Photo by Martin
Several years ago I found a picture of the church and cemetery in Terrington-St. Clements, Norfolk, England where my 2nd great-grandfather, Charles Bowers, was baptized. I showed the picture to my one son who is a photographer. Several months later he while online, he saw a picture of a church that looked like the St. Clements Church posted on a site for photographers. He contacted the photographer and asked him if it was the same church. The photographer answered that it was not, but that he planned on going to the St. Clements Church in a couple of weeks, and asked if my son would like him to take a picture for him. My son said yes and asked if he would look for graves with the Bowers name on them. The photographer agreed and sent him pictures of the church and some grave stones. I like to say thank-you to the photograper, Martin. Without you we would not have these wonderful pictures. Thank-you once again!
Here is what he wrote: “I found six graves in a group, three of which still had names on them. The other three had unfortunately succumbed to erosion and were illegible, but because of the grouping, I’m sure they were all related. The legible stones had the names of Eliza Bowers, Mary Bowers (wife of William Bowers) and Thomas (Son of William and Mary Bowers). I’m sure these names will be of interest to you and your family. Mary died on October 11, 1881 age 80 years and Thomas did June 21, 1882 age 60 years.”
Eliza is my 3rd great- grandmother born Eliza Haggerson about 1791 in England.[1] Eliza was a widow when she married Bonnet Bowers in 1822.[2] She had a son William Linford from her previous marriage.[3] Bonnet and Eliza had four children Richard,[4] Robert,[5] Eliza,[6] and Charles.[7] Daughter, Eliza, was only 3 days old when she died.[8] She is also buried at Terrington-St. Clements. Eliza was only 41 years old when she died on 22 January 1832[9] (Tombstone pictured above). Charles(my 2nd great-grandfather) was just 3 years and four months when his mother died.
The grave of Mary Bowers (wife of William) is Mary Walker[10] and William Bowers is the brother of Bonnet Bowers.[11] I have found the marriage record for William and Mary and one of the witnesses is Bonnet Bowers.[12] On Bonnet and Eliza’s marriage record the witnesses are William and Mary Bowers.[13] Also found birth of a William Bowers born to the same parents as Bonnet. [14] Also buried at Terrington-St. Clement are Bonnet’s parents Charles[15] and Sarah[16], brothers Robert[17] and Thomas,[18] and sister Sarah. [19] Most likely Bonnet’s brother William is buried there since his wife and son are buried there. Don’t you just love the way these people used the same names over and over? It’s hard to keep all the Charles’, William’s, Robert’s, Thomas’, and Eliza’s straight. And the use of these names didn’t stop here it went down through the generations. I would like to take a trip to England someday to see the tombstones for myself, and to see where they lived and walk on the same ground that they did.
52 ancestors in 52 weeks Weeks topic this week is Cemetery
Copyright © 2018 Gail Grunst
[1] Burial record for Eliza Bowers (wife of Bonnet Bowers) buried on 22 January 1831. Church of England, Parish Church of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; Terrrington St. Clements Parish Register Burials 1813 – 1856; manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 8; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah 1988 at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England.
[2] Marriage Record for Bonnet Bowers and Eliza Linford married 27 April 1822; Register of Marriages in the Parish of Terrington St. Clement, Norfolk, England; 1813-1838 manuscript on microfilm #13640109 item 2; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England.
[3] Baptism for William Linford, 28 August 1811; Terrington-St. Clement, Norfolk England: Parish Register Baptism and Burials 1772 – 1812 Item 2; Microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Salt Lake City, Utah at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Wisbech, Cambs., filmed 26 July 1988, Film Number 13640109, film unit # 2161 NCD 2 Roll # 5.
[4] Baptism Record for Richard Bowers baptized 20 April 1822; Register of Baptisms in the Parish of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; 1813 – 1841 manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 3; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England.
[5] Baptism Record for Robert Bowers baptized 25 February 1825; Register of Baptisms in the Parish of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; 1813 – 1841 manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 3; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England.
[6] Baptism Record for Eliza Bowers baptized 10 June 1827; Register of Baptisms in the Parish of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; 1813 – 1841 manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 3; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England.
[7] Baptism for Charles Bowers baptized on 2 October 1828; Register of Baptisms in the Parish of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; 1813 – 1841 manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 3; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England.
[8] Burial record for Eliza Bowers (daughter of Bonnet & Eliza Bowers) buried on 21 June 1827. Church of England, Parish Church of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; Terrrington St. Clements Parish Register Burials 1813 – 1856; manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 8; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah 1988 at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England
[9] Burial record for Eliza Bowers (wife of Bonnet Bowers) buried on 22 January 1831. Church of England, Parish Church of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; Terrrington St. Clements Parish Register Burials 1813 – 1856; manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 8; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah 1988 at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England
[10] Marriage Record for William Bowers and Mary Walker married on 19 April 1819. Church of England, Parish Church of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; Terrrington St. Clements Parish Register of Marriages 1813 – 1838; manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 2; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah 1988 at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England
[11] Baptism record for William Bowers Baptized 03 August 1788; Parish Church of Westacre, Norfolk, England; Parish Registers for Westacre 1665 – 1903; manuscript on microfilm 2262704; Item 9 Page 272; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society Salt Lake City Utah, 2001.
[12] Marriage Record for William Bowers and Mary Walker married on 19 April 1819. Church of England, Parish Church of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; Terrrington St. Clements Parish Register of Marriages 1813 – 1838; manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 2; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah 1988 at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England
[13] Marriage Record for Bonnet Bowers and Eliza Linford married 27 April 1822; Register of Marriages in the Parish of Terrington St. Clement, Norfolk, England; 1813-1838 manuscript on microfilm #13640109 item 2; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England.
[14] Baptism record for William Bowers Baptized 03 August 1788; Parish Church of Westacre, Norfolk, England; Parish Registers for Westacre 1665 – 1903; manuscript on microfilm 2262704; Item 9 Page 272; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society Salt Lake City Utah, 2001.
[15] Burial Record for Charles Bowers (born abt 1757)buried 16 January 1838; Church of England, Parish Church of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; Terrington St. Clements Parish Register Burials 1813 – 1856; manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 8; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah 1988 at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambrigeshire, England.
[16] Burial record for Sarah Bowers (born abt. 1757) buried 8 February 1826; ; Church of England, Parish Church of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; Terrrington St. Clements Parish Register Burials 1813 – 1856; manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 8; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah 1988 at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England.
[17] Burial record for Robert Bowers died on 04 July 1804; Church of England. Parish Church of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; Parish Registers Baptisms—Burials 1772-1812; manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 2; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1988 at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England.
[18] Burial record for Robert Bowers died on 04 July 1804; Church of England. Parish Church of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; Parish Registers Baptisms—Burials 1772-1812; manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 2; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1988 at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England.
[19] Burial record for Sarah Bowers (born abt. 1757) buried 8 February 1826; ; Church of England, Parish Church of Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk, England; Terrrington St. Clements Parish Register Burials 1813 – 1856; manuscript on microfilm #13640109 Item 8; Utah: filmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah 1988 at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire, England.
Family Tales from Gail 