Charles Bowie (b. circa 1787 - d. 1849)
MSA SC 5496-050667
War of 1812 Claimant, Prince George's County, Maryland, 1828
Biography:
Charles Bowie was born about 1787 at Thorpland in Prince George's County, Maryland to William Bowie and his wife Ursula Burgess. Charles was the youngest son of the Bowie's five children. Bowie's siblings were John B., Robert, Richard, and William M. BowieWhen William Bowie died in 1807, Charles Bowie inherited Thorpland where he lived with his mother Ursula.
During the War of 1812, Charles Bowie served in the Maryland militia, under the leadership of Captain Thomas Brooke. In 1814 while the war was underway, three enslaved men Osbourne Wheeler, Toby Forester, and Sam Beanes, belonging to Charles Bowie and his mother Urusula, escaped to British forces while they were in Prince George's County. Following the war, Toby Forester who was now in London, wrote a letter to his mother, which was addressed to Charles Bowie. In the letter he asked his mother to give his "best respects to Charles Booey and Mrs. Booey." This letter was the last time Charles Bowie heard from the escaped slaves. Charles and his mother Ursula submitted a claim to receive reparations for the loss of their enslaved men. Ursula Bowie died in 1824 before the reparations were awarded. However, Charles Bowie recieved $280 for each of the three enslaved men that escaped to the British.
After all of the turmoil of the War of 1812, Charles Bowie settled down and married Eliza L. Coombs, daughter of Joseph and Mary "Meeky" Coombes, on May 15, 1828. Charles and Eliza Bowie had three children, Eliza, Charles, and Mary Ursula Bowie. Eliza Bowie died January 25, 1836, leaving Charles a widower. On February 15, 1838, Charles Bowie remarried a second wife, Sarah Maria Suter. Charles and Sarah had the following children John, Eliza, and Thomas.
Charles Bowie died March 8, 1849 and was buried at Thorpland.
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