Jacob Bowman Estate Settlement - 1843

When Jacob Bowman died in 1843, he left a will that detailed how part of his estate should be distributed, but left a large part of it unsettled. Following the efforts of assigned commissioners John Anderson, Humphrey Simmons, and Robert Brashear, as well as that of county surveyor L. E. Schultz, most of the estate was finally settled and recorded in the Bullitt County Deed Book K, on pages 159-168. You may view images of those pages beginning here.

Under the terms of that settlement, 2,762 acres in Bullitt County were distributed to Jacob's heirs, including Joseph, Thomas, Jacob, George, and Mary Bowman. His earlier will had made additional provisions that were carried out separately.

The settlement additionally distributed a large number of enslaved people, and as such provide us with a brief glimpse into their lives. From the settlement details, we learn their given names, their approximate ages, regrettably how they were valued, and which Bowman heir was granted control of them. That information is provided in the charts below.

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