Hi Jack, At last there is someone researching Bowers from the same area as mine. My Bowers come from the Langton Matravers area. Other names I am researching in the same general area include Burt, Woodrow, Cole, Sanders,and Shott. The following is what I have on my Bower forbears. I hope some of it rings a bell. Robert Bower was born C 1794 in Dorsetshire. He appears to have been still alive in 1851 as his name appears in the 1851 census. He married Sarah Smith on 11th April 1814 at Langton Matravers. Sarah appears to have died prior to 1851 as she doesnt appear in the 1851 census. Robert and Sarahs children were: Robert Charles Bower, bap: 2nd Aug 1836, Swanage. Harriet Bower, bap: 11th Nov 1832, Langton Matravers. Titus Bower, bap:19th June 1814, Langton Matravers. Mary Ann Bower, bap:27th July 1817, Langton Matravers. Jane Bower, bap:5th May 1822, Langton Matravers. Louisa Bower, bap:4th Sept. 1825, Langton Matravers George Smith Bower, Born:17th Feb 1820, Langton Matravers; bap:26th March 1820, Langton Matravers George Smith Bower married Louisa Woodrow on 28th May 1844 in Swanage Their children were: Elizabeth Bower, born: About 1844 George Bower, born: about 1846, Herston Maria Bower, born:1849/50, Herston Walter Bower, born:1850/55; d:before 1858 Louisa Bower, born:about 1855, Herston Walter Bower, born:about 1858 Frederick Bower, born:about 1861 Nathaniel Bower, born:about 1863, Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia Alfred Bower, born:about 1860, Victoria, Australia. George Bower (born 1846) married Elizabeth Ann Luty (who was born in Leeds, Yorkshire) on 18th June 1866 in Melbourne. Their daughter Louisa married a William Burt . I have excerpts from the 1851 census for the Swanage area and also for the 1841 census. I would appreciate any help I could get locating records such as probates for my family. Regards, Andrea Fitzgerald. -----Original Message----- From: Jack Graham [mailto:jack@mathieson69.freeserve.co.uk] Sent: Sunday, 10 December 2000 11:44 To: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [BOWER] Interests Hi. List, My first visit to the list, I am researching BOWER family in Dorset, UK, mainly in the Corfe, Kingston, Langton Matravers and Worth Matravers areas I can do look ups in the 1881 Census and the PR's for Worth Matravers and Langton Matravers, Baptism's Marriages and Burials. (off list) Regards Jack. ==== BOWER Mailing List ==== The Bower Family Homestead, homesite of the Bower mailing list -- http://bowercommunity.com/homestead