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NINTH GENERATION

208. Samuel BOWLBY (1351) (760) was born on 6 Mar 1770 in Sussex Co., NJ. He died after 1827 in Fayette or Somerset Co., PA.

There is the possibility that Samuel was born as late as 6 MAR 1770. Two newspaper articles appeared in the Neligh Leader of Neligh, NE in 1902 concerned with the life and family of a Joseph I. BOWLSBY. His grandfather's name is given as "Captain Samuel BOWLSBY", and though the names of his parents are not given, the lands described as being owned by his grandfather and father could refer only to Samuel BOWLBY (8) and Samuel BOWLBY (9). There seems little doubt that Joseph I. BOWLSBY was the son of Samuel BOWLBY (9); however, the date of Joseph I. BOWLSBY's birth is stated to be 6 MAR 1770. This could not have been Joseph's birth date -- he is said to have been one hundred and seven years old when he died, -- but it could possibly be his father's birth date.

Documented facts of Samuel's life present a meager outline. Prerogative court records show that on 19 NOV 1824, Samuel and other heirs filed suit to stop the sale of his father's lands upon which, according to witnesses, Samuel had lived during the past 30 years or better. On 11 NOV 1827, Samuel and his wife, Johanna, sold their interest in his father's estate, as yet unsettled, to David PARKS. The biographical sketch in a history of Kansas on E. H. BOWLBY, evidently another son of Samuel, states that Samuel's family moved from Newton, NJ to Fayette Co., PA when E. H. was around six, which would have been in 1825.

Colonel Herbert BOWLBY, a descendant of Samuel's older brother, John, wrote "The Bowlby Family History", apparently based upon family letters, documents, and interviews no longer available. In considering this Samuel BOWLBY, he writes:
" Actually, Samuel (9) sold shares of his father's land before the division of the property to one David PARKE. William R. REEVES wrote that he died in Harrisburg or Pittsburgh on his way by wagon train to or from the west. He and his wife, Johannah - (said in doubtful report to be Grace LUCEY) had six children -- Samuel, Aaron, Joseph, Robert, Moses, and a daughter who died in infancy. His descendants lived in southwest Pennsylvania. . ."

Since Samuel married Johanna when he was around 40 years old, it seems reasonable to believe that the six children named in the above quotation were by a previous marriage, particularly since the names of the children known to be those by Johanna are not in the list. That these six children were born in a previous marriage is supported by the fact that Aaron, one of the sons, was born in 1804, six years before Samuel's marriage to Johanna. Aaron's death certificate does not give his mother's name, but it does give the name of his father as Samuel BOWLBY. The "doubtful report" that the name of Samuel's wife was Grace LUCEY actually seems a likely name for Samuel's first wife, because two of Samuel's sisters had married into the LUCEY family; however, Joseph I. BOWLSBY's biographer suggests that the "I" in Joseph's name might stand for "INSLEY", a well known name in the district where Joseph was born. Other evidence has been found of a previous marriage that also indirectly supports the name of "INSLEY" for Samuel's first wife. William BOWLBY, evidently a grandson of Samuel through his son, Robert, tells of his family:

". . . Samuel BOWLBY was my grandfather. He was married after his father came to America. He married a Miss INSEVE and lived in New Jersey for many years. He had two sons, Samuel and Robert, and one daughter. Then his wife died in 1799. He had several sons by his second wife, then she died. Then he sold out all of his possessions and started to come to Indiana where my father lived. My grandfather was afflicted with that dreaded disease called consumption and fell a victim to it on his road to my father's place in Indiana. He died at Philadelphia in 1820 . . . "

Considering William's lack of formal education, "INSEVE" is very close to "INSLEY", and referring to Sussex County histories, the surname of INSLEY occurs in many variations. The details of William's story can not be relied upon, but his writing does support the general story of Samuel's life that is accepted in this work. Samuel married twice. He probably had six children by his first wife whose maiden name may have been INSLEY. He secondly married Johanna PARKHURST in 1810, and had other children. The family left New Jersey soon after 1827, and went to Pennsylvania where Samuel died, probably in Fayette or Somerset County where Samuel's brothers are know to have settled, and where Samuel's later children were reared.


He was married to (First wife of BOWLBY, Samuel) INSLEY. Samuel BOWLBY and (First wife of BOWLBY, Samuel) INSLEY had the following children:

child+425 i. Joseph Insley BOWLSBY.
child+426 ii. Samuel BOWLBY.
child+427 iii. Robert BOLESBY\BOWLBY.
child+428 iv. Moses BOWLBY.
child+429 v. Aaron BOWLBY.
child430 vi. (Daughter of BOWLBY, First wife - INSLEY and Samuel) BOWLBY (1352)(760).

Samuel BOWLBY (9) had a daughter apparently by his first wife. This is mentioned in the writings of Colonel Herbert BOWLBY and the writings of William BOWLBY (11).

He was married to Johanna PARKHURST on 10 Nov 1810 in Sussex Co., NJ. (1353) Johanna PARKHURST (1354) (760) was also known as Johannah Parkus. (1355) Samuel BOWLBY and Johanna PARKHURST had the following children:

child+431 i. Abigail BOWLBY.
child+432 ii. Elisha Hess BOWLBY.
child+433 iii. Henry Jackson BOWLBY.