The Bowles of RoscommonBack to The Bowles of ConnaughtThere are three unrelated Bowles family stories in co. Roscommon. As discussed on The Boles of BoyleRobert Boles of The Boles of Fingreagh, co. Leitrim line settled in Boyle, co. Roscommon and established a draper's shop there in 1886, Boles of Boyle, which is still operating today under the 4th generation of the family. I hope to include this family's story in the future. Phineas Bowles of SummerfieldROUGH DRAFT For discussion only (line of descent below is believed to be correct but is still open for discussion)
The story of the Phineas Bowles family in Roscommon is one of a very distinguished line but with a sad and tragic end. This line arrived in Ireland when Colonel (later Lieut. General) Phineas Bowles, an officer in his father's cousin's (Brigadier General Phineas Bowles) Regiment of Dragoons, accompanied his regiment to Ireland in 1718. See The Bowles of Chatham, Kent for more information on Phineas Bowles Sr. who is most notable as having succeeded Samuel Pepys as First Secretary to the Admiralty. Phineas Jr. married Alithea Maria (Mary) Hill in Dublin 1724 and through this marriage he acquired vast land holdings in Ireland. He commanded his regiment in Ireland until 1740 and served for a term as the Governor of Londonderry. He died in 1749 in Bath, England leaving his eldest son, William Phineas Bowles, who settled at Summerfield in co. Roscommon where he was a Magistrate with extensive land holdings in that area. William Phineas died in 1760 leaving his estate in dispute. His wife had survived him but upon her death in 1771 his younger son, Richard, inherited the Hill estates as his eldest child, William Phineas Bowles II, was illegitimate. He did inherit some land which his father personally owned as there is a memorial of his sale of some Tipperary land in 1779 which describes him as William Phineas Bowles of Summerfield, co. Roscommon. ref. but it would have been minor holdings compared to the Hill properties. William Phineas II later sued Richard's daughter for a share of the rights to the Hill estate. This law suit set a legal precedent as described in William Phineas Bowles II vs.Stewart Legal Decision William Phineas II apparently settled down and raised a family as there is a reference to a William Phineas Bowles as a Bail Commissioner in Ireland in 1835 (ref: EPPI site). Around 1830 William Phineas III emigrated to Australia. The records of the Superior Court of new South Wales record that a Phineas Bowles whose father was a magistrate in co. Roscommon, Ireland was hung for the murder of his wife in 1835. See William Phineas Bowles III In Australia His brother Richard did have one son Thomas but he left his estate to his daughter. |