Walter Bowne, Mayor 1829-1833: Bowne (1770–1846) was a descendant of John Bowne, who established religious freedom for Quakers in Flushing. His house, built in 1661, is a museum today. John Bowne was a enslaver but later generations used the house for the Underground Railroad.

It is unclear if Walter Bowne was an enslaver, but he did have freepersons in his household until at least 1830 that were likely indentured servants. Additionally, his wife’s letters mention servants in 1803, who could have been freepersons. A woman freeperson in his household in New York City was born between 1776 and 1794. There was also a male freeperson born between 1807 and 1820 in his household in 1830.

Bowne does not have enslaved people in his home in the jury ward census of 1819 but does have freepersons in his household in New York City in 1820 and 1830. In the 1820 census, there is one female of twenty-six and under forty-five in the category of “free colored persons.” In the 1830 census, there are two “free colored persons” in his household, a male between ten and twenty-three and a woman between thirty-six and fifty-four.[1]

He is listed as owning lots in Ward 6 of New York City in the 1799 tax assessment. He does not appear in the 1800 census.[2]

He is listed in the 1840 Census as “Walters Bowen:” “free Colored person, Male 10-23, female, 36-55[3]

[1] NYC Directory; New York Jury Ward Census; Census, New York Ward 2, 1810 and 1820 census, as “Waller Bowne” in 1820 census; A girl’s life eighty years ago; selections from the letters of Eliza Southgate Bowne, online; Ancestry.com, census records

[2] New York, U.S., Tax Assessment Rolls of Real and Personal Estates, 1799-1804, Ancestry.com

[3] New York Ward 2, 1840 Census, Ancestry.com

Copyright 2025 Paul Hortenstine