George was a servant to the Leghs of Lyme, probably estate manager.
Events
Date of Birth: unknown
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Burial: 7 March 1659/60.
Place of Burial: Disley, Cheshire.
The burial is recorded in the parish register.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
Brother: German Bowdon.
George’s widow Mary named her brother in law German Bowdon, and her ‘cousin’ George Bowdon (probably German’s son), in her will.
Spouse: Mary Hyde.
Mary names her late husband George Bowdon and Anthony Hyde, the son of her brother, in her will.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Thomas Bowdon (buried 19 December 1697 in Disley) married Elizabeth Lowe 14 June 1665 in Taxall, Cheshire.
Legh Godfrey Bowdon (buried 13 July 1705 in Disley).
Elizabeth Bowdon married Thomas Bower 18 April 1658 in Stockport, Cheshire.
Ann Bowdon married James Chetham 22 September 1681 in Chapel in le Frith, Derbyshire.
Mary Bowdon (buried 5 May 1714 in Disley) married (1) William Leather 4 October 1663 in Taxall, Cheshire; married (2) David Blith 24 October 1686 in Disley.
George Bowdon (baptized 12 Jun 1643 in Disley - buried 24 June 1643 in Disley)
Margaret Bowdon (baptized 7 September 1645 in Disley - buried 26 February 1710/11 in Disley) married John Richardson 26 May 1669 in Disley.
Evidence
from the Disley parish register:
[There are no entries of any kind in the register between 10 November 1633 and 27 May 1643]
[1643]
June the twelvth George Bowdon sonne of George Bowdon was baptized — 12.
And the same George Bowdon son[n]e of Geo: Bowdon was buried the Foure & twentyeth – 24th
Septemb’ 7: 1645
Margarett daughter of George Bowdon & Marie his wife of Disley baptized — 7.
March 7 1659
George Bowdon of Disley was buried the — 7.
Nouember 8 1680
Marie Bowdon late wife of George Bowden of Disley was buried the— 20
from the Lancashire Archives catalogue:
DDM/17/112
Bond : for £600
Sir Peter Legh and Francis and Peter his sons, of Lyme, co. Chester, to Sir Richard Molineux of Sefton, bart. -- for P.L. to make the next presentation to Walton Chuch, for £300. Witn. Thomas Legh, John Leigh, Edward Thornely, Tho. Hanmer, John Armefield, George Bowdon.
12 Oct. 1623
DDHO/28
Assignment: for preferment of daughters
Nathaniel Edkins, late of Stratford-upon-Avon, co. Warwick, gent., and Anne, his wife (widow of Richard Bold, esq.) to Francis Leigh of Blakeley, gent., and Peter Leighe of Bruch, gent., -- wardship of Peter, son of Richard Bold. Witn. Hu: Rigby, George Warren, Arthur Bold, George Bowdon, Robert Rodgerley.
DDX 383/1
Lease
For 40 years: for 10s: Francis Legh of Lyme, co.Chester, esq., to Henry Bradshawe the younger of Marple, co.Chester, gent., and George Bowdon of Disley, co.Chester, yeoman -- moiety of Bruch Hall alias the Hall of Bruch and of the properties of Roger Bruch, decd., in Bruch, Warrington, Poulton, Woolston, Fernhead, Great Sonky, Litle Sonkey and Penketh -- on trust that if Pears Legh, gent., son of Peter Legh of Bruch, gent., (decd. brother of F.L.,) and his heirs male, failing which, Thomas Legh, gent., (brother of Pears Legh) and his heirs male, do not after 24 Aug. 1656 at request of Richard Legh, gent., son of Thomas Legh (decd. brother of F.L.,) and his heirs male, failing which, Thomas Legh (brother of R.L.,) and his heirs male, convey the properties of Peter Legh, decd., in the manor or forest of Macclesfield to Richard Legh and his heirs male, failing which to Thomas Legh and his heirs male, then H.B., and G.B., shall permit the two last mentioned to possess Bruch Hall, etc.
from the 1635 will of Sir Peter Legh:
…Item I give and bequeath to my servants these legacies Following…To George Bowden (if hee soe longe serue mee) Twenty pounds.
from the 1642/1653 will of Francis Legh of Lyme:
…Item I give and bequeath to my seruant George Bowdon Twentie pounds in money and my best suite of cloathes not disposed of and if hee die before the same be paid and delivered to him, then I giue and bequeath and doe appoint that the said Twentie pounds and sute be paied and deliuered to his sonne my Godsonne Legh Godfrey Bowden…
from the National Archives catalogue:
Houghton v Bowden.
Plaintiff: John Houghton.
Defendants: George Bowden and Richard Leigh.
Subject: Personal estate of Francis Leigh, Lymm, Cheshire.
Bill and two pleas.
1652.
from the 1687 will of Richard Legh of Lyme:
…I doe leave 5 li yearly to be distributed to the poor of Disley as Legh Bowdon & John Richardson my serv:ts shall thinke best:...And I doe give unto my old & faithfull seru:ts Thoms Bowdon & his Bro:r Legh Bowdon to each of them ten pounds a peece;...& it is my desire, That my old & faithfull servant Legh Bowdon may be imployed by my Executors & Trustees in the managm:t of my Estate, reall & personall, giving yearly or oftner an Ac:t to one or more of my Executors, of his Receipts and Disbursements, & that they will use the method, as I have done, which they will find in my Account booke for some years last past, for w:ch it is my desire that he have the ten pounds yearly, his dyett & horse kept him w:th the allowance of travelling charges, as I have done to him herebefore:...
[Thomas and Legh Bowdon were witnesses to the will.]
A document related to the administration of the estate of George’s son Thomas:
To all people whom this present writeing may concerne but especially to the Chancellor of the Consistory Court att Chester Elizabeth Bowdon wid’ Relict of Thomas Bowdon late of Marple Gen’ deceased Legh Bowdon Gen’ onely Brother of the s.d deced.t Elizabeth Bower widow one of the s.d decedts sisters James Chetham gen’ John Richardson and David Blith send greeting Whereas itt was lately concluded & agreed by and betweene the s.d Elizabeth Bowdon Legh Bowdon& Elizabeth Bower for themselves And the said James Chetham John Richardson and David Blith on the behalfe of themselves & theire respective wives Viz.t Ann Chetham Margarett Richardson & Mary Blith (Three other of the sisters of the said deced.t ) that the Adminracon of the s.d deced.ts Goods and Chattells (who dyed Intestate) should bee graunted to the said Elizabeth Bowdon the said dece.ts widow and Relict: And whereas the said Elizabeth Bowdon in respect of the infirmities and weakenesses of her old age and other discomposures which since the said Agreement have fallen upon her, finds herselfe unable to take the burthen of the said Adminracon upon her: Itt is therefore now concluded & agreed by and betweene us the said Elizabeth Bowdon Legh Bowdon & Elizabeth Bower & us the said James Chetham John Richardson and David Blith on the behalfe of ourselves & our respective wives & all of us doe hereby consent & agree that Adminracon of the Goods Chattells Creditts and Personall Estate of the s.d deced.t Thomas Bowdon bee graunted and com[m]itted unto the s.d Legh Bowdon & unto John Lowe of Horderne Gents in trust for us the s.d Elizabeth Bowdon Legh Bowdon and Elizabeth Bower & for us the said James Chetham John Richardson and David Blith & our s.d respective wives that after the debts dueties & Funeral Expences of the s.d deced.t are discharged, distribucon may bee made of the Residue of the s.d deced.ts Personall Estate unto & amongst us the s.d Elizabeth Bowdon Legh Bowdon Elizabeth Bower & us the said James Chetham John Richardson and David Blith & our s.d wives by such Proposcons & in such manner as of right & according to Law the same ought to bee donne As wittnes our hands this second day of March A.o Dni 1697
Witnesses hereof
John Norbury
The mark E of Elizabeth Norbury
The marke of the L s.d Elizbeth Bowdon
Legh Bowdon
Eliz: Bower
James Chetham
John Richardson
David Blith.
Bound:
Legh Bowden de Marple in Com. Cestr. Gen.
Johannem Lowe de Horderne in Com. Cestr Gen.
Jacobii Chetham de Mellor in Com Derby Gen.
Joh’em Richardson de Lyme Hanley in Com Cestr yeoman
References
Parish registers of Disley, Cheshire. Digital images on Ancestry.com.
Will of Mary Bowdon of Disley. 1680, Diocese of Chester. Digital images on FamilySearch.org.
Will of Francis Legh of Lyme Handley, Cheshire. Proved 1653 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
Will of Sir Peter Legh. 1635, Diocest of Cheshire. Digital images on FamilySearch.org.
Will of Richard Legh of Lyme. Diocese of Chester, 1687. Digitial images on FamilySearch.org.