James Burns Gowen, son of William Gowen, Jr. and Jamima Burns Gowen was born November 22, 1785 near Lynchburg, Virginia, according to his son-in-law William Floyd "interviewed in the summer of 1904 in his 84th year" by Charles E. Gowen, a grandson who kept a journal of events in pioneer Tennessee.  Harold Ora Gowen, a great-great-grandson of Tarpon Springs, Florida states that James Burns Gowen was the son of William Gowen, Jr. His mother was a "cousin of the Scotch poet Robert Burns," according to a letter written August 26, 1959 by Thomas Kenneth Gowen, Jr, a descendant of Fullerton, California. She is believed to have moved into the household of a brother after the slaying. 

 

Robert Burns was born January 25, 1759 in Ayrshire, Scotland, traditional home of the Gowen family. He was the eldest son of William Burness of Kincardineshire who died in 1784.  Gilbert Burns, a brother of Robert Burns died July 21, 1796 at age 37.

 

After the slaying of their father James Burns Gowen and his brother William Davis Gowen were "bound out" to an uncle.  It is believed that the Burns family removed to middle Tennessee about 1800.  Shortly after arrival in Williamson County, James Burns Gowen was set free at age 16 to make his own way.  Shortly afterward, he contracted to split rails in payment for a pony.  Just when he had piled up enough rails to settle his ac­count, the pony died.

 

James Burns Gowen was married February 19, 1808 to Annie Price who was born June 22, 1788 to Matthew Price and Eliz­abeth Eskridge Price.  Matthew Price was born in Halifax County, Virginia and had married Elizabeth Eskridge in Caswell County, North Carolina in 1786.  The Eskridge fam­ily were guardians of Gen. George Washington's mother, ac­cording to Nancy Waddle, Eskridge family historian of Okla­homa City. Matthew Price and Elizabeth Eskridge Price were buried in the "Old Price Graveyard," near County Line, Tennessee.

 

The young couple moved in 1809 to Bedford County, Ten­nessee.  Bedford County was organized in 1808 from land taken from Rutherford County. There he built a log cabin "near the county line," the first residence in the county [later Moore County.]  One hundred fifty-one years later only a chimney mound remained near the second home to mark the site of this log cabin at the headwaters of Mulberry Creek. One of their first possessions was a cast iron washpot bought in Nashville "when the town had one store," according to a son, Joseph F. Gowen. 

 

Tillie Gowen Morrow, a daughter received an old chest from her father.  These chest was presented to James Burns Gowen by a grateful cabinetmaker in Williamson County for his part in recovering the cabinetmaker's stolen horses from the Indians.

 

On August 29, 1811 James Burns Gowen and Matthew Price were appointed to a committee to layout a road from Fayet­teville, Tennessee to County Line, near the home of James Burns Gowen.  On December 5, 1811 he was sued by William V. Higgins.  Higgins did not appear on the court date, and the suit was dropped.

 

James Burns Gowen volunteered to fight with Gen. Andrew Jackson on every occasion that the Tennessee militia took to the field.  Following the massacre at Ft. Mimms, Alabama by the Creek Indians, Jackson, a Nashville lawyer, called for volunteers to rendezvous at Fayetteville, Tennessee.  James Burns Gowen and a couple of his Mulberry Creek neighbors by the names of Davey Crockett and Sam Houston joined up September 24, 1813 in Capt. William Locke's company with about 2,000 other Tennesseeans. Jackson arrived October 7 to take command, his arm still in a sling from a wound he re­ceived a month earlier in a pistol duel at Nashville.

 

He ordered the militia into Alabama to teach the Creeks, then allied with the British, a lesson.  They headed south, travers­ing a primeval territory with no roads and no bridges.  James Burns Gowen recalled how he used his saddle to swim across the Tennessee River. James Harvey Gowen, a son, retained the saddle for many years later as a momento.  They took on the Creeks, the Seminoles and the Baton Rouge [Red Sticks] and defeated them decisively at Tallushatchee and Talledega.  Concerning the Battle of Tallushatchee, Crockett related:

 

"We shot them like dogs as they retreated.  Some backed into their lodge, and we set it on fire.  We burned it with 46 war­riors inside.  The next morning we found roasted potatoes in the cellar under the lodge.  We ate them be­cause we were hungry as wolves even though the oil of the Indians we burned had run down on them, and they looked like they had been stewed with bear meat."

 

Jackson called his Tennesseeans together in the following spring to finish the job.  On March 28, 1814, the Creeks were finally crushed in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend.  James Burns Gowen related that in the battle, while he was squat­ting down behind a tree, an Indian spied him and fired his musket.  The ball glanced off the tree, showering powdered bark into his face.  While blinded, Gowen raised his gun and fired.  When his eyes cleared, he found to his surprise, "another good In­dian" lying on the ground before him.

 

From Alabama the campaign moved to Pensacola to engage the British.  When they learned that the main objective of the British was New Orleans, they marched overland to Louisiana, arriving in time to participate in the battle January 8, 1815 where the Americans overwhelmingly defeated the British.  The "Eighth of January," a ballad reciting the ex­ploits of the Ameri­cans under Jackson in the last battle of the war, was a favorite of James Burns Gowen thereafter.

 

Ezekial Alexander stated that he fought with Davey Crockett and James Burns Gowen in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend and the Battle of New Orleans, according to the research of Sarah L. Hollingsworth, a descendant of Ezekiel Alexander and Winna Gowan Alexander of South Bend, Indiana in 1998.  Winna Gowan Alexander was the daughter of Isaac Gowan and Cleta Gowan.  This is the first indication that James Burns Gowen fought in the Battle of New Orleans.

 

Richard Eastman, electronic newsletter editor wrote August 15, 1999:

 

"Historians have long believed that Andrew Jackson slowly died of mercury and lead poisoning from two bullets in his body and the 19th-century medications he took for intestinal problems. One hundred fifty-four years after his death, two strands of the seventh president's hair appear to have proven otherwise. Researchers have now concluded that Old Hickory died of kidney failure at age 78.

 

The researchers analyzed hair clipped from Jackson in 1815 and 1839 and preserved at The Hermitage, his Tennessee plantation.  While the mercury and lead levels found in the hair samples were 'significantly elevated,' they were not toxic, said Dr. Ludwig M. Deppisch, a pathologist with Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and Forum Health.  The research is published in last Wednesday's edition of the "Journal of the American Medical Association."

 

The researchers believe that Jackson's elevated mercury level was caused by the calomel and that much of the lead came from two bullets, one lodged near his heart and the other in his shoulder.

 

Jackson was shot near the heart during an 1806 duel with Charles Dickinson but managed to get off a fatal shot.  The duel began as an argument over a horse race and escalated when Dickinson insulted Jackson's wife, Rachel.  Jackson was also shot in the shoulder during an 1813 fight in downtown Nashville with Jesse Benton and his brother Thomas Hart Benton, who went on to become a senator from Missouri.  That bullet was removed in 1832, but the 1806 bullet remained in Jackson's body until his death.

 

Jackson, who served from 1829-37, was among the sickest of all presidents.  Many of his symptoms were consistent with mercury and lead poisoning, including excessive salivation, rapid tooth loss, colic, diarrhea, hand tremors, irritability, mood swings and paranoia.  Some historians believed Jackson's frequent ingestion of calomel [mercurous chloride] and sugar of lead [lead acetate]--medicines he took for intestinal ailments --caused the symptoms and led to his death."

 

James Burns Gowen lived as a neighbor to Davey Crockett for about 20 years, according to William Floyd, son-in-law to James Burns Gowen.  He described Crockett as an "itchy-footed sort of fellow who went bear hunting with a knife, bagged a covey of wild turkey with a single shot, went Indian hunting with Andrew Jackson and finally got himself elected to Congress."

 

When his constituents failed to re-elect him to represent them in Congress, he bade them farewell with, "You all can go to hell--I'm going to Texas!"  Thus Col. Davey Crockett moved from middle Tennessee to immortality when he joined the small band of defenders in 1836 in the besieged Alamo, shrine of Texas independence.  According to Floyd, Davey Crockett lived on the east prong of Mulberry Creek about a mile from County Line.  Billie Crockett, brother of Davey, also lived on this water course.

 

Davey Crockett cleared a farm in the 24th Civil District of the county that was later owned by George Gowen, grandson of James Burns Gowen.  It was here on the summit of "Hungry Hill" as Crockett referred to it, wrestling with the sassafras that Crockett and his first wife, Polly Findly Crock­ett spent the happiest moments of their lives.  In the summer of 1815 Polly Findly Crockett died, leaving her husband with three small children.  He was remarried to Elizabeth Patton in the spring of 1816.  She was a widow whose husband had been killed in the Creek War. She was a woman of good family who owned an excellent farm and $800 dollars in gold, and this marriage con­siderable improved his status in life.  Earlier Davey Crockett had taken out a marriage license in Jefferson County, Tennessee October 21, 1805 for a wedding with Margaret Elder.  How­ever, she declined, and the license was never returned to the courthouse.

 

On July 6, 1814 James Burns Gowen sold 24 acres on East Mulberry Creek to Dessie Griffis for $25, according to Lin­coln County Deed Book C-1, page 109.  The land came from the "Matthew Price Survey." Matthew Price, his father-in-law, was an early settler in Bedford [later Lincoln] County.  J. Floyd, George Price and Alexander Norman were witnesses to the deed.

 

On July 4, 1816 James Burns Gowen completed a permanent home--so permanent that it was still standing in 1992. In 1904, it was remodeled and enlarged. In 1960 the residence was de­clared a historical landmark by the State of Ten­nessee.  At that time the home was occupied by Miss Grace Mullins, a grand­daughter of the builder.  The old spring house located across the road from the residence was erected nearly a century and a half earlier.

 

James Burns Gowen was enumerated as the head of a house­hold of six in the 1820 census of Lincoln County, page 33:

 

    "Gowen, James B.   white male   26-45

                           white female 26-45

                           white male   16-26

                           white female 10-16

                           white female 0-10

                           white female 0-10"

 

Nearby was the household of Matthew Price:

 

    "Price, Matthew      white male   over 45

                           white female over 45

                           white female 16-26"

 

On April 22, 1822 James Burns Gowen and John Broadway were summoned for jury duty, according to Lincoln County court minutes.

 

James Burns Gowen appeared in "War of 1812, Index to Pen­sioners."  For his services he received three bounty land war­rants from the federal government.  On August 9, 1826 he re­ceived Grant No. 2782 for 50 acres in Bedford County, ac­cording to Land Book 5 in the Tennessee State Land Office. On November 5, 1831 he received an additional 50 acres, accord­ing to Book 13. He also received Grant No. 15944 for "eight acres and 90 poles," according to Book 19. Bounty Land War­rant No. 52212 for 80 acres was issued to him in 1850 and was later cancelled before issuance. In its place James Burns Gowen received Warrant No. 95253 for 40 acres.  In 1855 he received Warrant 76235 for 120 acres.

 

Nine members composed the family of James Burns Gowen in the 1830 census:

 

    "Gowen, James B.   white male   40-50

                           white female 40-50

                           white male   20-30

                           white male   15-20

                           white female 15-20

                           white female 10-15

                           white male   5-10

                           white female 5-10

                           white male   0-5"

 

Annie Price Gowen died October 28, 1839 and was probably buried in the "old Price graveyard" located nearby on her fa­ther's farm.  Nine children were born to them.

 

The household in the 1840 census, page 96:

 

    Gowen, James B.        white male   50-60

                           white male   15-20

                           white female 15-20

                           white male   10-15"

                           negro female    24-36

                           negro female    10-24

                           negro male   0-10"

 

Five members of the household were engaged in agriculture.  The family of Matthew Price was recorded in an ad­joining household.

 

Shortly afterward James Burns Gowen swapped a slave named Nat Berry for Ishmael, the husband of Rachel, to re­unite the slave family.  In the trade he received "$200 to boot," according to William Floyd. Ishmael was buried at County Line, and Rachel was buried at Flat Creek.  Five children, John, Jane, Ben, Dan and Dicey were born to them.

 

James Burns Gowen, at age 56, was remarried April 28, 1841 to Lucy Emory, age 23, a sister to his daughter-in-law.  His land grant record states that they were married April 8, 1841 in Franklin County, Tennessee. They were enumerated in the 1850 census of Bedford County, 24th Civil District as House­hold 28-28, page 255:

 

    "Gowen,  James B.  65, born in Virginia, farmer

               Lucy        32, born in Tennessee, wife

               Thomas   22, born in Tennessee, son

               Ann       8, born in Tennessee, daughter

               Tempa       6, born in Tennessee, daughter

               James      2, born in Tennessee, son

               Isabell 8/12, born in Tennessee, daughter

    Gowen,   Matthew  36, born in Tennessee, son, widower

               James      14, born in Tennessee, grandson

               Mary       4, born in TN, granddaughter"

 

Living nearby in the 1850 census was the household of William Russell which included two unidentified Gowan children.  Harmonston Gowan, age 13 and Mary Gowan, age 10 were enumerated. 

 

The 1860 enumeration of his household reported 10 mem­bers of the family, continuing in Civil District 24:

 

    "Gowen,  James B. 77, born in Virginia, farmer

               Lucy        40, born in Tennessee, wife

               Polly        13, born in Tennessee

               James      12, born in Tennessee

               Matilda 11, born in Tennessee

               Isom        10, born in Tennessee

               Joseph       8, born in Tennessee

               Franklin     7, born in Tennessee

               Frances     4, born in Tennessee

               Kate       1, born in Tennessee"

 

The 1870 enumeration of the family showed seven individu­als in Household 41-41:

 

    "Gowen,  James B.      84, born in Virginia, farmer,

                                  $4,300 real estate, $1,100

                                  personal property

               Lucy           51, born in Tennessee

               Isom B.       18, born in Tennessee

               Joseph F.        15, born in Tennessee

               Lucy H.       19, born in Tennessee

               Laura C.      11, born in Tennessee

               Benjamin E.   7, born in Tennessee"

 

Lucy H. Gowen in the above enumeration is unidentified.  An unidentified Joseph J. Gowen appeared two households away from that of James Burns Gowen in Household 43-43:

 

    "Gowen, Joseph J. 52, born in Tennessee, $100 in

                              personal property, illiterate

           William        25, born in Tennessee, illiterate

           Mary H.         3, born in Tennessee

           Minnie W.     2, born in Tennessee"

 

James Burns Gowen received a military pension of $8 per month and received three land grants for his service, ac­cording to Buford William Gowen, a descendant.  He owned five farms in Bedford County during his lifetime. Lucy Emory Gowen died September 14, 1878. 

 

James Burns Gowen died May 14, 1880 at his home.  The "Lynchburg Sentinel" carried a 21-inch obituary in its May 21, 1880 edition.  "The Lynch­burg Falcon" reprinted the obituary some 21 years later in its July 26, 1901 edition.  It was reprinted September 1, 1958 "at the request of George Grady Clark of Taft, California, one of three sur­viving grandsons."  The obituary, written by his grandson Rev. George E. Gowen, read:

 

"Died on the head waters of Mulberry in the southern part of Bedford County, James B. Gowen, aged 94 years and six months.  He was the oldest citizen in the county, and it is very rarely that a man lives to the ex­tremely great age that he attained.

 

Born in the state of Virginia in the year 1786, and be­ing brought up in the hardy custom of those times, be­coming inured to the trials and hardships incident to that era, doubtless had much to do in shaping his re­markable constitution that has held up against age so long.

 

In conjunction with several others he left the Old Do­minion in the early part of the century, turned his eyes to the great hunting grounds of the West; and after suffer­ing considerably from exposure, he finally reached the fertile lands of Middle Tennessee, camp­ing upon the banks of the Harpeth River.  Here he spent the following year in hunting and trapping, after which he removed to Bedford County.  Following an Indian trail, he passed over the present site of Shel­byville, killing a deer about where the Courthouse now stands.  Going 10 miles fur­ther south he entered a large tract of land at 12 1/2c per acre, living upon the same tract up to the time of his death.  Here in the year 1810, he built the first house that was ever reared on Mulberry, the same remaining until a year ago when it was torn down.

 

In the year 1812 he joined a company of volunteers and served in the Creek War, being engaged in the three principal battles, namely Tallashatchie, Tal­ladega and Thohopeka.  In the latter engagement he had a hand-to-hand contest with an Indian, in which engagement the redskin was made to bite the dust.  He has ever regretted this affair, notwithstanding it was done strictly in self defense.

 

He was personally acquainted with Old Hickory and was many times brought in personal contact with the old hero.  In remuneration for these services he has drawn a pension ever since the passage of the pension act.

 

In their hunting days he and Davy Crockett were boon companions and many times they have pulled bones to­gether from roasted bear ribs, seated over their camp­fires, with no other covering save the branches of some forest oak and no other companions except their trusty rifles and faithful dogs.

 

He was doubtless with Davy when the latter per­formed his great feat of splitting a limb with his only bullet and thereby catching so many turkeys by their toes.

 

They have in common with each other shouldered up the fruits of a heavy day's hunting, consisting of some two or three deer and small game, and with the march of conquerors--lords of the forest, as they were--car­ried their more than glittering trophies home to their little cabins, snugly ensconced between surrounding hills, to receive the smiles and caresses of their brave wives and hardy, robust children.  Truly these were his golden days.

 

He was a great sportsman in his time and kept up his regular fishing days until a few weeks before his death.

 

Full of humor, a great joker, a good neighbor, always charitable and for the above characteristics he was uni­versally loved and revered by all who knew him.  On ac­count of this extremely great age, being, as he was the oldest pioneer, Uncle Jimmie was look up to bey all his neighbors.

 

With childish delight he loved to dwell upon the scenes of by-gone years, and how his frank counte­nance would rekindle and fairly beam with delight while relating his old hunting tales and incidents to a group of his grand and great-grandchildren, crouching about his knee.  And with what eagerness they would listen to some Indian narrative of his younger days.

 

He was one of those "hardy few" that we should ever cherish in our memories who braves the dangers of the wilderness; who contested hand to hand with the red man, following up the winding trail of the Indian, and through them opening up the great highways of civi­lization through which one continued stream of immi­gration has ever poured into this rich and fertile county.  He lived to see his fourth generation, and while some of his contemporaries were stricken down in the springtime of life, some when their c had stopped from the zenith of his meridian, while he was permitted to live out in peace his natural existence, and to see the sun gradually sink behind the horizon.

 

His once iron, but now lifeless, form gently rests be­neath the boughs of a giant cedar on his farm, the ten­der plant of which he nourished in its infancy, and has care­fully watched it for the last seventy years, looking for­ward to the time when it should shelter his last resting place.

                   A Grandson, Rev. George Gowen"

 

Don Lee Gowen, a descendant of James Burns Gowen of De­catur, Alabama, wrote February 20, 1995 an account of how he discovered the Gowen Family Cemetery which had been lost and unkept for many years:

 

"My wife thinks I was born lightheaded because l fre­quent grave­yards, wherever I am, rain or shine. For the past 30 years I have traced my family tree, met some in­teresting folks, and learned a lot about life.  Old grave­yards provide a lot of insight into life and history about the people who have gone before.  I have rev­erence for these places, for there too shall I be one of these days.

 

In tracing the life of my fifth-generation grandfather, James Burns Gowen of Tennessee, I came across a trib­ute to him at his death published in the "Lynchburg Sentinel" dated May 21, 1880.  It was an excellent arti­cle written by the Rev. George Gowen, a grandson and friend of old Jack Daniels of nearby Lynchburg.  What was striking in the tribute was the reference to his final resting place:

 

"His once iron but now lifeless form, gently rests be­neath the boughs of a giant cedar, on his farm where he and David Crockett hunted, the tender plant of which he nourished in its infancy, and has carefully watched it for the last seventy years, looking forward to the time when it should shelter his last resting place".

 

I had to find his grave and the giant cedar that sheltered it!  For the next seven years, I came up empty.  My search of the records in records of the surrounding county seats and libraries revealed nothing of the Gowen Cemetery.  The State of Tennessee had no records that would help.

 

My decision was to hit the road and search every piece of land in the general area.  My weekends were spent contacting residents in the hollows and farms north of Lynchburg.  On a cold, dark,  dreary Sunday afternoon, I had reached the end of a hollow and contacted the last household on the road. The owner knew nothing of the century-old cemetery. 

 

A tremendous storm came up, and the deluge prevented my leaving.  For two hours we discussed the area, but no clue about the graveyard and the giant cedar tree emerged.  The lady, true to Tennessee hospitality, pro­vided a fine dinner during the storm.  Finally when the rain abated, I took my leave of the friendly household and started back out of the hollow, defeated again.

 

On the way out I passed an unlikely homestead which previ­ously had no one home.  As I passed the house, I notice a young man walking to the barn in the light rain. "No," I said to myself, "It is too late, go on home; he is not old enough to know any­thing about the people who lived and died here over 100 years ago." But, the Gowens have this thing about persistence--even in lost causes.  I stopped the car and caught up with him and without any optimism asked, "You wouldn't know any­thing about an old Gowen Cemetery around here, would you?"

 

'Sure,' he said, 'It's up there on top of that hill behind the barn.   But it's too muddy to climb up after all this rain.'"

 

The hallowed ground for which I had searched, for so long was right there--and I had come too far to stop now. I insisted that I had to go up, and he produced a couple of slickers from the barn and accompanied me slipping and sliding to the crest.

 

As dark set in, the young man accompanied me to the top of the hill in the rain with the lighting continuing to crackle.  As we reached the summit, a rainbow suddenly appeared.  It seemed to end just at the top of the rise where the graveyard was situated in some cedar trees.  The cemetery had been neglected for years and was completely tangled with undergrowth, but I had to be­gin the search.  I found Gowen markers, lots of them, but where was the cedar tree of James Burns Gowen.. Fi­nally I found a stump about 30" across, and at its foot was the marker of "James Gowen, Pvt. Tennessee Vols, War of 1812, Died: May 14, 1880.  Hello, great-grand­father! You have not been forgotten!  I never give up!  Your great-grandson is here!

 

The giant cedar tree?  It was a victim of crass commer­cialism.  The tree had been cut many years before to make cedar pencils at the factory in Shelbyville, Ten­nessee.

 

James Burns Gowen, born at Lynchburg. Virginia, died at Lynchburg, Tennessee May 14, 1880, is the most fa­mous indi­vidual buried in the Gowen Family Cemetery, but there are many other graves, some marked and some unmarked.  The lo­cation is 4½ miles north of Lynch­burg, Tennessee on the Wise­man Road between Ander­son Hollow and Bedford Hollow--in God's Country.

 

Other family members resting there whose graves are marked include:

 

Individual              Birth              Death        

James J. Gowen          Dec 29, 1847           Feb 4, 1922    

    Son of James Burns Gowen

Permelia E. Gowen         Jul 24, 1843         Jun 15, 1934    Wife

Albert Parks Gowen           Nov 26, 1879          Aug 17, 1956   Son

Eleanor M. Wiseman           Nov. 1790               Mar 3, 1891 100 yrs.

James Stone            Sep 5, 1799         June 27, 1876

Margaret Stone           Nov 19, 1804          Oct 8, 1882

Sarah Gowen Baxter           Sept 20, 1849          Nov 28, 1882

    Dau. of William P. Gowen

Mattie Baxter              Jan 24, 1874        Jun 7, 1875  daughter

Billie Gowan               Apr 6, 1872         May 12, 1874

    Son of L. Watson Gowan

L. Watson Gowan          Oct 30, 1847           Nov 12, 1923

    Son of William P. Gowen

Rebecca N. Gowan            Mar 25, 1846           Feb 29, 1876  

    Wife of L. Watson Gowan

Earnest L. Driver         May 2, 1878        Mar 12, 1882

    Son of T. N. Driver

Ora Gowen [twin]           Apr 29, 1890           Apr 6, 1892

Ola Gowen [twin]           Apr 29, 1890           Jun 29, 1990

B. F. Bedford             Mar 10, 1828           Oct 25, 1902

    Husband of Nancy G. Bedford  

Nancy Bedford               Oct ‑‑, 1839        Aug 22, 1885

    Dau. of Matthew P. Gowen

Lucy Beatrice Bedford        Aug 26, 1874          Oct 17, 1878

Sydney Pauline Jane Bedford  Dec 12, 1887           Feb 20, 1870

    [dates reversed?]

T. R. Cunningham          Jul 3, 1858           Feb. 14, 1880

William Floyd             Feb. 13, 1820          Jul 11, 1905

Sallie Gowen Floyd            May 22, 1823          Oct. 25, 1889

    Dau. of James Burns Gowen

 

Many unmarked graves also occupy the Gowen Ceme­tery.  Miss Grace Mullins who occupied the old home of James Burns Gowen in 1960 wrote that Matthew Price Gowen, son of James Burns Gowen who was born May 14, 1814. died May 2, 1861 at the age of 47 and was buried in an unmarked grave in the Gowen Family Cemetery.  Matthew Price Gowen was married in Lin­coln County October 27, 1850 to Laoma Mullins, his second wife.  The assistance of all researchers and fam­ily members is requested in the identification of other individuals buried here in unmarked graves."

 

Children born to James Burns Gowen and Annie Price Gowen include:

 

    Elizabeth Gowen             born December 11, 1808

    Shadrach Gowen            born February 2, 1810

    Harriet Gowen            born November 13, 1811

    Matthew Price Gowen     born May 14, 1814

    Annie Gowen                  born December 26, 1817

    Sarah R. Gowen             born May 22, 1823

    William Price Gowen      born November 22, 1824

    Thomas Richard Gowen     born September 17, 1828

 

Children born to James Burns Gowen and Lucy Emory Gowen include:

 

    Annie Gowen [second]       born February 26, 1842

    Temperance Gowen            born February 4, 1844

    James Harvey Gowen      born December 28, 1847

    Matilda Isbell Gowen      born April 12, 1850

    Isham Burns Gowen           born May 8, 1852

    Joseph F. Gowen               born October 22, 1854

    Franklin Gowen              born in 1855

    Frances Gowen              born November 29, 1856

    Laura Katherine Gowen       born May 28, 1858

    Benjamin Emory Gowen     born March 14, 1860

 

Elizabeth Gowen, oldest child of James Burns Gowen and An­nie Price Gowen, was born December 11, 1808 in Bedford County.  Mildred Evelyn Royal Ayres, a descendant shows the date of birth as December 16, 1808 in Williamson County. She was married about 1828 to Daniel Brown who was born in Georgia September 3, 1814 to James J. Brown and Nancy M. Brown.  He died December 25, 1852 in Lin­coln County, and she died there March 28, 1879, according to the bible of Elbert Franklin Brown, her son.

 

Each child of Daniel Brown and Elizabeth Gowen Brown was named after one of her brothers and sisters:

 

    James Brown                  born about 1830

    Ann Brown                 born about 1833

    Elbert Franklin Brown     born February 14, 1835

    Isom Brown                   born about 1836

    William Brown                born about 1837

    Harriett Brown                born about 1839

    Sarah Brown                   born about 1842

 

James Brown, son of Daniel Brown and Elizabeth Gowen Brown, was born in Lincoln County about 1830.  He was mar­ried about 1850 to Frances "Fannie" Welch.  He died about three years later.

 

Children born to James Brown and Frances "Fannie" Welch Brown include:

 

    William Brown            born about 1851

    Ella Brown                  born about 1853

 

William Brown, son of James Brown and Frances "Fannie" Welch Brown, was born about 1851.  A son, William Brown, Jr. was born to him September 28, 1870. 

 

William Brown, Jr, son of William Brown, was born Septem­ber 28, 1870 in Franklin County, Tennessee.  He was married November 17, 1889 to Tacie Ervin who was born February 11, 1872 at Lynchburg.  William Brown, Jr. died August 1, 1954 at Tullahoma, Tennessee. She died there August 3, 1960.

 

Children born to them include:

 

    Eva Brown                         born about 1891

    Floy Brown                        born April 23, 1893

    Margie Brown                     born about 1894

    James Brown                          born about 1896

    Lillie Brown                        born about 1898

    Kathryn Brown                       born about 1900

    Mamie Brown                     born about 1903

    Ella Brown                         born about 1906

 

Eva Brown, daughter of William Brown, Jr. and Tacie Ervin Brown, was born about 1891.  She died unmarried.

 

Floy Brown, daughter of William Brown, Jr. and Tacie Ervin Brown, was born April 23, 1893 at Lynchburg.  On Septem­ber 24, 1921 she was married to Robert Lynn Jakoway who was born at Trenton, Georgia.  He died July 26, 1960.

 

Children born to them include:

 

    Nancy Ward Jakoway         born November 2, 1923

    Margie Jakoway                  born about 1925

    Sid Jakoway                       born about 1928

 

Nancy Ward Jakoway, daughter of Robert Lynn Jakoway and Floy Brown Jakoway, was born November 2, 1923 at Lynch­burg.  She was married April 6, 1946 to Charles C. Waddle.  In 1947 and in 1989 they lived at Oklahoma City.  During that pe­riod she did outstanding work as a historian of the Es­kridge and Brown families.  She died in 1990. 

 

Children born to them include:

 

    Charles C. Waddle, Jr.            born August 24, 1947

    Elizabeth Diane Waddle      born June 20, 1953

 

Charles C. Waddle, Jr, son of Charles C. Waddle and Nancy Ward Jakoway Waddle, was born in Oklahoma City .  He was a veteran of military service in Viet Nam.

 

Elizabeth Diane Waddle, daughter of Charles C. Waddle and Nancy Ward Jakoway Waddle, was born June 20, 1953 in Ok­lahoma City and died nine days later.

 

Margie Brown, daughter of William Brown, Jr. and Tacie Ervin Brown, was born about 1894.  She was married about 1912 to Billie Driver.

 

James Brown, son of William Brown, Jr. and Tacie Ervin Brown, was born about 1896.

 

Lillie Brown, daughter of William Brown, Jr. and Tacie Ervin Brown, was born about 1898.  She was married about 1918 to Floyd Tipps.  Children born to them include:

 

    Josephine Tipps                     born about 1920

    Jean Tipps                             born about 1922

    Billie Tipps                         born about 1924

    Bobbie Tipps                         born about 1927

    Dudley Tipps                         born about 1929

    Caroline Tipps                    born about 1932

    Geraldine Tipps                      born about 1936

 

Kathryn Brown, daughter of William Brown, Jr. and Tacie Ervin Brown, was born about 1900.  She was married about 1919 to Lester Cachon.  One daughter, Jimmie Cachon was born to them. She was married about 1940 to Edward Hix.  Children born to them include:

 

    Margarette Hix                    born about 1942

    Lucy Hix                            born about 1943

 

Mamie Brown, daughter of William Brown, Jr. and Tacie Ervin Brown, was born about 1903.  She was married about 1923 to Lee Cachon, believed to be a brother to Lester Ca­chon.  One child, Jackie Cachon, was born to them.

 

Ella Brown, daughter of William Brown, Jr. and Tacie Ervin Brown, was born about 1906.  She was married about 1925 to John Ray.  Two children were born to them:

 

    Dalton Ray                         born about 1927

    Billie Brown Ray                    born about 1930

 

Dalton Ray, son of John Ray and Ella Brown Ray, was born about 1927.  He was married about 1948 to Anna Lois Stew­art.  To them Billie Brown Ray, a namesake of his uncle, was born about 1951.

 

Ann Brown, daughter of Daniel Brown and Elizabeth Gowen Brown, was born in Lincoln County about 1833.  She was mar­ried about 1850 to Noah Ward. Children born to them include:

 

    Edd Ward                      born about 1852

    Lizzie Ward                born about 1853

    Nora Ward                 born about 1855

 

Edd Ward, son of Noah Ward and Ann Brown Ward, was born about 1852.  He was married about 1875 to Jane Stowe.  Chil­dren born to them include:

 

    Annie Ruth Ward            born about 1877

    Essie Lee Ward              born about 1880

    James Ward                born about 1883

 

Annie Ruth Ward, daughter of Edd Ward and Jane Stowe Ward, was born about 1877.  She was married about 1905 to Carl In­gle.  Children born to them include:

 

    Fern Ingle                       born about 1907

    Mary Ruth Ingle              born about 1910

   

Essie Lee Ward, daughter of Edd Ward and Jane Stowe Ward, was born about 1880.  She was married about 1900 to Ray Hart, her fourth cousin.

 

James Ward, son of Edd Ward and Jane Stowe Ward, was born about 1883.  About 1905 he was married to Ruth Hud­gins.  Children born to them include Rosanne Ruth Ward, born about 1908.

 

Lizzie Ward, daughter of Noah Ward and Ann Brown Ward, was born about 1853.  She was married about 1870 to Tom Price.

 

Children born to them include:

 

    Willie Price                 born about 1872

    Ollie Price                       born about 1873

    Maude Price                   born about 1875

    Roy Price                       born about 1876

    Buford Price                   born about 1877

    Lillie Mae Price               born about 1880

    Hollis Price                 born about 1883

 

Nora Ward, daughter of Noah Ward and Ann Brown Ward, was born about 1855.  About 1872 she was married to William Stone.  Children born to them include William Eli­jah Stone, born about 1874.  Elijah Stone was married about 1900 to Lena Price, and to them was born Faye Stone.  When William Stone died, Nora Ward Stone was married to Rufus Laws.

 

Elbert Franklin Brown, son of Daniel Brown and Elizabeth Gowen Brown, was born in Lincoln County February 14, 1835, according to Mildred Evelyn Royal Ayres, a descen­dant of Richardson, Texas.

 

Mrs. Ayres compiled the Civil War service record of Elbert Franklin Brown:

 

"Elbert Franklin Brown

Civil War Record

 

[1861--April 29, 1861]--Volunteered for duty and en­rolled at Lynchburg, Tennessee by Captain Ezekial Y. Salmon for one year. Age twenty-five. Muster-in date May 8, 1861. First Tennessee-Peter Turney's Regiment Infantry Company E, Private.

 

[1861--July and August]--Last paid by Major G. W. Jones

June 30, 1861--Absent home on furlough.

 

[1861]--E. Brown, Company E 1st Regiment Ten­nessee, appears on a register of General Hospital #4 Richmond, Virginia. Nature and seat of wound or injury Grape S.W. [Shot Wound] of back part of chin.

 

[1861]--Muster Roll [1861--September and October]--Final statement given--October 1,1861.

 

[1861-October 26, 1861]--Date discharged. Date of pay-ment by G.W. Jones. Register of payments to Dis­charged Soldiers.

 

[1862-November 8]--Enlisted in Lynchburg, Ten­nessee by Captain J. I. Moore for three years or dura­tion of war. Mus-tered in by R. M. Cox and James I. Moore, Com­pany E orga-nized November 8, 1862 at Lynch­burg, then Franklin, now Moore County, with men from Franklin and Lincoln counties.  The battal­ion remained in camps at Shelbyville and Tullahoma until April 22, 1863.

 

[1863-January and February]--During January and February the regiment was stationed at Tullahoma. On Feb-ruary 28, 1863 the 23rd Tennessee Infantry Battal­ion, which had been recruited by Major New­man was added to the Bri-gade. During March and April 1863 the regiment was sta-tioned at Fairfield and on June 26, af­ter the affair at Hoover's Gap, Lieutenant General William J. Harder said that Brown's Brigade is at Tulla­homa in Stewart's Divi­sion. 

 

[1863-February]--On February 28, 1863 he was as­signed to Major General J.C. Breckinridge's Division, Brigadier General John C. Brown's Brigade, com­posed of the 18th, 26th, 32nd, and 45th Tennessee In­fantry Regiments and the 23rd Battalion.

 

[1863-April]--April 22, 1863 they moved to Fair­field, Tennessee where they remained until the retreat to Chatta-nooga began in July.

 

[1863-June 10]--Date of commission of the Field Staff and Company officers of Brown's Brigade: First Lieu­tenant.

 

[1863-September 19-20]--Moved to take part in the Battle of Chickamauga, which was its first engage­ment.

 

[1863-September and October]--Confirmation on duty as First Lieutenant. At Chickamauga the brigade was in Major General Simon B. Buckner's Corps, Major Gen­eral A. P. Stewart's Division. The battalion reported fifty-one casualties out of 145 effective en­gaged. Major Newman was wounded and Captain Simpson took command of the battalion.

 

[1863-November 12]--The brigade was transferred to Breckenridge's Corps, Major General C.L. Steven­son's Davi-son and the battalion consolidated into a field unit with the 45th Regiment under the command of Colonel Anderson Searcy, which lasted throughout the war. Af­ter Major New-man recovered from his wounds he was placed on the supernumerary list, and given detached ser­vice.

 

[1863-November 12]--Field officers of Consoli­dated field unit, Colonel Anderson Searcy, Lieutenant Colonel Alex Hall [45th] and Major T.W. Newman--Major Newman was soon given detached service and Major Moore [45th] served as Major of combined units.

 

[1863-November 25]--On November 25, 1863 the 43rd/ 23rd was stationed on top of Missionary Ridge, near the tunnel, and held their position until the line to their left was broken, when it retreated to Chicka­mauga, to Ring­gold, to Dalton, Georgia, where it ar­rived on November 27th.

 

[1863-November 27]--On December 14 at Dalton the 45th/23rd reported 232 effective out of 316 present. They re-mained at Dalton until February 5 when it moved to Rome, Georgia where it was engaged in building fortifications until February 25,1864 when they returned to Dalton.

 

[1864-January and February]--Absent on detached ser­vice since October 12,1863 to General Pillow, or­ders unavoidably lost. Number and date cannot be given. Re­port given by Brown's Brigade commanded by Colonel J. B. Palmer.

 

[1864-August 20]--Inspection--In the field near At­lanta, Georgia--report given by Brown's Brigade, com­manded by Colonel J.B. Palmer. Absent commis­sioned officers accounted for by General Bragg Su­pernumerary.

 

[1864-August 31] The last report from any company of the 23rd Battalion was dated August 31,1864 at At­lanta and read, "The company left camp in Dalton, Georgia May 6,1864 and served with the command in marching, working and fighting till this time. It was in the assault at Resaca May 14th, and engaged May 15th, also on June 22nd near Marietta, Georgia be­sides a great deal of skirmishing and picket firing."

 

[1864-September 20]--Inspection--In the field near Lovejoy Station reported by Brown's and Reynold's Brigade commanded by Colonel J. B. Palmer.

 

[1864-November 18Brown's and Reynold's Brigades were consolidated and Colonel Joseph B. Palmer was placed in command of the combined brigade, which from this time on was known as Palmer's Brigade.

 

[1865-May 17Parolled at Guntersville, Alabama, May 17, 1865.  First Tennessee Regiment Company E 20th Newman's Battalion Capt. W. P. Simpson."

 

On November 11, 1882 he was married to Finettie Jane "Nettie" Carter who was born January 15, 1850 in Bed­ford County to James Carter and Frances Coble Carter.  In 1884 they lived in Moore County.  He died there February 9, 1907, and she died there May 31, 1939. 

 

Children born to Elbert Franklin Brown and Finettie Jane "Nettie" Carter Brown include:

 

    Fannie Neola Brown               born June 11, 1884

    Annie Mae Brown               born May 10, 1886

    Jennie Alma Brown             born September 1, 1890

 

Fannie Neola Brown, daughter of Elbert Franklin Brown and Finettie "Nettie" Jane Carter Brown, was born June 11, 1884 in Moore County.  She was married September 8, 1899 to Samuel Douglas Davis Royal, son of Jacob Samuel Royal and Louisiana Jane Wiles Royal.  He was born January 20, 1880 in Hancock County, Kentucky. Samuel Douglas Davis Royal died December 28, 1965 in Hill County, Texas, and she died there October 22, 1971.

 

Children born to them include:

 

    Lillian Rosa Mae Royal           born April 7, 1902

    Hubert Carl Royal               born March 8, 1904

    Elbert Samuel Royal               born June 30, 1906

    Charles Edgar Royal               born December 2, 1908

    Ralph Pierce Royal             born October 5, 1911

    Ben Carter Royal                born May 19, 1915

    Billie Brown Royal              born May 13, 1918

    Mildred Evelyn Royal         born November 25, 1920

    Tina Frances Royal             born May 22, 1927

 

Mildred Evelyn Royal, daughter of Samuel Douglas Davis Royal and Fannie Neola Brown Royal, was born at Hills­boro, Texas November 25, 1920.  She was married September 8, 1942 to Rowe Jackson Ayres.  He was born December 17, 1919 in Dallas County, Texas.  In 1992 they lived in Richard­son, Texas where she, a member of Gowen Research Foun­dation, was active in Gowen family history research.

 

One son was born to them:

 

    Rowe Jackson Ayres, Jr.     born May 8, 1948

 

Rowe Jackson Ayres, Jr, son of Rowe Jackson Ayres and Mil­dred Evelyn Royal Ayres, was born May 8, 1948.  He was mar­ried December 30, 1970 to Linda Vaughn.  Children born to them include:

 

    Jennifer Lyn Ayres              born April 1, 1973

    Laura Ann Ayres                born May 21, 1976

    Christopher Scott Ayres         born March 28, 1979

 

William Brown, son of Daniel Brown and Elizabeth Gowen Brown, was born about 1837.  He was married to Frances "Fannie" Welch Brown, the widow of his brother, James Brown.

 

Shadrack Gowen, born February 2, 1810, was the second child of James Burns Gowen and Annie Price Gowen, according to Harold Ora Gowen a great-grandson of  Tarpon Springs, Florida.  However, all other Gowen chroniclers have overlooked this child in manuscripts researched thus far.

 

Shadrack Gowen was married about 1829, place unknown, wife's name Arenna.  Arenna Gowen was born in North Car­olina in 1809 according to the 1850 census of Marshall County, Kentucky.  Harold Ora Gowen suggests her maiden name was Arenna Calvin.

 

Shadrach Gowen and Arenna Gowen were not enumerated in the 1830 census of Tennessee as the heads of a household, suggesting that they were living in the home of one of their parents at a time so near the date of their wedding.

 

They moved to Kentucky sometime between 1838 and 1843, according to the 1850 census report of Marshall County, Kentucky.  It is possible that they settled in Calloway County, Kentucky, but Shadrach Gowen was not listed as the head of a household in the 1840 census of Calloway County.

 

Shadrach Gowen was listed as the head of a household, No. 653-653, in the 1850 census of Marshall County which had been created from land out of the northern part of Calloway County in 1842.

 

Shadrach Gowen was enumerated as the head of Household 651-653 September 9, 1850 in the census of Marshall County, page 478:

 

    "Gowen,  Shadrach     40, born in KY, farmer, $400

                                  real estate

               Arrena         41, born in NC, illiterate

               William        20, born in TN, farmer

               James C.     17, born in TN, attending school

               Matthew E.  16, born in TN, attending school

               Payton A.        12, born in TN, attending school

               Shadrack       2 [?], born in KY,

               Edy C.        14, born in TN, female, attending

                                  school

               Sarah T.        7, born in KY, attending school

               Matilda I.           5, born in KY, attending

                                  school"

 

The farm of Shadrach Gowen adjoined the farm of James Laramore, 63, a farmer born in North Carolina.

 

Nearby, in Household No. 651-651, five of the children of Shadrach Gowen were enumerated a second time in a house­hold headed by William Gowen.  They were enumerated as:

 

    "Gowen   William        20, born in Tennessee

               James C.     18, born in Tennessee

               Matthew D.  16, born in Tennessee

               Edy C.        14, born in Tennessee [female]

               Payton A.        12, born in Tennessee"

 

Children born to them Shadrach Gowen and Arrena Gowen include:

 

    William Gowen       born 1830

    James Calvin Gowen   born 1832

    Matthew D. Gowen born 1834

    Edy C. Gowen    born 1836

    Payton A. Gowen       born 1838

    Sarah T. Gowen      born 1843

    Matilda G. Gowen   born 1845

    Shadrach Gowen, Jr.   born 1848

 

William Gowen, first child of Shadrach Gowen and Arrena Gowen, was born in 1830 in Bedford County, Tennessee. He appeared in the 1850 census of Marshall County, Kentucky as a 20-year-old living in the household of his father, No 653-653.  He reappeared in the same census as the head of household No. 651-651, composed of four brothers and a sister.

 

James Calvin Gowen, second child of Shadrach Gowen and Arrena Gowen, was born in 1832 in Bedford County, Ten­nessee according to Harold Ora Gowen, a great-grandson.

 

He appeared in the 1850 census of Marshall County, Kentucky as an 18-year-old living in the household of his father, No. 653-653.  He was enumerated again in Household No. 651-651 nearby as an 18-year-old in a family of four brothers and a sister.

 

James Calvin Gowen was married to Nancy Story June 28, 1853 according to Marshall County Marriage License No. 561. The license read:

 

"I hearby certify that on the 29th day of June 1853, Calvin Gowen of Marshall County, Kentucky, 22 years old, born in Bedford County, Tennessee, was married to Nancy Story of Marshall County, Kentucky, age 17, born in Calloway County, Kentucky, then single by T. J. King, Minister of Baptist Church dated June 29, 1853.

 

Commonwealth of Kentucky

Marshall County

 

This is to License and permit any person legally authorized to join in the Holy State of Matrimony, James C. Gowen and Nancy Story of this county, according to Law and for so doing this shall be your sufficient Warrent, a Legal Covenant, having been executed in my office for the consumation thereof.  Wit­ness my official signature the 29th day of June, AD 1853.

 

                              Henry Hand, M.C.C.

                              by Henry W. Hand, D.C."

 

Nancy Story was the daughter of David Story who was born in Calloway County, Kentucky in 1812 and Elizabeth Ford Story who was also born in Calloway County, Kentucky in 1812.

 

Henry W. Hand, the "deputy clerk" was 14 years old when he wrote the marriage license for James Calvin Gowen and Nancy Story according to the 1850 census of Marshall County. Henry Hand, Marshall County Clerk, appeared in the 1850 census of Marshall County as the head of a household. Henry Hand was 39 at that time and his first son, Henry W. Hand, was 11.

 

James Calvin Gowen and Nancy Story Gowen lived in Ken­tucky, probably Marshall County, until 1868.  They passed through Cairo, Illinois in 1869 on the way to Randolph County, Arkansas in 1869 or 1870.

 

James Calvin Gowen was enumerated as the head of a house­hold in Randolph County, Arkansas, Household No. 263 in the 1870 census.

 

The family was enumerated in the 1870 census in Current River Township, near Pocahontas, Arkansas as:

 

    "Gowen   James C.     38, born in Tennessee

               Nancy         34, born in Kentucky

               Irene E.       12, born in Kentucky

               Nellie M.      10, born in Kentucky

               William A.   8, born in Kentucky

               Thomas H.  5, born in Kentucky

               Sarah A.      2, born in Kentucky

               Elijah P.       1, born in Illinois"

 

James Calvin Gowen and Nancy Story Gowen were the parents of Henry Newton Gowen also who was born April 17, 1872 near Datto, Arkansas in Randolph County.

 

Apparently James Calvin Gowen died about 1875.  He was buried in Nelson Cemetery, Reyno, Arkansas, according to Harold Ora Gowen.

 

The household of Nancy Story Gowen, "widow" was enumer­ated in the 1880 census of Current River Township, Enumera­tion District 24, page 8, Randolph County, Arkansas as:

 

    "Gowen   Nancy      46, born in Kentucky

               William    17, born in Kentucky

               Sarah       13, born in Kentucky

               Thomas   12, born in Kentucky

               Elija     10, born in Kentucky

               Henry      9, born in Kentucky."

 

Nancy Story Gowen died in 1905 and was buried in Nelson Cemetery, Reyno, Arkansas beside her husband, according to Harold Ora Gowen.

 

Children born to James Calvin Gowen and Nnacy Story Gowen include:

 

    Irene E. Gowen           born 1858

    Nellie M. Gowen         born 1860

    William Alfred Gowen born in January, 1862

    Thomas Hillman Gowen  born April 25, 1866

    Sarah A. Gowen         born 1867

    Elija P. Gowen        born 1869

    Henry Newton Gowen born April 17, 1872

 

Irene E. Gowen, first child of James Calvin Gowen and Nancy Story Gowen, was born in 1858 near Calvert City, Kentucky in Marshall County.  She appeared as a 12-year-old in the 1870 census of Randolph County, Arkansas living in her father's household.  She apparently died in her teens.  She was buried in the old Story Cemetery on Bottom Road near Calvert City, Kentucky according to Harold Ora Gowen.

 

Nellie M. Gowen, second child of James Calvin Gowen and Nancy Story Gowen, was born in 1860 in Marshall County. She appeared as a 10-year-old in her father's household in the 1870 census of Randolph County.  She was married about 1878, husband's name Blount. Nellie M. Gowen Blount and her husband are buried in Blount Cemetery near Biggers, Arkansas according to Harold Ora Gowen.

 

William Alfred Gowen, third child of James Calvin Gowen and Nancy Story Gowen, was born in January 1862 near Benton, Kentucky.  He appeared in the 1870 census of Randolph County, Arkansas as an eight-year-old living in his father's household.  He reappeared in the 1880 census of Randolph County as a 17-year-old living in the home of his widowed mother.

 

He was married August 24, 1887 to Serena Arminta Cagle who was born January 7, 1862 near Reyno, Arkansas according to Harold Ora Gowen.  The wedding was performed at Corning, Arkansas.

 

William Alfred Gowen was a farmer in Clay County, Arkansas and a member of the Baptist church.  Serena Arminta Cagle Gowen died in August 1948 in Blytheville, Arkansas where she lived the latter part of her life.  She was buried in Richwoods Cemetery near Corning. When William Alfred Gowen died, date unknown, he was buried beside his wife.

 

Children born to William Alfred Gowen and Serena Arminta Cagle Gowen include:

 

    Anna Gowen                  born August 28, 1888

    Ben Ray Gowen             born September 24, 1891

    Stella Main Gowen          born March 14, 1894

    Ira Leota Gowen [twin]       born June 16, 1897

    Oral Mae Gowen [twin]       born June 16, 1897

    Jewell Clay Gowen          born July 20, 1915

 

Anna Gowen, first child of William Alfred Gowen and Serena Arminta Cagle Gowen, was born August 28, 1888 at Datto, Arkansas.  She was married about 1908 to Dan L. Hargrove.  Of Dan L. Hargrove and Anna Gowen Hargrove nothing more is known.

 

Children born to them include:

 

    Donald L. Hargrove    born about 1910

    Ralph B. Hargrove      born about 1912

    Benjamin F. Hargrove  born about 1915

    Bobby Joe Hargrove       born about 1917

 

Ben Ray Gowen, second child of William Alfred Gowen and Serena Arminta Cagle Gowen, was born September 24, 1891 at Datto, Arkansas.  He was married about 1912 to Iola Fits­gibbon.  Ben Ray Gowen died October 10, 1968 and was buried in Richwoods Cemetery, Corning.

 

Children born to Ben Ray Gowen and Iola Fitsgibbon Gowen include:

 

    Howard R. Gowen  born about 1914

    Joy Anita Gowen     born about 1917

 

Stella Main Gowen, third child of William Alfred Gowen and Serena Arminta Cagle Gowen, was born March 14, 1894 near Datto, Arkansas.  She was married to Jacob Huddleston about 1913, probably in Randolph County. Stella Main Gowen Huddleston died at Poplar Bluff, Missouri and was buried in Richwoods Cemetery, Corning.

 

Children born to Jacob Huddleston and Stella Main Gowen Huddleston include:

 

    Charles Lee Huddleston      born about 1915

    William Jocob Huddleston  born about 1918

 

Ira Leota Gowen, fourth child of William Alfred Gowen and Serena Arminta Cagle Gowen, was born June 16, 1897 near Datto.  She died unmarried and was buried in Richwoods Cemetery, Corning.

 

Oral Mae Gowen, fifth child of William Alfred Gowen and Serena Arminta Cagle Gowen, was born July 5, 1904 near Datto. She was married March 17, 1923 to William Lee Powell at Leachville, Mississippi County, Arkansas.  In 1974 Oral Mae Gowen Powell lived at 22 Washington Street, Wilson, Arkansas.

 

Children born to William Lee Powell and Oral Mae Gowen Powell include:

 

    Billie Sue Powell         born about 1925

    James Gordon Powell born about 1928

 

Jewell Clay Gowen, sixth child of William Alfred Gowen and Serena Arminta Cagle Gowen, was born July 20, 1915 at Datto.  He was married about 1936 to Dorothy Sisk at Blytheville, Arkansas.

 

Children born to Jewell Clay Gowen and Dorothy Sisk Gowen include:

 

    Betty Gowen       born about 1928

    Eugenia Gowen   born about 1930

    Spencer Gowen   born about 1933

    Steve Gowen       born about 1935

    Bryan Gowen      born about 1938

 

Thomas Hillman Gowen, fourth cild of James Calvin Gowen and Nancy Story Gowen, was born April 25, 1866 at Calvert City, Marshall County, Kentucky.  He was married January 26, 1890 to Hannah Elizabeth Winningham, who was born December 23, 1872 in Randolph County Arkansas, the daughter of William M. Winningham, who was born in Randolph County in 1840, and Martha A. Winningham, who was born in 1841 in Randolph County.

 

Thomas Hillman Gowen was a farmer near Moark, Arkansas and was a member of the Moark Baptist Church.  He died at Corning January 11, 1919 and was buried in Nelson Cemetery at Reyno.  Hannah Elizabeth Winningham Gowen died May 7, 1937 and was buried beside her husband.

 

Children born to Thomas Hillman Gowen and Hannah Eliza­beth Winningham Gowen include:

 

    Mallie Newton Gowen born November 18, 1894

    James M. Gowen        born November 28, 1891

    Harold Ora Gowen      born November 30, 1906

 

Mallie Newton Gowen, first child of Thomas Hillman Gowen and Hannah Elizabeth Winningham Gowen, was born near Moark November 18, 1894.  He was married to Ruth Tisdale about 1914.  Mallie Newton Gowen died May 9, 1959 at Tuckerman, Jackson County, Arkansas.  He was buried in Nelson Cemetery near Reyno.

 

Children born to Mallie Newton Gowen and Ruth Tisdale Gowen include:

 

    Myrtle Lee Gowen      born about 1916

    Martin Thomas Gowen   born about 1919

    Marvin Gowen        born about 1922

 

James M. Gowen, second child of Thomas Hillman Gowen and Hannah Elizabeth Winningham Gowen, was born near Moark November 28, 1891.  He died August 24, 1892 and was buried in Moark Cemetery.

 

Harold Ora Gowen, third child of Thomas Hillman Gowen and Hannah Elizabeth Winningham Gowen, was born November 30, 1906 near Moark.  He was married to Tempie Estelle Herren November 29, 1927 at Reyno.

 

Tempie Estelle Herren Gowen died March 7, 1973 at Tarpon Springs, Florida.

 

No children were born to Harold Ora Gowen and TGempie Estelle Herren Gowen.

 

Sarah A. Gowen, fifth child of James Calvin Gowen and Nancy Story Gowen, was born in 1867 in Marshall County, Kentucky. 

She appeared in the 1870 census of Randolph County, Arkansas in the household of her father as a two-year-old. She reappeared in the household of her mother in the 1880 census of Randolph County as a 13-year-old.

 

Elija P. Gowen, sixth child of James Calvin Gowen and Nancy Story Gowen, was born in 1869 in Cairo, Illinois while the family was enroute to Arkansas from Kentucky.  He appeared as a one-year-old in the household of his father in the 1870 census of Randolph County.  He reappeared as a ten-year-old in the 1880 census of Randolph County, living in his widowed mother's household.

 

Henry Newton Gowen, seventh child of James Calvin Gowen and Nancy Story Gowen, was born near Datto, Arkansas April 17, 1872.  He appeared in his widowed mother's household in the 1880 census of Randolph County as a nine-year-old.

 

He was married July 4, 1897  in Mayfield, Kentucky to Mattie Louisa Brown, who was born February 13, 1874 in Carmi, Illinois.  He was a farmer at Datto, Arkansas and was a member of the Datto Baptist Church.

 

He died December 17, 1942 at Datto and was buried at Rich­woods Cemetery, Reyno, Arkansas.  Mattie Louisa Brown Gowen died September 21, 1957 and was buried beside her husband.

 

Children born to Henry Newton Gowen and Mattie Louisa Brown Gowen include:

 

    Houston Leland Gowen  born June 21, 1898

    Orlie Newton Gowen      born November 22, 1900

    Fushia Anna Gowen        born March 22, 1903

    Nellie Eugenia Gowen  born July 25, 1905

    Willie Elmer Gowen    born October 28, 1907

    Ewell Gowen              born March 12, 1909

    Erma Irene Gowen      born August 7, 1912

    Cona Adele Gowen     born September 17, 1915

 

Houston Leland Gowen, first child of Henry Newton Gowen and Mattie Louisa Brown Gowen, was born at Reyno, Arkansas June 21, 1898.  He was married to Iva C. Cox November 2, 1923 at Doniphan, Missouri.

 

He died October 4, 1971 at Knobel, Arkansas and was buried in Bond Cemetery there.

 

Children born to Houston Leland Gowen and Iva C. Cox Gowen include:

 

    Larry Gowen   born about 1925

 

Larry Gowen, only child of Houston Leland Gowen and Iva C. Cox Gowen, was born about 1925.  In 1975 he lived in Fayet­teville, Arkansas.

 

Orlie Newton Gowen, second child of Henry Newton Gowen and Mattie Louise Brown Gowen, was born November 22, 1900 at Datto County, Arkansas.  He was married November 16, 1922 to Evelyn Bones at Little Rock, Arkansas.  In 1927 they lived at Corning, Arkansas where he was an engineer for an oil company.  In 1930 they lived at Seminole, Oklahoma where he was also an engineer for an oil company.

 

Later they removed to Knobel, Arkansas where they lived most of their lives.  Evelyn Bones Gowen was postmistress at Knobel.  Orlie Newton Gowen died at Knobel, Arkansas January 28, 1973 and was buried there in Bond Cemetery.  In October 1975 Evelyn Bones Gowen continued to make her home on Route One Knobel, Arkansas.

 

Children born to Orlie Newton Gowen and Evelyn Bones Gowen include:

 

    Phillip Newton Gowen born September 11, 1927

    Mary Gowen               born April 21, 1930

 

Phillip Newton Gowen, first child of Orlie Newton Gowen and Evelyn Bones Gowen, was born September 11, 1927 at Corn­ing.  He was graduated from the University of Arkansas about 1947.  He was married about 1949, wife's name, Delores Helen.

 

In 1971 he was an attorney for the Arkansas Highway Depart­ment and lived at 713B Beachwood Avenue, Little Rock. At that time he was divorced from Delores Helen Gowen who lived at 1705 Pinewood in Little Rock.  In October 1975 Delores Helen Gowen lived at 9201 Northedge Road, Little Rock.

 

Children born to Phillip Newton Gowen and Delores Helen Gowen include:

 

    Mary Evelyn Gowen       born in 1952

    Michael Newton Gowen  born in 1953

    Laura Gowen              born in 1955

    Phyllis Gowen         born in 1957

 

Mary Evelyn Gowen, first child of Phillip Newton Gowen and Dolores H. Gowen, was born in 1952, probably in Little Rock.  In 1975 she lived in Bossier City, Louisiana.

 

Michael Newton Gowen, second child of Phillip Newton Gowen and Dolores H. Gowen, was born in 1953, probably in Little Rock.  He was married about 1974 to Gretchen Elskin.  In October 1975 Michael Newton Gowen and Gretchen Elskin Gowen lived at 906 Midland, Little Rock.

 

Laura Gowen, thrid child of Phillip Newton Gowen and Do­lores H. Gowen, was born on 1955.  In 1975 she lived in Little Rock, Arkansas.

 

Phyllis Gowen, fourth child of Phillip Newton Gowen and Dolores H. Gowen, wsa born in 1957.  In 1975 she lived in Little Rock, Arkansas.

 

Mary Gowen, second child of Orlie Newton Gowen and Eve­lyn Bones Gowen, was born April 21, 1930 at Seminole, Ok­lahoma.  She was married about 1950, husband's name Cronis.  Of Mary Gowen Cronis nothing more is known.

 

Fushia Anna Gowen, third child of Henry Newton Gowen and Mattie Louisa Brown Gowen, was born March 22, 1903, prob­ably at Datto, Arkansas. 

 

Nellie Eugenia Gowen, fourth child of Henry Newton Gowen and Mattie Louisa Bowen Gowen, was born July 25, 1905, probably in Datto.  She was married to Noble Raley about 1924.  In 1975 they lived in Biggers, Arkansas. 

 

Two daughters were born to Noble Raley and Nellie E. Gowen Raley:

 

    Patricia Ann Raley   born about 1926

    Laura Lou Raley      born about 1929

 

Willie Elmer Gowen, fifth child of Henry Newton Gowen and Mattie Louisa Brown Gowen, was born October 28, 1907, probably at Datto. 

 

Ewell Gowen, sixth child of Henry Newton Gowen and Mattie Louisa Brown Gowen, was born about 1909, probably at Datto, Arkansas.  He died in 1911.

 

Erma Irene Gowen, seventh child of Henry Newton Gowen and Mattie Louisa Brown Gowen, was born August 7, 1912. She was married about 1931 to Fred Pickett.  In 1975, Erma Irene Gowen Pickett lived at 3709 Springdale, Odessa, Texas.

 

Cona Adele Gowen, eighth child of Henry Newton Gowen and Mattie Louisa Brown Gowen, was born September 17, 1915, probably at Datto.  She was married about 1934, husband's name Dalton.  In 1975, Cona Adele Gowen Dalton lived in St. Louis, Missouri.

 

Matthew D. Gowen, third child of Shadrach Gowen and Ar­rena Gowen, was born in Bedford County, Tennessee in 1834. He appeared as a 16-year-old in the household headed by his brother, William Gowen in the 1850 census of Marshall County, Kentucky and also in his father's household in the same census. He was married about 1870, wife's name Mary J.

 

Matthew D. Gowen appeared in the 1880 census of Marshall County, Enumeration District 269, page 22, as the head of a household composed of:

 

    "Gowen   Matthew      46, farm worker, born in TN,                                        father born unknown, mother

                                  born unknown

               Mary J.        35, born in TN, father born                                               unknown, mother born

                                  unknown

               Mary R.       9, born in Kentucky, father born                                     TN, mother born TN

               Mattie B.       3, born in Kentucky, father born                                     TN, mother born TN

               Irene J.    8/12, born in Kentucky,twin,                                         father born TN, mother born

                                  TN

               Shadrach W.   8/12, born in Kentucky, twin,                                        father born TN, mother born

                                  TN"

 

Edy C. Gowen, fourth child of Shadrach Gowen and Arrena Gowen, was born in 1836 in Tennessee, probably Bedford County. She appeared as a 14-year-old in a household headed by her brother, William Gowen, in the 1850 census of Mar­shall County, Kentucky.

 

Payton A. Gowen, fifth child of Shadrach Gowen and Arrena Gowen, was born in Tennessee in 1838.  He appeared in the 1850 census of Marshall County as a 12-year-old living in the household headed by his brother, William Gowen. Payton A. Gowen was married about 1862, wife's name Tempie.

 

Payton A. Gowen reappeared in the Crooked Creek Township, Ballinger County, Missouri in the 1880 census, Enumeration District 3, page 9, as:

 

    "Gowen   Paten A.      42, born in Tennessee

               Tempie        40, born in Tennessee

                Zilphia M.        17, born in Kentucky

               William A.   14, born in Kentucky

               James R.     12, born in Kentucky

               Sarah G.      7, born in Kentucky

               Marion M.   5, born in Missouri

               Wesley W.  2, born in Missouri"

 

A deduction from the census return indicates that Payton A. Gowen removed to Missouri with his family about 1874.

 

Sarah T. Gowen, sixth child of Shadrach Gowen and Arrena Gowen, was born in 1843 in Marshall County, Kentucky. She appeared in the 1850 census of Marshall County as a seven-year-old living in the household of her parents.

 

Matilda G. Gowen, seventh child of Shadrach Gowen and Ar­rena Gowen, was born in 1845 in Marshall County, Kentucky. She appeared in the 1850 census of Marshall County as a five-year-old living in the household of her parents.

 

Shadrach Gowen, Jr., eighth child of Shadrach Gowen and Ar­rena Gowen, was born in 1848 in Marshall County, Kentucky. He appeared in the 1860 census of Marshall County as a two-year-old living in the household of his parents.

 

Harriett Gowen, daughter of James Burns Gowen and Annie Price Gowen, was born November 12, 1811 in Bedford County. She was married about 1835 to Amzi Anthony, a brother to Hosea Anthony, according to a letter written July 22, 1988 by Mae Wilhelm of Estill Springs, Tennessee.  She died September 26, 1841, at age 29, according to the family bible. Amzi An­thony was remarried August 7, 1842 to Amanda Parks in Lin­coln County.  They were the parents of "six or seven more chil­dren."

 

Children born to Amzi Anthony and Harriett Gowen Anthony include:

 

    Vinellie Anthony                 born about 1837

    Nancy Ann Anthony               born November 19, 1838

    Millisa M. Anthony             born about 1840

    Harriett Anthony                 born about 1841

 

Vinellie Anthony, daughter of Amzi Anthony and Harriett Gowen Anthony, was born about 1837 and died in 1914. She did not marry.

 

Nancy Ann Anthony, daughter of Amzi Anthony and Harriett Gowen Anthony, was born November 19, 1838 in Lincoln County, according to Mae Wilhelm.  She was married Novem­ber 26, 1863 in Coffee County, Tennessee to William C. King. He was born there July 21, 1844 to Daniel C. King and Sarah Ann Richardson King.  William C. King died there February 20, 1924 and was buried in Concord Cemetery.  She died De­cember 12, 1927.

 

Children born to them include:

 

    Daniel Cicero King              born January 16, 1869

 

Daniel Cicero King, son of William C. King and Nancy Ann Anthony King, was born January 16, 1869 in Coffee County. He was married in Grundy County November 2, 1901, wife's name unknown. 

 

Children born to them include:

 

    Buford Ira King                  born July 4, 1925

 

Buford Ira King, son of Daniel Cicero King, was born May 16, 1908 in Grundy County.  He was married there July 4, 1925, wife's name unknown.  He died June 23, 1988 at Youngstown, Florida in Bay County.

 

Children born to Buford Ira King include:

 

    Mae King                        born about 1928

 

Mae King, daughter of Buford Ira King, was born about 1928 in Grundy County.  She was married about 1948, husband's name Wilhelm.  In 1995, she, a Foundation member, lived in Estill Springs, Tennessee where she was active in researching her Gowen family.

 

Millisa M. Anthony, daughter of Amzi Anthony and Harriett Gowen Anthony, was born about 1838 in Lincoln County.  She was married about 1856, husband's name Hoover.  Two chil­dren were born to them.

 

Harriett Anthony, daughter of Amzi Anthony and Harriett Gowen Anthony, was born about 1841 and died in 1907. She did not marry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew Price Gowen, son of James Burns Gowen and Annie Price Gowen, was born May 14, 1814 in Bedford County.

 

 

 

 

 

About 1833 he was married to Miss Mary Eden, believed to be a daughter of Sam­uel Eden of adjoining Lincoln County, and a sister to Jack Eden. Samuel Eden was married to a "Miss Franks."

 

The household of Matthew Price Gowen appeared in the 1840 census of Bedford County, residing in the 24th Civil District:

 

    "Gowen, Matthew                 white male                                                      20‑30

                             white female 20‑30

                             white male      5‑10

                             white male      0-5  

                             white male      0-5  

                             white female   0-5"

 

The above household adjoined that of James Burns Gowen.  The first wife of Matthew Price Gowen died about 1847, and shortly afterward, he moved back into the home of his father.  He was still making his home there in 1850 when the census taker included his family in his father's household:

 

    "Gowen, Matthew,     36, born in Tennessee

                   James   14, born in Tennessee

                   Mary      4, born in Tennessee"

 

[This account of Matthew Price Gowen is still "Under Con­struction."

 

Children born to Matthew Price Gowen and Mary Eden Gowen include:

 

    Samuel Eden Gowen           born in 1837

 

Samuel Eden Gowen, son of Matthew Price Gowen and Mary Eden Gowen, was born in Lincoln County about 1837.  He was married April 19, 1860 to Mary E. Prosser. She was born there October 22, 1842 to James Prosser and Frances Prosser, according to the resarch of John Wilson Gowan, a great-grandson of Sweetwater, Tennessee.

 

Mary E. Prosser Gowen died in Lincoln County December 28, 1918.

 

Children born to Samuel Eden Gowen and Mary E. Prosser Gowen include:

 

    Samuel Hiram Gowan  born March 8, 1863

 

Samuel Hiram Gowan, son of Samuel Eden Gowen and Mary E. Prosser Gowen, was born March 8, 1863 in Lincoln County, according to John Wilson Gowan.  He was married in 1900 to Mattie Gabbert, daughter of Benton Gabbert and Fannie Blakemore Gabbert.  She was born February 26, 1867 at Tally Station, Tennessee in Marshall County.

 

Samuel Hiram Gowan died November 30, 1926 in Lincoln County, and Mattie Gabbert Gowan died there April 30, 1947.

 

Children born to Samuel Hiram Gowan and Mattie Gabbert Gowan include:

 

    Benton Gabbert Gowan  born February 22, 1903

 

Benton Gabbert Gowan, son of Samuel Hiram Gowan and Mattie Gabbert Gowan, was born February 22, 1903 in Lincoln County, according to John Wilson Gowan, a grandson of Sweetwater, Tennessee in a letter written March 1, 1997.   Benton Gabbert Gowan was married October 30, 1926 to Ruby Reeves who was born in 1907 in Grundy County, Tennessee to James Franklin Reeves and Pearl Phillips Reeves.

 

Children born to Benton Gabbert Gowan and Ruby Reeves Gowan include:

 

    John Wilson Gowan               born in 1927

 

John Wilson Gowan, son of Benton GabbertGowan and Ruby Reeves Gowan, was born in 1927.  He was married about 1950 to Maxine Walker who was born March 6, 1930 in Loudon County, Tennessee.  In 1997, they lived in Sweetwater, Tennessee where they were active in the research of the Gowan family.

 

Children born to John Wilson Gowan and Maxine Walker Gowan include:

 

    John Wilson Gowan, Jr.             born in 1952

    Don Walker Gowan                born in 1953

    Janet Iris Gowan                     born in 1956

 

Janet Iris Gowan, daughter of John Wilson Gowan and Maxine Walker Gowan, was born in 1956.  She was married about 1976 to James Steven Tallent who was born in 1955. 

 

Children born to them include:

 

    Julie Denise Tallent                 born in 1978

    Jill Ashley Tallent                born in 1982

    Joseph Steven Tallent             born in 1989

 

Thomas Richard Gowen, son of James Burns Gowen and Annie Price Gowen, was born September 17, 1828 in Bed­ford County.  He is believed to be the "white male, 10-15" who appeared in the 1840 enumeration of his father's house­hold.  He reappeared in the 1850 census of Bedford County living in his father's household as "Thomas Gowen, 22, born in Tennessee."  It is believed that he removed to Illinois about that time to join other members of the family there.

 

Thomas Richard Gowen was married to Ann Thomas about 1852, "somewhere in Illinois," according to Thomas Benjamin Gowen, a descendant of Poplar Bluff, Missouri. By 1860, Thomas Richard Gowen had returned to Bedford County and was enumerated there as the head of a household com­posed of:

 

    "Gowen,  Thomas   32, born in Tennessee

               Ann     25

               Martha   6

               John          4

               William      3

               Ann       1

    Gibson,   George 60"

 

Thomas Richard Gowen was "killed because he refused to fight in the [Civil] War," according to a letter written Febru­ary 24, 1992 by Thomas Benjamin Gowen.

 

Children born to Thomas Richard Gowen and Ann Thomas Gowen include:

 

    Martha Gowen            born about 1853

    John Richard C. Gowen      born March 4, 1856

    William Gowen               born about 1857

    Ann Gowen                born about 1859

 

John Richard C. Gowen, son of Thomas Richard Gowen and Ann Thomas Gowen, was born March 4, 1857 in Tennessee. He was mar­ried about 1885 to Nancy Summerville.  Thomas Benjamin Gowen, a grandson advised that he "married a Ram­sey." Later they moved to Harrisburg, Illi­nois where he was em­ployed by Standard Oil Company. 

 

Following their residency in Illinois they moved to Poplar Bluff, Missouri where he was a farmer, and, according to a daughter, Florence Gowen, "lived near Neelyville in the bot­toms," an overflow area which was occasionally flooded by the Black River. They were deceased prior to 1950 and were buried in Dunning Cemetery on the road from Poplar Bluff to Corning, Arkansas.

 

Children born to John Richard C. Gowen and Nancy Sum­merville Gowen include:

 

    Darwin Gowen                born in 1886

    James Burton Gowen              born March 14, 1887

    May Gowen                    born about 1889

    Benjamin Alexander Gowen    born in 1894

    Julia Gowen                    born about 1895

    Flora Gowen                      born about 1898

 

Darwin Gowen, son of John Richard C. Gowen and Nancy Summerville Gowen, was born in 1886.  He was married about 1910, wife's name unknown. No sons were born to this union.

 

James Burton Gowen, son of John Richard C. Gowen and Nancy Sum­merville Gowen, was born March 14, 1887  He was married about 1915.  He was de­ceased prior to 1973, but his widow survived at that time.

 

Children born to James Burton Gowen include:

 

    Leonard Gowen                     born about 1916

    Thomas Benjamin Gowen           born August 13, 1917

 

Leonard Gowen, son of James Burton Gowen, was born about 1916.  He was killed in World War II.

 

Thomas Benjamin Gowen, son of James Burton Gowen, was born August 13, 1917 at Neelyville, Missouri..  When con­tacted by Arlee Claud Gowen in October 1971 he was a building con­tractor in Poplar Bluff.  He, a member of Gowen Research Foundation continued there in 1992.

 

In an interview he mentioned that his grandfather John Richard C. Gowen, "a well-edu­cated man came to Missouri from Saline County, Illinois."  He mentioned that his Gowen ancestors were slaveholders prior to the Civil War and that one was killed in a duel.

 

Children born to Thomas Benjamin Gowen include:

 

    Vernon Gowen                   born about 1941

 

Vernon Gowen, son of Thomas Benjamin Gowen, was born about 1941, probably in Poplar Bluff.  He continued there in 1971.

                                               ==O==

Lois Gowen Collins, 9713 Echo Lane, Overland, Missouri, 63114 wrote September 20, 1989:

 

"My father was William Loyd Gowen who was born January 23, 1897 in Eddyville, Illinois.  His father was Wiley Fletcher Gowen who was born September 16, 1875, probably at Dorisville, Illinois or Harrisburg, Illi­nois, and who died September 5, 1937.  I was told that he had two sisters, Mary and Martha.  My grandfather, Wiley Fletcher Gowen was married to Dora Ann Evans, and they had 11 children.  I would be very grate­ful for information about the Saline County, Illinois Gowen fam­ily."

                                               ==O==

May Gowen, daughter of John Richard C. Gowen and Nancy Summerville Gowen, was born about 1889.  She was married about 1907, husband's name An­derson.

 

Benjamin Alexander Gowen, son of John Richard C. Gowen and Nancy Summerville Gowen, was born in 1894.  He was married in 1917, wife's name Florence M. She was born in 1897.  In 1936 they moved to Denver.  He was de­ceased prior to 1965.  In that year she appeared in the Denver city direc­tory living at 2870 South Grant.  Several children, names un­known, were born to them.

 

Julia Gowen, daughter of John Richard C. Gowen and Nancy Summerville Gowen, was born about 1895.  She was married about 1915, husband's name Wis­dom. She was de­ceased prior to 1973.

 

Flora Gowen, daughter of John Richard C. Gowen and Nancy Summerville Gowen, was born about 1898.  About 1918 she was married to Francis Mangold.  In 1973 she was living in California.  Six children were born to them.

                                               ==O==

Flora Irene Gowen, daughter of Oddie M. Gowen, was mar­ried to Bennett Hurst McBride, according to her daughter, Sandra K. Wood of Richmond, N. Yorkshire, England.  Flora Irene Gowen McBride died April 10, 1992 in Sheffield, Alabama and was buried in the Gowen family plot in Mimosa Cemetery at Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.  Oddie M. Gowen was the son of Marcus Burns Gowen and Martha U. McCall Gowen.

                                             ==O==

William Price Gowen, son of James Burns Gowen and Annie Price Gowen, was born in Bedford County November 22, 1824. He appeared as a "white male, 15-20" in the 1840 census of Bedford County living in his father's household.

 

He was married December 16, 1846 at Shelbyville to Isabella Emory, a sister to his step-mother, Lucy Emory Gowen, the second wife of his father.

 

The household of William Price Gowen appeared in the 1850 census of Bedford County, 24th Civil District:

 

    "Gowan   William,   25, born in TN

               Isabella    22, born in TN

               Samuel   3, born in TN

               Sarah       1, born in TN

      Gowan  Samuel 13, born in TN"

 

It is believed that "Samuel Gowan, 13" was a nephew, the son of Matthew Price Gowen who was widower in 1850.

 

Isabelle Emory Gowen died in 1853, and on November 27, 1853, William Price Gowen was remarried to Sidney Floyd who was born in 1829.  She was a sister to William Floyd who was married to Sarah R. "Sally" Gowen. She was also a sister to John D. Floyd.

 

William Price Gowen and D. H. Pearson were witnesses to a deed dated August 7, 1857 in Coffee County, Tennessee. The deed conveyed to John Gowen of Davidson and Rutherford Counties.  In the deed H. W. Carroll conveyed to John Gowen "the north half of Lot 1, Section 10, fronting on Washington Street, Tullahoma, Tennessee. In 1998 the deed was retained by Thomas Mason Gowen, a descendant of John Gowen.

 

William Price Gowen did not serve in the Civil War, according to his grandson, Dr. Charles R. Gowen of Shreveport, Louisiana in an interview.  He had a disability due to an ailment diagnosed as "tuberculosis of the hip."  Dr. Gowen added that William Price Gowen was a Union sympathizer during the war.  Some time during the conflict, he freed his slaves and gave each 40 acres of land.

 

William Price Gowen was a merchant and a "doctor of sorts" at Tullahoma, Tennessee where he became a substantial citizen.  He was a bondsman for the marriage of license of S. E. Jones and Harriett Bicknel dated September 26, 1863 and for that of James K. Floyd and Mary Jane Gowen, his niece, the daughter of Matthew Price Gowen dated October 10, 1863 and for that of Calvin N. Pearson and Rhode E. Parker, also dated October 10, 1863.

 

An 1860 census enumeration for him has not been located.  He appeared in the 1870 census of Bedford County in a consecu­tive entry with his father, James Burns Gowen, indicating an adjoining location.  His household was recorded as:

 

    "Gowen,  William P.    46, born in TN, farm laborer,

                                  $2,000 real estate, $2,000

                                  personal property

               Sidnie          41, born in TN

               Daniel      18, born in TN

               George    11, born in TN

               Kenneth         7, born in TN

               Benjamin       5, born in TN

               Lizzie          3, born in TN

               Charles        2, born in TN"

 

"Kenneth Gowen" above is identified as Kindred Gowen.

 

William Price Gowen died September 17, 1873, according to Harold Ora Gowen, a grandson.  The household of Sidney Floyd Gowen, a widow was enumerated in the 1880 census of Bedford County in Enumeration District 18, near the location of her brother-in-law, James Harvey Gowen.  The family was rendered as:

 

    "Gowin,   Sydney    51, widow, born in TN, father born in

                              TN, mother born in SC

               George 21, son, born in TN, father born in

                              TN, mother born in TN, farmer

               Ken     17, son, born in TN, father born in

                              TN, mother born in TN, farm

                              laborer

               Ben      15, son, born in TN, father born in

                              TN, mother born in TN, farm

                              laborer

               Lizzie       13, daughter, born in TN, father born

                              in TN, mother born in TN

      Floyd    Sallie       82, mother, born in SC, father born in

                              TN, mother born in SC,

                              superannuated"

 

Adjoining the household of Sidney Floyd Gowen in 1880 was the household of Peter McGee which included a negro, "Daniel Gowin, age 34, a farm laborer, born in Tennessee.  Both  of his parents were born in North Carolina.

 

Close by was the household of John Gowin, another negro, possibly a kinsman of Daniel Gowen.  The family was rendered as:

 

    "Gowin,   John    44, black, farmer, born in TN, father born

                           in NC, mother born in NC

               Jane 47, black, wife, born in TN, father born in

                           VA, mother born in VA

               Sam   7, mulatto, grandson, born in TN, father

                           born in TN, mother born in TN"

 

Sidney Floyd Gowen died July 10, 1896. They were buried in the cemetery at Flat Creek, Tennessee.

 

Children born to William Price Gowen and Isabelle Emory Gowen include:

 

    Samuel Watson "Watt" Gowen   born about 1847

    Sarah Matilda Gowen          born about 1849

    James Daniel Gowen               born in 1851

   

Children born to William Price Gowen and Sidney Floyd Gowen include:

 

    George Franklin Gowen          born January 8, 1859

    Thomas Kindred Gowen         born in January 1863

    Benjamin Spencer Gowen       born about 1864

    Elizabeth "Lizzie" Gowen        born in August 1866

    Charles Emmett Gowen          born in May 1868

 

Samuel Watson "Watt" Gowen, son of William Price Gowen and Isabelle Emory Gowen, was born about 1847.

 

Sarah Matilda Gowen, daughter of William Price Gowen and Isabelle Emory Gowen, was born about 1849.

 

James Daniel Gowen, son of William Price Gowan and Isabelle Emory Gowen, was born in 1851.

 

George Franklin Gowen, son of William Price Gowen and Sidney Floyd Gowen, was born January 8, 1859 at Flat Creek, according to Roxanna H. Francesconi, a great niece of Flat Creek.  Following receiving an excellent education, he became a minister for the First Christian Church and preached in several metropolitan churches. 

 

When James Burns Gowen died May 14, 1880, the 21-year-old Rev. George Frankin  Gowen wrote his grandfather's obituary.  The tribute, 21 galley inches long, was carried in the May 21 edition of the "Lynchburg Sentinel."  The "Lynchburg Falcon" reprinted the obituary some 21 years later in its July 26, 1901 edition.  It was reprinted September 1, 1958 at the request of George Grady Clark of Taft, California, "one of three surviving grand­sons." It read:

 

"Died on the head waters of Mulberry in the southern part of Bedford County, James B. Gowen, aged 94 years and six months.  He was the oldest citizen in the county, and it is very rarely that a man lives to the ex­tremely great age that he attained.

 

Born in the state of Virginia in the year 1786, and be­ing brought up in the hardy custom of those times, be­coming inured to the trials and hardships incident to that era, doubtless had much to do in shaping his re­markable constitution that has held up against age so long.

 

In conjunction with several others he left the Old Do­minion in the early part of the century, turned his eyes to the great hunting grounds of the West; and after suffer­ing considerably from exposure, he finally reached the fertile lands of Middle Tennessee, camp­ing upon the banks of the Harpeth River.  Here he spent the following year in hunting and trapping, after which he removed to Bedford County.  Following an Indian trail, he passed over the present site of Shel­byville, killing a deer about where the Courthouse now stands.  Going 10 miles fur­ther south he entered a large tract of land at 12½c per acre, living upon the same tract up to the time of his death.  Here in the year 1810, he built the first house that was ever reared on Mulberry, the same remaining until a year ago when it was torn down.

 

In the year 1812, he joined a company of volunteers and served in the Creek War, being engaged in the three principal battles, namely Tallashatchie, Talladega and Thohopeka. In the latter engagement he had a hand-to-hand contest with an Indian, in which engagement the redskin was made to bite the dust.  He has ever regretted this affair, notwithstanding it was done strictly in self defense.

 

He was personally acquainted with Old Hickory and was many times brought in personal contact with the old hero.  In remuneration for these services he has drawn a pension ever since the passage of the pension act.

 

In their hunting days he and Davy Crockett were boon companions and many times they have pulled bones to­gether from roasted bear ribs, seated over their camp­fires, with no other covering save the branches of some forest oak and no other companions except their trusty rifles and faithful dogs.

 

He was doubtless with Davy when the latter per­formed his great feat of splitting a limb with his only bullet and thereby catching so many turkeys by their toes.

 

They have in common with each other shouldered up the fruits of a heavy day's hunting, consisting of some two or three deer and small game, and with the march of conquerors--lords of the forest, as they were--car­ried their more than glittering trophies home to their little cabins, snugly ensconced between surrounding hills, to receive the smiles and caresses of their brave wives and hardy, robust children.  Truly these were his golden days.

 

He was a great sportsman in his time and kept up his regular fishing days until a few weeks before his death.

 

Full of humor, a great joker, a good neighbor, always charitable and for the above characteristics he was uni­versally loved and revered by all who knew him.  On ac­count of this extremely great age, being, as he was the oldest pioneer, Uncle Jimmie was looked up to by all his neighbors.

 

With childish delight he loved to dwell upon the scenes of by-gone years, and how his frank countenance would rekindle and fairly beam with delight while relating his old hunting tales and incidents to a group of his grand and great-grandchildren, crouching about his knee.  And with what eagerness they would listen to some Indian narrative of his younger days.

 

He was one of those "hardy few" that we should ever cherish in our memories who braves the dangers of the wilderness; who contested hand to hand with the red man, following up the winding trail of the Indian, and through them opening up the great highways of civi­lization through which one continued stream of immi­gration has ever poured into this rich and fertile county.  He lived to see his fourth generation, and while some of his contemporaries were stricken down in the springtime of life, some when their c had stopped from the zenith of his meridian, while he was permitted to live out in peace his natural existence, and to see the sun gradually sink behind the horizon.

 

His once iron, but now lifeless, form gently rests be­neath the boughs of a giant cedar on his farm, the ten­der plant of which he nourished in its infancy, and has care­fully watched it for the last seventy years, looking for­ward to the time when it should shelter his last resting place.

                   A Grandson, Rev. George Gowen"

 

About 1920, George Emmett Gowen returned to Flat Creek and built a home on Hungry Hill which housed his extensive library.  Shortly afterward, the home burned, and all of his books were lost.

 

He died unmarried January 21, 1931 at age 72.  The newspaper in Shelbyville, Tennessee carried his obituary in its edition of January 23, 1931:

 

"Rev. George Gowen, a widely known minister of he Christian Church died at the Bedford County Hospital Wednesday evening, aged 72. 

 

He was born at Flat Creek, Bedford County and grew to manhood there.  He was educated there for the ministry and had a marvelous faculty for reading, and perhaps no other person nartive to this county had read so extensively the standard works of history and religious literature as he. He possessed an equally marvelous faculty of retaining what he read.

 

He had held pastorates in one of the leading churches of Louisville, Kentucky, in Virginia and of the Vine Street Christian Church of Nashville.  He returned to his native county soon after World War and had devoted the years since then to community churches in Bedford and surrounding counties.  He had refused regular pastorates to do this work.  His life work during his late years had been given to weak churches without regard to denominational differences. 

 

A more generous hearted, unselfish work in the cause of the Christian religion never lived in Bedford County.

 

His health had been failing for a year or two, and he had been at the hospital several times for treatment.  He had been critically ill for a week or two before he died.

 

He leaves surviving him two brothers, Messrs Charles Gowen of this county and Ben Gowen of Los Angeles and one sister, Mrs. Hale of this county.  He never married.

 

Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Flat Creek conducted by Rev. C. E. Jackson of Tullahoma, assisted by the Rev. C. C. Thompson of Shelbyville and Elder Hart of Flat Creek.

 

The burial was in the old cemetery there where are buried his father, mother and many of his kindred."

 

Thomas Kindred Gowen, son of William Price Gowen and Sidney Floyd Gowen, was born in January 1863.  He was deceased prior to 1931.

 

Benjamin Spencer Gowen, son of William Price Gowen and Sidney Floyd Gowen, was born in 1864.  In 1931 Dr. Benjamin Spencer Gowen lived in Los Angeles.

 

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Gowen, daughter of William Price Gowen and Sidney Floyd Gowen, was born in August 1866, according to the 1870 census of Bedford County.  In 1886, she was mar­ried to Charles Hale.  She died on an unknown date and was buried in the old cemetery at Flat Creek.

 

Her obituary appeared in the Shelbyville newspaper:

 

"Mrs. Elizabeth Hale, widow of the late Charlie Hale, died at her home in Flat Creek early Wednesday morning afer a lingering illness.  Her death created profound sorrow throughout the community where she was known and loved.  Mrs. Hale was a woman of remarkable sweetness of character.  She was devoted to her home and her church.  She is survived by two daughters, Misses Aline Hale and Lillis Hale and two sons, Ralph Hale and Paul Hale and one brother, Dr. Ben S. Gowen of Hollywood, California.

 

Funeral services will be held Monday morning at 10:00 o'clock at the residence.  Rev. Charles C. Thompson, pastor of the First Christian Church of Shelbyville will officiate.  The burial will be in the old cemetery at Flat Creek."

 

Children born to them include:

 

    Ozel Hale            born about 1889

    Ralph Hale          born about 1891

    Alyne Hale          born about 1892

    Lillis Hale            born about 1894

    Paul Hale             born about 1897

 

Ozel Hale died as a child. Ralph Hale, Alyne Hale and Lillis Hale lived on Route 2, Shelbyville in 1960.  Lillis Hale did not marry.

 

Charles Emmett Gowen, son of William Price Gowen and Sidney Floyd Gowen, was born in May 1868.  He was married about 1891 to Mag Holt.

 

He became the first genealogist in his branch of the family. He had the foresight to interview the surviving pioneers of the family at every opportunity and to record their statements when no one else took the initiative.

 

He maintained a journal in which he recorded the events of the life of his grandfather, James Burns Gowen and his contempo­raries.  He included, as well, accounts of their descendants. 

 

The journal, which present-day researchers have freely drawn upon, is included in the Foundation Manuscript. It is included because it is important. His journal is important, not for the beauty of its prose, but because in some cases, it is the only scrap of evidence that certain of our forebears ever existed on this earth.  As long as this world shall turn and one descendant shall remain, he will be indebted to Charles Emmett Gowen. 

 

In the summer of 1904 seated on his front porch, Charles Emmett Gowen interviewed William Floyd, then in his 84th year.  William Floyd was an older son-in-law of James Burns Gowen and was able to give an account of the life of the old pioneer.  Additionally he iden­tified the 18 Gowen children and gave a report on the life of each child and his descendants.

 

Charles Emmett Gowen died April 4, 1931 after providing copies of his journal to every interested member of the family who wanted one. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Researchers:

 

Christine S. Agee, 416  Newby Road, Richmond, Kentucky, 40475

Merritt R. Allcorn, 148 Fairmont Dr, Madison, Indiana, 47250

Marie Gowen Couch, Route 7, Box 222, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401, 501/932-6146

James Edwin Crates, 4448 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri, 66103, 913/262-1217

Beatrice Goins Dougherty, Box 388, Richmond, Kentucky, 40476.

Donald A. & Charlotte A. Goins, Parkway Avenue, Louisville, KY, 40206

John W. & Maxine Gowan, 304 Old Athens Pike, Sweetwater, TN, 37874, 615/337-7795

Constance E. Gowen, 455 Pebble Beach Place, Fullerton, California, 92631, 714/525-2630

Don Lee Gowen, 1310 Cantwell Avenue, Decatur, AL, 35601, 205/350-7067

Glen Farrar Gowen, Box 184, Shelbyville, TN, 37160, 615/685-4285

Johanna C. Gowen, 4309 Strolling Road, Knoxville, TN, 37912, 615/523-8332

Francis Lloyd Gowin, 1742 Pepper Avenue, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68502, 402/435-5282

James Lee & Roberta Gowin, Jr, 1398 Mira Flores, Santa Maria, CA, 93455, 805/937-6259,

    E-mail: [email protected]

Robert Wayne Gowin, 247 Sawgrass Way, Fayetteville, GA, 30215, 770/719-5225,

    [email protected]

Nancy Hargesheimer, Box 1901, Lubbock, TX, 79408, 806/744-8517

Louise Gowen Horn, 114 Herron Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37919, 615/584-4962

Emma Lou McDaniel, Box 53, Stafford, KS, 67578, 316/234-5634

Linda Lou Fisher McDowell, No. 31, Broadmoor, Texarkana, AR, 75502, 501/772-8549

Linda S. McNiel, 3702 43rd St, Lubbock, TX, 79413, 806/797-3056

Ida Frances Goin Nokes, W7519 Burroughs Rd, Deer Park, WA, 99006

Elizabeth H. Norfitt, 353 Westmoreland Drive, Idaho Falls, ID, 83402, 208/523-3837

June A. Smith, 5307 State Highway 303 NE, #22, Bremerton, WA, 98311-3654,

    [email protected]

Lorraine Tieman,

Imogene Tilford, 813 E. Grove, Effingham, Illinois, 62401

Mae Wilhelm, Route 2, Box 523, Estill Springs, TN, 37330

Sandra K. Wood, 'Swale View,' Low Row, Nr. Richmond, N. Yorks, England, DL11 6NE