Susan and all, I suspected or theorized at one time that my ancestor, Valentine McDonald (s/o Joseph), was born 11 Jan 1760 (per RW pension records) at the now abandoned town of 'South Branch,' (of the Potomac River), and not on/at/in 'South Branch of the Potomac River' -- a comma surely makes a big difference, huh. The latter name, 'South Branch of the Potomac River' is/was official, after it was Americanized from 'Wappacomo River' way back when. Copy and paste the following URL into your browser's address window to see the large South Branch area on Joshua Fry's map of 1751 from the Library of Congress site: http--lcweb2.loc.gov-cgi-bin-map_image.pldata=-home-www-data-gmd-gmd388-g388 0-g3880-ct000370.sid&x=6868&y=1904&res=2&width=640&height=480 (I'm not sure how long this URL will last or be useable.) 'Wappacomo Manor' was one of the early tracts of land where settlers purchased (or leased or borrowed or bartered or tomahawk-marked or labored-on) land within the huge Lord Fairfax grant. Wappacomo Manor ran along the SB of the Potomac River from its mouth to just below The Trough south of Romney. It was also known as the 'Great South Branch of the Potomac River' settlement. See the following link for names of some of the earliest families in such tracts or manors, developed by Sara Patton (one of the good 'ol folks <grin> who remain interested in history and freely contribute their info for others.): http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvhardy/sbmanor.htm So, take your pick, an ancestor born in/at/on "South Branch of the Potomac River" may have been born at the now abandoned town of South Branch (a very small chance I should think without a definite comma in the correct place and accompanied by additional indicators), or maybe within Wappacomo Manor (this is much more likely, especially with additional indicators), or maybe anywhere along the entire length of the SB of the Potomac River including areas some distance away from it on either side. Early records from present Hampshire, Hardy, Grant and Pendleton Counties of WV and Highland in VA (along the river) plus 'Old' Augusta and Frederick Counties, VA, all allude to 'South Branch' areas. I keep trying to somehow find a mark on a map or deed showing my ancestors' names but no such luck. It has been written by at least one history author that perhaps 50%, or more, of the early frontier settlers did not 'own' land, at least not via a court recorded deed. Some settlers also moved several times within an area. A 'friend' writes about my quest: "Give it up, he was born somewhere along the river dam" -- or maybe those words were intended to be reversed since I can't find a dam anywhere either. Neil McDonald PS - Susan, your BOWMAN ancestors were building boats a little too late to help mine, who flatboated from Brownsville, PA down the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers, from Fayette Co. PA right on past the present Wheeling, WV area to Maysville, KY in the autumn of 1790. ----- Original Message ----- From: <SFSFVF@aol.com> To: <WVHAMPSH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 8:34 PM Subject: [WVHAMPSH-L] "South Branch" BOWMAN's and RHODES > Hi: I've been interested in the South Branch info that has been mentioned > lately on the list. I thought I'd throw out my "Brick Wall" families from that > area. Please pardon me if this query is too long. I've been stuck awhile! > > ******************************************** > I have Bowman's who went to IN from VA/WV in the late 1820s. > I have the following information: > * BOWMAN, THOMAS b~1769 in South Branch of the Potomac River area > BOWMAN, THOMAS (adult) 1787 Tax List-Berkley Co. VA > * RHOADS/RHODES etc., JANE b~1769 in South Branch of the Potomac River area > (married Thomas Bowman) > BOMAN, CHARLES 1774- Dunmore's War on Capt. M. Cresap's militia payroll > list > BOWMAN, CHARLES 1782 Tax List-now Hampshire Co? -compiled by M. Cresap > RHODES, JOHN (ditto above) > RHODES, THOMAS (ditto above) > ROAD, CHARLES 1757-saddler in Capt. Robert Stewart's Co. VA Regiment > ROAD, JOHN 1774-Dunmore's War on Capt. Joseph Mitchell's militia payroll > list > ROADS, ANDREW 1774-Dunmore's War on Maj.J.Connolly/Capt.G.Astor's rolls > RHODES, JACOB (ditto above) > ROADS, HENRY ??date??- a ranger-Rev War Public Service Claim-VA > ROADS, JOHN 1746-fined 3 Sept on complaint by Capt. Peter Shoul > * BOWMAN, CHARLES b~1797 son of Thomas and Jane Rhodes Bowman > Only the * names are definitely my ancestors, the others are possible > connections. I suspect that the Charles Bo(w)man associated with Michael > Cresap may have been the father of my 5G Grandfather Thomas Bowman. > I think that this Charles Bowman's father is John (and Catherine) Bowman of > Frederick, MD, whose other sons went to Tennessee. > Thomas Bowman and son(s) were boat builders in the Wheeling WV area > on the 1820 US Census. They moved to the Vermillion Co. IN /Vermilion Co. IL > area in the late 1820s along with several interrelated families: Morgan, > Cochran and Prickett and others. > > Thomas and Jane Bowman had the following children: > > CHARLES b~1797/1798 who married CATHERINE COCHRAN on 23May1816 in > Tyler Co. WV; they had the following children: > > JANE b~1817, married PETER WELLS 12Nov1833 in Vermillion Co. IN; > > DRUSILLA b~1820 in VA/WV, married GEORGE W. NOLAN on 18Sep1843 in > > Vermillion Co. IN, they were my 3G Grandparents. Drusilla died > 24Nov1874 in Guthrie Co. IA, George died 1881 in Cerro Gordo Co. IA. > > EMILY (EMELINE?) md JACOB BRADBURN > > CASSANDER md EHUD HUGHES > > TEMPERANCE md WILLIAM K. MARTIN > > STEPHEN FRANKLIN BOWMAN md SARAH McGEE > > CHARLES WESLEY BOWMAN md SARAH? > > NANCY md ?? UNDERHILL > > THOMAS BENTON BOWMAN md ADELIA ? > > Charles and Catherine Bowman and family, including several married > children, moved to Allamakee Co. IA in 1849. Catherine died in 1853 and is > buried in Minert Cemetery, Allamakee Co. IA. > Charles remarried a LUCINDA ? b~1817 and they had JOHN born~1856, MARY > b~1858, ROSETTA b~1860. > > Charles Bowman died in 1871 in Allamakee Co. IA. I have a copy of his > will. > > Other children of Thomas and Jane Bowman : > > (possibly) JOHN married Cassie Ankrom (11 February 1819 TYLER. Co. WV) ; > > MOSES: b1812 in Wheeling, WV md 1)Nancy Miller 2) Mrs. Sally (Gadbury) > Warner in Vermillion Co. IN, died 23Mar1891 buried Miller Cemetery, > Vermillion > Co. IN. Children of Moses and Nancy Miller Bowman: Thomas, Alice, Ellen, > Catherine, George, John, Mary and Cornelius. > I have been in contact with Thomas Prather, a descendant of Moses Bowman. > It was Moses Bowman biography that mentions that both of his parents grew up in > "the same neighborhood" near the South Branch of the Potomac River. > > MARIA: married STEPHEN BAINBRIGE 22Aug1839 in Vermillion Co. IN; > > and probably several other unknown children of Thomas and Jane. > > Thomas and Jane Bowman's son Charles married Catherine Cochran and I > think that her family were Methodists at that time. Charles and Catherine's > son Stephen Franklin obit says that he and his wife Sarah converted to the > United Brethren Church 3 years after their marriage (~1858) then eventually > united with the Methodist Church. Stephen Franklin Bowman was the brother of > my 3G Grandmother Drusilla Bowman Nolan. > > I suspect that my Thomas' grandfather was John Bowman of the Frederick, MD, > and Thomas' father was Charles, the only son of John who did not go to TN > like 4 of his brothers. This Charles is listed on his father's Will and that is > about all the info that can be found linking Charles to John. I have no info > linking that Charles to (hopefully his son) Thomas. > Any info is greatly appreciated! > Thanks, > Susan > Sugar Land, TX >