James Mulliken, Jr. (d. 1718) and Jane Prather (d. 1710) - ancestors of Jim Bowie
I got an interesting question on Quora about whether Jim Bowie (of Alamo fame) has any living descendants. As far as anyone knows, he doesn’t, but he did have prolific ancestors. His 3xgreat-grandparents are in my tree - the Mulliken-Prather union. Here are their children and the connection to Bowie.
All references for the Mulliken lineage can be found in My Lineage from the Roots Up, vol. 2 - references for the Bowie family are available at Wikitree.
James Mulliken Jr. was born before 1663 in Maryland to James Mulliken and Mary (Weylett) Darnaal Mulliken. He married Jane Prather (b. ~1662 to Jonathan Prather and Lyle Jane McKay) about 1680 in Prince George’s Co., Maryland. James Jr. inherited his father’s estate in Dorchester Co., Maryland, Mullikin’s Orchard. He died prior to May 22, 1718, when his estate was inventoried. Jane had apparently died before 1710, when her mother’s will skipped to her daughter Mary as the beneficiary.
James and Jane Mulliken had seven children:
1. James (III) born presumably about 1681 in Maryland. He married Charity Belt. He called his plantation “The Level” and was Vestry of St. Barnabas Church in Prince George’s Co., Maryland. He died in 1740 in Prince George’s Co.
2. John born before 1683 in Maryland. His wife’s name was Katherine and they lived in Prince George’s Co., Maryland.
3. Mary born about 1685 in Prince George’s Co., Maryland. She married John Bowie (1688-1759, nephew of John Smith who married the widow Jane (McKay) Prather, Mary’s grandmother). They had several children and were the great-great-grandparents of Jim Bowie through their son John Jr. (and his son James). She died in 1750 in Prince George’s Co., Maryland, and was buried at Brookwood alongside her husband and several of her children.
4. Eleanor “Ellen” was likely born before 1690. She died between September 1707 and 1709. Her share of John Smith’s estate went to her sister Mary.
5. Jane born presumably about 1693 in Maryland. She married Jonathan Prather III (~1695~1735; yes this line has a good degree of pedigree collapse) about 1712 in Maryland. She is said to have died about 1725 in Maryland.
6. Thomas married Elizabeth “Eliza” Wilson (b. ~1696) October 25, 1714, in Prince George’s Co., Maryland. His will was probated November 25, 1748, in Prince George’s Co., Maryland.
7. William born about 1698 presumably in Maryland. He married Margaret Turner (b. ~1699) June 6, 1727, in Prince George’s Co., Maryland. He is said to have died before 1778 in Maryland.