The following article was published in The New York Times (Saturday, 7 Feb 1885, page 3).
"Providence, R.I., George Washington Bowen, the once celebrated claimant to the property of Mme. Jumel, died here today, aged 91. The various suits which arose in regard to the property of Eliza Jumel have hardly died out of the memory of many persons living. No one of them caused more discussion than the suit of Bowen against Nelson Chase, the nephew (through marriage) and heir of Mme. Jumel. Bowen claimed that he was a son of Mme. Jumel and that General George Washington was his father. The case was tried by eminent counsel and finally resulted in a verdict in favor of Mr. Chase. Bowen's claims rested upon rather slender evidence. it appeared from the testimony given in the suit that Mme. Jumel had been accused by gossips of having drowned a child - a son. Mme. Jumel had emphatically denied this on several occasions, declaring that she had left the son in Providence, R. I., and that some day or other he would turn up and make trouble.
The most interesting testimony in the case was that of Anne Eliza Vandervoort, 65 years old. She was born in Providence and received from her mother, who was sister of Mme. Jumel, an old book, on the reverse of the fly leaf was an entry in writing which read, "George Washington Bowen born of Eliza Bowen at my house in Town Providence, R.I. October 9, 1794. Reuben Ballou."
During the early life of Mrs. Vandervoort, Bowen, whom she knew as Uncle George, lived in Providence and worked at baking for a time. Then he turned his attention to weaving, and subsequently kept a store. The Reuben Ballou who signed the entry on the fly leaf of the old book was a young Major in the army and used to carry dispatches. He was the unhappy possessor of a rank young horse that bolted with him and jumped fences. Finally he was thrown and injured and for some time he lay suffering at his home on Charles Street, Providence. His wife was assisted in her labors by Betsy Bowen (Mme. Jumel), subsequently the wife of Stephen Jumel. Gen. George Washington frequently went to see his injured Major and often took dinner and tea at his house. Mrs. Vandervoort's mother, Betsy's sister, was in the habit of saying that Gen. Washington was the father of George Washington Bowen. It was elicited from the aged Mrs. Vandervoort on cross-examination that she had also been told that the real father of Bowen was born at Cumberland, R.I. that he was a sailor and was lost at sea. Mrs. Vandervoort finally admitted that her mother had said that the naming of Gen. Washington as Bowen's father was only a joke, and that she had never believed it. Reuben Balliou had named Bowen George Washington because he was so fond of the great patriot. Just who was the father of Bowen never appeared but Mrs. Vandervoort's testimony effectually killed his suit and a verdict was returned in favor of Mr. Chase. Bowen then drifted back into the obscurity from which he had been temped to lift himself by the babbling of talkative old ladies."
"Providence, R.I., George Washington Bowen, the once celebrated claimant to the property of Mme. Jumel, died here today, aged 91. The various suits which arose in regard to the property of Eliza Jumel have hardly died out of the memory of many persons living. No one of them caused more discussion than the suit of Bowen against Nelson Chase, the nephew (through marriage) and heir of Mme. Jumel. Bowen claimed that he was a son of Mme. Jumel and that General George Washington was his father. The case was tried by eminent counsel and finally resulted in a verdict in favor of Mr. Chase. Bowen's claims rested upon rather slender evidence. it appeared from the testimony given in the suit that Mme. Jumel had been accused by gossips of having drowned a child - a son. Mme. Jumel had emphatically denied this on several occasions, declaring that she had left the son in Providence, R. I., and that some day or other he would turn up and make trouble.
The most interesting testimony in the case was that of Anne Eliza Vandervoort, 65 years old. She was born in Providence and received from her mother, who was sister of Mme. Jumel, an old book, on the reverse of the fly leaf was an entry in writing which read, "George Washington Bowen born of Eliza Bowen at my house in Town Providence, R.I. October 9, 1794. Reuben Ballou."
During the early life of Mrs. Vandervoort, Bowen, whom she knew as Uncle George, lived in Providence and worked at baking for a time. Then he turned his attention to weaving, and subsequently kept a store. The Reuben Ballou who signed the entry on the fly leaf of the old book was a young Major in the army and used to carry dispatches. He was the unhappy possessor of a rank young horse that bolted with him and jumped fences. Finally he was thrown and injured and for some time he lay suffering at his home on Charles Street, Providence. His wife was assisted in her labors by Betsy Bowen (Mme. Jumel), subsequently the wife of Stephen Jumel. Gen. George Washington frequently went to see his injured Major and often took dinner and tea at his house. Mrs. Vandervoort's mother, Betsy's sister, was in the habit of saying that Gen. Washington was the father of George Washington Bowen. It was elicited from the aged Mrs. Vandervoort on cross-examination that she had also been told that the real father of Bowen was born at Cumberland, R.I. that he was a sailor and was lost at sea. Mrs. Vandervoort finally admitted that her mother had said that the naming of Gen. Washington as Bowen's father was only a joke, and that she had never believed it. Reuben Balliou had named Bowen George Washington because he was so fond of the great patriot. Just who was the father of Bowen never appeared but Mrs. Vandervoort's testimony effectually killed his suit and a verdict was returned in favor of Mr. Chase. Bowen then drifted back into the obscurity from which he had been temped to lift himself by the babbling of talkative old ladies."
The following article was published in The New York Times (Saturday, 7 Feb 1885, page 3).
"Providence, R.I., George Washington Bowen, the once celebrated claimant to the property of Mme. Jumel, died here today, aged 91. The various suits which arose in regard to the property of Eliza Jumel have hardly died out of the memory of many persons living. No one of them caused more discussion than the suit of Bowen against Nelson Chase, the nephew (through marriage) and heir of Mme. Jumel. Bowen claimed that he was a son of Mme. Jumel and that General George Washington was his father. The case was tried by eminent counsel and finally resulted in a verdict in favor of Mr. Chase. Bowen's claims rested upon rather slender evidence. it appeared from the testimony given in the suit that Mme. Jumel had been accused by gossips of having drowned a child - a son. Mme. Jumel had emphatically denied this on several occasions, declaring that she had left the son in Providence, R. I., and that some day or other he would turn up and make trouble.
The most interesting testimony in the case was that of Anne Eliza Vandervoort, 65 years old. She was born in Providence and received from her mother, who was sister of Mme. Jumel, an old book, on the reverse of the fly leaf was an entry in writing which read, "George Washington Bowen born of Eliza Bowen at my house in Town Providence, R.I. October 9, 1794. Reuben Ballou."
During the early life of Mrs. Vandervoort, Bowen, whom she knew as Uncle George, lived in Providence and worked at baking for a time. Then he turned his attention to weaving, and subsequently kept a store. The Reuben Ballou who signed the entry on the fly leaf of the old book was a young Major in the army and used to carry dispatches. He was the unhappy possessor of a rank young horse that bolted with him and jumped fences. Finally he was thrown and injured and for some time he lay suffering at his home on Charles Street, Providence. His wife was assisted in her labors by Betsy Bowen (Mme. Jumel), subsequently the wife of Stephen Jumel. Gen. George Washington frequently went to see his injured Major and often took dinner and tea at his house. Mrs. Vandervoort's mother, Betsy's sister, was in the habit of saying that Gen. Washington was the father of George Washington Bowen. It was elicited from the aged Mrs. Vandervoort on cross-examination that she had also been told that the real father of Bowen was born at Cumberland, R.I. that he was a sailor and was lost at sea. Mrs. Vandervoort finally admitted that her mother had said that the naming of Gen. Washington as Bowen's father was only a joke, and that she had never believed it. Reuben Balliou had named Bowen George Washington because he was so fond of the great patriot. Just who was the father of Bowen never appeared but Mrs. Vandervoort's testimony effectually killed his suit and a verdict was returned in favor of Mr. Chase. Bowen then drifted back into the obscurity from which he had been temped to lift himself by the babbling of talkative old ladies."
"Providence, R.I., George Washington Bowen, the once celebrated claimant to the property of Mme. Jumel, died here today, aged 91. The various suits which arose in regard to the property of Eliza Jumel have hardly died out of the memory of many persons living. No one of them caused more discussion than the suit of Bowen against Nelson Chase, the nephew (through marriage) and heir of Mme. Jumel. Bowen claimed that he was a son of Mme. Jumel and that General George Washington was his father. The case was tried by eminent counsel and finally resulted in a verdict in favor of Mr. Chase. Bowen's claims rested upon rather slender evidence. it appeared from the testimony given in the suit that Mme. Jumel had been accused by gossips of having drowned a child - a son. Mme. Jumel had emphatically denied this on several occasions, declaring that she had left the son in Providence, R. I., and that some day or other he would turn up and make trouble.
The most interesting testimony in the case was that of Anne Eliza Vandervoort, 65 years old. She was born in Providence and received from her mother, who was sister of Mme. Jumel, an old book, on the reverse of the fly leaf was an entry in writing which read, "George Washington Bowen born of Eliza Bowen at my house in Town Providence, R.I. October 9, 1794. Reuben Ballou."
During the early life of Mrs. Vandervoort, Bowen, whom she knew as Uncle George, lived in Providence and worked at baking for a time. Then he turned his attention to weaving, and subsequently kept a store. The Reuben Ballou who signed the entry on the fly leaf of the old book was a young Major in the army and used to carry dispatches. He was the unhappy possessor of a rank young horse that bolted with him and jumped fences. Finally he was thrown and injured and for some time he lay suffering at his home on Charles Street, Providence. His wife was assisted in her labors by Betsy Bowen (Mme. Jumel), subsequently the wife of Stephen Jumel. Gen. George Washington frequently went to see his injured Major and often took dinner and tea at his house. Mrs. Vandervoort's mother, Betsy's sister, was in the habit of saying that Gen. Washington was the father of George Washington Bowen. It was elicited from the aged Mrs. Vandervoort on cross-examination that she had also been told that the real father of Bowen was born at Cumberland, R.I. that he was a sailor and was lost at sea. Mrs. Vandervoort finally admitted that her mother had said that the naming of Gen. Washington as Bowen's father was only a joke, and that she had never believed it. Reuben Balliou had named Bowen George Washington because he was so fond of the great patriot. Just who was the father of Bowen never appeared but Mrs. Vandervoort's testimony effectually killed his suit and a verdict was returned in favor of Mr. Chase. Bowen then drifted back into the obscurity from which he had been temped to lift himself by the babbling of talkative old ladies."
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