MARY COALBANK
BOWLEN
BOWLEN
Not much is known about Mary Coalbank. She was the only daughter of Peter and Sarah Grimes
Coalbank, born in 1797 in Monongalia County, West Virginia.
Mary married Nelson Bowlen, (Bowlen later became Bolen in some branches of Nelson's family) the
son of Irish Immigrants. Nelson was born in 1790 in Pennsylvania. Nelson was a farmer, a member of
the Disciple Church, voted the Whig Party and served in the War of 1812 as a private in the 6th regiment
of the Virginia Militia. Mary and Nelson had 6 children: Bailey, William, Allen, Eliza, Mary Jane and
Elizabeth Bowlen.
In the 1820, 1830 and 1840 federal censuses, Nelson was farming in Dunkard Township, Greene
County, Pennsylvania. In 1830 Nelson had 11 persons living in his household. The 1840 census lists
his family members as only his wife and two teenage daughters, probably Mary Jane and Elizabeth.
Neither Nelson nor his wife could read, according to the census.
In the 1850 census Nelson and Mary are still living in Dunkard Township. Nelson is 60 and Mary is 62
(52). Living with them is daughter Elizabeth, age 18 and a deaf and dumb boarder named William
Hugins, age 16. Nelson died in July, 1871. Nelson is buried in the Mount Moriah Baptist Church
Cemetery, Smithfield, PA.
The children of Mary Coalbank and Nelson Bowlen were:
Bailey Bolen - born 1812 or 1813 in Greene County, Pennsylvania. He married Melinda Franks,
daughter of Abraham and Margaret Kechler Franks, born in 1815 in Pennsylvania. In the 1850 census
Bailey and Melinda lived in German Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, where Bailey was a
laborer, possibly on his brother-in-law’s farm. Their children were Mary Jane, born February 7, 1835, in
Fayette County, Pennsylvania; Margaret, born 1837; Eliza, born 1839; Michael, born 1841 and
Daugherty, born in 1845. When Melinda died somewhere after 1850, Bailey married Rebecca _______,
born in 1825 in Pennsylvania. Their children were John M. (1860), and Sarah (Sallie) (1863). In the 1880
federal census, Rebecca and Bailey were living in Cass Township, Monongalia, West Virginia. Rebecca
was age 55. Bailey died in 1887. Daughter Mary Jane Bolen married Jacob Stumbeck, born about 1830
in Germany. Mary Jane died in 1908 in Tama, Iowa and is buried in Sheridan Cemetery, Sheridan, Iowa
beside her husband Jacob.
William Bowlen -
Allen Bowlen - born in 1822. He married Anna Hugh (November 4, 1819). Their children were Hannah
Bowlen (1849), Isaac Bowlen, James L. Bowlen (1864- May 27, 1876), Margaret Bowlen, Mary E.
Bowlen ( ____-January 15, 1857), and Sarah Bowlen. Anna died on January 15, 1856 and Allen
married Susannah F. McCarty (July 16, 1831 - August 21, 1889). Their children were Minerva Bowlen,
Nelson Bowlen, Atthes Keziah Bowlen (1862), Samuel Bowlen (1864- 1952), May Bowlen (1867),
Michael Bowlen (1870 - 1951), and William Bowlen (1873-1949). Allen died July 12, 1891 in Kelso,
Cowlitz, Washington.
Eliza Bowlen -
Mary Jane Bowlen -
Elizabeth Bowlen - born about 1832.
MORE ABOUT THE BOWLEN FAMILY
"Lewis F. McCrory was born February 17, 1839, in Fallowfield township, Washington Co., Penn., and
was reared to agricultural pursuits in Allen township, where he attended the public schools. In 1862 he
enlisted in Company F, Eighteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry serving until the close of the war. On October
20, 1869, he married Hannah J., daughter of Allen Bowlen. The latter was a son of Nelson Bowlen, a
farmer, whose parents were natives of Ireland and came to America in an early day. Nelson Bowlen
was married to Mary Coalbank, who bore him six children, namely Bailey, William, Allen, Eliza, Mary
Jane and Elizabeth. The father served in the war of 1812; in politics he voted with the Whig party and in
religions faith he was a member of the Disciple Church.
Allen Bowlen (deceased), son of Nelson and Mary Bowlen, was born in 1822, in West Virginia, and
there learned the tailor's trade, which he followed for several years. He was twice married, first to Anna
Hugh and their children were Hannah (wife of Lewis F. McCrory), Sarah (married to Samuel Artis),
Isaac, Mary E., Margaret and James, all except Hannah being now deceased.
For his second wife Allen Bowlen was married to Susan McCarty, who bore him children as follows:
Minerva (deceased), Nelson (deceased), Keziah (deceased), Samuel, May, Michael and William. Mr.
Bowlen was formerly a Democrat, and afterward united with the Republican party, and in religion he
was a member of the M. E. Church, in which he served as steward and trustee.
Lewis F. and Hannah J. (Bowlen) McCrory resided in Washington County, PA, for some years after their
marriage, then moved to a farm in Fayette county, finally returning to Allen township, this county. Mr.
McCrory was identified with the Republicans, but since the organization of the Prohibition party has
been an enthusiastic advocate of the principles embodied in their platform. He and his wife are
members of the M. E. Church."
Text taken from page 1307 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania
(Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).
Many of the Bowlens of Fayette County were coal miners. A list of them appears on this coal miner's
memorial site:
http://patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com/faykyle1.html
| Mary Jane Bolen Stumbeck (Photo courtesy of Mary Jane Dee Brownmiller) |
| Jacob and Mary Jane Bolen Stumbeck. Mary Jane is the granddaughter of Mary Coalbank. (Photo courtesy of the great-great-grand- daughter of Mary Jane, Mary Jane Dee Brownmiller) |
| Headstone of Mary Jane and Jacob Stumbeck at Sheridan Cemetery, Poweshiek County, Iowa (Photo courtesy of Mary Jane Dee Brownmiller) |
| Samuel McCarty Bowlen family. L to R: Leona B. Bowlen, Samuel McCarty Bowlen, Harry Bowlen, Raymond Bowlen, Mary Ellen Dillow Bowlen, Ralph A. Bowlen, Charity Bowlen Wood. |