Captain William Bowie (c. 1721 – April 1791) was an early American colonist in the Province of Maryland, a planter, militia officer, and a political figure during the American Revolutionary period. He served as a delegate to the Annapolis Convention (1774–1776) and was a member of the Assembly of Freemen.
Early Life
William Bowie was born around 1721 at Brookridge, his parents' home near Nottingham in Prince George's County, Maryland. He was the son of John Bowie, Sr. and Mary Mulliken. Upon reaching the age of twenty-one, his father purchased a large tract of land for him about two miles from Nottingham, called "Brooke's Reserve," which later became known as "Mattaponi." There, Bowie erected a large brick house.
Career
Bowie likely commanded one of the militia organizations maintained by the Province of Maryland, though no record of his commission has been discovered. In 1753, he was appointed tobacco inspector for Nottingham. He later served as a justice of the peace, a member of St. Paul's vestry, and in 1767 as warden of the parish.
In 1770, when it was rumored that ships from Great Britain carrying European goods might soon reach the Patuxent River, the inhabitants of Prince George's County called a meeting at Upper Marlboro to prohibit the landing of these cargoes. William Bowie and his brother Allen Bowie were selected as representatives to guard points on the Patuxent where ships were likely to land.
Political Role in the Revolution
William Bowie was sent as a delegate from Prince George's County to the Annapolis Convention on June 22, 1774, which passed strong resolutions in favor of upholding the rights of the Province, if necessary by force of arms, against Great Britain. In November 1774, a meeting of freeholders at Upper Marlboro appointed a committee to enforce the resolutions of the Continental Congress within Prince George's County. Among those selected were William Bowie, his brother Allen Bowie, and his sons Walter Bowie and Robert Bowie.
Bowie was also selected as a delegate to attend a convention at Annapolis, where representatives were authorized to vote for delegates to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. In June 1775, these representatives met at Annapolis, and on July 26, 1775, the convention issued the Declaration of the Association of the Freemen. On September 12, 1775, William Bowie and his son Robert were authorized to enroll a company of minutemen.
Personal Life
Captain William Bowie married Margaret Sprigg in 1745. The couple had seven children: Elizabeth (born 1746), Walter Bowie, Robert Bowie (who later became a U.S. Congressman and the 11th Governor of Maryland), William Bowie, Osborn Sprigg Bowie, Ann Bowie, David Bowie, and Margaret Sprigg Bowie.
Death
William Bowie died on April 9, 1791, in Prince George's County, Maryland.
