Octavius Bourchier Bowker, 1820 Settler^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}

1815 - 1899  (84 years)

• Name	Octavius Bourchier Bowker
  Suffix	1820 Settler
  Birth	27 May 1815	Almer, Dorset, England   [5]
  Baptism	27 May 1815	Parish Church of Saint Mary, Almer, Dorset, England   [6, 7, 8]
  	Parish of Almer BAPTISMS 1731 - 1879 These records have been transcribed from the Bishop's Transcripts.
  Gender	Male
  1820 Lineage	Yes
  Residence	1816	Manor Farm, South Newton, Wiltshire, England   [2]
  Settler	7 Jan 1820	Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
  	Bowker's Party on the Weymouth
  Settler ID	107
  Name	Octavius Bourchier Bowker 1820
  Residence	25 Jun 1820	Olive Burn farm, Kleinemonde, Eastern Cape, South Africa
  Death	21 Jul 1899	Champagne farm, Zastron district, Free State, South Africa   [9]
  		Bowker, Octavius Bourchier DN Caption Note: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6DS9-VPV Keywords: Death Notice
  Person ID	I163	master
  Last Modified	19 Sep 2024

  
  

  Father	Miles Bowker, 1820 Settler,   b. 1758, Deckham Hall, Gateshead, Durham, England d. 25 Mar 1839, Tharfield, Kleinemonde, Bathurst District, Eastern Cape, South Africa (Age 81 years)
  Mother	Anna Maria Mitford, 1820 Settler,   b. 1782, Mitford Manor, Mitford, Northumberland, England d. 8 Jul 1868, 'Kruisfontein', Alexandria, Eastern Cape, South Africa (Age 86 years)
  Family ID	F102	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary Anne Stubbs,   b. Est 1822
  Marriage	25 Jan 1844	Bathurst, Eastern Cape, South Africa   [3, 4, 10]
  		Bowker, Octavius to Mary Ann Wilmot (Stubbs) marr Media Date: 25 JAN 1844 Keywords: Marriage
  		Bowker, Octavius and Mary Ann Wilmot marriage Caption Note: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTWM-S7RR Keywords: Marriage
  Notes	Original Register 1844. Marriage solemnized at Bathurst in the Parish of Bathurst, in the District of Albany. No When married Names and Surnames Ages Condition Rank or Profession Residence at the time of marriage After Banns or License Consent by whom given or Judges Order 120 Jany. 25th 1844 Octavius Bowker Mary Ann Wilmot Full age Do. Bachelor Spinster Farmer Tharfield Bathurst Bathurst After Banns Married in the Protestant Episcopal Church at Bathurst aforesaid after Banns by me. James Barrow, Colonial Chaplain This marriage was solemnized between us {Octavius Bowker (signed) { Mary Ann Wilmot (signed) In the presence of us {Alexn. B. Armstrong (signed) {Henrietta ? Armstrong (signed) {James Wilmot (signed)
  Children	1. Mary Elizabeth Bowker,   b. 17 Dec 1844, Bathurst, Eastern Cape, South Africa d. 25 Oct 1899, Mohale's Hoek, Lesotho (Age 54 years) + 2. Captain James Wilmot Bowker,   b. 1847, Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa d. 12 Dec 1909 (Age 62 years) + 3. John Mitford Bowker,   b. 1849, Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa d. 27 Sep 1927, Zambia (Age 78 years) + 4. Ellen Shaw Bowker,   b. 2 Feb 1852, Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, South Africa d. 13 Jul 1932, Champagne farm, Zastron district, Free State, South Africa (Age 80 years) + 5. Annie Octavia Bowker,   b. 27 Mar 1856   d. 21 Sep 1941 (Age 85 years)
  Family ID	F121	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	19 Sep 2024

  
  

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  Birth - 27 May 1815 - Almer, Dorset, England Baptism - 27 May 1815 - Parish Church of Saint Mary, Almer, Dorset, England Residence - 1816 - Manor Farm, South Newton, Wiltshire, England Settler - 7 Jan 1820 - Portsmouth, Hampshire, England Residence - 25 Jun 1820 - Olive Burn farm, Kleinemonde, Eastern Cape, South Africa Marriage - 25 Jan 1844 - Bathurst, Eastern Cape, South Africa Death - 21 Jul 1899 - Champagne farm, Zastron district, Free State, South Africa  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Settler Photos

  Bowker, Octavius Bourchier Keywords: Picture

  
  

• Notes

  Aided his fellow-burghers of the Orange Free State during the Basuto Wars against Moshesh in Basutoland - 1852 and the farm 'Champagne' in the Zastron district was given to him for his services during that war. After his death on the farm it was passed to his daughter, Ella, and became part of her husband William Henry Surmon's Estate. The farm 'Champagne' has been in the Surmon Family for about 120 years. 'Champagne' obtained its name due to its many fountains. Some say there were 80 in the early days. Many have since dried up. He was known as a wonderful marksman with a rifle, and on one occasion he killed seven and wounded three springbok with just nine bullets! Newspaper cuttings from the Eastern Cape. Queenstown Rep. 4 December 1987 OCTAVIUS BOWKER Queenstonians who are interested in the history of their town know that it was founded by Thomas Holden BOWKER (1807 - 85), a respected fighter in several of the Frontier Wars of the last century, a noted amateur geologist, Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Cape, and a candidate by invitation for the Presidency of the Orange Free State Republic. Another noted son of the 1820 Settler, Miles BOWKER, was Octavius BOWKER (1816 - 99) who was widely respected as the best marksman on the Eastern Frontier - an area in which good shooting was the norm among the farmers - and who served in all the Frontier Wars. Ivan MITFORD-BARBERTON records in his book, "Comdt. Holden BOWKER" that Octavius' wife (neé STUBBS) was also a good shot. "While her husband was away, two young Boers arrived, wishing to match their skill against his. They were disappointed that he was not there to shoot a friendly match with them. Mary gave them coffee and cakes, and showed them the BOWKER guns. To demonstrate their worth, she loaded one of the muskets and aiming at an anthill a considerable distance away, hit it plumb in the middle. This was too much for the visitors. When they saw how well the wife could shoot, they decided not to wait for the husband!" from:British South Africa A History of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope from its Conquest 1795 to the Settlement of Albany by the British Emigration of 1819 [A.D. 1795 - 1825] WITH NOTICES OF SOME OF THE BRITISH SETTLERS OF 1820 BY COLIN TURING CAMPBELL [Residient at Graham's Town, 1845-1871]:- Octavius Bowker, served during war of 1835-36, and during that of 1846-47 in the Zuurberg. In 1851 accompanied his brother, W. M. Bowker, and was at the battle of Balfour and taking of Fort Armstrong. Served with the Free State forces during the Basutu war, and engaged in various affairs up to annexation of Basutuland in 1868. He was known as the best shot on the eastern frontier. He was a burger of the Free State and the farm Champagne in the Zastron district was given him for his services during the Basuto Wars. After his death the farm was passed to his daughter Ella and became part of her husband, William Henry Surmon's estate. The farm, Champagne has been in the Surmon family for nearly 100 yrs. [11]

  
  

• Sources

  [S6] M D Nash, "The Settler Handbook", (Chameleon Press ISBN 0 620 10940 8), 11 Feb 2003, p 47. [S444] Tanner - Tremaine, Paul, BOWKER 1820 GEDCOM, (http://www.geocities.com/settlers1820). [S380] Bathurst English Episcopal Church, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1829 Bathurst English Episcopal Church, (Cory PR 3448). [S3116] Bathurst English Episcopal Church, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials - 1829 Bathurst English Episcopal Church, (Cory PR 3448). [S2127] SAG02, page 267+ (Reliability: 3). [S243] Baptism Records - 1813, Parish of Almer, Dorset. [S2808] Parish of Almer baptisms. [S3124] Baptisms - Parish of Almer, Dorset. [S2181] Family Search website, (www.familysearch.org), https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6DS9-VPV (Reliability: 3). [S2181] Family Search website, (www.familysearch.org), https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTWM-S7RR (Reliability: 3). [S5018] Jervois, Wiliam.