Thomas
Bowerman was born circa 1699.
1 He has also been reported to have been born circa 1689.
2 Between 1699 and 1720, Thomas was also known as Junr until after the death of his father in 1720.
3 He was the son of
Thomas Bowerman and
Mary Harper. He has also been reported to have been born before 1700.
4 Thomas has also been reported to have married
Jane Harby circa 1720
[See Research Note following].5,6 Research Note: "Family tradition" has said that Thomas married first Jane Harby in 1719 who bore him a son Ichabod in 1721 and apparently died soon after her son's birth. No proof for such a marriage has ever been found in local records and seems to be an error made in early accounts of the Bowerman family. Maclean W. McLean, F.A.S.G., who has done much research on families of this area stated that "Thomas [Bowerman], b. ca. 1689; m. 11 Nov 1721 Jane 'Clasen' or 'Clafen' [Clifton], Falmouth TR, but not Jane 'Harby,' as alleged by Amos Otis in his "Barnstable Families" [TAG 48:217]
After searching known records for Barnstable, Plymouth, Dukes, Nantucket, and Bristol Counties, no records concerning this mysterious Jane Harby have ever been found. Thomas married
Jane Claften, age 24, , daughter of
Savory Clefton and
Dority Burge, on 11 October 1721 in Falmouth, Barnstable Co., MA, New England, officiated by
Melatiah Bourne Justice of the Peace.
7,8,9
Research Note: BFH 121 states: "The Sandwich Monthly Meeting recorded his marriage: 'Oct 11th day 1721 marriage solemnized between Thomas Bowerman an Jane Claften before melatiah bourn, Justeis of peace.' (Falmouth VR)." Upon examination, no record of this marriage is found in the Sandwich VR, nor records of the MM as published in them. The above "citation" is from the Falmouth Town Records and should properly read: 'october 11th day 1721 marriags sollemnized between Thomas bowerman an Jene Claflen before Melatiah bourn Justis of peace'. (see attached image of certified photocopy of this record from the original volume).9
As of 4 October 1722, Thomas was also known as Thomas Bourman.
10 Thomas Bowerman Junr was fined in March 1726.
11 He lived circa 1727 on the estate lately owned by Capt. Nathaniel Eldred.
12,13 Thomas Bowerman was fined three bushels of malt, which was seized by the constable to satisfy the Puritan Church taxes. In 1727.
14 Thomas Bowerman was fined three bushels of malt, a linen wheel and "Bason", worth twenty shillings, which was seized by the constable to satisfy the Puritan Church taxes. In 1728.
15,16 He was a member of a group that signed a dissent when a Falmouth meeting convened to engage and pay a new minister for the Falmouth Church with Thomas
Bowerman,
Stephen Harper and
Samuel Bowerman on 30 June 1730.
17,18 He was named as an executor in the will of
William Gifford dated 25 February 1737.
19 As of 7 December 1743, Thomas was also known as Thomas Borman , Jr. in the marriage record of his daughter, Sarah.
20