Person:Charles Bowen (29)

Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 1, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :

Bowen, Charles - entered service Crab Orchard, Washington County, Virginia; born 9/1749 on farm on James River, Virginia; also Indian Wars service after Revolutionary War; granted Pension 1832 in Blount County, Tennessee, when resided with widow of deceased son William; resided in Putnam County, Indiana, 1834 with son Charles; a grandchild resided in Bainbridge, Indiana; brother Reese was killed in action in Battle of Kings Mountain; query letter in file states brother William also was a Revolutionary War soldier. R299.

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Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley's:

Page 24.--13th March, 1760.-- John Bowen's will--Wife, Lillis (Lillie), sole executor and guardian; daughter, Mary, 1 malato slave; son, Charles. Teste: Jno. Smith, Margaret Smith, Peter Luney, Walter Crockett, Jonathan Smith, Jno. Buchanan. Proved, May 19th, 1761. by Jno. and Jonathan Smith and Jno. Buchanan. Lillie qualifies (her mark), with Jonathan Whitley, Wm. Buchanan.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/12627288/person/-216120544
Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.

Pension application of Charles Bowen S16055 f40VA
Transcribed by Will Graves rev'd 2/09 &5/21/14

State of Tennessee, Knox County: Circuit Court On the first, August Term 1832
On the 16th day of August in the year 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Samuel Powell, a Judge of the Circuit Court in said State, and now presiding in the Circuit Court of said County, being a court of record having the power of fine & imprisonment, Charles Bowen, a resident of Blount County in the State of Tennessee, aged eighty two years in September last, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832, -- that he entered the service of the United States during the revolutionary war and served as follows: the particular time he is unable to say but knows that he served under the command of Captain Bowen, a brother of Declarant, under the command of Captain John Campbell and was in the battle of Kings Mountain [October 7, 1780] under the command of Captain William Edmondson [William Edmiston] who was there killed; that his brother Reese Bowen was also a Captain in the service at the time and was likewise killed in the battle of Kings Mountain, in this battle, Col. William Campbell commanded -- and Col Cleveland [Benjamin Cleveland] also was a commander -- during the action, by some means, declarant obtained information that Reese Bowen, his brother, was killed, and being much distressed and exasperated, proceeded in search of his brother hoping that he was only wounded -- in his search for his brother, he discovered his Captain William Edmondson dead or dying having been shot in the head. Declarant advanced without being sensible of his danger till within fifteen or twenty paces of the enemy --declarant stepped behind a tree, leveled his Gun and shot the first man who hoisted the flag among the enemy and immediately turned his back to the tree to reload his Gun when Col Cleveland advanced, called on declarant for the countersign, which declarant did not immediately recollect, nor could he give it. Col Cleveland instantly leveled his rifle at Declarant's breast and attempted to fire, but the Gun snapped. Declarant jumped at Cleveland seized him by the collar, drew his tomahawk, and would have sunk it in Cleveland's head if his arm had not been arrested by a soldier by the name of Beanhannon [sic, Buchanan?], who knew the parties. Declarant immediately recollected the countersign which was “Blueford,” [sic, Buford] named it and Cleveland dropped his gun and clasped Declarant in his arms. The persons who hoisted the flag were twice shot down, besides the time this declarant shot; but by whom he knows not. The affiant received a discharge from Col William Campbell, but on attempting to make it answer him some valuable purpose he failed and he threw it away as he thinks. This Declarant was afterwards commissioned a Captain by Governor Randolph [Beverley Randolph] in the State of Virginia on the 20th of July 1785,1 of 2nd Company of the 2nd Regiment of militia of the County of Washington, which commission is herewith sent. That after receiving this commission, he was engaged in various successive scouts as a spy after the Indians who were committing depredations on the Americans and with a detachment made a tour from his then residence, through Mackasin Gap [sic, Moccasin Gap]2 through the Rye Cove, then on the head of Sandy [River] and down that River, near to Tug River and after some time he does not recollect now how long returned home and was successively at periods engaged in similar services. That at the commencement of the revolutionary war, he was living at a place called the Crab Orchard at the head of Holston [River] in Washington County, Virginia
-- was then about between twenty six or seven years old having been born in the year 1749 on James River, Virginia. That his residence was in the same place, the Crab Orchard, for several years after the date of his commission and during all that time he was very often in service, in opposition to the Indians, and in scouts after them and he verily believes in all his services after his commission as Captain in active service would exceed two years. He further believes that during the revolutionary war he was in actual service for more than two years, although, the different periods of service are not recollected nor does he now believe he was in any other engagement or battle of consequence but the Battle of Kings Mountain --a portion of his services during the revolution were against the Tories, who were numerous in his section of country. When he first entered the service in the revolutionary war he was drafted but was a volunteer [illegible words] when out.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
S/ Charles Bowen, X his mark
Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid thing the 16th day of August 1832.
Test: S/ Wm Snow, Clerk
[Peter Waggoner, a clergyman, and James Morrow gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
Amended Declaration
State of Tennessee, Knox County:
Charles Bowen -- an applicant for a pension under the provisions of an Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1831 [sic, 1832] -- Makes oath that the reason why his application was made in the County of Knox and not in the County of Blount where he resided at the time his application was made and that his former residence had been in Knox County, and in that County his reputation and character was best known and in addition to this the Court house in Knox County was nearer to his residence then was the Court house in Blount County. That if his application had been made in Blount [County] he is not sure that he could have there produced as satisfactory and credible testimony of his character and reputation as a soldier of the Revolution as he could and did produce in the Circuit Court of Knox County & further he intended shortly after his Declaration was made to remove to, and has now removed to, and is residing in Knox County, with the widow of his deceased son, William Bowen.
And hopes these reasons will be satisfactory. The departure as his residence in Blount had been but for a very short period.
S/ Charles Bowen, X. his mark
Sworn to and subscribed before made this 12th day of November 1832.
S/ Zach Boothe, J.P.
State of Tennessee, Knox County:
Personally appeared before me the undersigned, a justice of peace for the County of Knox in the State of Tennessee, Charles Bowen, who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades: for three months as a private soldier drafted: that he then volunteered for six months as a private soldier; he afterwards volunteered for three months and served as a private soldier; he again volunteered for six months and served as a private soldier; and again for the period of three months he volunteered and served as a private soldier; and was again in the service as a volunteer for three months as a private soldier; and was in the Battle of Kings Mountain as stated in his declaration; he served some other short tours as a volunteer after the Tories but the periods he does not precisely recollect, so as to give any definite time to them. He further after obtaining his commission as Captain was out in service, he feels assured as a Captain for more than two years adding the different periods together.
S/ Charles Bowen, X his mark
Sworn to and subscribed before me the 12 November 1832.
S/ Zach Boothe , J. P.
Application for a Transfer
State of Indiana, County of Putnam
On this third day of February 1834 before me the subscriber, a Justice of the peace for the said County of Putnam, personally appeared, Charles Bowen, who on his oath declares that he is the same person who formerly belonged to the company commanded by Captain William Edmiston in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Campbell in the service of the United States; that his name was placed on the pension roll of the East Tennessee Agency in the State of Tennessee from whence he has lately removed; that he now resides in the State of Indiana where he intends to remain and wishes his pension to be there payable in the future. The following are his reasons for removing from Tennessee to Indiana, to wit, for the purpose of living in Indiana with his son who had previously emigrated to said State of Indiana.
S/ Charles Bowen
Sworn and subscribe to before made the day & year aforesaid.
S/Isaac Mahan, J.P.
[Attested by Lewis Shell and Charles Bowen, Jr.
]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $80 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for service as a private for 3 years in the Virginia service.]

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¹ The commission appears on page 16 of the Footnote.com version of this application.
² http://www.bigmoccasingap.com/

http://revwarapps.org/s16055.pdf