Samuel Bowman, a Lexington native, was one of seven brothers who served as soldiers in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He was a drummer in Captain John Parker’s company and fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill. After the end of the war, he initially returned to his home in Lexington, but in 1786 he moved to the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania, where he settled on a large farm. Bowman would go on to become a valuable member of the community, serving on the borough council and taking part in the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794. This painting was created from a miniature by Henry Williams.
Henry Williams (1787-1830) was an engraver, painter, miniaturist and wax modeler. In 1806, when he was only 19, Williams entered a partnership with William M.S. Doyle in Boston in order to meet the growing demand for his work. Their collaboration lasted until around 1814, when he published Elements of Drawing, a very popular and successful instruction manual which included an essay on the titular subject and twenty-six engraved copper-plate images.