Mr. John Bowie, sometime of Woodend, was born in 1812, in Ayrshire, Scotland, in the next house to that in which the poet Burns was born. He was educated for the medical profession, and came out to New Zealand about 1862. Soon after his arrival, Mr. Bowie settled in Woodend, where he had acquired Ravenswood farm (so named after the Rev. John Raven), which at that time consisted of about 1200 acres of choice land. Mr. Bowie was noted as a horse-breeder, was an excellent judge, and took considerable interest in the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and was a frequent exhibitor. He was married, in 1840, to a daughter of Mr. J. Dunning, of Ayr, and died in 1869, leaving two sons and four daughters. His widow survived till 1886. A considerable portion of Ravenswood farm has been sold, and Mr. Bowie's daughters (the Misses page 454 Agues and Jessie Bowie) farm the remainder, about 170 acres.