William Bowen Harless

Male1831–1862

Brief Life History of William Bowen

When William Bowen Harless was born in 1831, in Giles, Virginia, United States, his father, Anthony Phillip Harless I, was 40 and his mother, Rosanna Williams, was 33. He married Harriet Frances Epling on 27 November 1849, in Giles, Virginia, United States. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 1 daughter. He died in 1862, in Craig, Virginia, United States, at the age of 31.

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Family Time Line

William Bowen Harless
1831–1862
Harriet Frances Epling
1828–1865
Marriage: 27 November 1849
Eliza Ann Harless
1854–
Dink Harless
1858–
William E Harless
1858–1904
Anthony Harless
1859–1904
Driden A Harless
1861–

Sources (7)

  • William Harless in entry for Harless, "Virginia, Library of Virginia State Archive, Births, Marriages, and Deaths 1853-1900"
  • William Harless, "United States Census, 1860"
  • William Harless in household of Anthony Harless, "United States Census, 1850"

Spouse and Children

  • Marriage
    27 November 1849Giles, Virginia, United States

    • Children (5)

    Parents and Siblings

    Siblings (16)

    +11 More Children

    World Events (6)

    1832 · The Black Hawk War

    Age 1

    Convinced that a group of Native American tribes were hostile, The United States formed a frontier militia to stop them in their tracks. Even though Black Hawk was hoping to avoid bloodshed while trying to resettle on tribal land, U.S. officials opened fire on the Native Americans. Black Hawk then responded to this confrontation by successfully attacking the militia at the Battle of Stillman's Run and then left northward. After a few months the militia caught up with Black Hawk and his men and defeated them at the Battle of Wisconsin Heights. While being weakened by hunger, injuries and desertion, Black Hawk and the rest of the many native survivors retreated towards the Mississippi. Unfortunately, Black Hawk and other leaders were later captured when they surrendered to the US forces and were then imprisoned for a year.

    1836 · Remember the Alamo

    Age 5

    Being a monumental event in the Texas Revolution, The Battle of the Alamo was a thirteen-day battle at the Alamo Mission near San Antonio. In the early morning of the final battle, the Mexican Army advanced on the Alamo. Quickly being overrun, the Texian Soldiers quickly withdrew inside the building. The battle has often been overshadowed by events from the Mexican–American War, But the Alamo gradually became known as a national battle site and later named an official Texas State Shrine.

    1844 · Lumpkin's Jail

    Age 13

    In 1844 when Robert Lumpkin bought land in Virginia, this would be the spot of the Infamous Slave Jail (or Lumpkin’s Jail). The slaves would be brought here during the slave trade until they were sold. Lumpkin had purchased the land for his own slave business.

    Name Meaning

    German: probably a variant of Harlass or Harles, dialect forms for a hornet (Middle High German harliss and horniss), a nickname for a person with a stinging disposition.

    English: probably a variant of (H)arliss, a nickname from Middle English earles ‘earless’, probably denoting someone who was deaf rather than one literally without ears.

    Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

    Possible Related Names

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