BOWRON
Joseph Bowron was born in Staindrop, England, and died at Champlain, New York, March 25, 1857, aged seventy-eight years. He came to America when a young man and located for a short time in North Carolina, with two brothers, one of whom located finally in Peru, Clinton county, N.Y. About 1792 Joseph Bowron located at Champlain and bought a large tract of wild land, which he cleared and cultivated. Besides his own farming he made a business of clearing land by contract in Champlain and vicinity. He was a Quaker in religion, and his letter of recommendation from England is still in the possession of the family, now of Mrs. James Dickinson. [1910]. The letter reads:
"To Friends of the Monthly Meeting of New York in America:
Dear Friends:
These may inform you that Joseph Bowron, a young man who was born of parents professing with us the poeople called Quakers, did some time since remove from within the compass our Monthly Meeting, and we understand hath settled somewhere in the vicinity of New York. We have therfore to certify on his behalf that he was deemed in membership with us, and left us so far as we know free from debt or marriage contract, as such we recommend him to your friendly care and oversight. Desiring he may walk in uprightness of life and conversation as becometh our hold profession, and remains your Friends and Brethren. Read in and approved by our Monthly Meeting of Staindrop, held at Staindrop the 28th of 8 Month 1792 and signed in and on behalf of the same by John Applegarth, John Dodshon, George Costes Jr., Thos. Pearson, Caleb Wilson, Ralph Dixon, John Dixon, Caleb Bowron, Joseph Allison, George Dixon, Benjamin Boyns(?), William Applegarth and William Wigham(?)."
He married, Oct. 1, 1798, Mary Fox, born March 4, 1781, who came to this country from Cathermoorside, England. She had brothers and sisters:
Ann Fox, born March 25, 1774.
John Fox, April 10, 1776.
Thomas, Dec. 14, 1778.
William Fox, July 16, 1780.
Children of Joseph Bowron:
1. Sarah, born Jan. 13, 1800; died March 16, 1871; married Deacon Cyrus Savage. Children: Charlotte Savage married John King; Frances Savage married F. P. Huntington; Pamela Savage married Charles Evest; El Savage; Sarah Savage married E. G. Moore.
2. Anne, Nov. 14, 1801, died in infancy.
3. Jacob, August 14. 1803; died Feb. 16, 1883; married Polly Kellogg; child: Helen, married B. F. Woodward.
4. William, Jan. 1, 1806; died Aug. 1838; married Phebe _____; children: Cynthia married Henry Chase; Elikzabeth married William A. Crane; Thomas married Helen _____; Mary married Henry Twist; Henry Sept. 1, 1807, died June 21, 1885 married Helen Campbell; children: Henry C., Niles, Canie died July 13, 1876; Frances, died Sept. 5, 1841; Frances; Frederick b. Nov. 27, 1809, died young; Joseph mentioned below; Benjamin b. April 14, 1814, died Jan. 28, 1836; Mary b. March 1, 1817, died March 7, 1849, married James Dodds; Ann Eliza, Nov. 24, 1818, died Oct. 30, 1781.; Cynthia b. April 29, 1822, died Aug. 11, 1899, married William Shepard Woodward; Martha b. Oct. 18, 1824, died Sept. 11, 1898, married John Bigelow.
(II) Joseph (2), son of Joseph (1) Bowron, was born in Champlain, N.Y., Feb. 8, 1812. He attended the district schools and learned the trade of carpenter in his youth and also became proficient in various other trades, being naturally of a mechanical turn of mind and skillful with all kinds of tools. he followed the trade of carpenter and builder most of his active life and also conducted a farm. After his death his widow remained on the homestead, and was cared for by her son Seth.
He married, May 18, 1836, Martha Jane Ford, who died May 1, 1886, aged seventy-two years.
Children, born at Champlain:
1. Benjamin William, Sept. 6, 1837; married Franzilla Dickinson, Oct. 18, 1870; she was born March 5, 1837, at Chazy, N.Y., daughter of Thomas and Nancie (Northrop) Dickinson, of Casleton, Vermont; child, Nancie D., Oct. 3, 1873.
2. Freeman Hawkins, May 31, 1839; married Calla Earl; resides at Aurora, Illinois.
3. Lyman Eastman, Nov. 13, 1841, mentioned below.
4. Albert Gallatin, July 26, 1846; living in Kingman, Kansas; married Adaline Albee; children: Frank, Florence died Sept. 1900, Thomas, born 1892; Cyrus Dexter, Aug. 31, 1849; living in the state of Washington, town of Davenport; Alice Catherine, Nov. 7, 1851; married Dec. 18, 1880, James Dickinson; Joseph Henry, Dec. 14, 1856; married Emma Coats; living in Missouri. chldren: Sarah Martha, April 2, 1885, Joseph William.
(III) Lyman Eastman, son of Joseph (2) Bowron, was born at Champlain, Nov. 13, 1841. He was educated in the public schools, and in early life worked on the farm. After his mother died, he left home, and in the spring of 1860 located at Bangor, New York. When the civil war broke out he enlisted in Oct. 1861, in Company D, Ninety-eighth New York Volunteer Infantry, for three years. At the end of two years he re-enlisted for another term of three years. He was wounded Sept. 29, 1864, at the battle of Fort Harrison by a gunshot wound in the right elbow, necessitating the amputation of the arm. This disability caused his discharge from the service and in January following he returned to his home at Rouse's Point, N.Y. and entered the custom house service. A few years later he embarked in business in partnership with his brother, Benjamin W. Bowron, in conducting a general store at Rouse's Point, under the firm name of Bowron Brothers. For the next thirty years the brothers enjoyed a large and flourishing trade. In 1899 he bought out the interests of his brother and admitted to partnership his own son under the firm name of Bowron & Son, continuing successfully until 1908, when they sold the business and retired. In politics Mr. Bowron is a staunch Republican. He was supervisor of the town seven years, from 1901 to 1908, and had a large influence in town and county affairs. He is occupied largely since he retired from business in the care of his real estate in the vicinity. He is one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of the town, of sterling character, strict integrity and great public spirit.
He married (first) Nellie, daughter of John Walker, of Montreal, Canada. He married (second) Phebe, daughter of Bernard Leonard of Rouse's Point, N.Y. Had had by his first wife one child, John Walker, born March 17, 1874; was a partner in his father's business until it sold; was appointed postmaster of Rouse's Point in 1906 by President Roosevelt and has held the office since that time. [1910].