1709 Lemuel Gowen, son of John Gowen and Mercy Hammond, b. September 22, 1709, at Kittery

Lemuel Gowen, son of John Gowen and Mercy Hammond Gowen, was born September 22, 1709, at Kittery. He was married January 25, 1731-32 to Mrs. Judith Lord

Parents: 

• 1668 John Gowen b. 1668 in Kittery, Maine

Children born to Lemuel Gowen and Judith Lord Gowen in­clude:

• John Gowen born November 20, 1732
• Lemuel Gowen, Jr. born in 1734
• Joseph Gowen born about 1735
• Nathan Gowen born about 1736

Siblings:

• Dorcas Gowen born August 13, 1692
• George Gowen born August 10, 1696
• William Gowen born April 27, 1697
• John Gowen born May 24, 1698
• Mercy Gowen born January 27, 1700-01
• Joseph G. Gowen born November 28, 1703
• Jane Gowen born May 17, 1706
• Lemuel Gowen born September 22, 1709
• William Gowen born July 14, 1715

FACTS and NOTES:

Lemuel Gowen, [John2, William Alexander1] son of John Gowen and Mercy Hammond Gowen, was born September 22, 1709, at Kittery. He was married January 25, 1731-32 to Mrs. Judith Lord, a widow, according to “Colonial Families of the United States.” She was the daughter of Nathan Lord, and accordingly, was not a widow, according to “Old Kittery and Her Families,” by Everett S. Stackpole.

Lemuel Gowen wrote his will December 27, 1737 and died at sea shortly afterwards. Judith Lord Gowen was referred to as “a widow” again September 28, 1738 when she was admitted to full communion by the Second Church of Kittery, Maine. The will of Lemuel Gowen was proved Octo­ber 17, 1740.

Source Page: Probate Office, 5, 195.
Name: Lemuel Gowen
Will Text: In the Name of God Amen the twenty seventh Day of Decembr in ye Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty seven, I Lemuel Gowen of Kittery in the County of York within his Majests Province of ye Massachusets Bay in New England Yeoman being bound a Voyage to Sea and not Knowing wheather it will please God to preserve my Life and return me in safety to my Native Country. I Do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament. Imprimis I Do Resign and submit both Body & Soul to God in hopes of his favour & Grace in Christ and as to such Worldly Estate as it has been pleased God to give me in this Life I Will & bequeath in manner & form following. That is to say I Give & bequeath unto my well beloved Wife Iudith all my Real & personal Estate to her Disposall for ye benefit of my Children & I likewise appoint my sd Wife Judith my whole & sole Executrix of this my last Will & Testament Disannulling all former Wills by me heretofore made In Witness whereunto I have Set my hand & Seal ye Date above written. Signed Sealed Pronounced & Declared by ye sd Lemuel Gowen as his last Will & Testament in psence of Jno Watkins James fferguson. Thos Emery. Lemuel Gowen (Seal) Probated 17 Oct. 1740.

Judith Lord Gowen filed a marriage intent with Abel Moulton of York County December 2, 1748. They were married De­cember 22, 1748 “for a consideration of 2 shillings,” accord­ing to the records of First Church of Berwick. Abel Moulton of Cider Hill brought Judith Lord Gowen Moulton “and her Gowen children to York.”

Children born to Lemuel Gowen and Judith Lord Gowen in­clude:

• John Gowen born November 20, 1732
• Lemuel Gowen, Jr. born in 1734
• Joseph Gowen born about 1735
• Nathan Gowen born about 1736

John Gowen, [Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] son of Lemuel Gowen and Judith Lord Gowen, was born November 20, 1732, according to “Old Kittery and Her Families.”. He was baptized September 28, 1738 in the First Church of Berwick.

Following the marriage of his mother to Abel Moulton of York, in 1748 he was married May 5, 1766, at age 36, to Su­sanna Moulton, believed to the his step-sister. The couple filed intent April 19, 1766 showing both to be residents of York. The Rev. Isaac Lyman per­formed the ceremony.

“John Gowen,” Abraham Lord and Joshua Emery were im­prisoned in December 1769 at Berwick, Maine. They were Baptists who had separated from the “standing church” in 1768 and organized a church under the leadership of Joshua Emery. For refusing to pay their ecclesiastical taxes, John Gowen and Abraham Lord were jailed, according to “New England Dis­sent” by William G. McLoughlin.

The household of John Gowen appeared in the 1790 census re­siding at Berwick. According to “Heads of Families, Maine, 1790,” the household was recorded as:

“Gowen, John white male over 16
white female
white female
white male over 16
white female
white male under 16
white female”

Children born to John Gowen and Susanna Moul­ton Gowen are unknown.

Lemuel Gowen, Jr, [Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] son of Lemuel Gowen and Judith Lord Gowen, was born in York in 1734 probably at Berwick, according to the research of Flora Card Woodford, a descendant.

He was baptized September 28, 1738 in the First Church of Berwick. “Lemuel Gowen” was impressed into military service May 24, 1755 “to serve the King in guarding the stores up the Ken­nebeck River to Ft. Holifax,” according to “Maine His­torical & Genealogical Recorder.” He was married about 1774 to Sarah Hearle.

“Lemuel Gowing” was enumerated as the head of a household in the 1790 census of Kitterytown. The family was rendered as:

“Gowing, Lemuel white male over 16
white male over 16
white male over 16
white male over 16
white female
white female
white female
white female”

Children born to Lemuel Gowen, Jr. and Sarah Hearle Gowen include:

• Nathan Gowen born in 1780

Nathan Gowen, [Lemuel, Jr.4 Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] son of Lemuel Gowen, Jr. and Sarah Hearle Gowen, was born in 1780. Nathan Gowen signed an intention of marriage with Jerusha Moulton March 13, 1806, according to “Vital Records of York, Maine.” Both were of York.

Jerusha Moulton was the daughter of Ebenezer Moulton5, [Samuel Moulton4, Joseph Moulton3, Jeremiah Moulton2, Thomas Moulton1]. In 1839 they were residents of Kittery.

Children born to Nathan Gowen and Jerusha Moulton Gowen include:

• John Gowen born about 1808
• Joseph Gowen born about 1810

John Gowen, [Nathan5, Lemuel Jr.4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] son of Nathan Gowen and Jerusha Moulton Gowen, was born about 1808 in York, according to Flora Card Woodford, a descendant of Cape Neddick, Maine. John Gowen and Hannah Witham, “both of York,” posted a marriage intent May 31, 1834, according to “Vital Records of York, Maine.” On June 21, 1834 the couple was married.

John Gowen died April 8, 1871 at “aged 67 years, 6 months,” according to his tombstone in the family cemetery on Cider Hill. Hannah Gowen died Jan­uary 29, 1873, “aged 69 years, 6 months.”

Children born to John Gowen and Hannah Witham Gowen are believed to include:

• John Wesley Gowen born January 21, 1839
• Lydia J. Gowen born February 10, 1841
• Mary Elizabeth Gowen born in 1845
• Julia M. Gowen born March 12, 1851
• Laura A. Gowen born in December 1859

John Wesley Gowen, [John5, Nathan4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] son of John Gowen and Hannah Witham Gowen, was born in Kittery January 21, 1839. John Wesley Gowen is further identified as the grandson of Nathan Gowen and Jerusha Moulton Gowen.

He was married about 1869 to Hannah Jane Gerry [also ren­dered Gary]. Hannah Jane Gerry Gowen daughter of Joshua and Sally Gerry, was born in Kittery October 27, 1839.

She died of tuberculosis January 1, 1878, and John Wesley Gowen died January 16, 1880. They were buried in the fam­ily burial plot on Cider Hill.

Children born to John Wesley Gowen and Hannah Jane Gerry Gowen include:

• Angevine Wesley Gowen August 30, 1869
• Clarence Eastman Gowen born about 1871
• Annie Jane Gowen born February 10, 1874

Angevine Wesley Gowen, [John Wesley6, John5, Nathan4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] son of John Wesley Gowen and Hannah Jane Gerry Gowen, was born August 30, 1869 in a house on Gorges Neck, named for Sir Ferdinando Gorges, a member of the Plymouth Company. The site was surveyed for Sir Ferdinando, “the Lord Proprietor of the Province of Mayne” November 11, 1641.

The house that he was born in and later died in was on the home lot of his maternal ancestor, Thomas Moulton. The house was built in 1714 on the York River by Joseph Moul­ton, son of Jeremiah Moulton and grandson of Thomas Moulton, according to Historian John Bardwell. Jeremiah Moulton purchased the property from Sir Ferdinando Gorges, in 1684 for £20.

The site was surveyed for Sir Ferdinando Gorges, “the Lord Proprietor of the Province of Mayne” November 11, 1641. It was described as “a division of 12,000 acres of land amongst the Patentee of Agamentics, made by us Thomas Gorges, Esq, Edward Godfrey and Roger Garde who are acting on behalf of Mr. Sayward’s Patentees.”

Angevine Wesley Gowen was born in a house on Gorges Neck at York. York was known as Agamenticus in 1641 and Georgeana in 1642. The Gowen home and 20 acres of land was later acquired by Old York Historical Society.

Of Jeremiah Moulton, his great-great-great-great-great grand­father, Angevine Wesley Gowen had to say,

“Jeremiah Moulton was a land grabber evidently and maybe some of his deals in real estate would not stand up to the ‘light of day’ any better than his attempt on October 3, 1693 to sell rum without a license. The court records show that he was fined £10 and put under bond of £50 to keep the peace “for threat­ening to shoot with a gun in his hands a constable and a justice of the peace.”

His son Abel Moulton was fined January 5, 1696-7 for “abusive speech.” Abel Moulton was stolen by the Canadian Abenaki Indians who often raided settlers in Maine. He was never returned and was supposedly drowned. Old Jeremiah Moulton was always buying the “piece of land next door” until he became a very large landowner.

Angevine Wesley Gowen, at age four, went to school at a little schoolhouse in Junkin’s Woods on Cider Hill. His first teacher was Miss Ellen Dennett. He was taken to Kittery, five miles away, to visit his Garey cousins and there was enrolled in a small red school­house on Spruce Creek,.

Orphaned when 10 years old, Angevine Wesley Gowen was brought up by his aunt, Miss Julia M. Gowen with whom he resided until her death in 1930, as well as with his uncle Joseph Gowen. Julia M. Gowen was named the guardian of the three orphans.

Angevine Wesley Gowen was a rare man, born with an innate ability to be successful at any project that he undertook. Al­though his schooling ended at age 16, he developed the skills to become a civil engineer and bridge-builder. As a young man he rebuilt Scotland Bridge in York Village, Maine where he was born.

He served a rod-and-chain apprenticeship in 1890 under Samuel W. Junkins, surveyor, and in a short time eclipsed his mentor as a surveyor and mapmaker, adding magnetic decli­nation to the skill. Beginning with his surveying instruments, he became an ardent astronomer and later built his own tele­scope.

When the art of photography began to develop, he plunged en­thusiastically into the field. Many of his photographs of the York area made on glass negatives still survive. He also re­ceived recogni­tion as a violin maker, musician, game warden, farmer, fisherman, astronomer, taxidermist and woodsman, ac­cording to John B. Bardwell.

His fame as a musical prodigy developed early. At age 9, al­though he never had a lesson and could not read music, he joined the town’s brass band. The band met for practice at “Fielding” in the loft of the shop of Capt. Timothy Young on Cider Hill. The band, composed of John Mitchell Moulton, trumpet; George Everett Moulton, bass horn, John Picott of Kittery, “tenor horn” and Charles Young who played the “alto horn,” quickly made room for the talented youngster with the coronet. He became a soloist for the band when it played for “town suppers” and “political speakings.”

The older men wore gala uniforms of blue and white with large brass buttons.

Later Angevine bought a violin for $3.50 from Oliver Jen­ness, a neighbor. He worked for 50c a day at odd jobs until he had the necessary cash. Then he marched proudly into his home and started to play. Initially his fiddle screeching caused his Aunt Julia to send him to the barn to practice. There he played to the cows, day after day, and when he emerged, he had mas­tered, entirely by ear, “The Irish Wash­erwoman.” Jenness was amazed when Angevine played “Pop Goes the Weasel,” for him, inserting difficult pizzicato with great skill. When he realized the limitations of his cheap vio­lin, Angevine went into the woods, selected some hardwood stocks and made his own violin, one that possessed vibrant deep rich tones.

His historical research brought him in touch with Col. Charles Edward Banks with whom he collaborated in writing “History of York, Maine.”

He had maintained a journal through his lifetime which he called “Cider Hill Annals.” His literary skills attracted the interest of Mrs. Catharine McCook Knox, a literary agent of Wash­ington, D.C. who recognized his genius. Thus began a fast friendship that lasted a lifetime. Flora Card Woodford of Cape Neddick, Maine wrote October 19, 1994 that also wrote “Unknown History of York, Maine” which exists only in manuscript form and was being preserved by a cousin.

Angevine Wesley Gowen was a master boat-builder and once mentioned to Mrs. Knox the difficulty he had in building and launching a sloop he constructed. She persisted that he should write an account of this endeavor, but he declined on account of his impending blindness that was beginning to take a toll on his activities. He replied to her inquiry October 26, 1934:

Dear Mrs. Knox,

I received your letter of inquiry this a.m. and am writing in my willow chair by the end of the table as usual. A poor light shines in which I fear will cut this letter short, at least for now. I will do my best how­ever in the few minutes that I am allowed to write.

Now about the boat, the “Winnie,” named after my boyhood friend Winn Campbell whose grave I vis­ited many years afterward at Georgetown, Maine while on detective duty for the State. All this I have told you be­fore. The boat was a 24-foot sloop, of 8-foot beam. It was built in what is now Mr. Emery’s shop and oc­cupied about the whole of the inside of it when onlited, for the shop was only 14’x24′. However, Frank Plaisted and I got her into the cradle and hauled her with his oxen down to the creek and launched her. However, my diary will tell more about that than I can now recall.

Aunt Julia lived in the house, while I built my boat in the shop annexed. And many a goody or wedge of pie or a pinch of black snuff she gave me. She was 80 then and always made me promise to bury her when she died, a promise that I religiously kept. I have many pictures of her and the small home that Milan prepared for her. It is now get­ting dark, and my blindness dictates that I will wait until tomorrow after­noon to continue.

“To write on both sides of the paper makes one bald­headed,” so says my editor, but I am not that yet, though perilously near it. So, ‘So long until tomor­row,’ as Low­ell Thomas says.

Of course, you have recognized Frank P. as the one who helped me launch my boat and to hoist the old Cider Hill Flag the year before. I could tell much more, but eyesight sternly forbids. I often shudder of when I think of climbing those rotten flagpoles and reeving the lines through the blocks for the flag. I, who now with diffi­culty climb a chair to replace an electric light bulb!

Also I shudder to think of my first boat ride in my new “Winnie” with a load of a dozen excited, glee­ful chil­dren and women, including Aunt Julia. The boat was not half ballasted, and a sudden squall would have meant catastrophe. But skillful sea­manship brought us all back safe and sound, and in fact, thus I have tra­versed the Great North [Woods] with canoe and paddle and sailed the briney deep in a 200-ton brigantine through some hard storms. I have yet to wet a stock­ing, and truly, my angel of good luck must have been con­stantly with me. Yet, I may drown in the first mug of beer I drink.

It is now 1:00 p.m, and the sky is fast becoming over­cast and dark again, so that I do not see a sin­gle word I am writing, but write mechanically, as it were, or more by instinct. Good luck. With kindest re­gards, I am, as ever,

A. W. Gowen”

On February 7, 1935, shortly before his death, he wrote again to Mrs. Knox:

“I am so blind now at this time of the year, 15 de­grees below zero here today. I have lost another relative, Willie Gowen, oldest son of Harry, died February 4 in Dover, N.H, leaving a little family, funeral today. I am too sick to go, and also on that account I am revis­ing my will, and relative to my diaries, I am fixing it so you will have full access to them until your work is done. I have failed much since Xmas, and if you will write date of di­ary and subject thereof, as in case of “Miss Taylor,” I can get someone to look it up, and I can dictate it more fully. We have very deep snow and much cold weather. I use only one door now to get out. The rest are all banked nearly to the eaves. Re­gards, A. W. Gowen”

On his property is an ancient white oak tree which was deeded in November 1990 to the Improvement Society of York, a par­ent organization of Old York Historical Society under the terms of Gowen’s will executed 50 years ago.. Gowen who was a surveyor, mapmaker and photographer, indicated that the tree may have been standing as early as 1641.

Gowen’s will also provided for family access to an early gravesite on the property.

“Notary Public Telephone Connection

ANGEVINE W. GOWEN
Civil Engineer and Land Surveyor
Special Attention Given to Magnetic Declinations and Retrac­ing of Old Lines

York Village, Maine
October 26, 1934
Dear Mrs. Knox,

I received your letter of inquiry this a.m. and am writ­ting in my willow chair by the end of the table as usual. A poor light shines in which I fear will cut this letter short, at least for now. I will do my best how­ever in the few minutes that I am allowed to write.

Now about the boat, the “Winnie,” named after my boyhood friend Winn Campbell whose grave i vis­ited many years afterward at Georgetown, Maine while on detective duty for the State. All this I have told you be­fore. The boat was a 24-foot sloop, of 8-foot beam. It was built in what is now Mr. Emery’s shop and oc­cupied about the whole of the inside of it when onlited, for the shop was only 14’x 24. However, Frank Plaisted and I got her into the cradle and hauled her with his oxen down to the creek and launched her. However, my diary will tell more about that than I can now recall. It was used for pleasure and fishing and finally sold to some­one.

Aunt Julia lived in the house, while I built my boat in the shop annexed. And many a goody or wedge of pie or a pinch of black snuff she gave me. She was 80 then and always made me promise to bury her when she died, a promise that I religiously kept. I have many pictures of her and the small home that Milan prepared for her. It is now get­ting dark, and my blindness dictates that I will wait until tomorrow after­noon to continue.

“To write on both sides of the paper makes one bald­headed,” so says my editor, but I am not that yet, though perilously near it. So, “So long until tomor­row,” as Lowell Thomas says

Saturday, October 27. Windy after the rain of last night, and the air is full of leaves–and I am full of company, so I will have to postpone this until later.

Sunday, October 28. Still windy, and the air is still full of leaves and rather dark for my eyes.

Of course, you have recognized Frank P. as the one who helped me launch my boat and to hoist the old Cider Hill Flag the year before. I could tell much more, but eyesight sternly forbids. I often shudder of when I think of climbing those rotten flagpoles and reeving the lines through the blocks for the flag. I, who now with diffi­culty climb a chair to replace an electric light bulb! Also I shudder to think of my first boat ride in my new “Winnie” with a load of a dozen children and women, including Aunt Julia. The boat was not half ballasted, and a sudden squall would have meant catastrophe. But skillful seamanship brought us all back safe and sound, and in fact, thus I have tra­versed the Great North [Woods] with canoe and paddle and sailed the briney deep in a 200-ton brigantine through some hard storms. I have yet to wet a stock­ing, and truly, my angel of good luck must have been constantly with me. Yet, I may drown in the first mug of beer I drink.

It is now 1:00 p.m, and the sky is fast becoming over­cast and dark again, so that I do not see a sin­gle word I am writing, but write mechanically, as it were, or more by instinct. So, good luck. With kindest re­gards, I am, as ever,
A. W. Gowen”

On February 7, 1935, shortly before his death, he wrote Katherine McCook Knox, his literary agent,

“I am so blind now at this time of the year, 15 degrees below zero here today. I have lost another relative, Willie Gowen, oldest son of Harry, died February 4 in Dover, N.H, leaving a little family, funeral today. I am too sick to go, and also on that account I am re­vising my will, and relative to my diaries, I am fixing it so you will have full access to them until your work is done. I have failed much since Xmas, and if you will write date of di­ary and subject thereof, as in case of “Miss Taylor,” I can get someone to look it up, and I can dictate it more fully. We have very deep snow and much cold weather. I use only one door now to get out. The rest are all banked nearly to the eaves. Re­gards, A. W. Gowen”

Angevine Wesley Gowen died in the summer of 1937 and was buried in the family burial plot on Cider Hill.

Following his death, Katherine McCook Knox of Washing­ton, D.C. wrote a tribute to his life and accomplishments which was published in “Old York Transcript” September 3, 1937. An editor appended a note,

“The following is an es­timate of the notable qualities of the late, great York figure, Angevine Wesley Gowen, who had he lived would have been 69 years old on Au­gust 30. Summation of Mr. Gowen’s many humanitarian and intellectual gifts are particularly appropri­ate at this time when the restoration of the old school house is in progress:

“Written August 23, 1937 at York Village, Maine
By Katharine McCook Knox

Rain, pushing straight down through the long dark pine needles, rain quivering slantwise in grey slashes across the white birth. Rain, rain and just the kind of day on which I loved to sit and talk to “Angie” at Cider Hill. Surely if it had been last summer, I would have been off bright and early to visit him. I would have found him at the end of Gowen lane, waiting qui­etly in his “willow chair” by the kitchen window. With his well-modeled head bent slightly forward, he would be listening, lis­tening.

Although from nearby my car looked to him “blue and misty, shining like a ghost,” he never mistook the sound of its motor of the turn of its tires as it rolled down the hill. His failing sight intensified the keen­ness of his hearing, and all his visitors were likewise summed up. As I would enter, he would rise, his strong sensitive fin­gers would unclasp from his gnarled walking-stick, and he would make me wel­come.

Hours of talk we would have, Angevine Wesley Gowen–farmer boy, taxidermist, artist, woodsman, carpenter, boat-builder, bridge-builder, surveyor, en­gineer–fantas­tic it sounds, but true nevertheless. He was as efficient as he was versatile.

A devoted son, brother and nephew who bravely nursed his family through piercing illnesses and never shirked a day’s work. But “Angie” died this past win­ter. Sixty-nine he would have been on this coming 30th of August. Last summer on his birthday we had a party, and he told me quite happily that his “interview with death” was not far away. He pulled out the ring from his piece of birth­day cake. “Now, will wonders never cease,” said he as he tested the metal with his teeth.

Native wit and shrewdness coupled with tenderness and an almost fierce independence of judgment gave his conversation never a dull lapse. Cider Hill 13 and a lit­tle red school house at Spruce Creek, Kittery were his two “Universities.” At the age of 16, he ceased school­ing. How interested he would have been this summer in following up the history and correct restoration of the old York school house which prob­ably opened its roughhewn door in the year 1747. His life as he told it to me was vivid, and Cider Hill and all its “folks” be­came a spreading world.”

Margaret Pearson Tate wrote “when I visited Mrs. Alice Free­man in his home in 1985 she showed me his “Cider Hill An­nals,” the journal he kept during his lifetime. I hope this has been turned over to some historical association.”

The most comprehensive work on this branch of the family has been published by Yvonne Gowen of Surrey, British Columbia, a member of Gowen Research Foundation. Over 10 years were spent in gathering data on the family. Mrs. Gowen, an ac­complished genealogist, assembled data from many sources. Among researchers who assisted were Mar­garet Pearson Tate of Exeter, NH; Almeda Gowen Schofield of Contoocook, NH; Bar­bara Clements of North Hampton, NH; Mary Driscoll of Spring­vale, ME and Mary Ellen Gowen Waugh of Riverdale, MD, also Foundation members.

The Gowen home and 20 acres of land was later acquired by Old York Historical Society.

A niece of Angevine Wesley Gowen, Mrs. Leslie Freeman of York, continued the work, building on his research. Helen Parker Gowen continued research on the family into the 1950s when blindness interrupted her work at the age of 84. She passed the torch to her younger cousin Viola Gowen Allen of San­ford, Maine.

Viola Gowen Allen, a registered nurse, wrote February 11, 1957 that she had an aunt by the name of Abbie Gowen Trafton. Viola Gowen Allen mentioned that she had a daughter by the name of Shirley Allen who was an invalid, having de­veloped polio in 1951. The mother of Viola Gowen Allen was a Hamilton of Waterboro, Maine. Viola Gowen Allen and her husband Robert S. Allen lived on Grammar Road, “1.5 miles from Sandford Square in Sanford, Maine.”

On April 7, 1957 Viola Gowen Allen wrote that her brother [unnamed] died in Minneapolis. “His only son has an infant son, and they are the only ones to carry on the family name. My brother died four years ago, and my father died this past December.” She mentioned a daughter “older than Shirley” who had a six-month-old daughter whose name was Kim Shirley.

On June 23, 1957 Viola Gowen Allen wrote, “Great-grandfa­ther Samuel Gowen deserted great-grandmother and remarried, living in the Chicago area; had children. Chester Gowen, my cousin, died May 2, 1957. His daughter and her husband are coming to live with Mrs. Gowen so the house won’t be sold.”

On August 12, 1962 Viola Gowen Allen wrote that her daugh­ter was a registered nurse and that her granddaughter was six years old. She mentioned that “Mrs. Chester Gowen had a shock [stroke?] and has difficulty speaking. Chester’s daughter and husband moved back from Tennessee to be with her mother.”

Evelyn M. Gowen of Minneapolis, Minnesota wrote May 8, 1956 that her husband, A. S. Gowen, a native of York County, died in Minneapolis May 8, 1956.

On February 8, 1957 Mrs. Chester Gowen wrote, “Stephen had 10 or 12 children, and not many of them here. I have had some correspondence from Mrs. Carroll Dow of Newburyport; she was a Gowen. My husband is one of 10 children, 9 of whom are living; the oldest one is 75, and the youngest is 57. Some the Gowens are in Chicago, Indiana and Washington state, all descendants of William Gowen who settled here.”

Julie Tuttle, a relative of Angevine Wesley. Gowen, lived at Ida Grove, Iowa in 1991. Another relative, Bradley B. Moulton, lived at Cape Neddick, Maine at that time, accord­ing to Mar­garet Pearson Tate.

The great white oak was used as a boundary maker in deeds written in 1641. Title to it was conveyed in his will.

Clarence Eastman Gowen, [John Wesley6, John5, Nathan4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] son of John Wesley Gowen and Hannah Jane Gerry Gowen, was born about 1871. He was married about 1894 to Mai Ethel Pray, daughter of John C. Pray and Jennie Hall Pray. She was born in Dover, New Hampshire April 7, 1873. She died in Portsmouth, New Hamp­shire October 7, 1928, according to her tombstone. It is believe that Clarence Eastman Gowen was remarried, to Lottie Smart about 1930. Children born to Clarence Eastman Gowen and Lottie Smart Gowen are unknown.

Children born to Clarence Eastman Gowen and Mai Ethel Pray Gowen include:

• Elizabeth Gowen born January 15, 1910

Elizabeth Gowen, [Clarence Eastman7, John Wesley6, John5, Nathan4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] daughter of Clarence Eastman Gowen, and Mai Ethel Pray Gowen, was born January 15, 1910. She was married about 1931, husband’s named Richardson. She was graduated from the University of Hampshire and received a master’s degree from Cornell Univer­sity.

In 1957 she removed to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where she taught at Ft. Lauderdale Winter School and at Fern Hall, a pri­vate school. She died August 14, 1994 in Ft. Lauderdale and was buried in Oakland Park, according to her obituary pub­lished in the “Exeter Newsletter” of Exeter, New Hampshire in its August 19, 1994 edition.

Children born to her include:

• Priscilla Richardson born about 1933
• Nancy Richardson born about 1935
• Carol Richardson born about 1938

Annie Jane Gowen, [John Wesley6, John5, Nathan4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] daughter of John Wesley Gowen and Hannah Jane Gerry Gowen February 10, 1874 on Cider Hill. She was reared by her aunt Julia M. Gowen when her par­ents died. She was married about 1891 to Edward E. Freeman who was born May 8, 1866. She died May 26, 1919, and he died August 18, 1936. They were buried in the family plot on Cider Hill.

Lydia J. Gowen, [John5, Nathan4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] daughter of John Gowen and Hannah Gowen, was born February 10, 1841. She died September 9, 1891 unmar­ried. She was buried in the Gowen Cemetery on Cider Hill.

Mary Elizabeth Gowen, [John5, Nathan4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] daughter of John Gowen and Hannah Witham Gowen, was born in York about 1845. She was mar­ried about 1866 to William Woodward.

Children born to William Woodward and Mary Elizabeth Gowen Woodward include:

• Laura Gowen Woodward born in 1877

Laura Gowen Woodward, daughter of William Woodward and Mary Elizabeth Gowen Woodward, was born in 1877. She was married about 1897 to William B. Card.

Children born to William B. Card and Laura Gowen Woodward Card include:

• Flora Card born about 1910

Flora Card, daughter of William B. Card and Laura Gowen Woodward Card, was born about 1910. She was married about 1930 to James Edward Woodford. In 1994, they lived in Cape Neddick, Maine where she, a member of Gowen Research Foundation, was active in the research of her Gowen family.

Julia M. Gowen, [John5, Nathan4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] daughter of John Gowen and Hannah Gowen, was born in Kittery March 12, 1851. She did not marry, but reared three orphan children of her brother John Wesley Gowen. She died October 19, 1930 and was buried in the Gowen Cemetery on Cider Hill.

Laura A. Gowen, [John5, Nathan4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] daughter of John Gowen and Hannah Gowen, was born in Kittery in December 1859. She died at “aged 15 years, 1 month,” according to her tombstone in Gowen Cemetery on Cider Hill.

Joseph Gowen, [Nathan5, Lemuel Jr.4, Lemuel3, John2, William Alexander1] son of John Gowen, was born in 1810. He died in 1886, according to his tombstone in the Gowen family plot on Cider Hill.