Melungeon Gowens Plant
The Family in Kentucky
Frederick Gowen and Jonathan Henry Gowen, regarded as
kinsmen, perhaps brothers, 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. It has been suggested that he was a grandson
of John F[rederick?] Gowen, Jr. of Stafford County, Virginia
and Granville County, North Carolina.
Jonathan H. 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. He
sold his property March 2, 1848 for $150, according to Pulaski
County Deed Book 13, page 520. 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.
He removed shortly afterward to 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
Polly Gowen born about 1824
Allen Gowen born about 1830
Larkin Gowen born about 1833
Elizabeth G. Gowen born about 1835
Frederick Gowen born October 9, 1841
Jonathan H. Gowen was a son of William Gowen and Betsey
Moss Gowen, according to the research of Clara Jean Grider
Sexton Fry. It is suggested that he was a kinsman of Frederick
Gowen because he appears to be closely associated with him.
Melungeon characteristics are also found among his descendants.
He was born in 1822 in Patrick County, Virginia,
according to the 1860 census of Adair County, Kentucky. He
was born in 1827, according to the research of Jessie Gowen
Thompson. On February 6, 1846 “Jonathan Goen” was married
to Hannah J. Beasley, according to “Surry County,
North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1780-1868.” Clara Jean
Grider Sexton Fry who has researched the family for many
years reports that Hannah J. Beasley was a half-Cherokee,
“and she is the source of the dark complexioned genetics in
our family.”
She was also born in Patrick County about 1826, and both of
her parents were born in Virginia, according to the census
enumeration. She was born August 15, 1829, according to the
research of Jessie Gowen Thompson. J. Allen Berryman was
the bondsman for the marriage. Later that year “James Goen”
was married to Elizabeth Beasley, according to the Surry
County volume. Eli Crouk was bondsman. “Morgan Goin”
was married April 5, 1862 to Sally Beasley by J. Gray, J.P.
William Gilmer was bondsman.
Jonathan H. Gowen and Hannah J. Beasley Gowen were enumerated
in the 1850 census of Stokes County, North Carolina,
along with “James Going and Betsy [Beasley?] Going and
their children next door, with a Beasley household between
them and John Going, his wife, Margaret and a 15-year-old
boy, LeRoy Going,” according to the research of Steve
Gowen.
From 1844 until 1855 Jonathan H. Gowen lived in Stokes
County, just across the state line from Patrick County. By
1857, he had removed to join Frederick Gowen in Adair
County. A photograph of Jonathan H. Gowen indicates him to
be a tall, lean, stern man with a full growth of neck whiskers.
He was a hunting dog fancier, and descendants “swore that he
loved his dogs more than his children.” Consequently, none of
his children would tolerate a dog on his homestead after he
was grown.
His household appeared in the 1860 census of Adair County.
Fortunately for genealogists, the enumerator saw fit to include
the county of birth for each individual:
“Going, Jonathan 38, born in Patrick Co, VA,
farmer
Hannah 34, born in Patrick Co, VA
Mary F. 15, born in Stokes Co, NC
Sarah J. 13, born in Stokes Co, NC
John 11, born in Stokes Co, NC
Fanny 9, born in Stokes Co, NC
Thomas J. [twin] 5, born in Stokes Co, NC
Henry C. [twin] 5, born in Stokes Co, NC
Susan E. 3, born in Adair Co, KY
Frederick 3/12, born in Adair Co, KY”
He served as a private during the Civil War in Co. G, Thirtyseventh
Kentucky Infantry Regiment. His household reappeared
June 22, 1870 located seven miles west of Columbia,
Kentucky as Household 119-119:
“Gowen, Jonathan 46, born in VA, farmer, $300 per
sonal prop, $3,000 real estate
Hannah 44, born in VA
Andrew J. 18, born in NC, farmer
Thomas J. 14, born in NC, farmer
Henry C. 14, born in NC, farmer
Susan E. 12, born in KY
Jonathan 10, born in KY
Nancy M. 8, born in KY
Martha A. 6, born in KY
Cornelius 3, born in KY
Emily 2/12, born in KY
On June 10, 1880 the household of Jonathan H. Gowen appeared
in Adair County at Gradyville, Kentucky, Civil District
5, Enumeration District 4, page 19:
Gowen, Jonathan 55, born in VA, father born in
[blank], mother born in NC,
farmer
Hannah 53, born in VA, father born in VA,
mother born in VA, wife
Elizabeth 21, born in KY, father born in VA,
mother born in VA, daughter
Nancy M. 17, born in KY, father born in VA,
mother born in VA, daughter
Cornelius 15, born in KY, father born in VA,
mother born in VA, son, farmer
Emley 9, born in KY, father born in VA
mother born in VA, daughter”
According to the family bible owned in 1972 by Martha Ann
Gowen McGrath, a descendant of Louisville, Kentucky, children
born to them include:
Mary Frances Gowen born January 23,
1848
Sarah Jane Gowen born May 4, 1849
John Gowen born in 1850
Andrew Jackson Gowen born February 2, 1851
Fanny Gowen born February 2, 1853
Thomas Jefferson Gowen born June 12, 1855
Henry Clay Gowen born June 12, 1855
Susan Elizabeth Gowen born in 1858
Jonathan Frederick Gowen born January 10, 1859
Nancy M. Gowen born April 20, 1962
Martha Alice Gowen born in 1864
Cornelius C. Gowen born February 14,
1867
Emily Gowen born in April 1870
Goyen Family Tree 