Henry BOWERS Jr. ³

  General Notes:

Since it is my custom not to record descendants beyond the grandchildren of a common ancestor, I have not recorded the descendants of Henry Jr. beyond his children. However, Susan Davis Dixon has much more information on this line. Please visit the website noted in the cited source. Note that said website also contains court and deed information involving Henry Jr. that I did not think necessary to replicate here. ³

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Tax List: 1785-1813, Berkeley County, (West) Virginia. ^{4 5 6 7}

Real Property:

1788: Henry Bowers, 107a, value 38.6.10

1789: Henry Bowers, 107a, value 38.6.10

1790: [Unreadable]

1791: [Unreadable]

1792: Henry Bowers, 107a, value 38.6.10

1793: Henry Bowers, 107a, value 38.6.10

1794: Henry Bowers, 107a, value 38.6.10

1795: Henry Bowers, 107a, value 38.6.10

1796: Henry Bowers, 107a, value 38.6.10

1797: Henry Bowers, 107a, value 38.6.10

1798: Henry Bowers, 107a, value 38.6.10

1799: Henry Bowers, 107a, value $128.40

1800: [not found]

1801: Wm Slaughter District
Henry Bowers, 107a, $128.40

1802:
James Wilson's District: Henry Bowers, 107a, $128.40
Charles Oreck's District: Henry Bowers, 193a, $86.85

1803:
James Wilson's District: Henry Bowers, 107a and 196a, $266.60
Charles Orick's District: Henry Bowers, 193a, $86.85

[Although additional Land Book records are available, I have stopped with this book.]

Personal Property:

1785: 1st Battalion, James McCalisters List
One of 3 white males 21+ in household of Henry Bowers

1786: 1st Battalion, James McCalisters List
Jacob & Henry Bowers Jr: 2 white males 21+

1787: 1st Battalion, entered 4 Sep
Named as one of 3 white males 21+ in household of Henry Bowers

1788: 1st Battalion, entered 20 Aug
Henry Bowers: 2 horses

1789: 1st Battalion, entered 7 Oct
Henry Bowers: 2 horses

1790: 1st Battalion, James Wilson Commissioner, entered 8 Aug
Henry Bowers, 1 white male 16+, 2 horses

1791: 1st Battalion, James Wilson Commissioner, entered 10 Jun
Henry Bowers, 1 white male 16+, 2 horses

1792: 1st Battalion, James Wilson Commissioner, entered 14 Jun
Henry Bowers, 1 white male 16+, 3 horses

1793: James Wilson Commissioner
Henry Bowers, 1 white male 16+, 4 horses

1794: James Wilson Commissioner
Henry Bowers, 1 white male 16+, 4 horses

1795: Winn Winship Commissioner
Bowers, Henry, 1 white male 16+, 4 horses

1796: Winn Winship Commissioner
Bowers, Henry, 1 white male 16+, 4 horses

1797: Winn Winship Commissioner
Bowers, Henry, 1 white male 16+, 4 horses

1798: Winn Winship Commissioner
Bowers, Henry, 1 white male 16+, 4 horses

1799: William Slaughter Commissioner
Bowers, Henry, 1 white male 16+, 7 horses
[Might he have bought some of Jacob's horses when he left?]

1800: William Slaughter Jr. District
Bowers, Henry, 1 white male 16+, 5 horses

1801: William Slaughter Jr. District
Bowers, Henry, 1 white male 16+, 5 horses

1802: James Wilson District
Bowers, Henry, 1 white male 16+, 7 horses

1803: James Wilson District
Bowers, Henry, 1 white male 16+, 7 horses

1804: James Wilson District
Bowers, Henry, 1 white male 16+, 9 horses

1805: James Wilson District
Bowers, Henry, 2 white males 16+, 6 horses

1806: James Wilson District
Bowers, Henry, 3 white males 16+, 6 horses

1807: [James Wilson District missing]

1808: [No tax this year]

1809: James Wilson District
Bowers, Henry, 2 white males 16+, 9 horses

1810: James Wilson District
Bowers, Henry, 2 white males 16+, 9 horses

1811: James Wilson District
Bowers, Henry, 3 white males 16+, 10 horses

1812: Wm Riddle District
Bowers, Henry, 3 white males 16+, 11 horses

1813: James Wilson District
Bowers, Henry, 2 white males 16+, 9 horses
[Also listed was William Bowers, 1 white 16+, 1 slave 12-16, 2 horses. He was presumably Henry's oldest son.]

2. Estate Administration: 1737, Berkeley County, (West) Virginia. ⁸

Will of Henry Bowers, Dated 7 Jun 1830, Recorded 11 Sep 1837, Book 12:289

"In the name of God amen. I Henry Bowers of the county of Berkeley and state of Virginia, farmer[,] being at this time of sound mind and memory and knowing that is is appointed for all men once to die, I therefore make this my last will and Testament. Firstly I Recommend my soul into the hands of almighty God who gave it, and my body to be buried in a Christian manner at the discretion of my Executors whom I shall hereafter name & appoint, and for such wor[l]dly goods with which I have been blessed in the world I will and dispose of them in the following manner - - - as soon after my death as it may be convenient by[be?] done and circumstances will admit, my executors are to make a public sale of all my personal property to the best advantage and on Reasonable Credit, and out of the money on hand & what shall arise from the sale my executors are to pay and discharge my burying expenses & Just debt & recover all my outstanding debts, and after the expences & Debts are paid as aforesaid my executors are to pay to my wife Elizabeth the one Third of the balance left in their hand, but she may if she Chooses purchase to the amount of her thirds at the Sale, my said wife after my decease may Lease & rent out all my landed estate yearly & every year for a monied Rent or in kind & collect the said Rents & appropriate the same to her own use & benefit for and during her natural life, and she is fully empowered to dispose of the farm at her pleasure either by will deed or gift or otherwise. Two years after the death of my wife my said executors are to make sale of all my real and landed estate to the best advantage, and make an equal Distribution of the same among all my Children to each an equal part or share that is an equal part or share of the purchase money paid in hand at the time of sale, first deducting what each of them have heretofore Received & shall receive from me during my life of which Debts accounts are made out & charged in my Books ____[?], and as soon as the Different payments for which the lands were sold shall severally be Collected a further Devision shall take place as aforesaid untill the whole sum is recovered for which the lands were sold for & divided as aforesaid. [M]y executors herein named or any two of them may Convey the land or lands to the purchaser by Deed or Deeds securing the payments by Deeds of trust. [S]hould any of my sons & daughters die before they receive their devidend their share or portion to be secured to their heirs & equally Distributed when they arrive to lawful age[.] I will and devise to my grand daughter Harrett Couchman wife of Michael Couchman one hundred Dollars to be paid to her by my executors out of the sale of the land before a Devision takes place as above stated. [M]y Negroe boy Jerry I manumit & set free from slavery at the end of 1840[.] Should me or my wife live untill that period he is not to be free untill after our death. [S]hould I die before 1840 Jerry is to be hired out & the hire to be devided amongst all my Children equally. <A>nd Lastly I nominate Institute and appoint my sons Henry, William & Adam Bowers Executors to this my last will and Testament disannulling all former wills & Testaments Ratifying and Confirming this only to be my last will & Testament. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this 7th day of Jun 1830."

Signed by Henry (his B mark) Bowers
Witnessed by John Shober and James Maxwell Senr

Codicil to Will of Henry Bowers, Dated 17 Sep 1832

"The house & lot in Garrards Town I Purchased of Glass'[?] executors for $600 my son Adam & his heirs is to hold it as their own after my Death & he is to be Charged with $600 only without Interest[.] This schedule is to be part of the foregoing will witness my hand & seal this 17th day of Septemeber 1832."

Signed by Henry (his B mark) Bowers
Witnessed by John Shober and Jacob Stewart

The Will of Henry Bowers was proved in Court on 11 Sep 1837 by the oath of James Maxwell, one of the witnessess, and by the handwriting of John Shober, another witness who was then deceased per the oath of John Bayes and Adam Bowers. Henry, William and Adam Bowers were appointed executors. The Will was recorded in Book 12, Pages 289-291.

Henry married Elizabeth YOUNG on 13 Dec 1787 in Berkeley County, (West) Virginia.^{2 3} (Elizabeth YOUNG was born on 4 Dec 1765 in Virginia,³ died on 6 Feb 1840 in Berkeley County, (West) Virginia ³ and was buried in Lutheran Cemetery, Gerrardstown, Berkeley County, West Virginia ³.)