Patrick
County was organized in 1790-91 with land from Henry County. Henry County was organized in 1776-77 with
land from Pittsylvania County.
Pittsylvania County was organized in 1766-67 with land from Halifax
County. Halifax County was organized in
1752 with land from Lunenburg County.
Lunenburg County was organized in 1746 with land from Brunswick
County. Brunswick County was organized
in 1720 and in 1732 with land from Prince George County, Isle of Wight County
and Surry County. Prince George County
was organized in 1702-03 with land from Charles City County. Researchers must keep in mind that an
individual could have lived in several of the above counties without ever
having moved.
==O==
Frederick
Gowen and Jonathan Henry Gowen, regarded as kinsmen, were born in the Patrick
County, Virginia area and became patriarchs of Kentucky families that, in two
centuries, have spread throughout the nation.
Frederick Gowen was enumerated as "free colored" in Virginia,
but was reported as "white" in the Kentucky census. Jonathan Henry Gowen was the father of 13
children. This genetic influence is
apparent in 1990 in the descendants of both men--even eight generations later.
Frederick
Gowen is regarded by some researchers as a Melungeon [a recent appellation
preferred by some whose ancestors were labeled "Mulatto"] because
census enumerator recorded him as a "free colored male." In many enumerations in the area individuals
were listed as "mulatto," "colored," or "Indian"
by the censustakers who had no other latitude in recording a dark-skinned
person. He was born about 1797 in
Virginia, according to the federal census of 1850.
Jonathan
Henry Gowen was a son of William Gowen and Betsey Moss Gowen, according to the
research of Clara Jean Grider Fry, a descendant of Cave City, Kentucky.
"Frederick
Going" was married December 10, 1818, to Nancy Coomer [Comer?] in
adjoining Surry County, North Carolina, according to "Surry County, North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1780-1868." "William Going" thought to be his
father, was the bondsman. Nancy Coomer
Gowen was born in North Carolina about 1798, according to the 1850 census. Their first child was born in Patrick County
about 1819.
A son
was born to them there about 1822, and was followed by a daughter about
1824. "Frederick Going"
appeared as the head of a "free colored" household in the 1830 census
of Patrick County, page 154.
"Going, Frederick free colored male
24-36
free colored female 24-36
free colored male
0-10
free colored female 0-10
free colored male
0-10"
They
continued in Patrick County about 1831 when another son was born to them
there. About 1833, they lived in Lee
County, Virginia, in the extreme western tip of the state, where their fifth
child was born.
About
1835, Frederick Gowen was living near Somerset, Kentucky in Pulaski
County. No members of the Gowen [nor
spelling variations] family were recorded in the 1830 census of Pulaski County
which showed a population of 9,521 at that time. Frederick Gowen purchased land in Pulaski County for $225 in
1838, according to the research of Steve Gowen.
Frederick
Gowen was enumerated as the head of a household in the 1840 census of Pulaski
County, page 320:
"Gowen, Frederick
white male 40-50
white female 30-40
white male 15-20
white female 10-15
white male 10-15
white male 5-10
white female 0-5"
Three
members of the family were engaged in agriculture.
Also
enumerated in the 1840 census of Pulaski County, page 294 was the household of
Henry Gowen, unidentified:
"Gowen, Henry
white male 40-50
white female 30-40
white male 15-20
white male 10-15
white female 10-15
white male 10-15
white male 5-10
white female 0-5"
white male 0-5"
Frederick
Gowen sold his property March 2, 1848 for $150, according to Pulaski County
Deed Book 13, page 520. Apparently he
removed to nearby Adair County at that time.
On October 1, 1849 he was paid "$1 for work on road,"
according to Adair County Court Order Book H, page 9.
In
1850, the household of Frederick Gowen was recorded in Adair County, First
Civil District, Household 603-603:
"Gowen, Frederick 53, born in Virginia, farmer, $200
real
estate
Nancy
52, born
in North Carolina, illiterate
Allen
20, born
in Virginia, illiterate
Larkin
18, born
in Virginia, illiterate, farmer
Elizabeth 15, born in Kentucky
Frederick 8,
born in Kentucky
Hignight, Mary
40, born
in Virginia"
The
fact that he named a son "Allen" suggests a relationship to other
branches of the family who used the name "Allen" as well. Mary Hignight was possibly related to the
householders.
Frederick
Gowen reappeared in the 1860 census of Adair County in the First Civil District
as the head of Household 242-242:
"Going, Fredrick 62, farmer, $600 real estate, $540
personal
property, born in
Patrick County, VA
Nancy
61,
housekeeping, born in Stokes
County, NC
Elizabeth 22, housekeeping, born in Pulaski
County, KY
Fredrick 18, farmer, born in Pulaski County,
KY"
Adjoining
were the households of "William Going," his son, No. 243-243;
"Allan Going," a son, Household No. 244-244 and William Chadowick
[Chadwick?] and Mary "Polly" Gowen Chadowick, his daughter, Household
No. 245-245.
During
the Civil War, Frederick Gowen removed to Crawford County in extreme southern
Indiana. He removed shortly afterward
to nearby Gibson County, Indiana where his son, Larkin Gowen had located. "He died intestate, but did leave a
treasure trove of information in Gibson County Court records when his heirs
divided the estate," according to a letter written by August 13, 1990 by
Steve Gowen, a descendant of Lexington, Kentucky.
Children
born to Frederick Gowen and Nancy Coomer Gowen include:
William R. Gowen
born about 1819
Mary "Polly" Gowen
born about 1824
Allen Gowen
born
about 1830
Larkin Gowen
born about 1833
Elizabeth G. Gowen
born about 1835
Frederick Gowen, Jr.
born October 9, 1841
Initially
it was thought that Jonathan Gowen was a son of Frederick Gowen and Nancy Coomer
Gowen because of his close relationship with them, however a letter written
February 23, 1987 by Clara Jean Grider Sexton Fry seems to refute this
speculation. She wrote:
"Sometime back I got a letter from a
lady [unnamed] in Adair County who said that the parents of Jonathan Gowen were
William Gowen and Betsy Moss Gowen. I
have lost the letter, but some credence can be given to this statement because
Jonathan wasn't listed in the probate of Frederick Gowen in Gibson County,
Indiana. In his probate heirs were
listed as William R. Gowen, Polly Chadwick, Allen Gowen, Larkin Gowen,
Elizabeth G. Gowen and Frederick Gowen."
William
R. Gowen, son of Frederick Gowen and Nancy Gowen, was born in Patrick County
about 1821, according to the 1860 census of Adair County. In 1833 he lived in Lee County and in 1835
in Pulaski County. He received a land
grant of 30 acres located on Big Creek in Adair County February 9, 1837 by
county court order, according to Adair County Deed Book 40, page 213.
On
October 21, 1841, at age 20, he was married to Amanda B. Hinton, according to
Pulaski County Marriage Book B-1, page 57.
She was born in Pulaski County in 1820.
It is possible that they lived for a short time in Green County in 1849;
their fourth child was born there.
The
household of William R. Gowen was enumerated August 22, 1850, First Civil
District, page 42:
"Gowen,
William 30, born in VA, farmer, illiterate
Amanda 27, born in KY, illiterate
Thomas 8,
born in KY
Eli
7,
born in KY
Gailen
5, born in KY
L. A.
2, born in KY, female
Cornelia 1,
born in KY"
William
R. Gowen received a land grant of 93 acres on Big Creek February 16, 1852 by
county court order, according to Adair County Deed Book 37, page 248.
His
family reappeared in the 1860 census of Adair County, First Civil District as
Household 243-243:
"Going, William
39, born
in Patrick County, VA,
farmer, owns $200 in personal
property, owns $200 real
estate
Amanda
40, born
in Pulaski County, KY
Thomas F.
17, born
in Pulaski County, KY
Eli
15, born
in Pulaski County, KY
Galin
13, born in Pulaski County, KY
Lydia A.
11, born
in Green County, KY
Cornelia
9, born in Adair County, KY
John
7,
born in Adair County, KY
William
5, born in Adair County, KY
Amanda J.
4, born in Adair County, KY
Permilia
2, born in Adair County, KY"
Amanda
B. Hinton Gowen died during the decade, and William R. Gowen, at age 47, was
remarried to Polly Brock, according to Adair County Marriage Book 5, page 235.
William
R. Gowen was shown as a resident of Adair County in 1872 when his father died,
according to the probate records of Frederick Gowen in Gibson County, Indiana.
In
the 1880 enumeration of Adair County, Enumeration District 4, page 30 the
family reappeared at Gradyville, Kentucky:
"Gowen, William
59, born
in VA, father born in
VA, mother born in VA,
farmer
Polley
56, born in TN, father born
[blank], mother born [blank]
James W.
12, born
in KY, father born in
VA, mother born in TN, son,
farm laborer
Gowen,
Thomas
38, born
in KY, father born in
VA, mother born in TN, son,
farm laborer
Ketty A.
40, born
in KY, father born in
KY, mother born in KY,
daughter
in-law
Gowen,
William
R. 26, born in KY, father born in
VA, mother born in TN, farm
laborer, son
Martha
26, born
in KY, father born in
KY, mother born in KY,
daughter-in-law
Liza A.
3, born in KY, father born in
KY, mother born in KY,
granddaughter
Wilfred
3/12,
born in KY, father born in
KY, mother born in KY,
grandson"
It
is believed that the enumerator falsely assumed that Polly Brock Gowen was the
mother of the older sons in the household when he showed "Tennessee"
as the birthplace of their mother. The
name "Wilfred Gowen" suggests a relationship with the family of John
Gowen in Davidson County, Tennessee.
Polly
Brock Gowen died January 8, 1885, according to James O. Gowen.
Children
born to William R. Gowen and Amanda B. Gowen include:
Thomas F. Gowen
born in
1842
Eli Gowen
born in 1843
Gailen Gowen
born in 1845
Lydia A. Gowen
born in 1848
Cornelia Gowen
born in 1849
John Gowen
born in
1852
William R. Gowen, Jr.
born August 13, 1853
Amanda J. Gowen
born in
1856
Permilia Gowen
born in 1858
Children
born to William R. Gowen and Polly Brock Gowen include:
James Wiley Gowen
born in 1868
Thomas
F. Gowen, son of William R. Gowen and Amanda Gowen, was born in Pulaski County
in 1842, according to the 1860 census enumeration. He appeared as an eight-year-old in the 1850 census of his
father's household. He reappeared at
age 17 in 1860. He, a 38-year-old farm
laborer, continued in his father's household in the 1880 census of Adair
County. He was married by this time,
wife's name "Ketty" [Kitty?, Hetty?], age 40. He was remarried in 1914 to Mary Coomer,
according to Adair County Marriage Book 23, page 497. Thomas F. Gowen died in Adair County October 5, 1918. Children born Thomas F. Gowen, Ketty Gowen
and Mary Coomer Gowen are unknown.
Eli
Gowen, son of William R. Gowen and Amanda B. Hinton Gowen, was born in Pulaski
County in 1843, according to the 1860 census.
He appeared at age seven in the 1850 census and at 15 in the 1860
census. He was married December 20,
1877 to Lucy England in Adair County.
Children born to Eli Gowen and Lucy England Gowen are unknown.
Galin
Gowen, son of William R. Gowen and Amanda B. Hinton Gowen, was born in Pulaski
County in 1845, according to the 1860 census.
He appeared as a five-year-old in the 1850 census and at age 13 in 1860. He was married in 1874 to Mary Jane
Fletcher. She was born in 1852. The couple moved from Edmonton, Kentucky to
Alvarado, Texas about 1902. Later they
lived in Ft. Worth, Texas, and Gailen Gowen died there prior to 1911. In the 1911 city directory of Ft. Worth Jane
Gowen was shown living in the home of her son, Culmer Fred Gowen at 1125 Stella
Avenue. In 1914 she moved to Dallas,
Texas where she made her home at 4312 Junius Street. In 1918 she was back in Ft. Worth living with her son at 1125
Stella Avenue.
"Jane
Gowen, widow of Tarrant County" gave a warranty deed to J. S. Williams
January 17, 1921 [five days after her death] to Lot 14, Block 20, Union Depot
Addition, Ft. Worth for $1,000, according to Tarrant County Deed Book 692, page
343. Jane Gowen died January 12, 1921,
according to Texas BVS File 825, at age 57 and was buried at Oaklawn Cemetery
in Dallas.
Children
born to Galin Gowen and Jane Gowen include:
Etta Gowen
born in 1882
Emma L. Gowen
born in
1884
Culmer Fred Gowen
born in 1886
Etta
Gowen, daughter of Galin Gowen and Jane Gowen, was born in 1882 in
Edmonton. She was married about 1902 to
Frank Williams and lived at Celeste, Texas.
She died about 1911. Names of
children are unknown.
Emma
L. Gowen, daughter of Galin Gowen and Jane Gowen, was born in 1884 in
Edmonton. She did not marry.
She
appeared in the 1911 Ft. Worth city directory as an employee of King Candy
Company living at 1125 Stella Avenue with her brother and her mother. In the 1912-13 edition of the directory she
was listed as "Emma L. Going, trained nurse, residence at 1502 Alston,
telephone Rosedale 753." She reappeared
there in the 1914 edition. In 1916 "Emma Going, Nurse," was living at
1900 College Avenue.
In
the 1912, 1913 and 1914 "Miss H. Kearney Going" also "boarded at
1513 Alston Avenue. In 1918 she was
rooming at 1610 Washington; in 1920 at 1401 Washington." In 1922 and 1923 "Kearney H.
Going" continued "boarding at 1401 Washington. In 1925 she was living at 1313 Alston. From 1926 to 1931 she lived at 1605 Fairmont
Avenue. Of this individual nothing
more is known.
Culmer
Fred Gowen, son of Galin Gowen and Jane Gowen and namesake of his
great-grandfather, was born in Edmonton in 1886. In 1905, at age 19, he was married, perhaps in Alvarado, to
Lillie G. Walker, "age 15, born in Texas." She was a daughter of
Allen Walker, a Tennesseean.
Shortly
afterward they were living in Alvarado.
In the 1909-10 Ft. Worth city directory Culmer Fred Gowen was shown in
residence at 2317 Vickery Boulevard.
Included in the household were his wife, Lillie G. Walker Gowen; his
mother, Jane Gowen and his sister, Emma L. Gowen. At that time he was listed as a "fireman." In 1911 he was living at 1125 Stella Avenue
and was shown as an "engineer."
In 1913 he removed to 1502 Mays Avenue, Dallas and was included in the
1914 Dallas city directory as an engineer for Cliff Ice & Cold Storage
Company.
In
the 1916 and 1918 editions of the Ft. Worth city directory he was back at 1125
Stella Avenue. He was employed as a machinist
by Waples-Platter Grocery Company. Lillie G. Walker Gowen was employed by King
Candy Company.
In
1919 Culmer Fred Gowen returned to Dallas and lived at 1804 Spencer
Street. He was listed in the Dallas
city directory as an engineer for Central Ice & Cold Storage, living at
1410 McKell.
Culmer
Fred Gowen and Lillie G. Walker Gowen "of Dallas" gave a warranty
deed to Paul Longeway to Lot 14, Block 20, Union Depot Addition, Ft. Worth for
$1,275 March 29, 1921, according to Tarrant County Deed Book 701, page 68.
Culmer
Fred Gowen died October 20, 1924 and was buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. Lillie G. Walker Gowen survived her husband
for 48 years.
When
she was interviewed in 1960 she reported that the Gowens who remained at
Edmonton operated a hotel there. A
visit there in 1971 turned up no members of the Gowen family and none were
listed in area telephone directories.
Lillie
G. Walker Gowen in 1960 lived at 5503 Vanderbilt in Dallas. When she died August 4, 1972 she lived on
Seagoville Road in Dallas. She was
buried beside her husband.
Children
born to Culmer Fred Gowen and Lillie G. Walker Gowen include:
Darrell Cecil Gowen
born March 22, 1907
Evelyn Louise Gowen
born in 1909
William Edward Gowen
born May 1, 1911
Marshall Raymond Gowen
born December 24, 1913
Culmer Fred Gowen, Jr.
born February 8, 1916
Darrell
Cecil Gowen, son of Culmer Fred Gowen and Lillie G. Walker Gowen, was born
March 22, 1907 at Alvarado, according to Texas BVS File 219932. In 1942 he was married to Mildred Carter,
and they lived in the Dallas area. He
died May 1, 1963 at Houston, Texas, according to Texas BVS File 31375. He was buried in Calvary Hill Cemetery in
north Dallas.
A
daughter was born to Darrell Cecil Gowen and Mildred Carter Gowen:
Evelyn Jean Gowen
born November 10, 1942
Evelyn
Jean Gowen, daughter of Darrell Cecil Gowen and Mildred Carter Gowen, was born
November 10, 1942 in Dallas. In 1957
she was married to William Seifert. In
1972 they lived in Dallas.
Evelyn
Louise Gowen, daughter of Culmer Fred Gowen and Lillie G. Walker Gowen, was
born in 1909 at Alvarado. She was
married about 1929 to James F. Snyder.
They lived in Dallas where she died in 1942. She was buried in Calvary Hill Cemetery.
William
Edward Gowen, son of Culmer Fred Gowen and Lillie G. Walker Gowen, was born May
12, 1911 in Ft. Worth, according to Tarrant County Birth Book 11, page
302. Texas State Bureau of Vital
Statistics files show his date of birthe as May 1, 1912. He died unmarried August 3, 1969 in Dallas
and was buried in Restland Military Cemetery.
Marshall
Raymond Gowen, son of Culmer Fred Gowen and Lillie G. Walker Gowen, was born
December 24, 1913 in Dallas, according to Texas BVS File 41083. On March 28, 1944 he was married to Ruby
Lucille Clarkston who was born in Hunt County, Texas. In October 1972 Marshall Raymond Gowen, a switchman for Southern
Pacific Railroad, lived on Seagoville Road in Dallas.
One
daughter was born to this union:
Neva Fay Gowen
born
March 20, 1945
Neva
Fay Gowen, daughter of Marshall Raymond Gowen and Ruby Lucille Clarkston Gowen,
was born March 20, 1945. She was
married January 20, 1962 to Jerry Wayne Campbell. The couple and their three sons continued to live in Dallas in
October 1972.
Culmer
Fred Gowen, Jr., son of Culmer Fred Gowen and Lillie G. Walker Gowen, was born
at Ft. Worth, according to Tarrant County Birth Book 14, page 768. While serving aboard the U.S.S. Honolulu
during World War II he was killed by enemy action and buried at sea, leaving no
descendants.
Lydia
A. Gowen, daughter of William R. Gowen and Amanda B. Hinton Gowen, was born in
Green County, Kentucky in 1848, according to the 1860 Adair County census. She
appeared as a two-year-old in the 1850 census and as an 11-year-old in the
1860 census. Of this individual
nothing more is known.
Cornelia
Gowen, daughter of William R. Gowen and Amanda B. Hinton Gowen, was born in
Adair County in 1849. She appeared in
her father's household in the 1850 census as a one-year-old. She reappeared in 1860 as a
nine-year-old. Of this individual
nothing more is known.
John
Gowen, son of William R. Gowen and Amanda B. Hinton Gowen, was born in 1852 in
Adair County. He appeared as a
seven-year-old in the 1860 census of Adair County. Of this individual nothing
more is known.
William
R. Gowen, Jr, son of William R. Gowen and Amanda B. Hinton Gowen, was born
August 13, 1853 in Adair County, according to James O. Gowen, Foundation member
of Tennyson, Indiana. He appeared in
the 1860 enumeration of his father's household as a five-year-old. He was married in 1876 to Martha An Hill, a
native of Kentucky.
In
the 1880 census of Adair County they were recorded in his father's household:
"Gowen, William
R. 26, born in KY, father born in
VA, mother born in TN, farm
laborer
Martha
26, born
in KY, father born in
KY, mother born in KY
Liza A.
3, born in KY, father born in
KY, mother born in KY
Wilfred
3/12, born in KY, father born in
KY, mother born in KY"
He
died September 10, 1927, according to the research of James O. Gowen.
Children
born to William R. Gowen, Jr. and Martha Ann Hill Gowen include:
Liza A. Gowen
born in 1877
Wilfred Gowen
born in 1880
Liza
A. Gowen, daughter of William R. Gowen and Martha Gowen, was born in 1877 in
Adair County. She appeared in the 1880
census of her grandfather's household as a three-year-old. Of this individual nothing more is known.
Wilfred
Gowen, son of William R. Gowen and Martha Gowen, was born in 1880 in Adair
County and was enumerated that year as a three-month-old infant in his
grandfather's household.
Although
nothing more is known of Wilfred Gowen, his name suggested a slender thread
linking his family with that of Wilfred Burleson Gowen of Davidson County,
Tennessee and Holmes County, Mississippi.
This unusual name was handed down in the Gowen family and indicates a
possible relationship between the Kentucky and Tennessee branches of the Gowen
family.
Amanda
J. Gowen, daughter of William R. Gowen and Amanda B. Hinton Gowen, was born in
Adair County in 1856. She appeared as
a four-year-old in the 1860 enumeration of her father's household. She was married in 1876 to William R.
Singleton.
Permilia
Gowen, daughter of William R. Gowen and Amanda B. Hinton Gowen, was born in
Adair County in 1858. She appeared as
a two-year-old in the 1860 census of that county. Of this individual nothing more is known.
James
Wiley Gowen, son of William R. Gowen and Polly Brock Gowen, was born in Adair
County in 1868. He appeared in his
father's household in the 1880 census of Adair County as a 12-year-old. He was married August 10, 1904 to Alva
Maupin in Metcalfe County, Kentucky. He
was 36, and she was 18.
Mary
"Polly" Gowen, daughter of Frederick Gowen and Nancy Coomer Gowen,
was born in 1824 in Patrick County, Virginia, according to her 1860 census
enumeration. In 1833 she lived in Lee
County, Virginia, and in 1835 she was in Pulaski County, Kentucky. About 1845, at age 21, she was married,
probably in Pulaski County, to William Chadowick, a farmer who was born in
Buncombe County, North Carolina. In
1850 the family was living in Adair County.
In
1860 the household of William Chadowick was enumerated in the federal census of
Adair County as Household 245-245, very near that of his brother-in-law,
William R. Gowen, Household No. 243-243:
Chadowick, William
37, born
in Buncombe Co,
NC,
farmer, $150
personal
property
Polly
36, born
in Patrick Co, VA
John
14, born
in Pulaski Co, KY
David
12, born
in Pulaski Co, KY
Nancy
10, born
in Adair Co, KY
Frederick
8,
born in Adair Co, KY
Elizabeth D. 6, born in Adair Co, KY
Harriett
4,
born in Adair Co, KY"
They
removed to Gibson County, Indiana along with their Gowen relatives.
Children
born to William Chadowick and Polly Gowen Chadowick include:
John Chadowick
born in 1846
David Chadowick
born in
1848
Nancy Chadowick
born in
1850
Frederick Chadowick
born July 27, 1851
Elizabeth D. Chadowick
born in 1854
Harriett Chadowick
born in 1856
John
Chadowick, son of William Chadowick and Polly Gowen Chadowick, was born in
Adair County in 1846. He appeared there
as a 14-year old in the 1860 census. He
was married about 1867 in Gibson County, Indiana to Indiana Hartley.
David
Chadowick, son of William Chadowick and Polly Gowen Chadowick, was born in 1848
in Adair County. He was married about
1869 in Gibson County , wife's name Lucy Ann.
Nancy
Chadowick, daughter of William Chadowick and Polly Gowen Chadowick, was born in
Adair County in 1850. She appeared
there as a 10-year-old in the 1860 census.
Frederick
Chadowick, son of William Chadowick and Polly Gowen Chadowick, was born July
27, 1851 in Adair County, according to Norma Florence Walton Jolly, a
descendant of Malakoff, Texas in 1993.
He appeared there in the 1860 census as an eight-year-old. He was married December 13, 1874 to Mary E.
Owens in Gibson County. He died in 1925
and was buried in Davidson Cemetery, Pike County, Indiana.
Children
born to Frederick Chadowick and Mary E. Owens Chadowick include:
William Thomas Chadowick
born April 3. 1879
William
Thomas Chadowick, son of Frederick Chadowick and Mrs. E. Owens Chadowick, was
born in Henderson County, Kentucky April 3, 1879. In 1905 he lived in Pike County.
Children
born to him include: