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Barney B.[ranford?] Gowen [William Keating6, James5, William4, William3, Thomas2, Mihil1] son of William Gowen and Mary Harrison Gowen, was born at Combahee Ferry, in 1809 according to the 1850 Camden County census.
In 1820, at the simultaneous deaths of his parents, he was adopted by his maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Harrison, according to Mary A. "Mollie" Wingfield, who "brought the two younger children to Georgia, leaving William and Ann with the Gowen relatives in South Carolina." The "Gowen relatives" were not identified.
Barney B. Gowen and his brother, James Gowen, "orphans of Glynn County, Georgia" in 1821 received a land grant of 202.5 acres of land in Dooly County, Georgia from the state of Georgia. The land was described as Lot 141, District 12. Dooly County was later located in Wilcox County, Georgia upon formation of the new county.
Barney B. Gowen held warrant No. 155 in the 1827 land lottery of Georgia. He was described as "Barney Gowen, orphan, over 18, resident of Georgia over three years, Glynn County, April 20, 1827." He became 18 in 1827, the year of the lottery.
Barney B. Gowen of Glynn County purchased eight slaves for $1,000, August 8, 1828 from Andrew Paul and John M. Paul, both of Anson County, North Carolina, according to Glynn County legal records. At the same time he purchased from John M. Paul five additional slaves by the names of "Will, Binar, Andrew, Susie and Katie." A bill of sale covering the transaction August 18, 1828 was recorded by "Barna B. Gowen" in Glynn County Deed Book H, page 152.
Barney B. Gowen appeared as the head of a household in the 1830 census of Glynn County, page 264, according to the 1830 census of Georgia:
"Gowen, B. B.white male20-30
white female70-80"
The septuagenarian included in the household is identified as Elizabeth Harrison, his maternal grandmother.
Thomas F. Harrison, son of John Harrison and Elizabeth Harrison, was a resident of Glynn County. He received 202.5 acres in Wayne County from John Perry June 30, 1827. The will of Thomas F. Harrison of Glynn County, written November 3, 1829 and probated January 4, 1830 mentioned "James Gowen and Barna Gowen, nephews", according to Glynn County Will Book D. The will devised his horse and gig to his mother, Elizabeth Harrison.
The will of Elizabeth Harrison of Glynn County, was written May 28, 1837 and probated September 4, 1837, according to Glynn County Will Book D, page 343. The document read:
"State of Georgia, Glynn County
Know all men by these presents that I, Elizabeth Harrison, being in perfect sound mind and memory, but knowing the uncertainty of this mortal life, do make this my last will and testament in words and form as follows:
Item: I give and bequeath to my grandson James Gowen my negro fellow, Jacob.
Item: I give and bequeath to my grandson Barny B. Gowen my negro woman, Eve with her future increase, my negro boy, George and my boy, Moses.
Item: All my ready money which I may have in possession, say about seven hundred dollars, I request may be put out at interest and to be equally divided between the children of my late son, William Harrison as they may arrive at age, but if my Executors hereafter named think proper to make a distribution of the money among the children before they arrive at age, they are at liberty to do so.
Item: My three negroes by the name of Jimmy, Tumah, and Albert I request may be sold at public outcry to the highest bidders for cash and the proceeds of the same to be equally divided between the following children: Ann Gowen, William Gowen, the children of my late daughter Mary Harrison, and James Scott, Eliza Thomas, Mary Henning and Sarah Porter, the children of my late daughter, Sarah Harrison, six in number.
I also nominate and appoint and leave my two grandsons, James Gowen and Barney B. Gowen my lawful executors to carry fully into effect this my last will and testament, revoking all other wills by me made.
In testimony whereof I have this day signed my name this 28th day of May, 1837.
Elizabeth [X] Harrison
Signed, sealed and acknowledged in the presence of us.
V. Wooley, A. F. Wooley, Frances M. Scarlett, I.I.C.J.C.
Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate of Elizabeth Harrison, late of Glynn County, Georgia, deceased.
1 Jim, a negro man valued at $ 650.00
2 Tamar, negro woman valued at 75.00
3 Albert, negro boy valued at 550.00
4 One note of hand given by James Gowen
dated 16 April, 1837, on demand 552.75
5 One note of hand given by James Gowen
dated 3 April, 1837, on demand 100.00
6 Four Hundred 41 & 25/100 note 441.25
We certify upon oath that as far as was produced to us by the executors, the above and foregoing contains a true appraisement of the goods, chattels and credits of the Estate of Elizabeth Harrison, deceased to be best of our understanding and judgment.
Alex McDonald, Stephen W. Timmons, G. Houstown, Appraisers"
Barney B. Gowen appeared in the legal records of Camden County when he received a deed to 486 acres of land from John Talbird of South Carolina. The land conveyed by the deed was bounded on the east and the west by land already owned by Barney B. Gowen indicating that he was already a large landowner by the time he was 28 years old. The deed read:
"The State of South Carolina
Known all Men by these Presents, That I, John Talbird, in the state aforesaid, in the consideration of the sum of Four Hundred Dollars to me paid by Barney B. Gowen in the State of Georgia, have granted, bargained, sold and released, and by these presents, Do Grant, bargain, sell and release unto the said Barney B. Gowen all that tract of land situated in Camden County in the State of Georgia containing four-hundred and eighty-six acres, more or less, bounded on the south by the Great Satilla River, on the east by land owned by Barney B. Gowen, on the north by vacant land and on the west by land of Barney B. Gowen.
Witness my Hand and Seal, this thirty first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven and in the 61st year of the Independence of the United States of America.
John Talbird
Signed, Sealed and Delivered in the presence of: John Hazel, John H. Webb, Thos. Talbird."
Barney B. Gowen received other land from the state of Georgia. In 1837 he was granted 40 acres of land in McIntosh and Camden Counties, and later in Camden County he was granted 225 acres in 1850.
For $150 Barney B. Gowen gave a deed to Thomas S. Hopkins March 10, 1840 to 225 acres which he had received in a grant dated November 4, 1839, according to Glynn County Deed Book CC, page 548.
Barney B. Gowen was enumerated in the 1840 census of Camden County as "B. B. Gown, age 30-40," and regarded as a bachelor since he was the sole white member of the household. The report also indicated him as the owner of 13 slaves with 8 members of the household engaged in agriculture.
On July 1, 1844 Barney B. Gowen purchased from John C. Sheffield 150 acres for $130, according to Camden County Deed Book O, page 24. On October 1, 1844 Barney B. Gowen for $550 received a sheriff's deed to "chattels of Henry B. Turner," according to Camden County Deed Book O, page 52. Property purchased included "one negro woman named Gilley, age 35; one boy named Alonzo, 8; one boy named Richard, 3; one boy named Ernie, 6; one girl named Annie, 7 months; 75 head of cattle; 1 bay horse, age 6 years."
Barney B. Gowen purchased items from the estate totaling $21.39, March 4, 1850, according to Glynn County Deed Book E, page 162. On August 17, 1850 Barney B. Gowen appeared in District No. 9, Camden County, Household No. 50-50, page 755 in the 1850 census. He was shown as a single man, 41, a planter born in South Carolina with real estate valued at $2,600.
He received a deed February 20, 1853 to 500 acres for $1,000 from Gideon A. Mallette, according to Glynn County Deed Book P, page 216.
It is believed that he did not marry. He died before his brother, William W. Gowen and was buried at Old West Union Church Cemetery, Colesburg, Camden County, three miles south of Woodbine.
Barney B. Gowen, son of Barney B. Gowen and Josephine Dobbs Gowen, was married in Folkston, Georgia in Charlton County to Thelma Taylor about 1946. She was born August 23, 1926 to Richard Chandler Taylor who was born July 19, 1900 in Charlton County and Cora Bell Crews Taylor who was born there February 3, 1903. Thelma Taylor Gowen was transferred to a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, March 7, 2004. Thelma Taylor Gowen had a tombstone in Sardis Cemetery.
A Barney Gowen, age 4, was enumerated in the 1850 census of Camden County, Georgia, living in Household No. 50-50.
James Gowen, [William Keating6, James5, William4, William3, Thomas2, Mihil1] son of William Keating Gowen and Mary Harrison Gowen, was born in Combahee Ferry about 1810. When the parents of James Gowen died, both on the same day in 1820, he along with his brother, Barney B. Gowen was adopted by his grandmother, Elizabeth Harrison, the widow of John Harrison. John Harrison had died 13 years earlier in Beaufort District in 1807, according to a letter written June 21, 1960 by Charles Latimer Gowen, his great-great-great grandson.
On April 25, 1827 "Elizabeth Harrison, widow of a revolutionary war soldier" received a land grant from the state of Georgia to land in Columbia County. Revolutionary service land grants did not require residence.
Elizabeth Harrison survived her husband until 1837 and died in Camden County where she had moved following the death of her husband 30 years earlier.
James Gowen, at age 8, and his brother Barney B. Gowen, "orphans of Glynn County," were the grantees of 202.5 acres of land in Dooly County from the state of Georgia in 1821. The land, described as Lot 141, District 12, Dooly County, was later located in Wilcox County, upon the formation of the new county. The orphans probably did not ever see the land, but simply had the deed recorded and sold the land, according to "Historical & Genealogical Collections of Dooly County" by Powell.
"James Gowen" described as "over 18, resident of Georgia for over three years" received a land grant in Glynn County in the Georgia land lottery of 1827. Date of the lottery was March 12, 1827. If this individual were, a generous allowance was made for his age to state he was "over 18."
He purchased a negro named Harriott and her child named Mary for $450 September 2, 1828 for $450 at a sheriff's sale, according to Glynn County Deed Book H, page 160. On June 10, 1831 he purchased a negro slave named John from John Coles for $275, according to Glynn Deed Book H, page 256. On September 17, 1830 he purchased 236 acres at a sheriff's sale for $250, according to Glynn County Deed Book H, page 260. "Barna B. Gowen" and Francis W. Scarlett were witnesses.
James Gowen was a member of the exclusive Camden Hunting Club October 18, 1832, according to its minute book. The group was composed of prominent citizens of the area, including two army generals.
James Gowen, was married to Anna Elizabeth Abbott about 1839, probably in Camden County. Anna Elizabeth Abbott Gowen was born in 1818 to George Abbott and Rebecca Bruce Abbott of St. Simons Island, Georgia. George Abbott was from County Galway and had settled in Frederica about 1805, according to E-mail written October 1, 1996 by Hugh Casement, Abbott descendant and researcher of Munich, Germany.
George Abbott was born April 26, 1789 to Thomas Abbott and Ann Tubbs Abbott at Mt. Bellew, Ballinasloe. Thomas Abbott was the son of George Abbott and Cecily Netterville Abbott of Castlegar, according to Hugh Casement. She was a daughter of Patrick Netterville, a merchant of Dublin.
George Abbott, who died in 1783, was a son of the Rev. Thomas Abbott of Castlegar, Galway. He was baptized in Dublin June 8, 1688. He wrote his will August 11, 1759 and died near Castleblakeney, County Galway in January 1762, at age 80, according to "Occurrences" by Pew. A memorial to him was erected in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin
The Rev. Thomas Abbott is presumed to be the son of John Abbott, "alehousekeeper" who was educated in Trinity College, Dublin where he received his BA degree in 1707 and his MA degree in 1710, according to “Alumni Dublinenses.” In 1715 he was named curate of Athenry, County Calway.
Of George Abbott, Hugh Casement wrote:
"When he was 16, his mother's cousin, Robert Hadlock [who was very attached to her and had wanted to marry her] wrote from Georgia that his heart was failing and that he would make her eldest son his heir if she would send him there. George sailed to Georgia immediately and founded the branch of the Abbott family in Georgia. He was married February 2, 1808 in Connecticut to Mary Winget Wright, only daughter of the late Maj. Samuel Wright of Frederica and Rebecca Bruce Wright.
George Abbott became a vestryman in Christ Church at Frederica when it was established December 22, 1808, according to Patrick Demere of Florida. George Abbott was the owner of 30 slaves, according to the 1820 census of Glynn County."
Mary Winget Wright Abbott was born in 1792 to James Bruce Wright and Anne Burnett Wright. She was the daughter of Moses Christopher Burnett and Rebecca Moore Burnett. He was the son of Maj. Samuel Wright and Rebecca Bruce Wright. The major who was born about 1738 was vendue master of Savannah in 1790. He was married August 14, 1790 to Rebecca Bruce, daughter of James Bruce, a merchant on St. Simons Island who owned Orange Grove Plantation located two miles south of Frederica, Georgia.
Maj. Samuel Wright was a commissioner of Glynn County Academy and a member of the Georgia House of Representatives in 1791. He was elected to the senate from 1792 to 1798. He died May 4, 1808. A petition was filed February 23, 1829 for the division of the estate of Samuel Wright by James Bruce Wright and Mary Winget Abbott, according to "Glynn County Minutes of Ordinary," page 38.
George Abbott received a deed to Lot 17 and a residence in Frederica May 11, 1811 for $125 from John Morgan et al, according to Glynn County Deed Book G, page 115.
George Abbott died November 19, 1825, at age 34, and was buried at Christ's Church. George Abbott had a younger brother, Edmund Netterville Abbott who also came to Georgia, arriving about 1807. He was a merchant clerk in Frederica and was recorded as an alien in the War of 1812, age 16, according to "British Aliens in the United States During the War of 1812" by Kenneth Scott. He "sailed to the West Indies and was not heard of again." A still younger brother, Richard Wakely Abbott emigrated to Georgia after the death of his brother George Abbott. He was married in 1826 to Agnes Dunne.
A sister of George Abbott, Elizabeth Deborah Abbott was born September 20, 1807. She was married May 10, 1824 to Henry Evans, Esquire of Cross, County Galway. He was a cousin of Lord Carbery. Henry Evans emigrated to Quebec and became a farmer at Kingsey, Drummond. He was ordained to the ministry and died of a heart attack at Dunham, Quebec about 1845. Five sons and six daughters were born to them.
Mary Winget Wright Abbott was recorded in the 1830 census of Glynn County as the owner of 23 slaves. She died August 27, 1848 and was buried beside her husband. Two sons and four daughters, including, Ann Elizabeth Abbott Gowen, was born to them.
The estate of Mary Winget Wright Abbott was valued at $930.16 December 14, 1848, according to Glynn County Deed Book E, page 130. James Gowen and Alexander Scranton were appointed administrators of the estate of Mary Winget Wright Abbott January 8, 1849, according to Glynn County Will Book D. They continued as administrators of the estate in 1850, according to Glynn County Deed Book E, page 197.
James Gowen, unidentified, received a land grant of 347 acres in Glynn County, in 1838 and another one for 259 acres in Glynn County in 1842. In 1839 James Gowen was employed by Pierce Butler of Darien, Georgia, the largest slave owner in Georgia as an overseer. Butler owned Butler Island Plantation and Hampton Point Plantation on St. Simons Island which employed his 500 slaves. Butler had married Fanny Kemble, an English actress who later wrote a journal of her plantation life.
A portion of Camden County was appropriated in the formation of Charlton County in 1854, and James Gowen found himself residing in the new county when it was organized.
James Gowen, unidentified, appeared as the head of a household in the 1840 census of Chatham County, living in the city of Savannah, according to "1840 Index to the Census of Georgia" by Woods and Sheffield.
James Gowen apparently lived the remainder of his life in Charlton County and was buried there when he died, date unknown.
Children born to James Gowen and Anna Elizabeth Abbott Gowen, according to a letter written by Charles Latimer Gowen, his great-grandson, dated June 21, 1960 included:
George Harrison Gowenborn about 1840
William Harrison Gowenborn February 23, 1842
Mary A. "Mollie" Gowenborn about 1843
Thomas B. Gowenborn in 1844
Milton Gowenborn about 1850
James Francis Gowenborn about 1852
DeLancey William Gowenborn about 1856
George Harrison Gowen, [James7, William Keating6, James5, William4, William3, Thomas2, Mihil1] son of James Gowen and Anna Elizabeth Abbott Gowen, was born about 1840, probably in Camden County. On November 3, 1857 he was married to his cousin, Elizabeth C. Evans, according to Glynn County marriage records. She was a daughter of Henry Evans and Elizabeth Abbott Evans of Quebec.
George Harrison Gowen later moved to Canada, according to Charles Latimer Gowen. It is reported that two children, James Gowen and an unidentified daughter were born to George Harrison Gowen and Elizabeth C. Evans Gowen. Nothing more is known of this branch of the family nor their descendants.
William Harrison Gowen, [James7. William Keating6, James5, William4, William3, Thomas2, Mihil1] son of James Gowen and Anna Elizabeth Abbott Gowen, was born in Charlton [Camden] County, February 23, 1842, according to Charles Latimer Gowen, his grandson.
From the Georgia State Confederate Pension and Record Department it is certified that William Harrison Gowen enlisted as a private in Company K, Fourth Georgia Cavalry [Clinch's] Regiment August 25, 1862. The record indicates that he was transferred to Company F of the same regiment early in 1863. Throughout the Civil War the Fourth Georgia Cavalry Regiment, under the command of Col. D. L. Clinch was unattached from an army corps, but was used in the defense of Savannah River batteries and other nearby military installations.