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Gen. Isaac Bowman, a nephew of Capt. Samuel and Ebenezer Bowman aforementioned. occupied for a number of years a portion of Captain Bowman's "home-lot" on Bowman's Hill. He was born at New Braintree, Worcester County, Mass., December 27, 1773, the fourth child of Joseph and Katherine (Munroe) Bowman. Joseph Bowman, who was born at Lexington, Mass., February 8, 1740, was the third child of Capt. Thaddeus Bowman, and the elder brother of Samuel and Ebenezer Bowman mentioned before. April 19, 1775, he enlisted in Capt. John Grainger's company of minute-men in Col. Jonathan Warner's regiment of Massachusetts Militia, and was forthwith commissioned Ensign.

During the years 1775, 1776 and 1777 Joseph Bowman held a commission as an officer in the Massachusetts Militia, and was in service upon a number of occasions at various points in the "Northern Department." In November, 1780, he was elected by the Massachusetts Legislature, and duly commissioned, Muster Master of Worcester County, with the rank of Major.

Isaac Bowman, previously mentioned, removed from New Braintree, Mass., to Wilkes-Barre in 1795, and soon thereafter engaged in the tanning and currying business, which he carried on successfully for a number of years-part of the time being established, at the northwest corner of North and Main Streets, on a portion of the "home-lot" 'of his uncle, Capt. Samuel Bowman. For several years he was in public life, filling different offices in the civil and military institutions of Luzerne County.

Isaac Bowman began his, military career in July, 1798, when, in the twenty-fifth year of his life, he was appointed a non-commissioned officer in the "Wyoming Blues" of Wilkes-Barre, Capt. Ebenezer Slocum commanding. In October, 1798, he became Second Lieutenant, and in this position served for some time. In 1806 he was elected First Lieutenant of the "Blues,". at that time a well-drilled and uniformed company of light infantry, commanded by Capt Joseph Slocum.

In 1807 or 1808 Lieutenant Bowman became Captain of the "Blues," and September 5, 1814, he was elected Colonel of the 45th Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia. This regiment became in 1815 the 2d Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia, and was commanded by Colonel Bowman until 1821, in June of which year he was elected Brigadier General of the 2d Brigade, 8th Division, Pennsylvania Militia. This position he held until 1828, when he was elected Brigade Inspector of the same Brigade to serve for seven years. This was his last military service. He died at Wilkes-Barre July 30, 1850, and was survived by his wife, three sons and one daughter.

James Munroe Bowman, the eldest child of Gen. Isaac Bowman, was born at Wilkes-Barre in 1808. He was appointed to a cadetship at the U. S. Military Academy, West Point, July 1, 1827, and was graduated July 1, 1832. He was immediately promoted in the army to Brevet Third Lieutenant, Mounted Rangers. In the same year he served in the Black Hawk Expedition. but was not at the seat of war. He was on frontier duty at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., in 1833, and on August 14 of that year was promotecl Second Lieutenant of the First Dragoons. During the ensuing six years he was on duty at either Fort Gibson or Fort Wayne, Indian Territory, and took part in various expeditions against certain tribes of inimical Indians. He was promoted First Lieutenant of the 1st Dragoons October l.5, 1836, and died at Fort Wayne July 21, 1839.

Francis Loring Bowman , third child of Gen. Isaac Bowman, was born at Wilkes-Barre. In 1842 a company of volunteer infantry-the "Wyoming Artillerists'-was organized at Wilkes-Barre, and Francis L. Bowman was elected its Captain. Sometime later Captain Bowman was elected Brigade Inspector of the 2d Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia. In 1846, upon the breaking out of War with Mexico, the Wyoming Artillerists" enlisted in the United States service and became Company "I" of the 1st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Wynkoop. Francis L. Bownman was commissioned Major of this regiment, and served with it throughout the war. Returning to Wilkes-Barre, he re-engaged in mercantile business here. He also interested himself in local military affairs, and from 1849 till 1855 was Brigadier General of the 2d Brigade, *9th Division, Pennsylvania Militia-the same position and rank formerly held by his father. In March, 1855, through the friendship and influence of Jefferson Davis, the then United States Secretary of War, who had been a friend and fellow-student at West Point of James M. Bowman, previously mentioned, Francis L. Bowman was commissioned Captain in the 9th Infantry, United States Army, and was directed to open at Wilkes- Barre a recruiting station for men for his company. In March, 1856, Capt. Bowman was stationed with his company at Fort Vancouver, Oregon. Some months later he died near there, and his remains were brought to Wilkes-Barre and were interred in Hollenback Cemetery, December 3, 1856, with military honors. A detail of the U. S. Army was sent on as a funeral escort.

Samuel Bowman, born at Wilkes-Barre October 31, 1818, was the fourth child of Gen. Isaac Bowman. He was at one time Captain of the "Wyoming Artillerists," previously mentioned, and in 1859 was elected Brigadier General of the Brigade of Pennsylvania Militia first commanded by his father and afterwards by his brother, but owing to certain informalities with which the election had been conducted it was declared illegal and void, and Capt. Bowman was not commissioned Brigadier General.

At the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion he became Lieutenant Colonel of the 8th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, in the threemonths' service of the United States. June 19, 1861, while in camp with his regiment on the banks of the Potomac River, Colonel Bowman crossed the river to reconnoiter, unaware of the presence of the enemy in that locality. He was captured in sight of his camp, and taken thence to Winchester, and thence to Richmond, where, and later at Raleigh and Salisbury, he was held a prisoner for some time. He was the twelfth Union soldier to be taken prisoner by the Confederates after the beginning of hostilities.

After his return from imprisonment Colonel Bowman re-engaged in business in Wilkes-Barre. From December, 1867, to December, 1870, he was Clerk of the Courts of Luzerne County. He died at Wilkes-Barre April 19, 1889, in the seventy-first year of his age.

(from The Story of Bowman's Hill, Wilkes-Barre, Pennylvania by Charles Bowman Dougherty)