Thomas Bowen Jr. was born on October 3, 1714 in Rehoboth, MA to Thomas and Sarah (Hunt) Bowen. On November 7, 1738, he married Elizabeth Pidge, daughter of Josiah and Hannah (Freeman) Pidge. Together they had at least five children: Thomas, Cyril, Molly, Belle, and Lucy. 

 

Thomas Bowen served in the American Revolutionary War. On January 4, 1776, he enlisted as a 2nd Lieutenant in Captain William Hooper’s Company. He served until February 29, 1776.

 

On August 25, 1777 Thomas was drafted to serve in the Continental Army for the term of eight months presumably in Captain James Hall’s Company according to Massachusetts Enlistment Rolls. In August 1777, the Continental Army faced severe manpower shortages, leading several states to institute a draft (conscription) to fill their required quotas for the Continental Army.  

 

Not much is known about Thomas’s life after the war. It is believed that he remained in Rehoboth. He died  on August 8, 1782 in Rehoboth at the age of 68 and is buried in Newman Cemetery in Rumford, RI. His gravesite is marked with a slate  stone which was carved by Gabriel Allen, son of renowned gravestone carver George Allen and Sarah Bowen Allen, Thomas’s sister. Thomas was also the uncle of Colonel Ephraim Bowen who participated in the raid on the HMS Gaspee in 1772 which contributed to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. The house that the Bowen family owned for 70 years still stands at 324 Pleasant St in Rumford. 

 

Thomas Bowen Jr. is remembered for his service in the fight for American independence. His contribution helped secure freedom for future generations.