DANIEL BOWMAN: THE NORTH CAROLINA PIONEER

Evidence indicates that the immigrant ancestor of the Bowman families of Alexander County and Catawba County in North Carolina was Daniel Baumann, who came from Grunwettersbach, Wurttemberg, now part of the West German state of Baden-Wurttemberg. He was born October 26, 1716, the son of Daniel and Margaretha Baumann. Daniel Baumann sailed on the Duke of Wirtenberg with his wife Catharina (Knodel), his son, Johann Daniel, his daughters, Catharina Barbara and Eva Maria. Their German pastor issued taufacheine (baptismal certificates) for the family before their departure. They landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 16, 1751, where Daniel took the oath of allegiance to the British government, as required by law. Although identified as a day laborer, Daniel was able to sign his name, thus we are fortunate to have his signature. Two years later in 1753, Daniel’s sister, Rosina Barbara, came to America, probably to live with Daniel in Pennsylvania.

On May 2, 1762, “Daniel Baumann, son of Daniel deceased,” was confirmed in the Lower Bermudian Lutheran Church in Huntington, now Latimore Township, in York, now Adams, County Pennsylvania. Johann Daniel, born December 28, 1740 and 11 years old when he arrived in Pennsylvania, would have been 22 years old at the time of his confirmation. This would not have been unusual at a time when churches often did not have permanent pastors and had to wait until a pastor from another area could visit and perform baptisms, marriages, and confirmations. It appears that Johann Daniel’s father Daniel died in Pennsylvania. Johann Daniel was confirmed there and left soon afterwards for North Carolina via the “Great Wagon Train.” Johann Daniel Baumann was the North Carolina Pioneer.

The next record of Johann Daniel, who drops the name Johann when he is grown and his father is dead, is found in North Carolina. As Daniel Bowman, he received a grant of land of “200 acres on the head of Clark’s Creek, including his improvement.” This improvement could have been his log house. William Tryon, the Colonial governor of North Carolina, signed this grant on May 4, 1769. Daniel also received other grants in Lincoln County, presently Catawba, of 150 acres on July 9, 1794 and 140 acres on December 17, 1798. Several deeds dealing with Daniel’s sale of land to his sons are on record in Lincoln County. Three survey maps, plus a deed for land in Burke County, for Daniel Bowman are on record at the North Carolina Land Grant Office.

Daniel married Elizabeth Mary Bolch, the youngest child of Johann Adam Bolch, the immigrant. They were probably married about the time of the first land grant. Daniel and Mary were the parents of nine children. Their house was the log house which was still standing in 1980, when it was included in the survey of historic sites in Catawba County. However, it was concluded that the structure was beyond saving.

The six sons of Daniel and Mary were Daniel, John, David, Samuel, Henry, and George. The daughters were Catherine, Barbara, and Molly.

(This information was taken from a document on file in the genealogical section of Catawba County Library in Newton, North Carolina)