Captain William Bowie
Encyclopedia
Captain William Bowie was an early colonist in the Province of Maryland
and an American Revolutionary, a member of the Assembly of Freemen, a delegate to the Annapolis Convention (1774–1776).
and Mary Mulliken. Bowie was born in 1721 at the home of his parents, Brookridge a few miles from Nottingham in Prince George's County, Maryland
. His father purchased a large tract of land about two miles from Nottingham for him when he was twenty one years called "Brooke's Reserve" which later became known as "Mattaponi". Here he erected a large brick house.
It is probable that William Bowie commanded one of the militia organizations maintained by the Province though no record of his commission has been discovered.
In 1753 he was appointed tobacco
inspector for Nottingham and later a justice of the peace, a member of St Paul's vestry, and in 1767 warden of the parish.
In 1770 it was rumored that ships were en route from Great Britain loaded with European goods and might soon be expected to reach the Patuxent River
. The inhabitants of Prince George county thought it necessary to prohibit the landing of these cargoes and called a meeting for April 10 1770 at Upper Marlboro
, selecting representatives to keep an eye upon events and to provide guards at points on the Patuxent where ships were likely to land. Only the most resolute and responsible citizens were delegated by the people for this purpose and the ones for Patuxent or Nottingham were William Bowie and his brother Allen Bowie.
. In November of the same year a meeting of freeholders was held at Upper Marlboro where a committee was appointed which was instructed to see that the resolutions of the Continental Congress
were enforced within Prince George county Among the men selected for this committee were William Bowie and his brother Allen Bowie as well as Walter Bowie
and Robert Bowie
who were William's sons.
The latter was also placed on a committee of correspondence and it was further resolved that Captain William Bowie and Walter Bowie with others are selected as delegates of this county to attend a convention to be held at Annapolis and are authorized to vote in the convention for delegates to attend a congress which will assemble at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
on the 10th of May the next year. In June 1775 these representatives met at Annapolis and on July 26, 1775 this convention issued the Declaration of the Association of the Freemen.
What further part William Bowie took during the Revolution is unclear.
, Robert Bowie
, William Sprigg Bowie, Osborn Sprigg Bowie, Ann Bowie and Margaret Sprigg Bowie.
Province of Maryland
The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S...
and an American Revolutionary, a member of the Assembly of Freemen, a delegate to the Annapolis Convention (1774–1776).
Early life
Captain William Bowie was the son of John Bowie, Sr.John Bowie, Sr.
John Bowie, Sr. was born in Scotland in 1688 and died in Maryland in April 1759. He was the first of the Bowie family to arrive in colonial Maryland, emigrating from Scotland between 1705 and 1706 and settling near Nottingham, Prince George's County, Maryland on the Patuxent River...
and Mary Mulliken. Bowie was born in 1721 at the home of his parents, Brookridge a few miles from Nottingham in Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
. His father purchased a large tract of land about two miles from Nottingham for him when he was twenty one years called "Brooke's Reserve" which later became known as "Mattaponi". Here he erected a large brick house.
It is probable that William Bowie commanded one of the militia organizations maintained by the Province though no record of his commission has been discovered.
In 1753 he was appointed tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
inspector for Nottingham and later a justice of the peace, a member of St Paul's vestry, and in 1767 warden of the parish.
In 1770 it was rumored that ships were en route from Great Britain loaded with European goods and might soon be expected to reach the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
. The inhabitants of Prince George county thought it necessary to prohibit the landing of these cargoes and called a meeting for April 10 1770 at Upper Marlboro
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
, selecting representatives to keep an eye upon events and to provide guards at points on the Patuxent where ships were likely to land. Only the most resolute and responsible citizens were delegated by the people for this purpose and the ones for Patuxent or Nottingham were William Bowie and his brother Allen Bowie.
Assembly of Freemen
William Bowie was a delegate sent from Prince Georges County to the Annapolis Convention, June 22, 1774 which passed strong resolutions in favor of upholding the rights of the Province if necessary by force of arms against Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. In November of the same year a meeting of freeholders was held at Upper Marlboro where a committee was appointed which was instructed to see that the resolutions of the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
were enforced within Prince George county Among the men selected for this committee were William Bowie and his brother Allen Bowie as well as Walter Bowie
Walter Bowie
Walter Bowie was an American politician.-Biography:Born in Mattaponi, near Nottingham, Prince George's County, Maryland, Bowie attended Reverend John Eversfield's School near Nottingham, the common schools in Annapolis, and Craddock’s School near Baltimore...
and Robert Bowie
Robert Bowie
Robert Bowie served as the 11th Governor of the state of Maryland in the United States, from 1803 to 1806, and from 1811 to 1812....
who were William's sons.
The latter was also placed on a committee of correspondence and it was further resolved that Captain William Bowie and Walter Bowie with others are selected as delegates of this county to attend a convention to be held at Annapolis and are authorized to vote in the convention for delegates to attend a congress which will assemble at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
on the 10th of May the next year. In June 1775 these representatives met at Annapolis and on July 26, 1775 this convention issued the Declaration of the Association of the Freemen.
What further part William Bowie took during the Revolution is unclear.
Personal life
Captain William Bowie married Margaret Sprigg in 1745. They had seven children, Elizabeth born in 1746, Walter BowieWalter Bowie
Walter Bowie was an American politician.-Biography:Born in Mattaponi, near Nottingham, Prince George's County, Maryland, Bowie attended Reverend John Eversfield's School near Nottingham, the common schools in Annapolis, and Craddock’s School near Baltimore...
, Robert Bowie
Robert Bowie
Robert Bowie served as the 11th Governor of the state of Maryland in the United States, from 1803 to 1806, and from 1811 to 1812....
, William Sprigg Bowie, Osborn Sprigg Bowie, Ann Bowie and Margaret Sprigg Bowie.