William-Rowe

William Rowe and Elizabeth Bowers.

For many years Rowe researchers have been stumped as to who William H. Rowe's parents were, why we never looked at his death record is beyond me. With modern technology of Family Search, Ancestry.com and other such family history sites, I found William's parents. They are listed as W. Rowe and Eliz Bower, and he was born in Maryland.

Now armed with this information I was able to find a marriage record for William and Elizabeth Bower[s] in Baltimore in 1806. And then, what I believe to be William and Elizabeth in the 1810 census.

I just don't think it's coincidence that William H's family came up with W. Rowe and Elizabeth Bower, when they show up in the Baltimore marriage records, being married only 7-12 years before William H. was born in Baltimore (between 1813 as stated on his death record, or 1818 as stated on his tombstone).

Another interesting thing is I found a record of a bapitsm of an Elisabeth Bauer born August 24, 1785 and christened at the First German Reformed Church, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents are listed as Johannes Bauer and Christina. While I cannot prove these people as my ancestors, there is a very strong probability. Take for example, the 1810 census.

The 1810 census listed below (first line was altered to put categories) clearly shows a J. Bowers and wife both older than 44 years. Living 7 stops beneath them on the census is a Wm. Roe family. William is 26-44 (probably closer to 26), and the wife is 16-25. If she's the Elisabeth Bauer above, she'd be exactly 25. They have a young daughter under 10 years old, most likely showing a recent marriage (of 4 years perhaps?).

One thing that currently remains a mystery to me is the number of marriages for a William Rowe in Baltimore. Did Elizabeth Bower Rowe die within a year or two of William H's birth, or is there another William Rowe? Did William have a streak of bad luck with wives?

William Row married Elizabeth Bowers January 23, 1806, in Baltimore.

William Rowe married Margaret Jenkins on December 19, 1820, in Baltimore.

William Rowe married Eliza M. Bosley January 13, 1824, in Baltimore.

William Rowe marred Elenora Burns December 13, 1832, in Baltimore.

Linda Trent