Thomas Bowater Sr. (1655 - bef. 1750)

Born 10 Feb 1655 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Edge) Bowater — married 4 Oct 1686 in Chester, Pennsylvania

Husband of Frances (Lambe) Bowater — married 29 Jul 1702 in Chester MM, Chester, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died before 1750 before age 94 in New Garden, Chester, Pennsylvania [uncertain]

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Biography

Thomas was a Friend (Quaker)

Thomas Bowater Sr. migrated from England to British North America.

Thomas Bowater was born 10 Feb 1654/55 at Bromsgrove to John Bowater and Ann Unknown^[1]. This is listed as a birth record rather than baptismal record.

Marriage Sarah Bowater (born Edge) 4 Oct 1686, Delaware, Pennsylvania.^[2][3]

Children:

1. Sarah Beals (born Bowater) 1687 - 1777
2. Thomas Bowater 1690 - ?

As a Quaker, on 14 Mar 1683, Thomas was granted a certificate to leave for America. He left England onboard the ship "Bristol Comfort," arriving in Philadelphia by way of the Delaware River, the 28th day of the 7th month 1683. [28 Sep 1683] He was received in Philadelphia and later moved to Chester.^[4]

Pennsylvania History of Chester Co, Pg 77: Chester MM, Delaware Co PA: "...Thomas, whose relationship to them is unknown, produced his certificate (from Philadelphia to Chester) at the same time."

The above record refers to Thomas' relationship to John and Ann Bowater, who were also received into the Chester MM.

To pay his passage, Thomas indentured himself to Francis Fincher. According to the ship's manifest: "Tho. Bowater out of Worcestershire, servant to francis fincher out of Woster City, glover, for three years."

After serving his indenture, he took up residence in Edgemont Twp in Chester County, Pennsylvania, purchasing 69 acres.^[5]

On 4 Oct 1686 at the Chester Monthly Meeting in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Thomas and Sarah Edge, declaring for the second time their intentions to marry, were granted this liberty.

"1686 Att a Monthly meeting att Chester ye 4th of ye 8th mo 1686.... Thomas Bowater and Sarah Edg proposed their intentions of marriage being the second time: and Inquire being made and thing found Clear on boath sids they are left to their liberty to Accomplish their marriage according to Truths Order."

On 11 Mar 1721, Francis Bowater, wife of Thomas Bowater, was acccepted at the New Garden MM upon a Certificate of Removal having been recieved from the Chester MM.^[6]

On 8 Sept 1722, Thomas Bowater and Francis Bowater were granted a Certficate of Removal from the New Garden MM to the Haverford MM,^[7][8][9]

Thomas Bowater and his wife were admitted to the Radnor MM on 8 Nov 1722.^[10][11]

Known Children with Sarah: 1) Sarah C Bowater (1688-1765), m: John Jacob Beals Jr. 2) Thomas Bowater Jr (b. 1690)

1695 - Thomas purchased 100 acres in Edgmont, Ridley Creek, Pennsylvania

Siblings: [Note: He had three documented and one uncertain sibling, this list confuses different parts of the Bowater family, see TAG 75:46, and should probably be removed to prevent further confusion.]

1. John Bowater 1650 - 1705
2. Mary Bowater 1659 - ?
3. Ann Bowater 1683 - 1684
4. Alice Pyle (born Bowater) 1692 - ?
5. William Bowater 1657 - 1697
6. Elizabeth Bowater 1661 - ?
7. John Bowater 1690 - 1704
8. Pheobe Bowater 1696 - ?

Stewart Baldwin in The American Genealogist (75:46) includes a second marriage (undated) to Frances (Lambe) Barnettt.

Death

1750 New Garden, Guilford, North Carolina, United States

New Garden, Chester, Pennsylvania 1686-1720

Alternative dates and places of death

1705 Delaware, Pennsylvania, USA<

Death: Oct 1 1686 North Carolina

Burial

1704 New Garden, Guilford, North Carolina, United States

Sources

1. ↑ TAG 75:46 (2000) citing included Bromsgrove Parish Register
2. ↑ U.S. Quaker Records, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Chester MM, Men's Minutes, First Marr. Intention 4 Aug 1686, Sec. Marr. Intention 4 Oct 1686 Ancestry Record 2189 #99772148
3. ↑ Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Quaker Meeting Records, Men's Minutes, 1681-1721; Collection: Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes; Call Number: MR-Ph 92
4. ↑ SHEPPARD, WALTER LEE, JR., compiler and editor. Passengers and Ships prior to 1684. (Publications of the Welcome Society of Pennsylvania, 1.) Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970. 245p. Reprinted by Heritage Books, Bowie, MD, 1985.
5. ↑ Early Pennsylvania Land Records, Minutes of the Board of Property of the Province of Pennsylvania (Ed Wm Egle), Minute Book G, Page 387, Clearfield Co., 1976
6. ↑ U.S.Quaker Meeting Records,Chester, New Garden MM, Women's Minutes, 11 Mar 1721 Ancestry Record 2189 #599798832
7. ↑ U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, Pennsylvania, Chester, New Garden MM, Cert of Removal Ancestry Record 2189 #99928126
8. ↑ U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, Pennsylvania, Chester, New Garden MM, Minutes, 10 Aug 1722 Ancestry Record 2189 #99847821
9. ↑ U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, Pennsylvania, Chester, New Garden MM, Women's Minutes, 8 Sept 1722, Ancestry Record 2189 #599798880
10. ↑ IU.S. Quaker Meeting Records, Pennsylvania, Montgomery, Radnor MM, Minutes Ancestry Record 2189 #3014282
11. ↑ U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, Pennsylvania, Montgomery, Radnor MM, Men´s Minutes Ancestry Record 2189 #1508296

Source to be referenced to verify information above:

• Baldwin, Stewart. "John and Thomas Bowater and Their Sister Mary (Bowater Wright): Early Quaker Immigrants to Pennsylvania." The American Genealogist, volume 75, pages 37-46, 117-123.

• "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NL5S-DTL : 11 February 2018, Thomas Bowater, 10 Feb 1654); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 321,123.

• England, Births & Baptisms 1538-1975 Transcription; First name(s) Thomas; Last name Bowater; Gender Male; Birth year 1654; Birth place Bromsgrove, Worcester, England; Baptism year -; Place -; County Worcestershire; Country England; Father's first name(s) John; Father's last name Bowater; Mother's first name(s) -; Mother's last name -; Record set England Births & Baptisms 1538-1975; Category Birth, Marriage & Death (Parish Registers); Subcategory Parish Baptisms; Collections from England, United Kingdom; Repository: Used by permission of FamilySearch Intl.

• https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-1-20691161-7-196/thomas-bowater-in-myheritage-family-trees?s=216760841

• Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Deaths [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001. 18:51, 29 June 2018 (UTC)

• Thomas Bowater on Find A Grave: Memorial #82755629 01:26, 21 June 2018 (UTC)

• Garrett, Samuel Bond, Bond Genealogy : A history of the descendants of Joseph Bond : born 1704, in Wiltshire, England, Indiana, 1913.

• U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Bowater-41 created by Robert York.
• WikiTree profile Bowater-26 created by Mark Shurtliff.
• WikiTree profile Bowater-66 created by Kim Baltz.
• Bowater-177 was created by Kyndahl Johnson

Record Abstracts

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Thomas Bowater
Gender: Male
Birthplace: BROMSGROVE,WORCESTER,ENGLAND
Birth Date: 10 Feb 1654/55
Father's Name: John Bowater