By: Illustrious McDonald "Don" Burbidge, 33°

1742-July 12, 1805

Timeline

Thomas Bartholomew Bowen is born in Ireland.

April 6

Thomas Bowen is commission as a First Lieutenant of Colonel Samuel Miles Rifle Regiment (Pennsylvania State Rifle Regiment), of which he was Adjutant.

September 2

Bowen is promoted to rank of Captain.

November 29

Bowen is transferred to The Ninth Pennsylvania Regiment.

Thomas Bowen was present at Valley Forge and participated in the Philadelphia Campaign (Brandywine and Germantown), and playing an important role at Monmouth.

Served in the 9^th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, serving in the Pennsylvania Line of the Continental Army under the command of Colonels James Irvine, Anthony J. Morris, and Richard Butler.

At a General Court-Martial, June 15^th, Colonel Livingston President, Captain Bowen of 9^th Pennsylvania Regiment Lieutenants Darrah and Parsill of the 2^nd Pennsylvania, Regiment, tried;

1^st for entering the Encampment of the 3^rd Pennsylvania Regiment in a riotous and mutinous manner.

2ndly. for attempting to enter Colonel Craige’s house between the hours of twelve and one in the morning of the 4^th. Of June instant with drawn sword.

The Court is unanimously of Opinion that they are not guilty of the Charges exhibited against them and do acquit them with honor.

May 11

Bowen took the Oath of Allegiance at Valley Forge.

Captain Thomas Bowen company of the 9^th Pennsylvania was stationed at Totoway, New Jersey on October 12-November 11. An orderly book kept by Sgt. John McGriff, contains a roster of soldiers in Bowen’s company, copies of regimental and divisional orders, returns of arms and equipment, list of officers and their duties, and several interesting records of courts martial.

January 1, Thomas Bowen arrives in Charleston after he retired from the Army in Philadelphia.

Captain Thomas Bartholomew Bowen of the 9^th Pennsylvania Regiment is appointed Paymaster to the same vice Ensign Tate, resigned from the 15^th inst.

Transferred to the Fifth Pennsylvania Regiment in January.

During this time the regiment saw action mostly in northern New Jersey. On January 17, Bowen was transferred to the Fifth Pennsylvania, one of the, "paper regiments," resulting from the reformation.

He was in one of the units that resisted the mutiny of the Pennsylvania Line, and merged with the 5^th Pennsylvania during the reorganization of the Continental Army in January.

Retires as Paymaster of the Fifth Pennsylvania Regiment in January.

Colonel Daniel Brodhead lists Thomas Bowen as one of the first captains of the first Pennsylvania Regiment in the Southern Theater.

August Bowen signs the "Barracks Roll" of the Society of Cincinnati as a Captain of the First Regiment while in Philadelphia.

September 3, Arthur St. Clair writes General Washington from Princeton to say that Bowen and six other Pennsylvania officers wished to remain in military service if this will exist in a time of peace.

Henderson, Lodge Sec.- December 25^th- The petition of Brothers John Salsbery and Thomas Bartholomew Bowen aspiring their desires to be admitted into a Masonic fellowship, were read and ordered to lye on the books. Brother Milnor Pennington was appointed to enquire into those gentlemen’s charter.

W.M. at this time was Pat Ferrall

S.D. was Pennington

There were 14 members present and 4 visitors at the lodge on this date.

March 8 an Entered Apprintence Lodge opened the Petitions of Mr. John Salsbery and Mr. Thomas Bowen having laid the usual time on the books were balloted for and found worthy.

Members present=11

Visitors=4

May 13^th an Entered Apprentice Lodge opened in due form.

Mr. Thomas Bartholomew Bowen, who was balloted for on March 8^th, 1784, and found worthy, received the first steps of Masonry: returned and gave thanks. Lodge closed.

Members present 14

Visitor present=2

Erkurius Beatty and Thomas Bowen take residences at a house located on Spruce Street in Philadelphia.

May 20^th Lodge is held and Brother Thomas Bartholomew is listed as a member and signed in as such.

Members present=11

Visitors=6

June 21st a Fellow Craft Degree opened in form; Brothers Chandler and Bowen were passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft; returned and gave thanks, Lodge closed.

Lodge closed in harmony at ten o’clock

Members present=13 (including Bowen)

Visitors=1

June 28^th a Master’s Lodge opened in due form.

Brothers Thomas B. Bowen and Joseph Walker were raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason returned and gave thanks to the Henderson Lodge Brothers.

Lodge closed in Harmony at ten o’clock

Members present=10 (Bowen not listed as a member this night)

Visitors 0

Captain Bowen long with Erkuries Beatty are appointed agent by the State of Pennsylvania for the delivery of certificates for Depreciation Pay to the veterans of the Line. Both gentlemen resigned the task, protesting the fact that the veterans were not given priority over speculators.

November 23

Established by Thomas B. Bowen and John Markland as the semi-weekly Columbian Herald, or Patriotic Courier of North America. Issued tri-weekly from June 6, 1785 to November 24, 1785 when it became the semi-weekly Columbian Herald or the Independent Courier of North America. The Columbian Herald or The Patriotic Courier of North America, published by Messrs. Harrison and Bowen, then by Thomas Bartholomew Bowen and J. Markland, as Bowen and Markland, at 4 Queen Street; afterwards (1784,) it was published at 15 Meeting Street; then removed to No. 92 Church Street.

On March 18 Brother Thomas Bowen along with other masons in Charleston in a meeting held at McCrady’s Tavern for the purpose of forming a lodge for the ancient York Masons. At this meeting Brother Bowen is appointed as the first Senior Warden in a warrant issued by Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

March 18^th (Saturday) at McCrady’s Tavern demit to the York Master Mason Lodge was approved as such. Also at this meeting a Lodge of Ancient York Masons is established.

Brother Thomas Bowen is elected Senior Warden and was also named in the warrant issued by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania at its first annual communication which was reissued under the same number of 27.

Thomas Bowen is listed as holding the office of Senior Warden for the Grand Lodge of South Carolina, Ancient York Masons.

Thomas Bowen is listed as holding the office of Deputy Grand Master for the Grand Lodge of South Carolina, Ancient York Masons.

Thomas Bowen is listed as holding the office of Deputy Grand Master for the Grand Lodge of South Carolina, Ancient York Masons.

Brother Bowen is named as Grand Master of the Ancient York Masons in South Carolina.

The Bowen-Markland partnership did not last very long, but Bowen continued, with various others of the Columbian Herald or the Patriotic Courier of North America as publisher of this newspaper.

The Columbian Herald or The Patriotic Courier of North America, published by Thomas Bartholomew Bowen and J. Markland, as Bowen and Markland, on May 9^th moved to No. 92 Church Street. The motto of this paper wasbased on part of the Constitution of the State of South Carolina: "That the Liberty of the press is inviolably preserved." The Columbian Herald had a bust of WASHINGTON as a vignette located at the top center of the paper.

Major Thomas Bartholomew Bowen is chosen the senior of the Society of Cincinnati two Stewards in Charleston, S.C. and Colonel John Mitchell was elected a member of the Standing Committee of the Society on the same day.

Brother Thomas Bartholomew Bowen along with the other 10 gentlemen of Charleston establishes the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite Masons.

Thomas Bartholomew Bowen- Printer (9 printers in City) and living at 240 King Street.

The "Register" which was printed by Bowen identifies himself as a native of Ireland and 60 years of age and living at 3 Broad Street.

Brother Bowen is elected to Grand Master of Ceremonies both in the Charleston Lodge of Perfection and of the Supreme Council.

Died, on Thursday evening last, at Hillsborough, the seat of Major Charles Lining, in the 63^d year of his age, Major Thomas Bartholomew Bowen, a member of the society of the Cincinnati of this state, and a much respected officer of the Pennsylvania line, during the revolutionary war. At the peace of 1783, he returned and settled in this place, and for a number of years was the Editor of a valuable Newspaper and Museum. Although frequently himself in embarrassed circumstances, yet still he was to be found providing for the orphan, educating the indigent and unprotected, and brining them forward to society, prepared and qualified to be useful citizens. Of a warm and benevolent heart, he would forget his own distresses, when those of others were presented to his view; and the fear of sensibility often unwillingly proclaimed how much he felt that his powers of doing good to them were so circumscribed.

For some years past he had felt the hand of misfortune, and was pressed by infirmities; but he bore them with resignation, and without a murmur. In the hospitable and friendly retreat of a brother officer, who knew how to appreciate his worth, the evening of his days began to brighten, and he was looking forward to some years of calm and philosophic retirement, unconnected with, not disturbed by the busy scenes of life, when death, after a short sickness, closed with him this earthly scene, and took him beyond "that borne from whence no traveler returns."

His remains were on Friday evening deposited in the family burying ground of Major Lining, at his seat at Hillsborough, attended by the Rev. Mr. Mills, several members of the Cincinnati, and a few intimate acquaints, who were desirous of paying to their departed friend, this last tribute of attention and respect.