I am also a descendant of Henry Bowers, through two of his daughters - Fanny married Samuel Misner and their daughter Fanny was the wife of Peter Steffy, son of John Steffy & Fanny's sister Sally Bowers (a 1st cousin marriage).

Here is a link to my tree at Ancestry
http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=blcart....

I live in Johnstown, not far from the Brush Valley area, and over the years have put together quite a bit on the local families. I believe that our Henry (b 1780) was the son of John ( b bef 1760) and nephew of George (b abt 1758 in Md, d 1846).

The Bowers, Misner and Ditch families (all my ancestors) also appear in in the area between Chambersburg (Franklin Co Pa) and Hagerstown (Washington Co Md) in the mid to late 1700's. I am sure these are the same families, but so far have not been able to make any concrete connections.

I'd like to evaluate Barbara's letters as well as info your info on a third brother Peter (who I have not found either, at least not in western Pa).

My direct email is brian.cartwright2@atlanticbb.net