California had a special census in 1852, perhaps because of Statehood a couple of years earlier?
A white man, born about 1829 with the surname spelled as Bowles was noted as born in England and living in Placer County, California.
According to the U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s; C. Spelled as Bowles; RASMUSSEN, LOUIS J. San Francisco Ship Passenger Lists. Coloma, Calif.: the author. Vol. 3, 1967. 448p. Covers November 7, 1851-June 17, 1852. Includes addenda to vol. 1, corrections to vols. 1 and 2. Source Publication Code 7160 page 192.