Dutch Corner History Group

The next meeting will be held September 19, 2010.

Frank, your museum outline/proposal was interesting reading - the reference to Bowser as "the first dynasty" caught my eye given our Bowser family research to date. What did you mean by your characterization as Bowser as "the first dynasty"/ can you direct me to other resources to learn more about it?

I am direct decendent of John and Eve Bowser (Bedford). The irony for me is that I was born and raised in the Johnstown area - I spent many a summer with my grandparents fishing and camping near Everett (on the old airport farm just east of the village), and every time we drove through Dutch Corners to get to camp site, but i never appreciated my roots at the time - who does at that age. Knowing, now, that my fith-great grandfather was an orignial settler of the area is inspiring (I actually spoke by phone with the present owner of the farm where John and Eve's graves are located; we do plan a visit for a first-hand look). I always realized our family went back a ways, but it was my PhD-researcher wife who was instrumental in pulling it together. We now know our lines and my focus now is to research and appreciate the "goings on" of the area during that time period. Thus, my question and interest.

My line is as follows: from John and Eve Bowser; to George and Margaret of Bedford County; to Jacob and Catherine Imler of Green Township, north of Bedford County; to Isaac and Catherine Stombaugh of Cambria County - his first wife died and he then married Rose Ann Smith, who was his brother's wife, his brother having died while imprisoned at Hendersonville and then Charlotte Race Track during the Civil War; to Adolphus Grant and Viola Bowser of Cambria County; to Howard and Violet Bowser (my grandparents, who took me fishing in Bedford County) of Cambria County; to Lee E. and Lena Bowser of Cambria and later Indiana Counties; to myself - eighth generation US. I have a son, Jason, and he has a daughter Natalie. It will be quite a story when compiled.

Also, we had made contact with Bill Bowser, who is part of your Dutch Corner History Groupwork, and shared our history findings, and it was Bill who recently shared the recent map work products and introduction to this web site. Thank you for your time and any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Lee Bowser

Dear Lee,

It's great to have a new voice on this forum!

And thanks for reading my prospectus. I need to update that work, since several years have passed. The land here has been subdivided since I wrote that, but it does not really have to effect the history any. My wife and I now own about 37 acres, which might or might not have been the original Bowser homestead. It was probably my cousin and/or her husband that you spoke with. They own the land where the Bowser cemetery is located. My sister and her husband now own about 120 acres of mountain ground which kind of wrap around the land we own.

In referring to the various "dynasties" I was using the metaphor of royalty (as, say, the kings of England). In ownership of this land there have been four families that I know of -- Bowsers, Schnablys, Oppenheimers, and Camps. None of the four are related, so there have been three major breaks in the history of the land. (In England there were Plantaginets (sp?), Tudors, Hanoverians, etc. ).

I must say that Bill Bowser is currently doing some amazing work. I hope you stay in touch.

Frank