I just wanted to post what I found to be an interesting potential connection to my family. I am trying to find the origin of my Bowen line and also the father of James Bowen.... I have proven my Bowen line back to James Bowen of Culpeper County. He was b.abt. 1790 in Culpeper Co. He married Ann T. Foushee on 06 Jan 1814 in Culpeper. Another researcher advised me that me that this James' father was a John Bowen, but no source or proof for that. James lived in the area of Culpeper County that was off Mountain Run, near Gibson's Mill. I had the good fortune of recently visiting his homestead this past June. A cousin still owns a portion of James original holdings. One of James' sons, George Walker Bowen, who is also my direct ancestor, is buried there as is his wife, Rebecca Everhart Crigler. I have had some Bowen notes passed along from a cousin. They are 'this and that' type of info that has been collected over many years by her and other relatives.One note mentioned that during the Civil War, "Major Bowen...son of the brother of James Bowen..." was in Brandy Station and visited with his relatives there. Well, I found only one Major Bowen who was in Brandy Station during the Civil War. He is Edward R. Bowen. According to reports he filed as Major of the PA 114th Cavalry, he was headquartered in Brandy Station in 1863-64. One report about "...recent operations south of the Rapidan..." was written by him 06 Dec 1863. I started researching this possible Bowen/Penn. connection and found that Edward is the son of William Ezra/Esra Bowen and Elizabeth Kirtley. here is the transcription from the 1850 PA census for Philadelphia: 1850 Census Roll 814, Page 197 Philadelphia City Locust Ward 1818 Spruce, Philadelphia Wm. E. Bowen, 53, male, Banker, b. Philadelphia (b. abt 1797) Elizabeth Bowen, 39, female, b. England (b. abt. 1811) Franklin H. Bowen, 25, male, Clerk, b. Philadelphia Esra Bowen, 20, male, Clerk, b. Philadelphia George K. Bowen, 15, male, b. England, attended school William Bowen, 13, male, b. England, attended school Mary E. Bowen, 12, female, b. England, attended school Edw. R. Bowen, 11, male, b. Philadelphia, attended school (b. abt 1839)** Gertrude Bowen, 10, female, b. Philadelphia, attended school Arthur Bowen, 7, male, b. Philadelphia Henry E. Bowen, 4, male, b. Philadelphia Esther K. Bowen, 1, female, b. Philadelphia Martha A. Kirtley, 27, female, b.England Sara A. Kirtley, 25, female, b. England Archible Stewart, 24, male, Servant, b. Ireland Ann Roberts, 30, female, b. England Mary A. Brown, 27, female, b. Ireland Barbara McNain, 30, female, b. Ireland Ruth McGrolly, 25, female, b. Ireland Charles D. Bowen, 6, male, b. Philadelphia Although he is shown as a Major in some reports and other Civil war references, he is listed as Lt. Col. in his obit and in some compendiums. I am no expert on the CW and military ranks. Another Civil War researcher said he may have held the rank of Major temporarily in replacing another officer, etc. (?) Does anyone have any additional info on these families? I have seen references to Kirtleys in Culpeper County and surrounding areas in my general research. Thanks, Kathleen Bowen Ridge Manor, Florida...Genealogy - It's Relative!! katbowen@earthlink.net (Back-up: kbowen@hotmail.com) http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/b/o/w/Kathleen-E-Bowen http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=katbowen