, III. Walter Russell Bowie, III, married
Elizabeth Branch, of Richmond and had issue: (1) The Rev. Dr.
Walter Russell Bowie, IV, former Rector of St. Paul's church
(Episcopal) Richmond and at present (1923) Rector of Grace
church, New York City; (2) Martha S. P. Bowie, who married
her cousin Melville Campbell Branch, well known banker of
Richmond.

William Miller Bowie, son of Robert Bowie and Catherine
Miller, was married first, to Elizabeth Farrish, no issue and, second,

to Nannie Jessie by whom he had issue: (1) Charles Bowie, (2)
Eugene Bowie

Charles Bowie, son of William Bowie and Nannie Jessie,
married First, Sarah Jones, no issue; Second, to Fannie Catlett
by whom he had issue: (1) William D. Bowie, (2) Nannie Bowie,
(3) Walter Nelson Bowie and (4) Frank E. Bowie. Charles
Bowie lives at "Midway" near Woodford in Caroline county.
"Midway" is named for its geographical location in the county.
The water from one side of the roof flows to the Mattaponi and
from the other side it flows to the Rappahannock. The town
of Midway, Ky., was named for this old Catlett estate. Charles
Bowie was married a third time to Miss Boulware, daughter of
George Boulware.

Eugene Bowie, son of William Bowie and Nannie Jessie,
married First, Julia White, of "Mt. Zephyr" in Caroline, now
owned by Mr. R. L. Brooks and had issue: (1) Eugene Bowie,
II, (2) Margaret Anne (Madge) Bowie, who married Dr. W. A.
Shepherd, a prominent physician of Richmond, by whom she
has three sons, William, Bowie and Daniel. Eugene Bowie
married Second, Sophia Corbin, of Caroline and had issue: (3)
Willing Bowie, lawyer and commonwealth's attorney for Caroline
for eight years; (4) Eugene Bowie, named for deceased half
brother; (5) Charles Bowie, who m. Elizabeth Wirt Washington;
(6) Lulie, died infant; (7) Mary Jessie Bowie m. Ira Muse, of "Oak
Grove" Westmoreland county; (8) Catherine Nelson Bowie; (9)
Garnett Bowie and (10) Corbin Bowie, who m. O'Neal Broaddus.

The Times-Dispatch, of Richmond, of January 8, 1911, carried
an obituary notice of the death of Eugene Bowie, which is, in
part, as follows:

"On December 3, 1910, Eugene Bowie, aged fifty-six years,
died at his home, "Mica," in Caroline county, Va. Mr. Bowie was
twice married, his first wife being Julia Campbell White, of
Caroline, from which union there was one son Eugene, who died
in his seventh year, and one daughter, Margaret B. Shepherd,
wife of Dr. Wm. A. Shepherd, of Richmond. His second wife
was Sophia Corbin, of Caroline, to whom he was married in
August 1888. From this marriage seven children and the widow
survive.

"Mr. Bowie possessed such qualities of character and exerted
such influences in his county that his death deserves more than
a passing notice. He was of the true type of old Virginia gentleman.

Open hospitality held sway in his home. Friend and
stranger were welcomed and his generosity extended to all. Perhaps
he helped more of his friends to succeed than did any other man
in the community. His success in business and the means resulting
from his industry enabled him to gratify his desire to help others.
Deep sorrow throughout the community is felt on his passing,
for he will be greatly missed."

Broaddus Arms