Biography: Louisa Meriwether Bowyer was a Southern belle in the truest sense. She was born at the Thorn Hill estate in 1808, the 3rd daughter and 5th child of Captain John Bowyer and Elizabeth Hubard Bowyer. Her beauty was unsurpassed, as Governor McDowell's daughter—Sally Campbell Preston McDowell—could attest... Years later, reminiscing about Captain John Bowyer and his family, she recalled that he was "an old gentleman in all my recollection remarkably handsome and aristocratic, [who] has left on my mind an indelible impression; and the coach-and-four filled with his handsome daughters—one of whom was allied by an early marriage to the family of Washington, another married Judge Brockenbrough, and still another, the most beautiful woman I ever saw, became the wife of General Colston, long in the service of the Khedive."
Louisa's beauty did not go unnoticed by the bachelor community, so it will come as no surprise that she was married three times, and each time she married very well. She and her sisters were renowned for their charm. They made good use of their coaches-and-four, spending quiet summers at delightful White Sulphur, traveling up and down the east coast in the "dizzy social whirl" of Richmond, New Orleans, Charleston, Washington, Baltimore, New York, and 'Thorn Hill', where many "rival suitors" came to plead their case. Eventually, Louisa and her sisters, "aided by the gracious hospitality of their accomplished father and mother and by their own sparkling wit sprightly humor and Bowyer common sense, [were] able to select from the admiring gallant cavaliers the 'prince charming' who best coincided with [their] own peculiar queen's taste."
She made her selection from the throng of bachelors, and Horace Gustavus Browne, Esq. was her choice. The two married in Rockbridge County on 23 October 1834. Horace was a Harvard man. Although he came from an old Quaker family that had settled in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia during the time of William Penn, his specific strain of the Browne family had abandoned its Quaker views when his grandfather, Major John Browne, took up arms in the War for Independence. Horace followed his father, Peter Arrell Browne, into the profession of law, joining the Philadelphia Bar on 21 September 1830. He also took an active role in the military, joining the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, in which he became a Colonel. Sadly, Horace passed away unexpectedly, 23 April 1838, during a stay at French's Hotel in Richmond. He was only 29 years old. At the time, Louisa was pregnant with their second son (their first, Horace Gustavus Browne, Jr., being born 11 November 1835). Four months after Horace Sr.'s death, she gave birth to Peter Arrell Browne II, on 17 August 1838, and named him after his paternal grandfather.
Left as a single mother raising two boys, she opted to remarry, this time to Robert C. Gardiner of New Orleans, LA. The ceremony took place in Washington, DC on 26 October 1840, and was officiated by Rev. W. McLain. The two moved to Thorn Hill, and evidently, the marriage was a short one, as Mr. Gardiner passed away unexpectedly in 1842, leaving Louisa as a single mother once again.
She married, thirdly, to Raleigh Edward Colston, in Lexington, on 20 August 1846. Colston was the adopted son of a Virginia physician, Dr. Raleigh Edward Colston, and Mary Theresa, 2nd Duchess of Vilamy. Born in Paris, he came to the United States as a 17-year-old in 1843 and immediately entered the Virginia Military Institute. He graduated on 4 July 1846, a month-and-a-half before he married Louisa. He was ranked 4th in a class of 14. Louisa and Raleigh had two daughters: Louise Elizabeth Colston (b. 1847), and Mary Frances Colston (b. 1849). Sometime before the year 1850, Horace Gustavus Browne, Jr., went northward to live with his grandfather, Peter Arrell Browne, in the South Ward of Philadelphia. Peter Arrell Browne IV, however, stayed in Lexington, with his mother, and was raised by Raleigh.
From the mid '40s through the outbreak of the Civil War, Raleigh taught French and Military Science at VMI. This put him in a good position once the war started, because he had crossed paths with just about every officer in charge in the Confederate army. He eventually rose to the rank of Brigadier General. Though, in theory, he should have been an excellent soldier, especially given his antebellum qualifications, in truth, his military record was a bit of a mixed bag. After the war ended, he started two different military academies, including one in Wilmington, North Carolina. The first school failed entirely and the second one was only a modest success. During this time period, Louisa suffered a nervous breakdown and was confined to an asylum, where she lived out the remainder of her life, estranged from her family. Like many other Confederate officers, Raleigh's postbellum career included a commission as a Colonel in the Egyptian Army, where he went to serve the Khedive. Ever the gentleman, Colston shirked the expensive lifestyle that so many of his friends lived, and, instead, lived frugally and sent funds home to take care of his wife. Louisa died at the Dorothea Dix Asylum on Monday morning, 13 November 1882.
Her marriage announcement for her second marriage, from the 31 October 1840 edition of the Alexandria Gazette:
MARRIED,
In Washington, on the 26th instant, by the Rev. W. McLain, ROBERT C. GARDINER, of New Orleans, La., to LOUISA M. BROWNE, of Lexington, Va. [Marriage Announcment Page 3]
Her obituary from the 14 November 1882 edition of The News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.):
Death of Mrs. R. E. Colston.
Mrs. Laura Colston, wife of Gen. Raleigh E. Colston, who is so widely known in the State and the South, died yesterday morning, near this city. Mrs. Colston was about 70 years of age, and was amiable and beloved. Her mind had for some years been affected, but she had lost none of those graces of manner which were so characteristic of her. Gen. Colston's home is now in New York, he being principal of a military academy on the Hudson. [Mortuary Notice Page 3]
Her obituary and funeral notice from the 15 November 1882 edition of The Wilmington Star:
DIED,
COLSTON.—At Raleigh, N.C., on Monday morning, November 13, 1882, Mrs. LOUISA M. COLSTON, the beloved wife of Gen. R. E. Colston and daughter of the late Capt. John Bowyer, of Lexington, Va. A most devoted wife and mother. After many years of sad affliction, of which she was mercifully rendered unconscious, she has found rest and peace.
The funeral will take place at St. James' Church, Wilmington, N.C., this (Wednesday) morning, at 11 o'clock.
North Carolina, Virginia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., papers requested to copy. [Mortuary Notice Page 1]
Funeral of Mrs. Colston.
The sad announcement of the death, at Raleigh, of Mrs. Gen. R. E. Colston, was received by the many friends of the family in this city. Her remains will be brought to Wilmington, and the funeral services will take place at St. James' Episcopal Church this morning at 11 o'clock. [Article Page 1]
Louisa's beauty did not go unnoticed by the bachelor community, so it will come as no surprise that she was married three times, and each time she married very well. She and her sisters were renowned for their charm. They made good use of their coaches-and-four, spending quiet summers at delightful White Sulphur, traveling up and down the east coast in the "dizzy social whirl" of Richmond, New Orleans, Charleston, Washington, Baltimore, New York, and 'Thorn Hill', where many "rival suitors" came to plead their case. Eventually, Louisa and her sisters, "aided by the gracious hospitality of their accomplished father and mother and by their own sparkling wit sprightly humor and Bowyer common sense, [were] able to select from the admiring gallant cavaliers the 'prince charming' who best coincided with [their] own peculiar queen's taste."
She made her selection from the throng of bachelors, and Horace Gustavus Browne, Esq. was her choice. The two married in Rockbridge County on 23 October 1834. Horace was a Harvard man. Although he came from an old Quaker family that had settled in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia during the time of William Penn, his specific strain of the Browne family had abandoned its Quaker views when his grandfather, Major John Browne, took up arms in the War for Independence. Horace followed his father, Peter Arrell Browne, into the profession of law, joining the Philadelphia Bar on 21 September 1830. He also took an active role in the military, joining the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, in which he became a Colonel. Sadly, Horace passed away unexpectedly, 23 April 1838, during a stay at French's Hotel in Richmond. He was only 29 years old. At the time, Louisa was pregnant with their second son (their first, Horace Gustavus Browne, Jr., being born 11 November 1835). Four months after Horace Sr.'s death, she gave birth to Peter Arrell Browne II, on 17 August 1838, and named him after his paternal grandfather.
Left as a single mother raising two boys, she opted to remarry, this time to Robert C. Gardiner of New Orleans, LA. The ceremony took place in Washington, DC on 26 October 1840, and was officiated by Rev. W. McLain. The two moved to Thorn Hill, and evidently, the marriage was a short one, as Mr. Gardiner passed away unexpectedly in 1842, leaving Louisa as a single mother once again.
She married, thirdly, to Raleigh Edward Colston, in Lexington, on 20 August 1846. Colston was the adopted son of a Virginia physician, Dr. Raleigh Edward Colston, and Mary Theresa, 2nd Duchess of Vilamy. Born in Paris, he came to the United States as a 17-year-old in 1843 and immediately entered the Virginia Military Institute. He graduated on 4 July 1846, a month-and-a-half before he married Louisa. He was ranked 4th in a class of 14. Louisa and Raleigh had two daughters: Louise Elizabeth Colston (b. 1847), and Mary Frances Colston (b. 1849). Sometime before the year 1850, Horace Gustavus Browne, Jr., went northward to live with his grandfather, Peter Arrell Browne, in the South Ward of Philadelphia. Peter Arrell Browne IV, however, stayed in Lexington, with his mother, and was raised by Raleigh.
From the mid '40s through the outbreak of the Civil War, Raleigh taught French and Military Science at VMI. This put him in a good position once the war started, because he had crossed paths with just about every officer in charge in the Confederate army. He eventually rose to the rank of Brigadier General. Though, in theory, he should have been an excellent soldier, especially given his antebellum qualifications, in truth, his military record was a bit of a mixed bag. After the war ended, he started two different military academies, including one in Wilmington, North Carolina. The first school failed entirely and the second one was only a modest success. During this time period, Louisa suffered a nervous breakdown and was confined to an asylum, where she lived out the remainder of her life, estranged from her family. Like many other Confederate officers, Raleigh's postbellum career included a commission as a Colonel in the Egyptian Army, where he went to serve the Khedive. Ever the gentleman, Colston shirked the expensive lifestyle that so many of his friends lived, and, instead, lived frugally and sent funds home to take care of his wife. Louisa died at the Dorothea Dix Asylum on Monday morning, 13 November 1882.
Her marriage announcement for her second marriage, from the 31 October 1840 edition of the Alexandria Gazette:
MARRIED,
In Washington, on the 26th instant, by the Rev. W. McLain, ROBERT C. GARDINER, of New Orleans, La., to LOUISA M. BROWNE, of Lexington, Va. [Marriage Announcment Page 3]
Her obituary from the 14 November 1882 edition of The News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.):
Death of Mrs. R. E. Colston.
Mrs. Laura Colston, wife of Gen. Raleigh E. Colston, who is so widely known in the State and the South, died yesterday morning, near this city. Mrs. Colston was about 70 years of age, and was amiable and beloved. Her mind had for some years been affected, but she had lost none of those graces of manner which were so characteristic of her. Gen. Colston's home is now in New York, he being principal of a military academy on the Hudson. [Mortuary Notice Page 3]
Her obituary and funeral notice from the 15 November 1882 edition of The Wilmington Star:
DIED,
COLSTON.—At Raleigh, N.C., on Monday morning, November 13, 1882, Mrs. LOUISA M. COLSTON, the beloved wife of Gen. R. E. Colston and daughter of the late Capt. John Bowyer, of Lexington, Va. A most devoted wife and mother. After many years of sad affliction, of which she was mercifully rendered unconscious, she has found rest and peace.
The funeral will take place at St. James' Church, Wilmington, N.C., this (Wednesday) morning, at 11 o'clock.
North Carolina, Virginia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., papers requested to copy. [Mortuary Notice Page 1]
Funeral of Mrs. Colston.
The sad announcement of the death, at Raleigh, of Mrs. Gen. R. E. Colston, was received by the many friends of the family in this city. Her remains will be brought to Wilmington, and the funeral services will take place at St. James' Episcopal Church this morning at 11 o'clock. [Article Page 1]
Biography: Louisa Meriwether Bowyer was a Southern belle in the truest sense. She was born at the Thorn Hill estate in 1808, the 3rd daughter and 5th child of Captain John Bowyer and Elizabeth Hubard Bowyer. Her beauty was unsurpassed, as Governor McDowell's daughter—Sally Campbell Preston McDowell—could attest... Years later, reminiscing about Captain John Bowyer and his family, she recalled that he was "an old gentleman in all my recollection remarkably handsome and aristocratic, [who] has left on my mind an indelible impression; and the coach-and-four filled with his handsome daughters—one of whom was allied by an early marriage to the family of Washington, another married Judge Brockenbrough, and still another, the most beautiful woman I ever saw, became the wife of General Colston, long in the service of the Khedive."
Louisa's beauty did not go unnoticed by the bachelor community, so it will come as no surprise that she was married three times, and each time she married very well. She and her sisters were renowned for their charm. They made good use of their coaches-and-four, spending quiet summers at delightful White Sulphur, traveling up and down the east coast in the "dizzy social whirl" of Richmond, New Orleans, Charleston, Washington, Baltimore, New York, and 'Thorn Hill', where many "rival suitors" came to plead their case. Eventually, Louisa and her sisters, "aided by the gracious hospitality of their accomplished father and mother and by their own sparkling wit sprightly humor and Bowyer common sense, [were] able to select from the admiring gallant cavaliers the 'prince charming' who best coincided with [their] own peculiar queen's taste."
She made her selection from the throng of bachelors, and Horace Gustavus Browne, Esq. was her choice. The two married in Rockbridge County on 23 October 1834. Horace was a Harvard man. Although he came from an old Quaker family that had settled in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia during the time of William Penn, his specific strain of the Browne family had abandoned its Quaker views when his grandfather, Major John Browne, took up arms in the War for Independence. Horace followed his father, Peter Arrell Browne, into the profession of law, joining the Philadelphia Bar on 21 September 1830. He also took an active role in the military, joining the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, in which he became a Colonel. Sadly, Horace passed away unexpectedly, 23 April 1838, during a stay at French's Hotel in Richmond. He was only 29 years old. At the time, Louisa was pregnant with their second son (their first, Horace Gustavus Browne, Jr., being born 11 November 1835). Four months after Horace Sr.'s death, she gave birth to Peter Arrell Browne II, on 17 August 1838, and named him after his paternal grandfather.
Left as a single mother raising two boys, she opted to remarry, this time to Robert C. Gardiner of New Orleans, LA. The ceremony took place in Washington, DC on 26 October 1840, and was officiated by Rev. W. McLain. The two moved to Thorn Hill, and evidently, the marriage was a short one, as Mr. Gardiner passed away unexpectedly in 1842, leaving Louisa as a single mother once again.
She married, thirdly, to Raleigh Edward Colston, in Lexington, on 20 August 1846. Colston was the adopted son of a Virginia physician, Dr. Raleigh Edward Colston, and Mary Theresa, 2nd Duchess of Vilamy. Born in Paris, he came to the United States as a 17-year-old in 1843 and immediately entered the Virginia Military Institute. He graduated on 4 July 1846, a month-and-a-half before he married Louisa. He was ranked 4th in a class of 14. Louisa and Raleigh had two daughters: Louise Elizabeth Colston (b. 1847), and Mary Frances Colston (b. 1849). Sometime before the year 1850, Horace Gustavus Browne, Jr., went northward to live with his grandfather, Peter Arrell Browne, in the South Ward of Philadelphia. Peter Arrell Browne IV, however, stayed in Lexington, with his mother, and was raised by Raleigh.
From the mid '40s through the outbreak of the Civil War, Raleigh taught French and Military Science at VMI. This put him in a good position once the war started, because he had crossed paths with just about every officer in charge in the Confederate army. He eventually rose to the rank of Brigadier General. Though, in theory, he should have been an excellent soldier, especially given his antebellum qualifications, in truth, his military record was a bit of a mixed bag. After the war ended, he started two different military academies, including one in Wilmington, North Carolina. The first school failed entirely and the second one was only a modest success. During this time period, Louisa suffered a nervous breakdown and was confined to an asylum, where she lived out the remainder of her life, estranged from her family. Like many other Confederate officers, Raleigh's postbellum career included a commission as a Colonel in the Egyptian Army, where he went to serve the Khedive. Ever the gentleman, Colston shirked the expensive lifestyle that so many of his friends lived, and, instead, lived frugally and sent funds home to take care of his wife. Louisa died at the Dorothea Dix Asylum on Monday morning, 13 November 1882.
Her marriage announcement for her second marriage, from the 31 October 1840 edition of the Alexandria Gazette:
MARRIED,
In Washington, on the 26th instant, by the Rev. W. McLain, ROBERT C. GARDINER, of New Orleans, La., to LOUISA M. BROWNE, of Lexington, Va. [Marriage Announcment Page 3]
Her obituary from the 14 November 1882 edition of The News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.):
Death of Mrs. R. E. Colston.
Mrs. Laura Colston, wife of Gen. Raleigh E. Colston, who is so widely known in the State and the South, died yesterday morning, near this city. Mrs. Colston was about 70 years of age, and was amiable and beloved. Her mind had for some years been affected, but she had lost none of those graces of manner which were so characteristic of her. Gen. Colston's home is now in New York, he being principal of a military academy on the Hudson. [Mortuary Notice Page 3]
Her obituary and funeral notice from the 15 November 1882 edition of The Wilmington Star:
DIED,
COLSTON.—At Raleigh, N.C., on Monday morning, November 13, 1882, Mrs. LOUISA M. COLSTON, the beloved wife of Gen. R. E. Colston and daughter of the late Capt. John Bowyer, of Lexington, Va. A most devoted wife and mother. After many years of sad affliction, of which she was mercifully rendered unconscious, she has found rest and peace.
The funeral will take place at St. James' Church, Wilmington, N.C., this (Wednesday) morning, at 11 o'clock.
North Carolina, Virginia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., papers requested to copy. [Mortuary Notice Page 1]
Funeral of Mrs. Colston.
The sad announcement of the death, at Raleigh, of Mrs. Gen. R. E. Colston, was received by the many friends of the family in this city. Her remains will be brought to Wilmington, and the funeral services will take place at St. James' Episcopal Church this morning at 11 o'clock. [Article Page 1]
Louisa's beauty did not go unnoticed by the bachelor community, so it will come as no surprise that she was married three times, and each time she married very well. She and her sisters were renowned for their charm. They made good use of their coaches-and-four, spending quiet summers at delightful White Sulphur, traveling up and down the east coast in the "dizzy social whirl" of Richmond, New Orleans, Charleston, Washington, Baltimore, New York, and 'Thorn Hill', where many "rival suitors" came to plead their case. Eventually, Louisa and her sisters, "aided by the gracious hospitality of their accomplished father and mother and by their own sparkling wit sprightly humor and Bowyer common sense, [were] able to select from the admiring gallant cavaliers the 'prince charming' who best coincided with [their] own peculiar queen's taste."
She made her selection from the throng of bachelors, and Horace Gustavus Browne, Esq. was her choice. The two married in Rockbridge County on 23 October 1834. Horace was a Harvard man. Although he came from an old Quaker family that had settled in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia during the time of William Penn, his specific strain of the Browne family had abandoned its Quaker views when his grandfather, Major John Browne, took up arms in the War for Independence. Horace followed his father, Peter Arrell Browne, into the profession of law, joining the Philadelphia Bar on 21 September 1830. He also took an active role in the military, joining the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, in which he became a Colonel. Sadly, Horace passed away unexpectedly, 23 April 1838, during a stay at French's Hotel in Richmond. He was only 29 years old. At the time, Louisa was pregnant with their second son (their first, Horace Gustavus Browne, Jr., being born 11 November 1835). Four months after Horace Sr.'s death, she gave birth to Peter Arrell Browne II, on 17 August 1838, and named him after his paternal grandfather.
Left as a single mother raising two boys, she opted to remarry, this time to Robert C. Gardiner of New Orleans, LA. The ceremony took place in Washington, DC on 26 October 1840, and was officiated by Rev. W. McLain. The two moved to Thorn Hill, and evidently, the marriage was a short one, as Mr. Gardiner passed away unexpectedly in 1842, leaving Louisa as a single mother once again.
She married, thirdly, to Raleigh Edward Colston, in Lexington, on 20 August 1846. Colston was the adopted son of a Virginia physician, Dr. Raleigh Edward Colston, and Mary Theresa, 2nd Duchess of Vilamy. Born in Paris, he came to the United States as a 17-year-old in 1843 and immediately entered the Virginia Military Institute. He graduated on 4 July 1846, a month-and-a-half before he married Louisa. He was ranked 4th in a class of 14. Louisa and Raleigh had two daughters: Louise Elizabeth Colston (b. 1847), and Mary Frances Colston (b. 1849). Sometime before the year 1850, Horace Gustavus Browne, Jr., went northward to live with his grandfather, Peter Arrell Browne, in the South Ward of Philadelphia. Peter Arrell Browne IV, however, stayed in Lexington, with his mother, and was raised by Raleigh.
From the mid '40s through the outbreak of the Civil War, Raleigh taught French and Military Science at VMI. This put him in a good position once the war started, because he had crossed paths with just about every officer in charge in the Confederate army. He eventually rose to the rank of Brigadier General. Though, in theory, he should have been an excellent soldier, especially given his antebellum qualifications, in truth, his military record was a bit of a mixed bag. After the war ended, he started two different military academies, including one in Wilmington, North Carolina. The first school failed entirely and the second one was only a modest success. During this time period, Louisa suffered a nervous breakdown and was confined to an asylum, where she lived out the remainder of her life, estranged from her family. Like many other Confederate officers, Raleigh's postbellum career included a commission as a Colonel in the Egyptian Army, where he went to serve the Khedive. Ever the gentleman, Colston shirked the expensive lifestyle that so many of his friends lived, and, instead, lived frugally and sent funds home to take care of his wife. Louisa died at the Dorothea Dix Asylum on Monday morning, 13 November 1882.
Her marriage announcement for her second marriage, from the 31 October 1840 edition of the Alexandria Gazette:
MARRIED,
In Washington, on the 26th instant, by the Rev. W. McLain, ROBERT C. GARDINER, of New Orleans, La., to LOUISA M. BROWNE, of Lexington, Va. [Marriage Announcment Page 3]
Her obituary from the 14 November 1882 edition of The News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.):
Death of Mrs. R. E. Colston.
Mrs. Laura Colston, wife of Gen. Raleigh E. Colston, who is so widely known in the State and the South, died yesterday morning, near this city. Mrs. Colston was about 70 years of age, and was amiable and beloved. Her mind had for some years been affected, but she had lost none of those graces of manner which were so characteristic of her. Gen. Colston's home is now in New York, he being principal of a military academy on the Hudson. [Mortuary Notice Page 3]
Her obituary and funeral notice from the 15 November 1882 edition of The Wilmington Star:
DIED,
COLSTON.—At Raleigh, N.C., on Monday morning, November 13, 1882, Mrs. LOUISA M. COLSTON, the beloved wife of Gen. R. E. Colston and daughter of the late Capt. John Bowyer, of Lexington, Va. A most devoted wife and mother. After many years of sad affliction, of which she was mercifully rendered unconscious, she has found rest and peace.
The funeral will take place at St. James' Church, Wilmington, N.C., this (Wednesday) morning, at 11 o'clock.
North Carolina, Virginia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., papers requested to copy. [Mortuary Notice Page 1]
Funeral of Mrs. Colston.
The sad announcement of the death, at Raleigh, of Mrs. Gen. R. E. Colston, was received by the many friends of the family in this city. Her remains will be brought to Wilmington, and the funeral services will take place at St. James' Episcopal Church this morning at 11 o'clock. [Article Page 1]
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