BOWLES-L Archives

From: "Leathel Bowles" <>
Subject: John Powell, Norfolk co,VA
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 21:43:25 -0500

Vonda, I'm sending this to you through the Bowles-List so everyone will have
it. I'm going to make a couple post to break the Bowles side down, that will
take them back to England.
Leathel,

6. JOHN POWELL (RICHARD)
b. ca. 1669 in Norfolk Co., Va.
d. 1747-9 in Perquimans Co., N. C.
m. ca. 1689-90 ESTHER (HESTER), aunt of THOMAS BOWLES of Norfolk Co., sister
of HENRY BOWLES, and probably daughter of RICHARD BOWLES, and granddaughter
of JOHN BOWLES of ELIZABETH CITY AND NORFOLK COS., V A. The clue to ESTHER
POWELL'S parentage is found in the WILL OF THOMAS BOWLES of Norfolk Co.,
Va., dated Mar. 4, 1718/19 and probated
July 17, 1719. THOMAS BOWLES mentioned the following legatees:
cousin THOMAS SMITH 100 acres i cousins JOHN and LEMUEL SMITH 30 acres;
cousin LEMUEL POWELL son of JOHN POWELL 100 acres; aunt MARY SMITH: cousin
JOHN SMITH the plantation I live on; cousin DORCAS BATTERS; cousins ANN,
DORCAS, and DIANA "which is now in Pamplico" (i.e., on Pimlico Sound, N.
C.).
The aunt MARY SMITH mentioned in the will was the widow of JOHN SMITH,
whose will, dated Oct. 21, 1710 and probated April 20, 1711, mentions son,
John Smith, to whom he leaves the land adjoining HENRY BOWLES and William
Ellis; sons Lemuel and Thomas Smith; and wife MARY SMITH. Since THOMAS
BOWLES calls MARY SMITH aunt, we can be pretty sure that Thomas, Lemuel and
John Smith, legatees of the will, were really his first cousins (not his
nephews) ; and therefore, that the cousin LEMUEL POWELL, son of JOHN POWELL,
was also a first cousin. ESTHER, wife of JOHN POWELL, was also therefore an
aunt of THOMAS BOWLES; and the cousins, ANN, DORCAS BATTERS, and DIANA, were
also her children, since they were not Mary Smith's children.
The father of THOMAS BOWLES and brother of MARY SMITH and ESTHER POWELL was
HENRY BOWLES who first appears in the records of Norfolk Co. Mar. 13, 1686/7
as witness to the will of Thomas Hallowell, Sr. (McIntosh "Norfolk Co.
Wills, 1637-1710, p. 113). He was probably born about 1665.

HENRY BOWLES was the owner of 330 acres of land in Norfolk Co. in 1704, the
only BOWLES land-owner in the county (Va. Mag., 30, p. 27). He last appears
Feb. 15, 1708/9, when he sued WILLIAM POWELL, SR. (No.3) for trespass. He
must have died soon afterwards and his land have been inherited by his son
THOMAS.
HENRY BOWLES, MARY SMITH, and ESTHER POWELL were probably the children of
RICHARD BOWLES mentioned in the 1702 deed of RICHARD and THOMAS POWELL to
John Hodges cited previously (D. B. 6, pp. 262-4) .This is the only
reference yet found to RICHARD BOWLES, but he seems to be the connecting
link to the original patentee of the land, JOHN BOWLES of Elizabeth City and
Norfolk Co., who first appears in 1636, so born at least as early as
1610-15, so that we may assume that RICHARD was JOHN BOWLES' son. That JOHN
BOWLES \vas the original owner of THOMAS BOWLES' land is proved by a deed of
WILLIAM POWELL (No. 18 or No.35) Sept.25, 1752, Who bought from John Smith
the home plantation left by THOMAS BOWLES to John Smith; the 1752 deed
states that the land was part of a patent to JOHN BOWLES in 1625 which was
renewed in 1655 (D. B. 15, p. 155). We note that if the deed is correct and
JOHN BOWLES was granted land as early as 1625, he must have been born about
1600.
JOHN BOWLES appears in the following references in Nugent's "Cavaliers and
Pioneers":
( 1 ) He was an adjoining land owner to William Morgan, alias Brookes, in
Elizabeth City Co. May 22, 1637, p. 57.
(2) p. 124. William Armistead of Elizabeth City to JOHN BOWLES 20 acres
alongside Bowles' 50 acres by deed of gift from Mrs. Elizabeth Southwell,
and 16 acres more near William Morgan. Consideration: 100 acres granted
Thomas Keeling Nov. 18, 1635 and assigned by Thomas Casson to said BOWLES;
also, certificate of 40 acres to be delivered to said BOWLES. The date of
the above is June 11, 1641.
Same page, Oct. 4, 1636, William Laighton and Henry Southell of the Back
River to JOHN BOWLES 50 acres near William Morgan and Henry Southell. (The
records here are rather significant, and would perhaps indicate a
relationship between JOHN BOWLES and HENRY and ELIZABETH SOUTHWELL, as a
deed of gift from the latter is mentioned. Perhaps BOWLES had married their
daughter . Henry Southwell died about 1636-7, and by July 14, 1637 Elizabeth
Southwell, the widow, was married to Lieut. Richard Popeley, p. 61.)
(3) p. 131. JOHN BOWLES is again mentioned as an adjoining land owner to
William Morgan alias Brookes, Aug., 1642.
(4) p. 280. About 1653-4, JOHN BOWLES and Thomas Dyer are granted 400 acres
in the Western Branch of the Elizabeth River .
(5) p. 497. Feb. 15, 1663, JOHN BOWLES granted 350 acres on the Western
Branch of Elizabeth River; renewed Oct. 12, 1675.
(6) ANNE BOWLES, SENR. and ANNE BOWLES, JUNR. claimed as importees by THOMAS
PURIFOY an a grant Mar. 13, 1655. These may have been the wife and daughter
of JOHN BOWLES.
JOHN POWELL, who married ESTHER BOWLES, is first mentioned in the will of
his uncle and stepfather, JOHN POWELL, in 1687. His son, LEMUEL POWELL, is
mentioned not only in the will of THOMAS BOWLES in 1719, but also in the
will of WILLIAM POWELL NO. 7, dated 1701. JOHN POWELL NO.6 was deeded 100
acres of land by John Ferrabee Oct. 8, 1692 in Princess Anne Co., adjacent
to the 100 acres that Ferrabee deeded JOHN'S brother, WILLIAM, on the same
date (D. B. 6, p. 44). In 1699 JOHN POWELL deeded this land to Luke Havill
(D. B. 6, p. 175), and seems to have moved in that year to Nansemond Co.,
Va., where he received the following grants :
(I) Patent Bk. 9, p. 233. Oct. 26, 1699, JOHN POWELL granted 262 acres in
the Upper Parish of Nansemond Co. on the N. E. side of Loosing Swamp.
(2) Same, p. 230. Oct. 26, 1699, .JOHN POWELL 157 acres in the Upper Parish
of Nansemond on the Mossy Swamp adjoining John Brothers.
(3) Same, p. 454. April 25, 1702, JOHN POWELL 215 acres in Nansemond Co. on
the S. side of Loosing Swamp adjoining John Harris and John Larkum. (The
Nansemond Co. index of grants gives the date of this grant as Oct. 24,
1701.)
(4) Patent Bk. 10, p. 440. July 11, 1719, JOHN POWELL 100 acres in the Upper
Parish of Nansemond Co.
JOHN POWELL is recorded as the owner of 758 acres of land in NANSEMOND CO.
in 1704, being the only POWELL land-owner in the county at that time (Va.
Mag., Vol 29, p. 403) .PRACTICALLY ALL HIS LAND FELL INTO CHOWAN AND
PERQUIMANS CO., N. C. ON THE SETTLEMENT OF THE VIRGINIA-NORTH CAROLINA
BOUNDARY DISPUTE, and he appears in the follow- ing records in North
Carolina :
(1) CSR 2, pp. 101 and 107. JOHN POWELL is mentioned July 28, 1713 and Oct.
27, 1713 as defendant in a suit for debt by John Blish, Merchant.

This thread:

• John Powell, Norfolk co,VA by "Leathel Bowles" <>