Genealogy Report: Descendants of William Cowan
Descendants of William Cowan
2.SEABERD2 COWAN (WILLIAM1)2,3,4,5 was born August 25, 1823 in Marion CO,TN6, and died 1886 in Grapevine, TX.He married ELIZABETH (BETSY)HOGE ASHBURN7 February 15, 1846, daughter of JOSHUA ASHBURN and MARY FOSTER.
Notes for SEABERD COWAN:
Seaberd Cowan was the oldest son of William and Cynthia Morgan. He was born August 25,1823, in Marion County, Tennessee. He married Elizabeth Hoge Ashburn on February 15, 1846 in Marion County, TN. She was the daughter of Joshua Thompson Ashburn and Mary Gilmore Foster. She was born January 12, 1824, most likely in Marion County, TN.
Seabird was a farmer, like his father, but he did not stay in Marion County.I have never seen a picture of Seaberd, but with such an unusual and colorful name I can imagine him as an adventurous man with a hard-working spirit. He was from Marion County , Tennessee but he chose to strike out on his own and live and farm in northeasternAlabama, for whatever reason. He was an educated man as he was a census enumerator, a teacher and justice of the peace. He had the pioneering spirit, as he chose to start a new life in Texas when he was in his 70's! I would like to have known Seaberd. In my imagination, I see him as a white-bearded man with a black suit and sparkling eyes, open to new horizons and ideas.
Seaberd and Elizabeth or "Betsy" can be found on the DeKalb Alabama Census of 1850, with 2 daughters, Virginia and Cynthia. He is listed as a farmer with value of real estate at $400. They must have moved to this northeastern area of Alabama sometime between 1848 and '49. On the same census page is a Martin Ashburn, who could likely have been Betsy's brother, as she had an older brother by that name.
By 1860, Seaberd and Betsy are still listed in the DeKalb County, AL census, but now they have 7 children- Virginia(12), Synthia(10), Mary(8), Sarah(6), Lavennia(4), Samuel L. Russell(2), and Thompson(2 mos.). Betsy had been very consistent- bearing a child every 2 years! Seabird was still a farmer, but interestingly enough, he was the census enumerator that year and was listed as the assistant marshal. He spells his name "Seaberd", so I assume this was the correct spelling. The Post Office of the area was named Head Spring. The 4 oldest girls had attended school that year.
Seaberd and his family apparently moved back to Marion County, TN between the years 1863-1870, or after the Civil War, as they are listed in the 1870 Marion County Census with one more child, Martha or "Mattie Bell". I believe they moved back to Tennessee to live with Seaberd's widowed mother, Cynthia. Seaberd is still listed as a farmer with a value of personal estate as $375. The Post Office listed is Jasper.
Sometime between 1870 and 1880, Seaberd and his family made the big move from Tennessee to Texas. According to a niece of Seaberd named Alice Cowan Lewis, the move was made in 1877.It is not known how they traveled but trains were running from Tennessee to Texas and they may have gone by way of emigrant trains to Tarrant County, TX. Cousin Alice Cowan emigrated with her family in Nov. 1878 to TX and recounts her experiences travelling by way of emigrant trains. It was a long and tiresome journey. She mentions staying at Uncle Seaberd's house at the end of their journey. "He had a large family and a small house," she recounts. They did not stay there long, as they moved to their own house a few days later! According to Cousin Alice, Seaberd and his family settled on a farm near White's Chapel, which is known as Southlake, near Grapevine. Here, Seaberd also taught school in the church building of White's Chapel, named for the Methodist missionary who preached and baptized once a month. Seabird was also appointed Justice of the Peace in Grapevine, an office he held until his death in 1885. Betsy died in 1883. Seaberd and Betsy are supposedly buried at White's Chapel Cemetery, which is a lovely old cemetery next to the old church near Grapevine. There can also be found the graves of their 2 grown daughters, Cynthia and Mary Cowan Lewis and her 4 children, that all died in childhood. The resting-place of Betsy and Seaberd is marked with a "plain rough red rock" with no marking, so it is uncertain exactly where they are buried in the White's Chapel Cemetery. In 1999, a memorial gravestone was placed in the White's Chapel cemetery, next to their daughter, for Seabird and Betsy.
More About SEABERD COWAN:
Fact 1 1: 1870, lived in Jasper, Marion CO, TN
Fact 1 2: 1870, was a farmer, value of personal estate 375
Fact 2: 1860, was census emumerator and a farmer in DeKalb
Fact 3: Bet. 1850 - 1864, lived in AL,value of real estate-600, personal-400
Fact 6: 1865, moved to Marion CO, TN
Fact 7: 1877, moved to TX
Military service: Bet. 1850 - 1864, was living in Head Spring, DeKalb CO, AL
Children of SEABERD COWAN and ELIZABETH ASHBURN are:
| i. | VIRGINIA3 COWAN, b. 1848, Marion CO?,TN; d. Aft. 1870. | ||
| ii. | CYNTHIA J. COWAN, b. November 22, 1849, DeKalb CO, AL; d. January 16, 1916, Tarrant CO,TX buried White's Chapel Cem., Southlake; m. JAMES S. HARVEY. | ||
| 9. | iii. | MARY COWAN, b. January 28, 1852, DeKalb CO, AL; d. Aft. 1880, Tarrant CO, TX buried White's Chapel Cem., Southlake. | |
| 10. | iv. | SARAH (SALLIE)COWAN, b. November 13, 1853, Valley Head , DeKalb CO,AL; d. January 18, 1926, Whitwell, TN. | |
| v. | SAMUEL L. RUSSELL COWAN, b. Bet. 1858 - 1859; d. December 16, 1904, Cordell, OK; m. JULIA. |
| More About SAMUEL L. RUSSELL COWAN: Fact 1: died as young man-no children |
| 11. | vi. | THOMPSON ASHBURN COWAN, b. March 24, 1860, DeKalb, CO, AL; d. May 12, 1900, Knoxville, TN. | |
| 12. | vii. | MARTHA BELL COWAN, b. 1862, DeKalb CO, AL. | |
| 13. | viii. | LAVENIA (LOU) COWAN, b. Abt. 1856, TN; d. February 26, 1932. |
3.SAM C.2 COWAN (WILLIAM1) was born February 14, 1825 in Marion Co, TN, and died June 26, 1878 in Hunt Co, TX bur. Ingram Cem. Commerce, TX.He married (1) LUCINDA JANE TUCK.He married (2) MARY (POLLY) MAJORS September 23, 1849 in Marion CO, TN, daughter of BERRY MAJORS and MARTHA.
Children of SAM COWAN and MARY MAJORS are:
| i. | WILLIAM SEABIRD3 COWAN, b. September 09, 1850, Titus Co, TX; d. January 03, 1929, Soper (Choctaw) OK; m. MARY ELIZA GREAVES, November 24, 1870, Hopkins CO,TX. | ||
| ii. | GEORGE W. COWAN, b. Abt. 1852; m. LOU LANKFORD. | ||
| iii. | MARTHA E. COWAN, b. April 1854, TX; d. Aft. June 1900; m. WOOD P. LOWE, September 24, 1874, Hopkins CO, TX. | ||
| iv. | ELLEN COWAN, b. 1856, TX; d. Bef. 1883, prob Hunt CO, TX; m. BURTON HASKELL COOPER, June 27, 1876, Hunt CO, TX. | ||
| v. | JANE COWAN, b. 1858, TX; d. Aft. June 1878; m. W A. BOOKER, July 05, 1874, Hunt Co, TX. | ||
| vi. | JANET COWAN, b. 1858; d. Bef. June 25, 1878. | ||
| vii. | JOSEPH COWAN, b. 1860, TX; d. 1876, TX. | ||
| viii. | SAMUEL PLEASANT COWAN, b. December 31, 1862, TX or Ark; d. March 08, 1937, Campbell (Hunt) TX;Stewart Cem.; m. ELIABETH ALZADA MCCLUSKEY, May 09, 1889, Hunt CO, TX. | ||
| ix. | BERRY COWAN, b. 1864; d. Bef. June 25, 1878. |
4.WILLIAM HENRY2 COWAN (WILLIAM1) was born October 07, 1831 in Marion CO,TN, and died November 04, 1910 in Roanoke, Denton CO, TX 100F Cem..He married SARAH CAROLINE GRAYSON December 24, 1852 in Marion CO, TN, daughter of WILLIAM GRAYSON and NANCY HIXON.
Children of WILLIAM COWAN and SARAH GRAYSON are:
| 14. | i. | WILLIAM HENRY3 COWAN, b. October 31, 1853, Marion CO, TN; d. January 19, 1934, San Jose, CA. | |
| 15. | ii. | SAMUEL HOUSTON COWAN, b. December 15, 1859, Marion CO, TN; d. July 20, 1928, Fort Worth, Tarrant CO,TX 100F Cem.. | |
| iii. | JAMES S COWAN, b. April 23, 1862; d. November 12, 1864, Marion CO, TN. | ||
| 16. | iv. | ALICE JANE PEACOCK COWAN, b. July 02, 1867, Tennessee; d. August 1965, Texas. | |
| 17. | v. | DAVID HIXON COWAN, b. February 20, 1871, Marion CO, TN; d. May 15, 1955, Temple, TX. | |
| vi. | IDA MELISSA " LEE" COWAN, b. October 04, 1874; d. January 30, 1971. | ||
| 18. | vii. | CLINTON ANDERSON COWAN, b. August 17, 1876, marion CO, TN; d. August 02, 1964, Roanoke, Denton CO, TX. |
5.ESTHER2 COWAN (WILLIAM1) was born May 03, 1833, and died July 27, 1897.She married PLEASANT MARION PRYOR 1869, son of MATTHEW PRYOR and HENRIETTA WILLIAMS.
Notes for PLEASANT MARION PRYOR:
According to letter by son Matthew, the Pryors can be traced back to 1635 in Virginia. Pleasant had 51 descendants by his first wife Melinda Prigmore.
In letter from a Kathy Henry (9-15-98)--descendant of Pleasant, she gives this history:
From: [email protected] (kathryn henry)
Here is a small history of Pleasant Marion Pryor, the father of Edgar
Lawrence Pryor. Pleasant was born 3 Dec 1822 in Marion Co., Tennessee. He
is the son of Matthew Pryor and Henretta Williams. He married his first
wife about 1847, Melinda Prigmore.They had 3 children:
Margaret born 30 Nov 1849 she died as a small child.
Susan born May 24 1851 died Aug 1937 md William H Gott
Alexander Kelly born 11 Aug 1856 died 30 Jun 1937 md Nancy Carlton. He
served as the postmaster at Victoria for 14 years.
Melinda died in 1865.
Pleasant was elected Sheriff of Marion Co and served for 1858 to 1860. He
served as Justice of the peace for 18 years. He was commissioned to serve
as Captain of Company I-10th Tennessee infantry volunteers (UNION).He
organized the unit and they were sent to Nashville. Their main job was to
guard the capitol and the Governor. They lived in the basement of the
capitol building He was a member of the convention on the reconstruction
of the state of Tennessee. He was a member of the Cleveland Lodge of the
free Masons and a member ofpost 53 of the Grandarmy of the
Republic.and serve as Chaplain. He was a member of the Presbyterian
church for 40 years and served aselder in that organization.
Pleasant was a farmer and a bee keeper,
Children of ESTHER COWAN and PLEASANT PRYOR are:
| 19. | i. | WILLIAM SHERIDAN3 PRYOR, b. October 04, 1870; d. October 22, 1937. | |
| 20. | ii. | SARAH VIRGINIA PRYOR, b. December 21, 1871. | |
| 21. | iii. | MATTHEW THOMAS PRYOR, b. April 16, 1873. | |
| 22. | iv. | SAMUEL PLEASANT PRYOR, b. September 17, 1875; d. August 22, 1944. | |
| 23. | v. | EDGAR LAWRENCE PRYOR, b. June 09, 1877; d. December 24, 1927. | |
| 24. | vi. | EDWIN ADAMS PRYOR, b. June 09, 1877; d. March 03, 1939. |
6.POLLY (MARY)(AUNT POP)2 COWAN (WILLIAM1) was born July 25, 1836.She married LAFAYETTE TAYLOR.
More About POLLY (MARY)(AUNT POP) COWAN:
Residence: lived near Augusta, KA, ButlerCO
Children of POLLY COWAN and LAFAYETTE TAYLOR are:
| i. | JOSEPHUS3 TAYLOR. | ||
| ii. | ROY TAYLOR. | ||
| iii. | LEATHY TAYLOR. |