Jabez Bowen
| Jabez Bowen | |
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John Singleton Copley, Portrait of Jabez Bowen, undated. Oil on canvas, 30 x 25 in., unlocated
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| Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. | |
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In office 1781–1782 |
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| 47th Deputy Governor of Rhode Island | |
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In office 1781–1786 |
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| Preceded by | William West |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Owen |
| 45th Deputy Governor of Rhode Island | |
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In office 1778–1780 |
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| Preceded by | William Bradford |
| Succeeded by | William West |
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In office 1776–1777 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 2, 1739 Providence, RI, United States |
| Died | May 7, 1815 (aged 75) Providence, Rhode Island, United States |
| Resting place |
Swan Point Cemetery Providence, Rhode Island |
| Political party | Federalist |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Brown Peddy Leonard |
| Relations |
Moses Brown John Brown |
| Children | Henry Bowen |
| Parents | Ephraim Bowen Mary (Fenner) Bowen |
| Residence | Providence, Rhode Island |
| Alma mater | Yale College |
| Occupation | Shipper Politician |
| Religion | Congregationalist |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | Rhode Island Militia |
| Years of service | 1774–1777 |
| Rank | Colonel |
Jabez Bowen, Jr. (June 2, 1739 – May 7, 1815) was an American shipper and politician. He was a militia colonel during the American Revolutionary War, and served as Deputy Governor of Rhode Island and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
Bowen was born in Providence, Rhode Island, the son of Ephraim Bowen and Mary (Fenner) Bowen. His father was a prominent doctor in Providence in 1739, and his great-uncle Jabez Bowen was also a prominent Providence physician. In 1757, Bowen graduated from Yale College.
He married Sarah Brown on December 19, 1762, a cousin of Moses Brown and John Brown of the prominent Brown family (see Brown University) of Providence. Bowen was deeply involved with the Browns in the shipping business, involving slaves, molasses, rum, and the China trade.
He was a member of the Providence town council from 1773–1775, and was a representative in the General Assembly in 1777. During the American Revolution, Bowen served in the Rhode Island Militia from 1774–1777, serving as the colonel of the First Regiment of Providence County from 1776–1777. He served under Brigadier General William West who would later, like Bowen, serve as Deputy Governor of the state.
Bowen was Deputy Governor of Rhode Island for a total of seven years from May 1778 to May 1780, and from May 1781 to May 1786. He was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention in 1786 and the Constitutional Convention in 1790.
He served as a Superior Court judge in 1776, and became Chief Justice in 1781. Bowen was an ardent federalist (pro-Constitution) supporter, and was on the city committee which negotiated a peaceful end to William West's antifederalist protest on the Fourth of July in 1788.[1] Bowen served as Chancellor of Brown University from 1785 until his death.
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