Capt. Jonathan Bowers (1673-1750)

Some of the Bowers of Somerset, MA 

Happy birthday to my great times six grandfather, Captain Jonathan Bowers. (A repost that's been edited from 2018)

Somerset was where many of my ancestors lived and died, back in the eighteenth century. Captain Jonathan was born Aug. 11, 1673 in Charleston, Middlesex County, MA to Benanuell and Marie (Elizabeth Dunster?) Bowers. (There is some doubt whether his mother was the sister (here) of the first president of Harvard University. See HERE where I talked about his mother and father. I don't know the actual facts, so am still going with what I found on Ancestry)

In 1695 in Boston MA, Capt. Jonathan Bowers posted his intention to wed Ann Sylvester of Shelter Island NY. They apparently settled in Swansea/Somerset sometime before 1705 when their 3rd child was born. (The 2 towns didn't separate until 1790.)

The Bowers family has a cemetery on South St, but there are many unmarked graves.  I'm sure the bones of many of my uncles and aunts and cousins lie there.

A commemorative plaque remembers Jonathan Bowers (1673-1750), and lists 9 children.  

This is the private cemetery. The address is on South St. Somerset.

Son, Jonathan Bowers Jr.'s home on the left facing the river. Another son, Henry Bowers home with a cupola shows between the masts of the whaling vessel Sullivan, (and will be seen in more detail below.) (There's no date for this photo unfortunately.)

Jonathan Bowers, Jr. 1708-1775) home (also shown with the whaling ship)

Capt. Jonathan Bowers (1673-1750) had named an earlier son Jonathan, who died young. They lost several of their children as infants.  Since Capt. Jonathan Bowers built the oldest house (still standing) in Somerset in 1723 it was part of a commemorative quilt made for the bicentenial (1976, I assume.)

This photo even gives each house's address in Somerset.  Captain Jonathan Bower's home is third down in second to the right column, 616 Main St, built in 1723.

Earliest house built in Somerset, MA, the Jonathan Bowers home.

Henry Bowers' (1716-1790) home in 2009 as it was being renovated, (see photo of whaling ship above where this house is viewed between the masts)  This house was also included on the quilt, (247 Main in the exact center of the quilt)  One person on Ancestry commented:

"Burgess House." Captain John A. Burgess was a later occupant of the house. In addition to the Clipper Ship, the Davy Crocket, he was the master of many clipper ships, including the Governor Morton that was built in Somerset."

An article about the Bowers family homes from the Boston Sunday Herald, Oct. 1905, with some interesting stories (probably the kind of things Boston society pages liked to print.)

"Top left to right: David Bowers house, Phillip Bowers house,  Henry Bowers house; second row, Lloyd Bowers house, Benanuel Bowers House, Jerathmiel Bowers House; bottom row, Benjamin Bowers house, Somerset Hotel, formerly a Bowers House."

Well, as you can see, they are not correctly labeled.  Henry Bower's house has a cupola above many windows, and I believe it's the one on the second row attributed to Lloyd (whoever he might be).  The photo attributed wrongly to Henry is the exact same one that we've got for Jonathan Bowers Jr. house posted above.

The google air view shows the Henry Bowers /Burgess home with all its shutters back on again, also a 2009 photo...after the renovation, I'd guess!

Of the 11 children born to Jonathan and Ann Sylvester Bowers,  9 lived to be adults. These adult children all married and had children.  Mary Bowers was the next to youngest child, and she married Joseph Swasey, who's birth anniversary is tomorrow!

Joseph and Mary Bowers Swasey are my great times five grandparents.