Samuel Bowen facts for kids

Samuel Bowen was an English businessman and farmer. He is famous for bringing the first soya beans to North America. He grew them on his farm in Savannah, which was then called the Province of Georgia. For a long time, people thought Benjamin Franklin introduced soybeans. But later research showed that Samuel Bowen was actually the one who did it. He passed away on December 30, 1777.

Bowen's Adventures in China

On February 8, 1758, Samuel Bowen began a long journey. He sailed to Canton (now Guangzhou) in China. He was on a large ship called the Pitt, which belonged to the British East India Company. The ship first stopped in Madras (now Chennai).

We don't know much about what Bowen did in China. He later said he was held prisoner there for four years. He claimed he was "carried 2,000 miles from place to place through the interior." This means he traveled far inland.

He returned to London in November 1763. He asked the British East India Company for money. He wanted to be paid for his troubles and the wages he was owed. On March 7, 1764, the company agreed. They ordered the captain of the Pitt to pay him £19 and 10 pence.

Life and Farming in North America

By 1764, Bowen had moved to Savannah, in the Province of Georgia. He started a new life as a farmer and businessman. On March 30, 1765, he married Jeanie (Jane) Spencer. Her father, William Spencer, was an important customs collector in Savannah. This marriage helped Bowen gain respect in the community.

Growing Soybeans in Georgia

Bowen needed land to plant the seeds he brought from China. In the spring of 1765, he asked Henry Yonge for help. Yonge was the Surveyor-General of Georgia. Yonge planted some of Bowen's seeds.

On December 23, 1766, Yonge wrote a letter. He confirmed that the "peas or vetches" from China grew very well. He said they produced three crops in one year. He believed they would have had a fourth crop if the frost had not come early. Yonge thought these plants would be very useful for Georgia and other American provinces.

Greenwich Plantation and New Products

Just two weeks after his wedding, Bowen bought 450 acres of land. This land was in Thunderbolt, east of Savannah. He built a large farm there and named it "Greenwich". He might have gotten money for the land from James Flint. Flint was a merchant from the British East India Company whom Bowen had met earlier.

On his new farm, Bowen began growing soybeans. At that time, they were sometimes called "Luk Taw" or "Chinese vetch." He used the soybeans to make soy sauce and vermicelli noodles.

Royal Recognition for Soybean Benefits

Bowen believed that soybean sprouts could help fight scurvy. Scurvy was a serious disease that affected sailors in the British Royal Navy. His research was important. In 1766, he received a gold medal for his work. This award came from the Royal Society of Arts. He also received a gift of £200 from King George III.

The next year, Bowen received a special patent from the British government. This patent was for his "new invented method of preparing and making sago, vermicelli and soy." It meant he had the exclusive right to make these products from American plants. He claimed they were as good as those made in the East Indies.

According to a book from 1805, Bowen also brought tea from China to Georgia. His work likely caught the attention of the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia. They elected him as a member in 1769.

Samuel Bowen's Legacy

Samuel Bowen passed away in London, England, on December 30, 1777. Two years later, his wife Jane was still living at Greenwich Plantation. During the Second Battle of Savannah, she hosted two officers. These officers were from the fleet of Charles Hector, comte d'Estaing.

Jane Bowen also oversaw the burial of Polish General Casimir Pulaski. He was killed during the battle. She had him buried "between her mansion and the river." When Jane died in 1782, she left her four children many things. This included 26 slaves, 15 cows, two oxen, and machines for processing sago.