Bowen was born in
County Mayo, Ireland and studied law for two years at
Cambridge University. At the age of 20 he emigrated with his parents on one of the
First Four Ships, the
Charlotte Jane, to the
Canterbury settlement. His law training led to a position as private secretary to
John Robert Godley, founder of the Canterbury colony. He was in charge of the police force, and, together with
Crosbie Ward, became a part-owner of the
Lyttelton Times newspaper. In 1859, Bowen traversed the
Andes on with
Clements Markham, and 16 July 1861, he married his sister Georgina Elizabeth Markham. The high quality of the edition is proof that "good craftsmen migrated along with the gentlemen-colonists". Following their return to
Christchurch, Bowen was appointed
resident magistrate in 1864, succeeding
Joseph Brittan, who had resigned on health grounds. Bowen held the position until 1874. ==Political career==