The original father and mother in South Carolina is not yet
known. However, the following data has been gathered about the
first of our family.
Thomas Owen (b 11-19-1809 SC, d 9-24-1876 Ark) is the earliest
ancestor that I have been able to identify. I have no middle name
or initial but I know from his will filed in Arkansas that he had
to sign an X indicating his possible inability to read or write.
It appears that Thomas Owen moved to Georgia at least by the 1840's
because he was shown to have been married to Nancy who was born in Georgia
(b 10-18-1822 Ga, d 6-27-1895 Ark). Their first several children
were born in Georgia from 1841 and through 1860.
Thomas took his family from Georgia to Alabama in
about 1860-1862 based on birthdates showing in the 1870 census.
They settled in Clay County on the eastern side of Alabama in the
community of Lineville. They lived close to a family of Hardys
(discussed below) and must have been very close to the family.
In about 1870-1873, the Owen family came from Alabama, to the area
of Three Creeks, Arkansas, an area a few miles SE of El Dorado.
THOMAS OWEN (my gg g-f) NANCY WELDON (my gg g-m)
--------------- --------------------
b 11-19-1809 SC b 10-18-1822 GA
m 11-29-1840 Pike Cty, Ga
d 9-24-1876 Three Creeks,Ark d 6-27-1895 Three Creeks Ark
CHILDREN (see details below)
Bithania Owen b 1841 Ga d 1895 Ala
J W Owen b 1842 Ga ??
Mary F Owen b 1845 Ga d 1866 Somerville, Tx
Sallie Frances Owen b 1846 Ga d 1913 Dubach
Thomas Florence (Jack) Owen b 1848 Ga d 1922 Dubach
Mandy F Owen (Amanda) b 1849 Ga d 1935 El Dorado
Warren Pink Owen b 1860 Ga ?
FLC Owen (Frank Lafayette) b 1861 Ala ?
Augusta Owen b 1866 Ala ?
See page of WELDON for search information on the Weldon line.
Weldon Family
Thomas and Nancy are buried at the Hopewell Baptist Church which is
located 4.8 miles west of Three Creeks, Arkansas. They are the only
Owen family buried there with markers although there are Owens
buried in the cemetery. Honrie Barfield said that one of their children
was buried between them but there is no marker. She said that Pink had
been sickly and died there. The grave markers for Thomas and Nancy do
not give any further data than is above.
Kim and I were able to locate a small marker between Thomas and Nancy that
was covered with dirt. Although we did not dig it completely up, we dug
enough to see that the top of it had "J R" engraved in the stone. we have
no idea what that stands for or any more about it.
The address for the Hopewell Bapt Church is 3027 Hopewell Road, El Dorado,
Ark 71730, ph 863-5093.
==================
We have not been able to verify Thomas in the Ga 1840 census. However, there
are two different "Thomas Owen"s showing up in that census that could be him.
First, there is a single person in Meriwether County that is between age
30-40 that could be him with only one male child living with him between the
ages of 10-15. In 1840, our Tom would have been age 31 This could be the
result of the death of his wife and his being left with one son. Meriwether
County is where I found that Amanda Owen was born in 1849 so this scenario
appears to be very likly.
Second, there was a Thomas Owen listed with a wife and two children living
just 7 houses from a John C Weldon. It is possible that he lost his wife
and remarried Nancy Weldon. The two children could have left home prior
to the 1860 census which would account for why they did not show up there.
However, Kim has since corresponded with a descendant of this Thomas Owen
and she has confirmed that it is not ours. The census for him is still
listed in the 1840 census record for Talbot County, p 220, as:
Thomas Owen 1 male age 5-10
1 male age 30-40
1 female under age 5
1 female age 20-30
John C Weldon 2 males age 10-15
1 male age 50-60
1 female under age 5
1 female age 1-10
1 female age 10-15
1 female age 20-30
1 female age 30-40
I have not yet found Thomas and Nancy in the 1850 census.
I found Thomas and Nancy in the 1860 census in Talladega Cty, Ala
at the Talladega PO for the census taken on July 21, 1860 showing
the following data:
---Values of ---
real personal
name age estate estate born
T Owen 52 M Farmer 1000 6000 GA
N Owen 38 F Ga
B Owen 19 F Ga
MF Owen 16 F Ga
JW Owen 18 M Ga
SAF Owen 15 F Ga
MF Owen 10 F Ga
TF Owen 11 GA
WP Owen 1 M Ga
I found an 1870 census listing for Thomas and Nancy in Clay County
Alabama in 1870. Thomas was age 61 at the time and it was just a
couple of years before they began their trip westward. Clay County
was created in 1870 from the surrounding counties. Their community
of Lineville was previously in Randolph County which borders on the
State of Georgia. The entry in the census for Clay county, 1870,
P 237 (B), post office Lineville, Township 19, range 8 was as
follows:
---Values of ---
real personal
name age estate estate born
Owens, Thomas 61 600 663 SC
Nancy 48 GA
Amanda 20 GA
Warrin 10 GA
Lafayett 9 Ala
Augusta 4 Ala
The above information says that Thomas was born in SC, probably
moved to Ga where he met Nancy. They must have lived in Ga since
at least 184 when when they married til about 1860 and moved between
the births of Warrin and Lafayett to the area of Lineville Ala.
Jack must have met Nancy Hardy in Lineville since that is where her
family was and that is where she was born. At this time (1870),
Sallie and Jack had already established their own families--Jack
being age 22. It appears that Thomas and Nancy continued to have
children regularly based on the young age of Augusta.
A related listing detailed with Jack's data below shows that Jack
and Nancy Hardy were living in a neighboring house at the time and
that James was the only child they had. Please note the
coincidence that the original Thomas Owen was married to Nancy and
that their son, Thomas Florence (Jack) Owen was married to Nancy
Hardy.
Thomas Owen died in 1876, just a couple of years after reaching the
Arkansas area. He was age 66 and just shy of making age 67. His
death left Nancy with 3 children at home.
The 1880 census for Union County Arkansas (Cornie Township, p 5, Dist 1,
ED #275) shows the following:
--birthplace--
name relation age comments born F M
Nancy Owens 57 widowed-rhuematism Ga Unk SC
Warren P s 20 works on farm Ga SC GA
Frank L.C. s 19 works on farm Ala SC Ga
Augusta D 14 not employed-in school Ga SC Ga
Note that a will of Thomas (presented later) showed another son
as of 1876 named Jay GAF Owen but that person does not show up in
the census of 1880. Conversely, Thomas' does not include a reference
to Augusta. Could it be that the reference to Jay GAT is to Augusta?
This data tells that Nancy's mother was born in SC. She was born as
a Weldon but I don't know her parents names. As an unlikley scenario,
I have photos of her parents but without their names.
Honrie told of a "Pink" but the only tie-in would be if the above
Warren P is the one. She also told of a Cal and possibly the Frank
L. C. is Cal. A Lafayett showed up in the 1870 census and a Frank
L. C. showed up in the 1880 census--both being 1 year younger than
Warren. I presume that Frank Lafayett Cal-- was his full name.
Sallie Francis, an older child of Thomas and Nancy had married Robert
Creed in Alabama and is discussed below. However, by 1880, they
had split up,she had remarried a Gannaray and they had split. She
is shown in the 1880 census as living in the same household with
Nancy above. Her data is as follows, but showing a name of
"Sarah":
Gannaray, Sarah d 32 daughter Ga Sc Ga
John C s 9 at home Ala Ga Ga
James T s 3
She later married Barnett. See separate page for this family.
Sallie Francis Owen
There was a Simpson Ivens, age 19, living with them as a farm
laborer.
WILLS AND PROBATE RECORDS OF THOMAS AND NANCY OWEN
The last will of Thomas Owen was written into an official book
in Union County by a scribe. Thus, we have to assume that the
names and data listed were correctly entered. The will is as
follows:
Last Will and
Testament of
Thomas Owen
I, Thomas Owen, being of sound mind and memory in view of
the uncertainty of life do make this my last will and
testament in the following manner, viz:
1st I will that all my just and lawful debts be paid.
2nd I will that my beloved wife Nancy Owen have all my
personal property, notes, accounts and real estate during
her natural life to dispose of as she may think best with
power to give titles for lands and other property and
after her death what she has not used to be equally
divided among my other heirs viz Bithania E. Martin,
Sarah L F Creed, Mary F Reeves, Amanda F Harris, T F Owen,
Warren P. Owen, Floyd L C Owen, Jay GAF Owen.
Nevertheless, provided if my wife Nancy Owen should die
before the three younger Warren P Owen, Floyd L C Owen
and Jay G A T Owen should reach the years of maturity, I
will that a sufficiency be left out, before the division
takes place, for their education and support.
3rd I further will that my beloved wife Nancy Owen be my
sole executrix to this my last will and testament with
the power above invested.
Witness His
A E McAlpine Thomas X Owen
F A Locke Mark
December 12, 1873
Thomas died on September 24, 1876--just 2 years, 9 months after
making the will. It is difficult to tell from the handwritten will
as to whether there is a "Jay GAF" or "Jay GAT". Further, Augusta
is missing from this document and the Jay GAF may refer to her.
Note that the son "J W" that showed up in the 1860 census is missing
and presumed deceased by this time.
The application for letters of administration after Nancy Owen's
death in 1895 provide some additional clues as to names and locations
as follows:
State of Arkansas
County of Union
In the Court of Probate of Union County, Aug 8th, 1895
I, F. L. C. Owen, now making application for letters of
administration on the estate of Nancy Owen do solemnly
swear that to the best of my knowledge and belief the
value of the estate of said Nancy Owen late of Three
Creeks iin the County aforesaid, is about one thousand
dollars, that the names and residences of the heirs of
the deceased as far as known is as follows:
Amie Martin of Lineville, Clay Co State of Alabama
Mary Reeves, Georges Creek, Johnson co, State of Texas
T F Owen and Sallie Barnett both of Hico, Lincoln Parish
State of Louisiana
Also, Augusta Hopper of Hartley Polk Co, State of
Arkansas
Also, Amanda Harris of Shuler, Union Co Ark
Also, F L C Owen, Three Creeks, Union Co Ark
That the said Nancy Owen died leaving no last will and
testament as far as known by the said F L C Owen, and
further that I will make a perfect inventory of and
faithfully administer all and singular the goods and
chattels, rights and credits
Note that the JW and Warrin Pink that showed up in the 1860 census and
the Jay GAF are not accounted for in Nancy's probate. Also, we have data
that shows that Augusta married Daniel Harper. See her separate file
noted below.
DATA ON THE CHILDREN OF THOMAS AND NANCY OWEN
Bithania E Owen Martin
1. Bithania E Owen was born in the early 1840's in Ga, married Wm P
Martin in 1862 and died in 1896 in Clay Cty, Ala. For more data
on her, see her page.
2. J W Owen. No data is know other than the fact that he showed up
in the 1860 census in Ala as being a male, age 18 indicating a birth
date of about 1842. He did not show up in the 1870 census nor was
he accounted for in the probate of either parent.
Mary Francis Owen3. Mary F Owen (b ca 1844 Ga) is said to have married a Reeves (or Rives) and moved to Cleburne (Johnson Cty) Texas. That is immediately south of Ft Worth. However, I was not able to identify any data in the 1900 or any other census about her. However, I have now been in touch with one of her descendants and have found that she married William Josiah Rives and that they lived in the Somerville County just west of Johnson County. For more data on Mary Rives that I have been able to locate, go to her web site noted above.Sallie Francis Owen
4. Sallie Francis Owen (June 24,1846 to Jan 23, 1913) had several marriages. For more data on her life, see her page.Thomas Florence "Jack" Owen
5. Thomas Florence (Jack) Owen, Feb 24, 1848 Ga, d Aug 30, 1922 Hico, La. Jack is my line and he is my gg g-f. See his page for his descendants.Amanda F Owen Harris
6. AMANDA F. OWEN (Nov 26, 1849 to May 30, 1935) married Ben Harris and
settled in the ElDorado, Ark area. For her data, see her page.
7. WARRIN PINK OWEN (1859 Ga to ) never married. Honrie
said that Pink was sick and is buried at Three Creeks between
his mother and father but there is no marker there. There is
no confirmation of this. There is a space between the two
graves where another could be buried. He is mentioned in Thomas
probate in 1876 but not accounted for in Nancy's probate in 1894.
8. FLOYD LAFAYETTE CAL OWEN ( 1861 Ala ? to ). It is said that Cal's
wife died and Cal had a boy and a girl (Grace) to raise. They
moved to southwest Oklahoma. His name has been listed as Frank
Lafayett Cal-- Owen. However, the data in the will of Thomas (above)
indicated there was a Floyd L C Owen. However, that document
was written by another party. One of the census records show a
Lafayett and another showed a Frank L.C. The 1880 census showed
him at age 19 living at home with Nancy.
The Union County, Ark, marriage index, Book E, page 303, shows that
and FLC Owen at age 21 married Alice Alderson at age 19 on Oct 6,1880.
Nothing has been found yet as to what happened to Alice. They were
both listed as being from Three Creeks.
The records of the Hopewell Bapt Church showed that he applied for
membership there in 1908.
I had often wondered how the "Lafayette" name ended up in an Owen
family lineage. I received a note to a query from Capt Don C
East, 981 County Road 2811, Lineville, Ala 36266 in 1997 that
explained the background of that name in a number of families.
"This is a fairly common name (or at least it was common from
1825 until the early 1900's) in Alabama becaue of General Lafayette,
a hero of the American Revolution. In 1824, the US Congress invited
the Marquis de LaFayette to visit the US and be honored for his
role in the Am Rev. During this trip, the general was wined and
dined up and down the US eastern seaboard. The US Congress even
voted to give him $200,000 and a township of land. while on
this trip, he was invited to Alabama and entered the state at
Fort Mitchell on the Chattahouchee River. Here he was met by
an official party of whites and Creek Indians and over 300
spectators. He was then excorted to Montgomery, Ala, where he
was received on 3 April 1825 by Governor Pickens. The General
spent a week in Ala and travelled over 500 miles within borders.
Because of his fame as a hero and the celebrity of the day, towns
(Lafayette, Ala), counties (Fayatte County) and people were
named after him for years thereafter."
Although it may not be the same person, the 1900 census for
Arkansas County, Ark showed a Frank L Owens born 1865 in Ala
working as a barber at the time of the census.
Augusta Owen
9. AUGUSTA "GUSTIE" OWEN (1866 Ga ? to ) married Daniel L Harper.
She came to Three Creeks at about age 8. It appears that she was
born in about 1866 +-. The Cemetery and Bible Records of Union
County, Ark, Vol I, 1795-1975 compiled by Juanita Butler Hancock,
shows that Daniel L Harper, 20, Three Creeks, married Augusta Owen,
of Three Creeks on 9 July 1885 recorded on page G-181. The minutes
of Hopewell Bapt Church shows that Augusta Owen was a member in
October 1885. Nancy's probate in 1894 accounted for her as being
Augusta Hopper of Hartley Polk County, Ark. No further information.
There is a death record of an Augusta Harper in Columbia County on
August 23, 1935 but that person was a black born in 1915.
10. JAY GAF OWEN (b about 1870 to 1876, died prior to 1894) This person
does not show up on the 1870 census but does show up in Thomas probate
in 1876. Further, he is not accounted for in Nancy's probate of 1894.
There is a small marker between Thomas and Nancy that simply says "JR"
which could be this person. The "GAF" used in Thomas probate could
have referred to a nickname rather than initials. As noted above, since
Thomas probate did not show Augusta, this Jay GAF could have been a
nickname for Augusta.
As mentioned earlier, my daughter, Kim O Chance, and I visited
the Hopewell Cemetery in the fall, 1998. While looking at the
tombstones of Thomas and Nancy, we noticed a marker almost
completely buried between them. In digging around it, it appeared
to be a mall foot marker with the initials "J R" on the top.
I cannot explain who the person is or why the marker is located
where we found it.
The sources for the above data include visits to courthouses, cemeterys
and talking to various relatives. Most of the work herein is the result of
in conjunction with my daughter, Kim Owen Chance of Dallas. I also had
some input from Sally Strebig, a granddaughter of Wiley Whitman Owen.
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