Leah Louise (BROKAW) BOWDEN

Sister Rhena Gertrude was b. 2 Aug 1910, m. 14 Apr 1934 Rev. Roger B HAMLIN. Uncle Willy (Wm Howard) was b. 31 Jul 1908, m. 27 May 1933 Lois Ruth ALCHIN (b. 4 Nov 1912) and d. 13 Jan 1978.

Leah as a teenager c1915

Marguerite (right) with her parents and siblings (l-r) William ('Willie'), Leah and Rhena at the family's Rosa Del farm in Lansing, MI

The family relaxes c1923 at their 'D E Brokaw Mapledale Farm'. Originally I'd thot the kids were Rosena and Meg, but since Delmer d. 3-26-31 (before Meg was b. Nov '31), this pic must be pre-1930 and Delmer must be holding one of Leah's kids (Marguerite b1921, Bill b1922, Jim 1924, looks like only older 2 were there). So we have L-R Rosa w/dog (name?), Delmer w/baby Billy?, Marguerite w/young Marguerite?, Leah, Rhena, Willie (b1908 so ~15yo here, so 1923?), Marguirite's mother-in-law Alice, and could that be Leah's hubby Jim BOWDEN at right? Hmmm.

close-up of people

even closer-up!

St/Ir and Ann/Jim BOWDEN in Munich 11 Nov 1991

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Steven KING in 2014

On Henry Louis GATES' season premier 'Roots' show (PBS Tu 9-21-2014) he interviewed 'horror' author Steven KING and 2 other celebs. Steven's dad Donald left home when Steven was just 2yo, and his mom would never talk about him. HLG and his team discovered his real name was Donald E POLLOCK 1912-80 but he'd informally (i.e. not legally) chg'd his name at some point to Donald KING. His dad (Steven's paternal gpa) was Wm P POLLOCK (1888-1918, d. in Spanish flu epidemic just after WWI ... they traced that line back further ... to Ireland) who m. Helen A BOWDEN 1897-1968 of Peru, IN! It turns out that BOWDEN line came from NC had moved 1st to TN, then to IN out of disgust over slavery. The earliest known ancestor was Enoch Joseph BOWDEN b. 28 Oct 1801 in New Bern, NC and d1886 in IN (but lived in TN). He m. Delilah HUGHES and was a Methodist Church ldr, judge and anti-slavery activist. He left NC in 1830 due to [Methodist] disgust at rampant slavery in that state (I think that was the year a law was passed forcing citizens to return any escaped slaves). He had 6 sons (John F b1825, Enoch, Elza, Wm T b1828, Raleigh and James) who all fought in the Civil War on the side of the N. Son Wm T b1828 Kent Co., TN and d1904 Peru, IN and m. Polly Ann MANIS. He voluntarily enlisted in the 128th Infantry division of IN and 5 of his bros followed suit (same division? not sure). Reasons for southerners doing this were moral disgust, economic reasons or love of country and wanting to prevent succession. Their son Wm E c1862-1918 was an only child and he m. Hattie R CLEAR (hmmm, did HE also d. in Spanish flu outbrk?). Wm/Hattie's kids were Ralph b1888, Esta b1893 and Helen A b1897. So, I wonder how this BOWDEN line connects (if at all) to Leah's 1st husband James A BOWDEN (b. Glascow, Scotland, later MI State Commissioner of Labor)? An o/l ref showed him b1899. Another o/l ref showed a James Malcolm BOWDEN b1899 (and possibly Dunnville Fire Chief at one time) the son of John BOWDEN and Helen (Nell) KINNEAR b1875 (and tracks HER line back further). So the key questions are 1 who was Leah's father-in-law? 2 Is that line tied to Steven KING line?

5-28-18: In Booth I found an ancestor of John LOCKE that was b/d Cheshire, and bur. in Bowden, Cheshireshire, England (u/l Mo 7-7-18 cf DayTmr, also cf Th 5/10). This made me wonder if this was where James BOWDEN's ancestors came from? I found that info and pics at a wiki webpage on the town (addr?). Also (cf Adams.txt), the poet Samuel Taylor COLERIDGE's mom was Anne BOWDEN, dau of Roger B m. Mary ZEATHERD.

Here's info from wiki page ... /Bowden,_Scottish_Borders (5-30-18):

Bowden Village Hall built 1896
Population 223
Post town MELROSE
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
55.5661°N 2.7071°WCoordinates: 55.5661°N 2.7071°W

Bowden is a village in the Roxburghshire area of the Scottish Borders, situated 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Melrose, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Newtown St Boswells and tucked in the shadow of the Eildon Hills, Scotland.

History

In 1113, when KoS David I granted lands to the monks of Selkirk, he also granted them the land at Bothandene (Bowden) and Hailiedene (Holydean). The charter was renewed in 1124 when the monks moved to Kelso, where they founded the maginificent Kelso Abbey. At the same time a religious establishment was founded at Bowden. The abbot of Kelso built a tower at Holydean which was destroyed in 1296. The tower was rebuilt and extended by Isabel KER of Cessford and renamed Castle Holydean. The castle became the home of the KER family, later the Dukes of Roxburghe, who lived there for two centuries before the castle was finally destroyed in 1760 by the 3rd Duke, John KER. The Roxburghes moved to their new home, Floors Castle, in the early 18th century.

In 1531, Bowden village was granted the right to hold a market, the first non-burghal market in Scotland, and a market cross which still stands today was erected - such was the importance of the village in mediaeval times. The cross is now used as the parish war memorial.

The present Bowden Kirk was greatly enlarged in the 17th century, but parts of an older church are still evident. The church is unusual inasmuch as it has three bells, 2 of which are still in use. The 3rd bell is contained inside the church and bears the inscription SOLI DEO GLORIA JOHN MEIKEL ME FECIT EDINBURGHII ANNO 1690, meaning "I was built by the grace of God at Edinburgh in 1690 by John Meikle". John MEIKLE was an eminent bell maker and tuner in 17th century Edinburgh. The old kirkyard contains many interesting gravestones and, under the east wing, a burial vault which contains 22 members of the KER family, 6 of them Dukes of Roxburghe. The church is embellished with some wonderful stained glass windows including the Priest's Door, built at the old priest's doorway.

Bowden has been blessed with education since just after the Scottish Reformation in 1590. The last school was built in the middle of the 19C but closed in the mid 20C. The school and schoolmaster's house are still standing and are used as private homes.

The Bowden village well was erected in 1861 and still stands in the atmospheric village adjacent to the old school. The village hall was erected in 1896.

While the 1st mention of Bowden is in the early 12C, its original name of Bothanden is from the old English language meaning 'houses at the stream', the stream in question being the Bowden Burn which cuts through the village. Many artifacts from the Iron-Age have been found in and around Bowden, and there were even traces of an old military road from the Romans in Scotland period. It is known that ancient British tribes lived on the Eildon Hills. The Romans built a fort at nearby Newstead and named it Trimontium, meaning three hills.

Originally the people of Bowden were farm labourers and weavers, but in modern times the village is inhabited by many professional people, including doctors, nurses and schoolteachers. After local government restructuring in the early 1970s, Bowden became part of the newly formed Scottish Borders Council.

The war memorial in Bowden dates from 1915, reflecting the early local sacrifice made by this community during WWI. The memorial was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer.

James Bowden Jr., age 83, of Muskegon passed away Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at a Muskegon Hospital. He was born June 11, 1924, in Lansing to James and Leah (Brokaw) Bowden, and he married Ann Meriam on January 29, 1949. James was a minister of Lakeside Chapel in Park Lake, MI from 1950-60, South Okemos Church from 1962-72, Valley Farms Baptist Church from 1980-9. During this time, he was the superintendent for 17 years at Lansing Christian School, after which he ministered to college students in East Lansing through "Sonshine House" [near the MSU campus]. He was a member of Mona Shores Baptist Church in Muskegon, very active in Maranatha Missionary and Bible Conference and was an avid hunter. James was a veteran of the U.S. Navy Air Corp serving during WWII. Survivors include his wife Ann of 59 years; two daughters, Cathy (Dennis) Bytwerk of Mason, MI; Kay (Doug) Bytwerk of Spring Lake, MI; three sons, Kent Bowden of Lansing, MI; James (Martha) Bowden III and Calvin (Amy) Bowden both of Mason, MI; 17 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and two sisters-in-law, Betty Bowden of Lake Odessa, MI; and Pauline Meriam of Elsie, MI. The Funeral Service for James [was] held at 11am Thursday, February 28, 2008, at Mona Shores Baptist Church, 3800 Lake Harbor Rd. in Muskegon, with Pastor Doug Bytwerk and grandson, Josh Bytwerk, officiating. Visitation [was] Wednesday from 6-8pm at the Klaassen Family Funeral Home and also Thursday one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials may be made to Lansing Christian School.

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