John Bowater was born in 1660 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, the son of John and Ann.1 The older John was a nail-maker who had become a Quaker before then; in 1660 he was put into prison for refusing to take an oath. The son John would inherit his father’s Quaker beliefs and his occupation of nail-making. Bromsgrove was a center for this, close to mills on the River Stour where iron bars were slit into thinner pieces, ready to be hammered out into nails.2

When John was 17, his father left for a voyage to America, to travel around the colonies and preach as a Quaker minister. John was the eldest son and must have been the chief wage-earner in his father’s absence. His father returned in 1678, only to lose his wife Ann, the mother of John and his younger brothers. She died in 1679, according to the records of Warwick North Monthly Meeting.3 It would be six years before the father remarried.

The younger John married Frances Corbett in 2^nd month (April) 1683 in Chadwick, Worcestershire. She was the daughter of William Corbett of Sedgley, Staffordshire. John’s father John would normally sign the marriage certificate right after the newly-married couple, but at this time the father was probably still in jail for refusing to pay tithes. John and Frances had a daughter Elizabeth born in 11^th month (January) 1683/84, just nine months after their marriage. She died a few months later.

John and Frances emigrated in 1684 and settled in Thornbury township, Chester County. They first presented their certificates to Philadelphia Meeting on 9^th month 1684. In May 1688 they joined Chester meeting, along with their two young daughters. They went on to add three more daughters.

John bought 50 acres in 1685, which he later sold. In 1697 he bought 250 acres and in 1700 another 150 acres. Meetings were sometimes held at their house until a new meetinghouse was built in 1700 on adjoining land of Joshua Hastings; this became Middletown Meeting.

In 1705 John wrote his will; it was proved in November 1705.4 It named Frances and their five daughters. After John’s death Frances sold 400 acres, probably the two combined tracts, to George Smedley. Then she bought a tract of 115 acres in 1708 and kept it until 1713.5 When she died she was living in Concord, probably with a daughter. She made her own will, an unusual act for the time, naming all five daughters.6 She died in 1720.

Children of John and Frances:7

Mary, b. 12 mo 1685, d. before 1745, married about 1713 Stephen Ailes.8 In 3^rd month 1714 Mary submitted a paper of condemation to the monthly meeting of Chichester and Concord, acknowledging her fault in being with child before marriage and claiming that her mother was “wholly ignorant how it was with me”.9 They lived in Londongrove, Chester County. Stephen left a will, written in November 1755 and proved in June 1758.10 Mary was not named in his will, and must have died before it was written, but the date of her death was apparently not recorded by London Grove Meeting. Both of Stephen’s sons had died before him, and he left the plantation of 200 acres to his grandson William. His daughter-in-law Ann, widow of his son Stephen, was to stay on the plantation to support the grandchildren. The inventory of his estate showed a modest list of furniture, livestock and household goods, with a total value of £86. Children: Hannah, William, Stephen, Mary.

William, b. 11^th mo 1686, no further record, probably died before May 1688.

Elizabeth, b. 11^th mo 1688 (probably 1688/89), d. 1742, married William Pusey at Middletown Meeting on 5^th 9^th month 1707.11 William was a miller, probably the nephew of the miller Caleb Pusey, who was prominent in the Quaker meeting and in the government.12 Elizabeth and William lived in West Marlborough, where Elizabeth died in 1742, leaving a will, naming sons John, William, Joshua, daughters Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, Hannah.13

Anne, b. 6^th mo 1690, d. bef. Aug 1745, married 1712 William Chandler at Christ Church, son of George and Jane14. William was a shoemaker. They lived in Londongrove, where William wrote his will in 1745. He named his children John, Ann, Thomas, Moses, Mary, William.15 William died the next year. The inventory of his estate included shoemaker’s tools, 37 pounds of leather, plus the house and 100 acres in Londongrove.

Alice, b. 12^th mo 1692/3, d. before Nov 1731, married Jacob Pyle in 1713 at Concord Meeting; he died in 1717. He left a will, naming his sons James and Samuel. Alice was the administrator.16 Alice married Moses Mendenhall in 1719 at Concord Meeting. They settled in Kennett, on Brandywine Creek. Moses was a recommended minister, clerk of the meeting, and considered an eminent Friend.17 He died in 1731 and was buried at Kennett burying ground. Children of Jacob and Alice: Samuel, James. Children of Moses and Alice: Alice, Caleb, Phebe, Moses.

Phebe, b. 2^nd mo 1697, d. about 1739, m. 1717 Shadrach Scarlett at Concord Meeting.18 They moved to New Garden Meeting, Chester County. He was a prosperous farmer. The inventory of his estate, taken in April 1739, included ten cattle, six horses, 33 sheep and lambs, six swine, plentiful farm tools and household goods.19 1739.] He owned 303 bushels of wheat in the house and mill, probably the grist mill of which he owned half a share. The total value, not including his land, was over £355. Besides the 150 acres in Londongrove where they lived, he also owned 175 acres in Lancaster County. Children: Ann, Nathaniel, Alice, Phebe, Samuel, Shadrach. Phebe probably died before him, since administration on his estate was granted to the son Nathaniel, instead of to her.