VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
417
Huguenot, Chevalier Pierre lUnulouin, who,
according to P>ishop Aleade, came to this
country in 1639. The family has been prom-
inent in 'J'idewater \^irginia, since colonial
times, and for generations has been identi-
fied with the social and public life of James
City county and the town of Williamsburg.
Henry and Lemuel Bowden are sons of
the Hon. George E. Bowden, whose life was
spent in the public service of his state.
Henry and Lemuel Bowden, native-born
sons of Norfolk, Virginia, have there won
for themselves honorable position. The
earlier Bowdens were residents of Williams-
burg, Virginia, which old colonial city and
one time capital of Virginia was the family
seat until the rigors of war in 1862 com-
pelled Henry Moseley Bowden to seek
refuge in Norfolk. There he was for several
years clerk of court and in a measure re-
trieved the losses caused by the ravages of
war. He was succeeded in public life by
his only son, George Edwin Bowden, who
occupied a commanding position in the pub-
lic and business life of Norfolk until his re-
tirement, twice representing his district in
the National Congress and holding impor-
tant state and Federal appointments. Dying
in 1908 he bequeathed to his adopted city
his two sons, Henry and Lemuel, both num-
bered among the foremost young men of
Norfolk in their respective spheres.
(I) Henry and Lemuel Bowden are great- grandsons of \\^illiam Bowden, a veteran of the war of 1812, and a farmer near Williams- burg all his life. He was a member of Con- gress. He married Alildred Davis, born in York county, Virginia, the day of the battle of Yorktown, and had issue, Henry Mose- ley, Lemuel J., a United States senator; Mary.
(II) Henry ^loseley Bowden, son of Wil- liam and Mildred (Davis) Bowden, was born at the V\'illiamsburg farm of his par- ents, and was a farmer of James City county until 1862. He was a man finely educated and possessed the qualifications to adorn any position. He was strong in his devo- tion to the Union cause, and sooner than abandon his convictions he suffered the loss of property and in 1862 took up his resi- dence in Norfolk. He had been a member of the state militia, but would not take up arms against his state nor against his coun- try. He filled the office of clerk of court in
VIR— 27
Norfolk for many years. He died, uni-
versally respected, leaving his only son sole
custodian of an honored name, but little of
this world's goods. Henry Moseley Bow-
den married (first) Miss White. He mar-
ried (second) Eugenia Ware, of Williams-
burg, Virginia. Child, Alice D. He mar-
ried (third) Mrs. Henrietta Susan (Stevens)
Stubblefield, who bore him one child, George
Edwin, of whom further.
(HI) George Edwin Bowden, only child of Henry Moseley and Henrietta Susan (Stevens-Stubblefield) Bowden, was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, July 6, 1852, died in Norfolk, Virginia, January 21, 1908. The first ten years of his life was spent at the \\"illiamsburg plantation, but in 1862, after Norfolk had fallen into the hands of the Federals, his father moved to that city with his wife and son. He was thirteen years of age when the war ended and from that time until nineteen years of age he was engaged as assistant to his father, clerk of court in Norfolk. His education was obtained under the guidance of his honored father and pri- vate tutors, his hours of study being outside of ofifice hours. In this way he acquired a good education, and association with his father, who was a capable business man as well as one highly cultured, gave him a thor- ough business training that well fitted him for future responsibilities. He was well fitted for college, but when about to enter Princeton, his father's death caused a com- plete rearrangement of his plans and the college course was eliminated. He assumed the obligations left by his father and at once buckled down to heavy responsibilities with determination, and although young he was soon able to face the world with every obli- gation fulfilled. When scarcely of age he was appointed receiver for an insolvent national bank of Norfolk, and in that re- sponsible position he developed business capacity of such high class that at the age of twenty-two years he was elected presi- dent of the Home Savings Bank, a position he capably filled for fourteen years.
It was, however, as a public man that Mr. Bowden was best known to the people of his district and to the state-at-large. A Republican from his youth, he developed an ability for public service that brought him into prominence among the leaders of his party. His cause was not a popular one, but
