Insurance policy issued by the Southern Protection Insurance Co. to Lemuel Jackson Bowden(1857 December 22)

• MS 2005.5
• 1 item

Insurance policy issued by the Southern Protection Insurance Co., Alexandria, VA, to Lemuel Jackson Bowden. Fire insurance policy #5052 insures a house in Williamsburg, VA, Chiswell-Bucktrout House and a stable at “Powell’s” in York County, VA, for a period of three years. Signed by T.B. Robertson and Edward Sangster. Printed form with manuscript insertions.

Lemuel J. Bowden was the son of William and Mildred Davis Bowden of james City County, Virginia. In 1830–31 he was a student at William and Mary college. He obtained a license to practice law in Virginia in 1833, and in 1840 he purchased the house and lot known as the “Chiswell’Bucktrout House” for $2000. Bowden lived in and retained the property until ca. 1861. Bowden was a member of the state legislature for three terms and a member of the Virginia Constitutional Conventions of 1849 and 1851; in 1861 he was a presidential elector. He served as mayor of Williamsburg in 1862, but he was called a traitor by his fellow townspeople because he was devoted to the Union cause. He died in 1864 in Washington D.C.

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