William Buck Stowe and Josephine “Josy” Bowles Stowe
The Stowe family has deep roots in Patrick County, with generations of hardworking men and women who built homes, raised families, and contributed to the community they loved. Among them were William Buck Stowe and his wife, Josephine Parthenia “Josy” Bowles Stowe, whose descendants carried the Stowe name for generations.
William Buck Stowe was born on January 17, 1857, in Patrick County, Virginia, the son of Jarratt Stowe and Mary Elizabeth Goode.
Jarratt Stowe was born in Virginia in 1829. On December 24, 1854, in neighboring Franklin County, he married Mary Elizabeth Goode, who was born there in June 1835. Their years together were brief. Jarratt passed away in 1862, leaving Mary Elizabeth to raise their four young children during one of the most difficult periods in American history.
Jarratt and Mary Elizabeth Goode Stowe were the parents of:
George Thomas Stowe, born 1855; died 1929.
William Buck Stowe, born January 17, 1857; died October 31, 1903.
Jonathan F. Stowe, born 1860; died 1927.
Betty Jarod Stowe, born 1862; died 1944.
Growing up in Patrick County during the years following the Civil War, Buck Stowe established a home and family of his own. On April 3, 1884, he married Josephine Parthenia “Josy” Bowles in neighboring Henry County.
Josy was born on January 17, 1868, in Henry County, the daughter of William Bowles and Lydia Leach Bowles. She would spend the remainder of her life in Patrick County, passing away on April 19, 1962, at the age of ninety-four.
Together, Buck and Josy were blessed with seven children.
Their first child, Sam Stowe, was born in 1886 but sadly died on July 20, 1887, before reaching his second birthday.
Their daughter, Liddia L. Stowe, was born on December 20, 1887. On January 15, 1908, she married Ernest Cabell Tudor of Critz, Patrick County. Ernest was born on March 25, 1881, and died on June 24, 1951. Many Patrick County residents will recognize his name as the longtime owner of Tudor Orchards in Patrick Springs.
Another daughter, Mary E. Stowe, was born in 1890 and died in 1969. She first married John E. Freeman. Following his death, she married Jefferson Davis Biggs.
Mintoria Stowe, born May 4, 1892, married James Monroe Nichols, who was born on September 12, 1878, in Pulaski County. Like many Patrick County families during the early twentieth century, they eventually made their way to Lorain, Ohio, where employment opportunities attracted many Virginians. Tragedy struck the family in 1930 when Mintoria died on February 6. Just eight days later, James also passed away on February 14, both in Lorain.
Another daughter, Anna Josephine “Josy” Stowe, was born in January 1895. She married Jenttie Hughes Anglin of Patrick County. The young couple also relocated to Lorain, Ohio, where Jenttie briefly worked in the steel mills before returning to Roanoke. Sadly, Josy died from a severe infection at only twenty-three years of age, a heartbreaking loss for the family.
Lucy Magdaline Stowe, born in 1897, married James Lester Reynolds of Patrick Springs. Together they raised a large family in Patrick County, where they remained well known for many years. Lucy passed away in 1977.
The youngest child, William Davis Stowe Sr., was born on March 24, 1901. Like several of his siblings, he also traveled to Lorain, Ohio, where he found work in the steel mills. William remained in Lorain County for the rest of his life and died in Avon, Ohio, on April 19, 1987.
Although Buck Stowe passed away in 1903, the close-knit family he and Josy established continued gathering for decades. An article published in The Enterprise in August 1954 reported that a reunion of Mrs. Josie Stowe’s family was held at the home of Mrs. Stowe, noting that “a large number of people were present.” Like so many Patrick County families, the Stowes treasured opportunities to reunite, strengthen family ties, and preserve the memories of those who came before them.
Today, more than a century after Buck and Josy established their home, their descendants continue to reflect the enduring legacy of one Patrick County family. Through marriages, migrations, and generations of children and grandchildren, the Stowe name remains woven into the rich history of Patrick County and beyond.
Thank you to my former classmate, Jason Martin, for providing all these wonderful photographs and information on his Stowe ancestors. For questions, comments, or story ideas, you may contact Woody at [email protected] or 276-692-9626.
