Susan Elizabeth “Bettie” Martin
Named after her mother, Susan Elizabeth “Bettie” Martin was born 9 July 1841, a twin to her brother John Richard Martin. At age 27, she married William A. [what is initial for?#] Bowen, Jr., 15 October 1868.[383] [384] He was a member of the Black Horse Cavalry.
Her Husband William A. Bowen, Jr.
He was the son of William A. Bowen[385] and Ellen Dade Bowen.[386] He was born 26 December 1842.[387] His Confederate service record notes:[388] “5’10”, dark complexion, auburn hair, grey eyes;
enlisted 25 April, 1861; 19 years old; detailed to Quartermaster Dept. July to Aug. 1863; w. Stephensburg 11 October, 1863; absent with w. Oct 1863 and Jan. to Feb. 1864; paroled 6 May, 1865.” A post war roster[389] notes, “Wounded at ______ , Virginia, October 8, 1864. Agriculturalist. Warrenton, Virginia.
Bettie During the War
Alexander Hunter wrote about Bettie:
“There was another woman whose name should be added to the roll of Virginia’s heroines, and that is Miss Betty Martin …” Hunter then goes on to recite Betty’s role in the incident concerning her brother Bob related below.
During the winter of ’63 there had been a good many captures made by rebel scouts in the vicinity of Warrenton Junction, and the Union General Kilpatrick determined to put an end to it. For that purpose he sent out many scouting parties on a fixed night to surround all the neighboring houses and search them for the rebels. As the Martin house was a rendezvous for the Black Horse, a whole company was detailed instead of a squad. It happened that Sergeant Martin and Mort Weaver were staying at the Martin house that night … they were awakened by Miss Betty Martin, Bob’s sister, a young girl in her teens, who was keeping watch. The Yankees are surrounding the house,’ she said. Bob Martin had sworn that he would never be taken alive, and he whispered to his sister to hold them back as long as she could. She opened the door, and a Federal officer with pistol cocked tried to brush by her; she met him breast to breast and declared he should not enter. The officer parleyed, but she was undaunted. Finally one of the party, infuriated, fired point blank at her, but the bullet missed her head by an inch and buried itself in the door. Hearing the report of the weapon, the Federals rushed to the front of the house, and taking advantage of this Martin leaped from the window; and with a revolver in either hand he mingled with the Blue-coats and thus slipped away… Miss Betty married a gallant Black Horse Cavalryman, William Bowen, and has lived a calm, tranquil and happy life at her home near Casanova, Virginia.[390]
After the War
After the war, he joined Virginia Militia, commissioned as 1st Lt., 41st Reg of the 5th Brigade and 2nd Division to rank from 17 June, 1866. Signed by Gov. Peirepont, 20 July, 1866.[391] The 23 June 1866 issue of The True Index reported his appointment slightly differently:
85th REGT. VA. MILITIA. At an election held at Germantown on last Saturday the following gentlemen were elected company officers of the 85th Regiment Va. Militia: MILLVIEW COMPANY—Hugh Hamilton, Captain; Wm. A. Bowen, 1st Lieutenant; S. F. G. Beale, 2nd Lieutenant. [Beale and Hamilton were also Black Horse veterans.][392]
Jeffries relates an incident about William A. Bowen, Jr.
Our friend, Billy Bowen, made a good record during the late war as a member of the famous ‘Black Horse Cavalry.’ His good soldiership was not his only distinction, for his “Irish Bulls” became proverbs with his companions. Not having been thrown with him during that period I am unable to quote any of these, but one story before, and one after the war I will relate of him. It is said that while yet in his teens he attended the inauguration of President Buchanan. He (Bowen) has some impediment in his speech. When he returned home his father said, ‘Billy, did you bring me the President’s message?’ ‘Ain’t nobody sent you no message by me’, replied he. Subsequent to the war and after his marriage, Billy attended one of the popular sessions of the County court. Being socially belated he was seen the next morning after sunrise coming in through the high grass, much bedraggled. Upon inquiry of as to his whereabouts during the night, he promptly said, “I got drabbed on jury.” This has ever since been a home defense for delinquents in his section.[393]
Billy Bowen’s Death
Billy died 27 October 1912.[394]# He is buried in the Martin Family Cemetery.[395] (See Appendix 1 for details of his family.) [Need obit. Susan to get.#]
Betties’ Death
Bettie survived her husband 21 years. She lived well into the 20th century until 2 May 1933, aged 91, when she “Drifted into sleep and died without arousing.”[396] Bettie’s obituary reads as follows:[397]
Mrs. Bettie Bowen passed away May 2nd after a long illness at her son’s home, Malcom Bowen, Casanova, Va., at the age of 93 years. She lived a calm, tranquil and happy life at her home near Casanova, Virginia. She was the daughter of John and Susan E. Martin, being the last of a large family. [recheck this text.#] She leaves to mourn her death one son, Malcom Bowen, three grandchildren, Herman Bowen, Mary Helm and Bettie Bowen, and one nephew, E. L. Childs. Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at 2 P.M., interment in family burying ground.6”
She was the last survivor of her siblings. She is buried in the Warrenton Cemetery rather than in the Martin Family Cemetery [as her obituary mistakenly said] with her husband because a storm made the roads impassable.[398]
Their Son Malcom Martin Bowen
At the age of one month, their adopted son Malcom Martin Bowen was left on their doorstep.[399] He was born near Casanova 11 September 1879, and died in Warrenton, 14 April 1954.[400] On 22 December 1898, he married Miss Clara Anne Strickler.[401] She was born 8 November 1878 and died 12 July, 1965. She is buried in the Warrenton Cemetery next to her husband.[402]
Malcom’s obituary read.[403]
Services for M. M. Bowen Held Friday. Malcom Martin Bowen, 74, prominent Casanova farmer, died Wednesday, April 14, [1954] at Physician’s Hospital, Warrenton, where he had been a patient for two days. He was admitted to the hospital following a paralytic stroke. Funeral services were conducted from his home on Friday, April 16, by his pastor, the Rev. Joseph Graver, and the burial was in the Warrenton cemetery. Mr. Bowen was born near Casanova on September 11, 1879, son of the late William and Bettie Bowen. In early life he joined the Calverton Baptist Church and for a number of years served as a deacon. On December 22, 1898, he married Miss Clara Anne Strickler, who survives him. He is also survived by two daughters, Mrs. J. B. Helm of Morrisville and Mrs. Alfred Gebhardt of Washington: a foster daughter, Mrs. Earl Embry of Catlett; two grandchildren and two great- grandchildren.
Clara’s obituary read:[404]
Rites Thursday For Mrs. Bowen. Mrs. Clara Ann Bowen, 85, of Cassanova, died July 12 at District Nursing Home, Warrenton. She was the wife of the late Malcom M. Bowen. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Mary B. Helm, Morrisville, and Mrs. Bettie D. Gebhardt, Washington, tow grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, a sister, Mrs. Lette Nehr, Charlottesville, two brothers, Joe Strickler, Midland, and Willis Strickler, Luray, and two foster children, Mrs. Rebecca Embrey, Midland and Gerald D. Musselman, Bealeton. Funeral services will be conducted July 15 at 2 p. m. at Moser Funeral Home by Rev. E. Y. Averett. Interment will be at Warrenton cemetery.
Malcom Martin Bowen’s Children
Malcom and Clara had four children.[405] 1. Malcolm Samuel. “Little Malcolm Samuel, only child of Mr. and Mrs.
Malcolm Bowen, died of cholera infantum Friday, July 6th 1900.”[406]
- Mary Elizabeth. 3. Herman, b. 17 April 1901, d. 17 March, 1952.[407] 4. Bettie
Herman Bowen
- Herman ?? Bowen was born ??? in ???. He died ???, 1952 in
Washington, D. C. He married first, Pauline ??? , ??? in ???. She was born ??? in ???, daughter of ???? and ??? They had no children. He was a ??? . They lived in ???. He married second, ??? on ???? in ????. They had no children.
Mary Elizabeth Bowen
Mary was born 10 September 1905 in Casanova, Virginia. She died 14 April 1983 in Warrenton, and is buried in the Warrenton, Virginia Cemetery. She married James Brewster Helm 7 December 1922 in Casanova, Virginia. He was born 3 April 1891 in Morrisville, Virginia, and died 14 March 1969 at his home in Morrisville. He is buried in the Warrenton Cemetery. They had one child, James Arnold Helm.
James Arnold Helm
James Arnold Helm married Helen Wood Fifield, 16 April 1947 in Remington, Virginia. He was born 24 March 1928 in Morrisville, Virginia and died 12 May 2000 in Remington, Virginia. He is buried in the Remington Cemetery. Helen was born 8 November 1926 in Remington, Virginia, daughter of Ren Abraham Fifield of Minnesota and Willa Radford Oden. Arnold Helm and his family lived in Remington. They had the following children: 1. James Arnold Helm, Jr. 2. Ann Bradford Helm. 3. Philip Browning Helm.
His obituary read:[408]
J. Arnold Helm was a local realtor. James Arnold Helm died May 12 at his home in Remington. He was 72. Mr. Helm was the son of the late James Brewster and Mary Bowen Helm. He was the founder of J. Arnold helm Real Estate and the Fifield-Helm Agency, an insurance agency in Remington, and served on the Board of Directors of the State Bank of Remington from 1969 to 1998. He was a past president of the Fauquier Association of Realtors. Survivors include his wife, Helen Fifield Helm; two sons, James A. helm, Jr. of Remington and Philip B. Helm of Midland; one daughter Ann H. Smoot of Mechanicsville; four grandchildren, and one great- grandchild. A memorial service was held May 15 at the Remington United Methodist Church. Interment was at Remington Cemetery …”
James Arnold Helm, Jr.
He was born 20 March 1948 in Warrenton, Virginia. He married Connie Lou Chacey 6 May 1972, in Markham, Virginia. She was the daughter of Daniel Kenneth Chacey and Iva Lou Anderson. They are divorced. They had James Daniel Helm, born 26 February 1978 in Warrenton, Virginia; and Elizabeth Ann Helm, born 9 September 1976 in Warrenton, Virginia. She married Kevin Neil Winn 28 October 1995 in Remington, Virginia who was born 18 September 1974 in Culpeper, Virginia.
Ann Bradford Helm
Ann was born 6 August 1949 in Culpeper, Virginia. She married Arthur Ray Smoot 10 July 1971 in Remington, Virginia. He was born 6 February 1950 in Front Royal, Virginia. He was the son of _____ and ______. They are divorced and had no children.
Philip Browning Helm
Philip was born 4 August 1955 in Warrenton, Virginia. He first married Diane Haworth. He married 14 June 1986 Valerie Jean Fairbairn. She was born
December 1948 in Calgary, Alberta Canada. She was the daughter of Dawn
Fairbairn and Rita __?_. She was previously married to Craig Scott by whom she had two children, Justin Robert Scott and Cara Gail Scott.
Philip James lives in Brandy Station, manages R. E. firm of his fathers. Is also a soil scientist.]
Bettie ??? Bowen
Bettie was born ??? in ???. [grew up in D.C.? ask Helen Helm.] She died June, 1968 in Washington, D.C.. She is buried ???? She married Alfred Gebhardt, ??? in ???. He was born ??? in ????, son of ??? and ???. He died ??? in Maryland He is buried ???. He married a second time.
They had one child, Bettie Ann. She was born ??? in ????. She married ? Mull, in ???, son of ??? and ???. They live in ????. She was a ??. He was a ???.
Rebecca Bowen
Rebecca was a foster daughter of Malcom and Clara Bowen. She married Earl ?? Embry and lived in Midland, Virginia. He had a store at Elk Run, Virginia. They had the following children: 1. ?? 2. ?? 3. ??