John Bowater was baptized on 25 April 1630 in Bromsgrove, the son of William Bowater, a nail-maker there.1 Bromsgrove was in Worcester, south of Birmingham. Originally a center for cloth manufacture, it was also known for nail-making. It was close to the River Severn, for transport, and close to the River Stour, which was dotted with slitting mills, a water mill for making bars of iron into rods.”2 “Nailmakers would purchase their iron from the nailmasters and sell their nails to nailmasters at set prices, effectively at a piece-rate. The basic technique of nail production did not change much, involving in essence heating iron rods, making a point, half cutting the nail off, fully cutting it and hammering a head. Simple nails might take a few blows and take a matter of seconds to make, while complex nails could involve twelve to twenty blows.”3 Nailmaking was a family occupation. The nailers lived in tiny cottages, with a shed attached for doing the work. They were at the mercy of the nailmasters for their income, and were generally poor. When John’s father William died in 1647, he left his son John a “paier of Bellowes in my shope with all my workinge tooles beelonginge to my trade.”4 Since William owned his own shop, he was a step above the poorest of the nail makers.

John became a Quaker before 1660, when he was put into prison for refusing to take an oath.5 In the town of Worcester the magistrates summoned many known Quakers and required them to swear an oath. Forty-seven of them refused and were sent to prison, including John.6

John traveled to America as a Quaker minister in 1677 and 1678. He visited New England, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, preaching in places along the ways, and wrote a book about his experience, published after his death, called Christian Epistles Travels and Suffering of that Ancient Servant of Christ, John Boweter.7 After his return to England, he was put in Worcester Gaol for failing to pay tithes. He was later transferred to Fleet Prison in London.8

John’s first wife, Ann, died in 1679, leaving him with three grown sons, John, Thomas and William.9

After his release from Fleet Prison, he married Mary Maunder of London under the jurisdiction of Devonshire House Monthly Meeting.10 They had children, Jonathan and Mary. They may have remained in London, since the death of their son Jonathan was recorded there as well as their own deaths. It is not recorded how John made his living in London. Quakers did not pay their ministers, looking down on “hireling priests”. John died in 11^th month (January) 1704/05 and was buried at Friends Burying Ground near White Chapel. Mary died the next month, from a fever. They were living on Westbury Street, Spittlefields, now known as Quaker Street.11

Children of John and Ann:

John, bapt. 8 August 1652, d. summer 1705. Like his father and grandfather before him, he was a nail-maker. He married in 1683 Frances Corbett, daughter of William Corbett of Sedgley, Staffordshire, also a nail-maker.12 They were married at Chadwick Monthly Meeting, Worcester.13 The next year they immigrated to Pennsylvania and presented a certificate to Philadelphia Meeting. They moved to Chester County, where John was an active member. They had seven children, all born in Pennsylvania except the first. John left a will naming Frances and five living daughters. Frances lived until 1721. She also left a will. Children: Anne (died young), Mary, William, Elizabeth, Anne, Alice, Phebe.

Thomas, born February 1654/55, died after November 1734, m. Sarah Edge in 1686. Thomas immigrated in September 1683 on the Bristol Comfort as an indentured servant to Frances Fincher from Worcester. After his indenture was over he married Sarah Edge, and after her death married in 1702 Frances Barnard, widow of Richard Barnard.14 Thomas and Frances lived at first in Concord, Chester County, later moved to New Garden Meeting, then to Haverford.15 The dates of their deaths were not recorded, but Thomas was still alive in 1734 when he signed a marriage certificate. Children (with Sarah): Sarah, Thomas.

William, d. 13 Oct 1697 in England, m. (?) Sarah.16 He signed the wedding certificate of John and Frances as a close relative, so he was probably a brother of John and Thomas. He stayed around Bromsgrove, and his death was recorded at Warwick North Meeting.17 Children: John Samuel.

Children of John and Mary:

Jonathan, b. July 1687, d. 1688, age  7 months.

Mary, b. Feb 1688/89, d. before March 1734 in Virginia, m. James Wright.18 Mary immigrated in 1705, just after the death of her parents. She was just sixteen. She married James a few years later. James and Mary lived in Nottingham, Chester County, then moved to Monocacy, Frederick County, Maryland, where they were members of Hopewell Meeting.19 Around 1735 they moved to Orange County, Virginia, where in 1755, when the French incited the Indians of the Shendanoah region, James and Mary were “driven from their habitation” and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting took up a collection for them.20 James died in 1760, leaving a will naming his wife and children.21 In an unusual clause, James added that “I would have no appraisement upon my goods.”22 Mary died in 1764, and named the same children. Children: Mary, Hannah, Martha, Elizabeth, John, James, Thomas, Isaac, Ann, Sarah, Lydia.23