Our Family Tree
The 2001 Bowden Family Reunion was the first regular reunion for all the descendants of Laurence and Ellen Bowden.
Laurence was born about June 1852 in Richmond County, NC, during the period of institutionalized slavery. He represents the last Bowden in our family to be born into bondage, and the first to obtain freedom. Laurence and Ellen were married in December 1883, and their children: Della, Callie, Sumler, Mary, Bertha and Lawrence, represent our family’s first free born generation in America.
The 1940 Census was the Sixteenth Census of the United States. By law, the census is conducted every 10 years, and from the 1940 and 1950 United States Census (area south of Mt. Gilead, Montgomery County, NC), we have obtained census records of the area we all commonly know as “Bowdenville”, part of NC Highway 73 South.
The census takers interviewed several “Bowdenville” households, namely the children of Laurence and Ellen. Those census interviews include: Della Bowden, Callie Bowden, Sumler Bowden, Bertha (Bowden) Dumas, Mary Bowden, Lawrence Bowden, and more. They obtained the names, ages, and occupations of all persons living in the households at that time.
The below census documents are an interesting look back into Bowden Family history, including some occupations of family members. Take a look to see if you find your siblings, parents, grandparents or great grandparents in these census lists.
| “Bowdenville”
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“Bowdenville”
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“Bowdenville”
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