Philip Casper Bowman ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9}

  General Notes:

Phillip Casper Bowman, the only son of David and Elizabeth Bowman of which any authentic records exists, was born at sea 25 Oct 1755 (some of the records give the year 1753 but 1755 is no doubt correct as it is the date given on the monument on his grave).

The son Phillip Casper Bowman was left an orphan at an early age. However, he succeeded in getting a fairly good education. He spoke French, German, and English, though he used German mostly in his family. When a young man he learned the trade of shoemaker. He worked at this trade until the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Phillip C. Bowman enlisted as a private in the Continental Army, Jun 1776, and served until Aug 1778. He was with General Washington at the Battle of Trenton 26 Dec 1776, when the Hessians posted there were captured. For his bravery at this battle Phillip Bowman was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant. In the following year he was in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. He was also in the Battle of Monmouth and in the many skirmishes of the British around Philadelphia. (James Bowman, son of Ralph Bowman, who lived near Trenton, toll this record to the place of the crossing of the Delaware River the night before the Battle of Trenton. The curator of the beautiful museum there accepted the record as proof that Phillip Casper Bowman was one of the 2500 soldiers who crossed the river that night. His name has been added to the list on view in the museum. Near the same site, there is a watch tower dedicated to a Bowman of pre-Revolutionary prominence called Bowman Hill. During the war, the hill was an observation post for American soldiers guarding the Delaware River.)

Phillip Casper Bowman married Katy Fast. She was born 14 Aug 1753, and was the daughter of Nicholas Fast, a native of Palse, Germany, and Catherine, his wife, whose name was Catherine Terner of Hamburg, Germany. The Fast family were pioneers in western Pennsylvania.

Phillip Bowman and his wife located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania near the Monongahela River in a locality known as the Redstone country. The Redstone settlement was then situated upon the western frontier of civilization. It was protected by a garrisoned fort, and was a place of considerable historical interest as a military post. Up to the year 1774, the only regular forts on the western frontier of Pennsylvania were those located in Pittsburgh and Redstone.

The Redstone country was rapidly settled, and improvements made the price of land high. So Phillip Bowman, with his large family, many of whom were grown up, resolved to push farther west where land was cheaper, and the opportunities for investment better. The land of Redstone was exchanged for 640 acres of new land in Section 6, Green Township, Columbiana County (now a part of Mahoning County), Ohio.

In 1806, Phillip Bowman, with his wife and family, moved to their new home in Ohio. The eldest daughter, Elizabeth, who had married Daniel Stentz of Fayette County, was the only member of the family who remained in Pennsylvania. A daughter was born in Ohio. This daughter, Rachel, never saw her sister, Elizabeth Stentz, so meager was the opportunity for travel in those days. The 640 acres of land on which they located was afterwards divided among his three sons, Christian, Joshua, John N. and a son-in-law, Henry Goodman.

In appearance, Phillip Casper Bowman was a small man. He dressed in the colonial style. He wore knee pants with buckles, low shoes also silver-buckled, and a high-crowned, narrow-brimmed hat. In matters of personal appearance he was careful and precise. He rode a great deal on horseback. He never used a saddle, but always rode bareback. A horse he kept for riding in later years of his life was a sorrel, one "fat and round as a log", and so well-trained that of itself would approach the "upping block" for the rider to mount. When he was an old man, he would sometimes rise at daybreak, and ride to the home of his son, John Jacob, a distance of fifteen miles, arriving in time for breakfast.

Phillip Bowman was a sociable man. In his advanced years he was fond of attending "wool pickings". These were held at the homes of most of the pioneers for the purpose of preparing wool for the carding mill. The "wool pickings" were often made social affairs, and Phillip Bowman was much sought after by his friends and neighbors for the entertainment he furnished in the way of jokes and lively conversation. He retained his jovial disposition all his life. When nearly ninety years of age, he was out about his home one stormy day when a gust of wind caused him to lose his balance. He said to those near him, "I guess the wind will blow me away some day."

Katy Bowman, wife of Phillip Casper Bowman, died 23 Nov 1826, aged about 63 years. She was buried at the Presbyterian cemetery at Ellsworth, near their home, she being a Presbyterian by faith.

Phillip Casper Bowman died 17 Jan 1845, at the venerable age of nearly ninety years. He was buried in Saint John's Lutheran church cemetery, where he was a faithful member. The crumbled monument that marked his grave has been replaced by a more durable one by the Bowman Reunion Association.
----------------------------------------

Letter dated August 2, 1904 from the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D.C.:

Sir:
In reply to your request for a statement of the military history of Philip Bowman, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, you will find below the desired information as contained in his application for pension on file in the Bureau.

Volunteered in Frederick County, Maryland, Jun 1776. Served over two years.

Discharged August 1778 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the rank of Ensign.

Served under Captain Peter Nantz and Colonel Shyrack. Engaged in Battles of Trenton and Princeton. Residence of soldier during war, Fredericktown, Maryland. Date of application for pension, August 15, 1832. Residence date of application, Columbiana County, Ohio. Born Little York Pennsylvania, October 25, 1755. Remarks: his claim was allowed.

Very respectfully, E. F. Ware
----------------------------------------

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 12, Ed. 1, Tree #1194]
Was born at sea during the crossing when his father emigrated from Germany in 1755 - Became an Officer in the early part of the Revolutionary War (Jun 1776 - Aug 1778, DAR # 120420) - Settled first in Fayette County, Pennsylvania and traded land owned in Redstone, Pennsylvania to move to Green Township, Columbiana County, Ohio in 1806 - Buried in Ellsworth Township and later moved to Grand View Cemetery, Salem, Perry Township, Columbiana County, Ohio
----------------------------------------

  Death Notes:

Name: Phillip C Bowman
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 17 Jan 1845
Event Place: Green Township, Columbiana, Ohio, United States
Event Place (Original): Green
Page: 37

Citing this Record
"Ohio, Church Records, 1762-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG5W-BBQV : 27 February 2021), Phillip C Bowman, 17 Jan 1845; citing Death, Ohio, United States, multiple educational, religious, and private organizations.

NOTE - At the time of his burial, it was in Columbiana county but in 1846 and when this document was prepared, the location had been reorganized into Mahoning County.
-----------------------------------------------

  Noted events in his life were:

• He worked as a Shoe Maker. ¹⁰

• Military: June 1776 to August 1778. Volunteered at Frederick Co. Maryland mid-June 1776, served over two years; discharged August 1778 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Served under Captain Peter Martz and Col. Shryack. Engaged in battles of Trenton and Princeton. Pension 1832. Residence during war, Fredricktown, Maryland. 58th NSDAR Report.

• He appeared on the 1790 US Census in German Township, Fayette, PA in August 1790. ⁵

1790 US Census
Page 32, Roll 8, Line Number 26737
German Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Phillip Bowman
Free white males of 16 years & upwards: 1 (Philip Bowman)

(Living with wife and 5 children.)

.

• He appeared on the 1800 US Census in German Township, Fayette, PA in August 1800. ⁶

1800 US Census
Page 532, Roll 38
German Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Phillip Bowman
45 and over: 1 (Philip Bowman, age 45)

(Living with wife(?) and 10 children.)
.

• He appeared on the 1830 US Census in Green Township, Columbiana, OH on June 1830. ⁷

1830 US Census
Page 416, Roll 128
Green Township, Columbiana, Ohio, United States
Philip Bowman, 1 male 70 to 80
.

• He appeared on the 1840 US Census in Green Township, Columbiana, OH on June 1840. ⁸

1840 US Census
Page 261B, Roll 386
Green Township, Columbiana, Ohio, United States
Philip Bowman..85
.

• He has alternate death information of 17 January 1845 and Mahoning, OH. ^{4 11}

• He was buried on 19 January 1845 in the Grandview Cemetery in Salem, OH.

Philip Casper Bowman died Jan 17, 1845, at the venerable age of nearly ninety years. Phillip was first buried at Saint John's German Lutheran Church, Mahoning, Portage County, Ohio. The grave location was later moved to Grandview Cemetery at Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio. The original crumbled monument that marked his grave has been replaced by a more durable one by the Bowman Reunion Association.

Find A Grave Memorial #65865337
-------------------------------------------------------------
. ²

• He was buried on 19 January 1845 in the Saint John's German Lutheran Church in Mahoning, OH.

This original grave location was later moved to Grandview Cemetery at Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio.
.

Philip married Katharine Fast, daughter of Johann Nicklaus Fast and Cadarina Margaretha Dörner, on 14 February 1774 in , Lancaster County, PA.^{1 2} (Katharine Fast was born on 14 August 1753 in Frederick County, MD, British Colonial America,^{3 12 13} died on 23 November 1826 in Ellsworth Township, Mahoning, OH ^{3 4 13 14} and was buried after 23 November 1826 in Ellsworth Cemetery, Ellsworth, OH ^{4 10 12 13 14}.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They have conflicting marriage information of Abt 1773 and Ohio. ⁴

• They have conflicting marriage information of Abt 1774 and , Frederick County, MD. ⁴

• They have conflicting marriage information of 1774 and Redstone, PA. ¹¹

• They appeared on the 1790 US Census in German Township, Fayette, PA in August 1790. ⁵

1790 US Census
Page 32, Roll 8, Line Number 26737
German Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Phillip Bowman
Free white males of 16 years & upwards: 1 (Philip Bowman)
Free white males under 16 years: 3 (sons John, Christian, and Joshua)
Free white females: 3 (probably his wife, Katy, and his daughters, Elizabeth and Keziah)

.

• They appeared on the 1800 US Census in German Township, Fayette, PA in August 1800. ⁶

1800 US Census
Page 532, Roll 38
German Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Phillip Bowman
Free white males under 10: 1 (John Nicholas Bowman, 8)
10 thru 15: 1 (Joshua Bowman, age 13)
16 thru 25: 2 (John Jacob Bowman, age 20; Christian Bowman, age 19)
45 and over: 1 (Philip Bowman, age 45)
Free white females under 10: 4 (Rebecca Bowman, age 1; Sarah Bowman, age 4; Charlotte Bowman, age 6; unknown 4th person)
10 thru 15: 1 (Keziah Bowman, age 11)
16 thru 25: 1 (Elizabeth Bowman, age 25)

NOTE - Where was the wife, Katy, at age 47 and who was the 4th female under 10 years?
.