STOWER STOWERS HISTORY

The English surname Stowers and its variant Stower are from the class of surnames derived from the name or forename of a father or ancestor. Those we know about came mostly from Dorset, Dorsetshire, England. These names were probably derived from Stour or other variants Stur, Sturre, Sture, and Stoure. We find references to these names going back to the eleventh century.

“Stour. Before 1066 it paid tax for seventeen hides – the value was eight pounds; now ten pounds”. Domesday Book 1086.
William filius (son of) Stur appears in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire in 1162.
William Stur is recorded in Sir Christopher Hatton’s Book of Seals for Hampshire in 1162.
Anger Sturre is listed in Pleas Before the King or his Justices for Berkshire in 1206.
William Sture is referenced in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1332.
John Stoure, Faversham, 1494 in Probate Records of Canterbery, Vol 6, Folio 7

Peter Stour or Stower, Goodneston, 1516 in Probate Records of Canterbery, Folio 135

John Stowre, Chillinden, 1542 in Probate Records of Canterbery Vol 22, Folio 115

William Stower, Sellinge, 1550 in Probate Records of Canterbery Vol 10, Folio 10

Nicholas De Stoure born 1535-1539 in Dorchester, Dorset, England.

Walter Stowers born 1565-1568 in Dorchester, Dorset, England.
Nicholas Stower born 1585-1590 in Upway Parrish, Dorsetshire, England.
“Joh. Bowdich married Julian, daughter of Nicholas de Stoure.” Visitation of Dorsetshire, 1623

Adam Stur is recorded in the Protestation Returns for Dorset in 1642.
Henry Stower is recorded in the Hearth Tax Returns for Dorset in 1662-4.
James Stowers son of Edward Matlick & Sarah Stowers, Baptized Mar 27, 1775, Pease Lane Presbyterian, Dorchester, England.
George Stowers born 1831 and Mary Stowers born 1831 in Crewkerne, Somerset, England. 1851 Census Dorset (pop. 3,509), Dorchester.

All Historical records show Nicholas to be the first Stower in America. There were some Stower who came from England in the 1700 and 1800’s, who have not changed their names and still are listed as Stower. We have good evidence that Nicholas and his family used the name Stower from the time of his arrival until the death of his children. Nicholas in his will (Stowers Families of America, Volume II, pages 1, 2 & 3) uses the names Nicholas Stower, Amy Stower, Joseph Stower & Richard Stower. Church records show, “Joseph Stower Sr. being baptized on Dec 23, 1633 being the son of Nicholas and Amy Stower.” Richard Stower used the name Stower until his death and the death of his wife Hannah. Engraved on Hannah’s grave marker (Phipps Street Cemetery in Charlestown) is the following: “HERE LYES V BODY OF Hannah Stower WIFE TO Richard Stower AGED 81 YEARS DIED FEBRUARY 3, 1698.”

“Now in this year1629, a great company of people (The Higginson Fleet) of good rank, zeal, means and quality have made a great stock, and with six good ships in the months of April and May, they set sail from Thames for the Bay of the Massachusetts, otherwise called Charles River. The fleet consisted of, the George Bonaventure of twenty pieces of ordnance; the Talbot nineteen; the Lion’s Whelp eight; the Mayflower fourteen; the Four sisters fourteen and the Pilgrim four, with 350 men women and children, also 115 head of cattle, as horses, mares, cows and oxen, 41 goats, some conies (rabbits), with all provision for household and apparel, 6 pieces of great ordnance for a fort, with muskets, pikes, corselets, drums, colors, and with all provisions necessary for a plantation for the good of man.” (The True Travels, Adventures and Observations of Captain John Smith – London 1630)

“Place: Charlestown, MA; Primary Immigrant: Nicholas Stower; Accompanying family members: Daughters Elizabeth, Sarah, Joanna and Son Richard. Permanent Entry Number: 3066059 (Same number included all 5 people.). Nicholas sister Deborah with her husband, Simon Hoyt and two sons, Walter and Nicholas; Ralph Sprague, with his wife, and three children; Ralph’s brothers William and Richard; all came to New England on board the Lyon’s Whelp, John Gibbs, Master, companion ship of the Talbot. They sailed from Gravesend April 25, 1629, with about forty planters out of the counties of Dorset and Somerset, and arrived at Salem June 29, 1629. She brought 6 fishermen from Dorchester.”

From information compiled by George P. Stowers, there follows this account of the ship’s passengers after they landed. This particular information is from Frothingham’s History of Charleston:

”John Endicott, in the ship Abigail, Henry Gauden, master, arrived at Salem September 6, 1628.
Shortly after Endicott’s arrival and the settlement of Salem there “came over from England several people at their own charge, and arrived at Salem”. There were the 350 passengers on the fleet of six ships listed above. Included in this fleet were the three brothers, Ralph, Richard and William Sprague. These three brothers, with several others, with Endicott’s permission traveled through the woods to the peninsula on which Charlestown is now located. The Town Records refer to this event and from them the following is quoted: “Amongst others that arrived at Salem at their own cost, were Ralph Sprague, with his brethren Richard and William, who with three or four more, by joint consent and approbation of Mr. John Endicott, Governor, did the same summer of Anno 1629, undertake a journey from Salem, and traveled the woods about twelve miles to the westward, and lighted of a place situate and lying on the north side of Charles River, full of Indians called Aberginians. Their old Sachem being dead, his eldest son, by the English called John Sagamore, was their chief, and a man naturally of a gentle and good disposition, by whose free consent they settled about the hill of the same place, by the said natives called Mishawum.”

The following is an excerpt from the first proceedings of the Sprague’s and their associates:

“The inhabitants yet: first settled in this place and brought it into the denomination of an English Towne, was in Anno 1629 as follows, viz: Ralph Sprague; Richard Sprague; William Sprague; John Meech; Simon Hoyte; Abraham Palmer; Walter Palmer; Nicholas Stower; John Stickline. Thomas Walford Smith yet lived here alone before. Mr. Graves who had charge of some, of the servants of the Company of Patentees with whom he built the great house this year for such of the said Company as are shortly to come over which afterwards became the Meeting house. And Mr. Bright Minister to the Companies Servants.”

“By whom it was jointly agreed and concluded that this place on the north side of Charles River, by the natives called Mishawum, shall henceforth from the name of the river, be called Charlestown, which was also confirmed by Mr. John Endicott, governor.”

“This little band is all that are recorded as inhabitants in 1629. These had wives and children. But the “servants of the company of patentees,” under the charge of Mr. Greves, - mentioned by Higginson as those who “began to build at Cherton,” - are to be added to this list of early residents. Their names are not known. These, until more convenient lodgings could be prepared lived in wigwams and huts. The work of building went on slowly. By the succeeding June, if Roger Clapp may be credited, there was but one house in town (the Great House). This is not improbable, as the infant colony experienced more than the common hardships of early settlements. During the following winter provisions became scarce, and disease so thinned their numbers that, by April eighty had died and those that were alive were “weak and sick.” In this situation they were alarmed by rumors of hostile Indians. The early residents of Charlestown shared in these hardships; at one time “all hands, men, women and children, “were engaged in providing for self-defense.”

November 2, 1632, thirty-five persons dismissed from the Boston church formed a district church, and elected Rev. Thomas James, pastor. This is now the first Congregational Society of Charlestown. Its first covenant is recorded in the Church Book in the following manner:
”Increase & Parnes Nowell; Robert & Jone Hale; Thomas & Christian Beecher; George & Margarit Hucheson; Ralph & Jone Sprague; Edward & Sarah Convers; Nicholas & Amy Stower; Ezek & Susan Richeson; Henry & Elizabeth Harwood; Robert & Jone Hale; Thomas & Elizabeth James; William & Ann Frothingham; Ralph & Alice Mousall; Rice and Arnold Cole; Richard & Mary Sprague; John & Bethiah Haule; William Dade; Thomas Minor; Thomas Squire.” “Those were dismissed from Boston Church the 14^th of the eighth month 1632”

These were part of the 35 persons who were dismissed and formed the First Church in Charlestown.

Excerpt from “Frothingham’s History of Charlestown,” with reference to Nicholas Stower, one of the first settlers of Charlestown in 1629. Frothingham writes that Nicholas Stowers was one of the parties that came to Salem, under John Endicott as governor, arriving in 1629.

“Nicholas Stower was Charlestown freeman in 1631, and herdsman in 1633. His duties were to drive the herd forth to their food in the main every morning, and to bring them into town every evening, and to have fifty bushels of Indian corn for keeping the milk cows till Indian harvest to be taken in. He was also to have the benefit of keeping such other cattle as came into town during the summer. He died May 17, 1646. The will of Nicholas Stower is re-produced at the start of the Book - Stowers Families of America, Volume II. He left property to his wife Amy, to sons Joseph Stower and Richard Stower, to daughters Joanna Jane, Elizabeth Farr and Abigail.

To become a freeman it was necessary to be a church member, and to subscribe to the freeman’s oath, binding the person taking it to maintain the government of the Commonwealth. Then he became qualified to vote and to be voted for. The Herdsman was a town officer. Frothingham describes his duties as follows: “The Herdsman, with a boy to assist him, drove the three herds to their pastures. He was required to be at Antony Dick’s Corner (near Austin and Main streets) in the morning, when the sun was half an hour high, whither people are to bring their cows at that time - the dilatory’ who came after the first putting forth of the herd, were obliged to pay 6d, a cow. His pay for the year was eighty bushels of Indian corn, the grass in the swamp, and a pound of butter upon each cow he kept; but the boy that assisted him was to have twenty pounds of butter, and 6s, a week paid to him by the town.” Nicholas and his family were among the first settlers in Charleston, Massachusetts. In 1631 he took the freeman’s oath. He and his wife were original members of the Charleston Church in 1632. He owned considerable property. In 1634 Nicholas joined the first seventy-five white persons to own land in Malden, Massachusetts, each owning ten acres. Besides being the town herdsman, an elected official, he also served as Constable of Charleston. Under the date of 1639, the records of the General Court say; “Nicholas Stower, being chosen one of the Constables of Charleston, did take his oath on the 9^th. of the 3^rd. month, 1639, before me, Increase Nowell”.

During the War of 1812 the British burned most of the Virginia courthouses, and of course Washington, destroying almost all the records up to that time. The people in the extreme north and a little farther west escaped this destruction, retaining their records. What we have comes mostly from private records or fragments that escaped the fires of 1812.

Book: Banks Topographical Dictionary of 2885 English Emigrants to New England 1620-1650 to Charlestown, Mass. 1629

Stower: Upway Parish, Dorsetshire England 1629 AD. Ship: Lyons Whelp, William Peirce, Master.

This identifies Nicholas Stower as to home, parish and shire of England, ship and date of arrival. Found in Genealogical Library, Dukes County, Mass. Museum, Edgartown, Mass.
The marriage records of two Nicholas’ daughters but not of the sons are in this book.
Sire: Nicholas Stower: 1. Elizabeth, m: George Farr 1642; 2. Sarah, born 1613, m: Samuel Howard
Sarah came on the Lyons Whelp at age 16 years.

John Stowers, Sr., 1615-Dec. 1665, & John Stowers, Jr., came from Parham Co., Suffolk, Eng. John was adm. Freeman, May 26, 1636 and was Selectman in Watertown, 1638. His first wife was Jane ?. His second wife was Phebe ?, their three children were Elizabeth Apr 10 1635-Dec 1635, Elizabeth Apr 14, 1637, Sarah Mar 8, 1642. His Pedigree ends because of all girls and no information about their husbands. These are mentioned in deed of land Oct 4, 1650. We are unsure what happened to John Stowers, Jr.

Richard Stower (May 16, 1620-Jul 10, 1693); and his wife Hannah Joanne Frost (1617-Feb 3, 1698, died at the age of 81) erected “a house of entertainment” which stood in the part of Malden (now Everett), at the southerly junction of Broadway and Bow Street. When Richard and Hannah died, the house (called Stoweri’s) came into the possession of his daughter Elizabeth Stower (Jun 16, 1642-Sep 28, 1736) and her husband John Sprague (Mar 9, 1651/52-Dec 16, 1703). Their only surviving son was named Stower Sprague (1686-1768). The house remained in the Sprague Family and was still standing in 1894. It was later known as the Flagg house and stood next to Penny Ferry on Mystic Side.