Individual Details
Richard Bowen
(Abt 1590 - Bef 4 Feb 1674/75)
Richard was born in Wales circa 1590. By 1638 Richard, his wife and seven children were living in Salem. After his daughter Sarah married Robert Fuller in Salem around 1639, the rest of the family moved to Weymouth across the bay. Richard's landholdings in Weymouth was described in 1642 as including 14 acres of upland, swamp and salt marsh. Richard and his son Richard Jr. were also among the first settlers of Seekonk before 1643.
In 1643 some 40 families including Richard's, under the leadership of their pastor, Rev. Samuel Newman, left Roxbury and penetrated the unbroken wilderness and formed a new settlement 50 miles to the south and named it Rehoboth. The word, Rehoboth, is from the Hebrew, meaning a broad way; and the settlers chose it signifying that the Lord had opened a way for them. Richard's wife Ann died around 1644 soon after the family moved to Rehoboth. He married again to Elizabeth Marsh, the widow of George Marsh of Hingham, November 1648. In Rehoboth, Richard was active in public affairs, being elected to various offices and committees. His name is also seen regularly in town records and land deeds.
BIRTH-MARRIAGE-DEATH: The Bowen Family, by Daniel Bowen (1893), p. unknown.
Genealogy of the Bowens of Woodstock, CN.
Bowen's Court by Elizabeth Bowen.
Hartford Times Querries B-3369.
In 1643 some 40 families including Richard's, under the leadership of their pastor, Rev. Samuel Newman, left Roxbury and penetrated the unbroken wilderness and formed a new settlement 50 miles to the south and named it Rehoboth. The word, Rehoboth, is from the Hebrew, meaning a broad way; and the settlers chose it signifying that the Lord had opened a way for them. Richard's wife Ann died around 1644 soon after the family moved to Rehoboth. He married again to Elizabeth Marsh, the widow of George Marsh of Hingham, November 1648. In Rehoboth, Richard was active in public affairs, being elected to various offices and committees. His name is also seen regularly in town records and land deeds.
BIRTH-MARRIAGE-DEATH: The Bowen Family, by Daniel Bowen (1893), p. unknown.
Genealogy of the Bowens of Woodstock, CN.
Bowen's Court by Elizabeth Bowen.
Hartford Times Querries B-3369.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1590 | Wales |  | ||
| Marriage | Abt 1615 | Wales - Ann | |||
| Marriage | Nov 1648 | Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States - Mrs. Elizabeth Marsh | | ||
| Death | Bef 4 Feb 1674/75 | Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States | |||
| Burial | 4 Feb 1674/75 | Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States |  | | |
| Probate | 4 Jun 1675 | Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States | | ||
| Will | | |
Families
| Spouse | Ann (1592 - 1644) |
| Child | Sarah Bowen (1616 - 1676) |
| Child | Alice "Alys" Bowen (1618 - 1698) |
| Child | Ruth Bowen (1622 - 1688) |
| Child | Obadiah Bowen (1624 - 1710) |
| Child | Thomas Bowen (1627 - 1663) |
| Child | William Bowen (1630 - 1686) |
| Child | Richard Bowen Jr. (1632 - 1722) |
| Spouse | Mrs. Elizabeth Marsh ( - 1674) |
| Father | James Bowen ( - ) |
| Mother | Ellen Griffith ( - ) |
Notes
Burial
This town (Rehoboth) is about 8 miles east of providence and in the "Newman cemetery" lie the remains of Richard Bowen and some of his descendants. (Genealogical Exchange, Mar 1911, p 81Will
Richard's will is recorded in Plymouth Colony Wills, v. III, pp. 147-9.He leaves bequests to his wife Elizabeth, to his three living sons, and his three daughters. "to my daughter Sarah ffuller my warming pan after my wife decease: and a pewter platter when the will is proved." Richard Jr. was executor. The inventory recorded with his will totaled 175.15.08 pounds, 100 of it real estate. Richard signed with his mark of "R".
The Last will and Testament of Richard Bowin, Sr.
June 4, 1675 Plymouth Colony Wills 3:148-149 #P241
Richard Bowin's Will
[3:1:147] The last Will and Testament of Richard Bowin senir of Rehoboth in the Collonie of Plymouth in New England exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth aforsaid the fouth of June Anno: Dom 1675 on the oath of Mr John Pecke as followeth
Be it Knowne unto all men by these prsents that I Richard Bowin senir: of Rehoboth in the Collonie of New Plymouth in New England Doe the Day and Date above written ordaine and make this my last will and Testament being in my Good and prfect Memory and understanding as followeth;
Item I Give to my beloved wife Elizabeth two Cowes and one heiffer a yeer old and a Mare 5 yeer old and a Mare Colt two yeer old and one Colt that followeth the Mare;
Item I Give unto my wife my best bed; with all that belonges to it; and all my linnine two Pewter platters; with som other small peeces of pewter; both the bras kettles I Iron pott I skillett one frying pan all my poultry and halfe my swine younge and old alsoe I Give to my wife one Coffer; and halfe my provisions after my buriall; halfe of my Corne; halfe my hay that is Gathered in or may be Growing att my Decease; halfe my butter Cheese Bacon and porke; one hake with the eke belonging to it; one Cherne one brewing tubb one powdering tubb one beer barrell and my milk vessells; Cushens one Candlesticke; all these foremensioned prticulars; I Give to my beloved wife to Dispose of att her Death unto whom shee will; moreover I Give unto my wife my bible my warming pan; halfe my house that prte of the Leanto, nearest unto the Chimney; as alsoe halfe my orchyard; and halfe my home lott; excepting that prte I sould unto Stephen Paine senir: being an acre more or lesse; all these I say I Give unto my beloved wife, the full tearme of her life; moreover my wife shall have libertie to mow two load of hay on my meddow att Palmers River and three load more on my meddow on the New meddow necke,every yeer soe longe as shee liveth;
Item I Give to my son Willam one hundred pounds Comonage; my lott on the East syde of the plaine my lott in the second Devision; my prte of ffresh meddow lying and being neare the mile run; my ffresh meddow at Palmers Riverall my meddow that I have mowed att my meddow on the New meddow necke Theother pte of this meddow, I have Given unto my son Obadiah; and my son Richard,as will appeer by a Deed of Gift under my hand; Moreover I Give unto my son Willam; halfe my house halfe my barn; halfe my orchyard halfe my homelott except that I sould to Steven Paine senir: and it is my Will that that after my wifes Decease that my son Willam shall have all my housing and barnes orchyard homlott with all those lands and meddowes before mensioned unto him and his heires forever;
Item I Give unto my son Willam halfe my swine halfe my Corne halfe my hay; Ingathered or may be Growing and halfe my provisions; butter Cheese bacon Porke;
Item I Give to my son Willam halfe my Cart and wheeles my Cart Rope with my plow and plowirons belonging to it 2 Chaires two hogsheads, and all other Corne vessell my wife Can spare; my hake with the Ringe; on it; my Great brasse pott an Iron pott and my Great brasse pan; and alsoe it is my will that hee shall have the land which is to be Devided according to the Devision of 20 acrees to the hundred pound estate; and alsoe my lott lately layed out on the necke Called Wachamaquat necke; and all such lands as shalbe Devided after the Date hereof; according to the proportion of a hundred pound estate; I alsoe Give unto my son Willam; my Chest in the hall my Cofferin the seller loft my Chaine my hay knife Dung forke Pikes Rakes hand sawaugers 2 beetle ringes and all my Iron wedges; as alsoe that oxe Called Duke; and my bible after my Wifes Decease;
Item I alsoe Give unto my son Willam the bed hee now lyeth on and the furniture belonging to it; and one bed sheet and my winnow sheet; and all my boards about my house, and all my wearing apparrell;
Item I Give unto my son Obadiah halfe a hundred pounds of Comonage; my plowIrons of my breakeing plow and my thawrtcutt saw and halfe my logg Chaine;and the other halfe I Give to my son Willam;
Item I Give to my Daughter Allice Wheaton my Daughter Sarah ffuller and my Daughter Ruth Kenericke my old mare and a Colt that suckes on her;
Item I Give to my Daughter Allice Wheaton my fflagon and two pewter platters;
Item I Give to my Daughter Sarah ffuller my warming pan after my wifes Decease; and a pewter platter when the will is proved;
Item I Give to my Daughter Ruth Kenericke one pewter platter;
It is alsoe my will that if any of these fornamed beasts [p.148]: viz: neat beasts or horses given Doe Die or come to any lose, the lose shalbe to the pticular prson or prsons unto whom they were Given; my executor shalbe free hee shall not make it Good to him or them; Item all the Rest of my Goods lands Chattles or whatsoever I have not Given in this my Will and Testament; I Give to my son Richard whom I make and ordaine my sole executor to pay my Debts and to Discharge my legacyes and to see my body buried; witnes my hand the Day and yeer above written
Witnes The marke R of Richard
Stephen Paine Junr: Bowin senir:
John Pecke;
Endnotes
1. Johnson, Carol Clark, 1914- ., Fullers, Sissons, and Scotts, our yeoman ancestors : 46 New England and New York families. (Mobile, Ala.: American International, 1976?. 650 pgs.), Bowen p. 1.
2. Johnson, Carol Clark, 1914- ., Fullers, Sissons, and Scotts, our yeoman ancestors : 46 New England and New York families. (Mobile, Ala.: American International, 1976?. 650 pgs.), p. 1.
3. Johnson, Carol Clark, 1914- ., Fullers, Sissons, and Scotts, our yeoman ancestors : 46 New England and New York families. (Mobile, Ala.: American International, 1976?. 650 pgs.), Bowen p. 1.
4. Johnson, Carol Clark, 1914- ., Fullers, Sissons, and Scotts, our yeoman ancestors : 46 New England and New York families. (Mobile, Ala.: American International, 1976?. 650 pgs.), Bowen p. 1.
5. Johnson, Carol Clark, 1914- ., Fullers, Sissons, and Scotts, our yeoman ancestors : 46 New England and New York families. (Mobile, Ala.: American International, 1976?. 650 pgs.), Bowen, p. 1.