Hello Richard,

Here is what we've been able to dig up on this Bowdry line.

Lt. William Bowdry, who Tobias Bowdry went into the military with, as his body servant was the son of Joshua & Jane Bowdry. It appears that Joshua died sometime between 1850 & 1860 as he isn't found on the 1860 census.

There is a Jane Bowdry in Tishomingo Co., MS shown as a slave owner in 1860, but the only Bowdry slave owner in Tishomingo Co. with a slave the age of Tobias Bowdry would be a Thomas Bowdry.

Tobias Bowdry's death certificate is found on the LDS Pilot site of Ohio Deaths 1908-1953 and it states his birth year as being 1844 in Tishomingo, Ms. The 1850 census seems to indicate that Joshua & Jane didn't come into MS from TN until 1848.

Speculation...... but could Thomas & Joshua Bowdry be related and William took his relative's slave, Tobias, with him as his body servant?

Art Thomas