1995 – 05 May Newsletter – GRF

Sections in this issue:

1) The Lives of Two James Madison Gowins Span 154 Years of American History;
2) Easau Gowen Fled to Maryland To Avoid His Indebtedness; (Edited: Nov 7, 2022 – correct name is Esau/Eashaw Goeing in record, NOT Jason Gowen or Jashen Goeing – see corrected story below)
3) First Families of Tennessee Organized for Bicentennial;
4) DEAR COUSINS.

All Gowen Manuscript Pages and Newsletters:   https://goyengoinggowengoyneandgone.com/gowen-research-foundation-pages-and-info/

GOWEN RESEARCH FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER
Volume 6, No. 5 May 1995

1)  The Lives of Two James Madison Gowins
Span 154 Years of American History

James Madison Gowin, a Civil War veteran and his son James Madison Gowin, Jr, the “First Atomic Veteran” of World War II of Kingston Springs, Tennessee, together saw an immense scope of the American panorama. This month, their lives combine to cover 154 years of American history. James Madison Gowin, Jr, despite his exposure to radiation poisoning in Japan following the explosion of the atomic bomb there, continues to enjoy life in his 80th year. He may be the only surviving son of a Civil War soldier!

James Madison Gowin, son of Drury M. Gowin and Elizabeth B. Rash Gowin, was born May 11, 1841 in Crawford County, Illinois. He told his daughter, Virginia Gowin that he was one quarter Indian.

During the Civil War, he enlisted in Company B, Thirty-third Indiana Infantry Regiment and received his baptism of fire in the Battle of Shiloh. Before his regiment arrived, the Confederates under Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston on April 6, 1862 defeated the Federals under Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.

Grant, fresh from his victory at Ft. Donelson, Tennessee, had split his forces and came up against 40,000 Confederate with 22,000 Union troops at Pittsburg Landing. The forces of Grant’s lieutenant, Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman encamped at Shiloh Church, were surprised and overrun along with several other Union positions.

Johnston was killed during the savage fighting of the afternoon, and Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard took command as a Confederate drive pushed the Federals to the Tennessee River. During the night, Gen. Don Carlos Buell arrived with 20,000 fresh Union soldiers, including the 33rd Indiana. The reserves turned the tide of battle against the exhausted Confederates, resulting in a Union victory. Shiloh was one of the most brutal battles of the war: Union casualties were more than 13,000; Confederate, more than 10,000.

In another scene from the Civil War, James Madison Gowin told about a night when he and 200 other Union soldiers bedded down on the ground in Virginia. He was the first one to wake up, and when he looked out, his regiment “was gone.” They were covered in about six inches of snow. Soon they began to stir, and the regiment reappeared.

During the war, he was married February 30, 1864 to Sarah Jane Parker, according to Rutherford County Marriage Book 1804-1872. She was the daughter of Arthasia Parker and was born at Rucker, Tennessee in Rutherford County.

After the end of the war, James Madison Gowin remained in Tennessee. “James Gowan” appeared as the head of a household in the 1880 census of Rutherford County, Enumeration District 199, Page 19, District 11, enumerated as:

“Gowan, James 36, born in IL
Sarah 39, born in TN
William 18, born in TN
Drewry 15, born in TN
Johny 13, born in TN
Leola 4, born in TN
Parker, Arthasia 53, born in TN, mother-in-law”

In 1911, at age 78, he was remarried to Mary Belle Cox, age 24, born in 1887 to James Cox of Bowling Green, Kentucky. She was injured at age 13 while helping her father shingle a house.

She fell from the roof and landed on her head. A bone fragment in her skull applied pressure on her brain, causing frequent attacks of epilepsy.

In 1914, in declining health, James Madison Gowin lived at Murfreesboro where he operated a retail store. Because of her epileptic condition, Mary Belle Cox Gowin required care. She had frequent seizures in which she fell into the fire and other dangers.

Since both parents had been incapacitated, officials of Rutherford County had attempted to take custody of the children early in the year. James Madison Gowin, Jr. recalled that once when he was 10-years old, an officer of the Rutherford County Court had come to their home to get the children. A confrontation erupted, and his father prepared to fight the officer and called upon his son to “Give ’em hell, Jim!”

On July 10, 1925 he wrote his will and died there December 16, 1925 “of aorta insufficiency,” according to E. C. Allen, M.D.

He was buried there in Evergreen Cemetery. “Mary Gowin Jones” believed to be Mary Belle Cox Gowin, lived at 2821 Swiss Avenue, Dallas, Texas. She assisted Janie Lee Gowin to obtain a birth certificate at that time, according to Dallas County Probate birth records.

Leola Gowin Skidmore took her father’s younger children into her home for about one year. and then they were placed in foster homes.

Children born to James Madison Gowin and Sarah Jane Parker Gowin include:

William Parker Gowin born in 1862
Drury W. Gowin born October 31, 1864
Johnny Gowin born in 1867
Leola Gowin born January 19, 1875

Children born to James Madison Gowin and Mary Belle Cox Gowin include:

Janie Lee Gowin born May 14, 1912
Virginia Gowin born July 3, 1913
James Madison Gowin, Jr. born August 25, 1915
Mary Elizabeth Gowin born January 15, 1917

James Madison Gowin, Jr, son of James Madison Gowin and Mary Belle Cox Gowin, was born August 25, 1915 in Rutherford County. After the death of his father and the removal of his mother to Texas, young Jimmy Gowin was taken to the Thomas Fresh Air Camp, an orphanage in nearby Kingston Springs, operated by Bro. Frank Houser and Nannie Lou Hatcher Houser.

He immediately ran away, headed for Murphreesboro, but kindly Bro. Houser intercepted him and finally persuaded him to give the Fresh Air Camp a trial.

The place he dreaded, in a few days, became the most pleasant spot of his entire life. He enjoyed the Fresh Air Camp so much that in his retirement, he went back to that spot and bought property at Craggie Hope, a mile away from Thomas Fresh Air Camp.

The next four years with the Housers and the other children in the orphanage brought joyous days to young Jimmy. He recalls fondly those happy days under the tutelage and influence of Bro. Houser who gave great attention to each child and used every day and every event to instill in them a love for life and for their creator. He recalls:

“One day he took five of us 12-year-old boys in the wagon to gather apples. On the way, he cautioned us not to eat a single apple until we had finished gathering. He showed us the difference between a good apple and a bad apple and had us put only the good apples in the baskets. The bad apples with the rotten spots we piled up on the ground.

After we had gathered about a dozen bushel basketsful and loaded them on the wagon, Bro. Houser had us all sit down at the sorry apple pile. Then Bro. Houser gave thanks to God “for the bounty we are about to receive.” I marvelled at this and impertinently challenged with, ‘Why do we give thanks for a bunch of rotten apples?’

‘Because there’s some good in every bad apple–all we have to do is look for it,’ replied Bro. Houser. Then he took his pocketknife, trimmed a wormy spot off an apple and began to eat. He passed the knife around to each of us, and each learned to remove the bad and savor the good.

On our way home, with the wagon loaded with baskets of apples and the boys dangling their feet over the sides, Brother Houser spotted a dead tree which he wanted to remove. I was riding on the coupling pole which extended out behind the wagon. Bro. Houser had me climb the tree and fasten the chain from the coupling pole around the trunk, high above the ground.

With everyone back aboard, Bro. Houser said ‘Giddup’ and slapped the mules’ rumps with the lines. The startled mules, Mary and Sarah, pulled with a will, the tree didn’t budge, and the wagon flew high into the air, like a button on a string!

Boys and apples sailed out of the wagon, landing on the grass, scattered and disheveled. When Bro. Houser determined that no one was hurt, he had us all kneel down on the spot and gave thanks for our safe deliverance.”

The fall of 1929 brought another change to the life of young Jimmy Gowin. The Great Depression struck, and he moved to nearby Willowbrook Farm to live with his third set of parents, the John B. Treanors. The farm consisted of 10,000 acres of crops, grass and trees. It produced horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and chickens. And, even better, 14-year-old Fannie Kranz, whom he dearly loved, made the move to Willowbrook with him. That year, the became a cowboy and fell in love with Fannie. It doesn’t get any better than this!

After a few years, Jimmy Gowin saw the need to go out on his own and enlisted in the Civilian Conservation Corps, a public works camp which performed construction projects for the community and worked under a military discipline. After learning the rudiments of the construction trade, he began work at the sprawling Oak Ridge defense plant at the beginning of World War II. There he worked on the building which produced the prototype of the first atomic bomb. He was married about 1935 to Ethel Capps who was born April 1, 1915.

They were divorced about 1946.

He had enlisted in the U.S. Army in the early days of the war and served in the 731st Combat Engineers as a steel rigger. He went overseas June 6, 1945 and was stationed on Okinawa where his unit prepared for the coming invasion of Japan.

Shortly before the planned invasion, the Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima August 6, 1945. Three days later, a second bomb fell on Nagasaki, and the war was over.

Jimmy Gowin’s unit was assigned to occupation duty at the Osaka submarine base, 30 miles from Hiroshima. He and some comrades took a Jeep and drove into the ruins of the city, not having been warned about the hazards of the deadly radiation lingering there. They even spread their lunch on the tops of marble columns “that had been sheared off like a stick of butter.”

The life of James Madison Gowin, Jr. was changed forever. He was plagued with radiation sickness for the next 50 years. He was in and out of Army hospitals in Japan. Once, in a dizzy spell he fell off a dock in Tokyo Bay and severely injured his leg. The Army doctors had not been briefed on how to diagnose and to treat radiation sickness. It was a new field of medicine, and the curriculum of the pre-war medical school had not prepared them for it.

Most of the physicians played it safe and entered nothing about radiation sickness in James Madison Gowin’s medical record. He was returned to the United States April 11, 1946. He was honorably discharged at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina August 27, 1946, according to Cheatham County, Tennessee Discharge Book 2, page 504.

James Madison Gowin, Jr. was remarried April 24, 1947 to Lucille “Lucy” Tudor, daughter of L. C. Tudor and Carrie Cathey Tudor. She was born October 10, 1931 at Craggie Hope, Tennessee.

Despite the debilitating effects of radiation sickness and frequent work interruptions it precipitated, James Madison Gowin, Jr. was employed as an ironworker until his retirement. He has conducted a 50-year battle with the Veterans Administration in an effort to secure proper medical treatment. To complicate matters, his medical record was lost from the Army’s records, making it even more difficult to prove that his illness was service connected.

Now in retirement, he has returned to Craggie Hope with his memories of the nearby Thomas Fresh Air Camp and Willowbrook Farm and their happy days. There the “First Atomic Veteran” has built a memorial garden in honor of all atomic veterans.

Children born to James Madison Gowin, Jr. and Ethel Capps Gowin include:

Dan Sheridan Gowin born June 1, 1937
James Madison Gowin III born December 31, 1940,

Children born to James Madison Gowin, Jr. and Lucille “Lucy” Tutor Gowin include:

Carolyn Constance Gowin born July 18, 1949
Marion Gowin born December 9, 1950
Julie Gowin born July 14, 1951
Frank Houser Gowin born December 4, 1952
James Madison Gowin, III born August 24, 1958

In May 1990 James Madison Gowin, Jr. donated his papers to the Foundation Library for the use of family researchers and for preservation. Included in the collection were his memoirs, photographs dating back to 1915, family correspondence dating back to 1911, newspapers clippings and prize-winning poems written by the donor. The collection has been catalogued and bound by the Foundation.

Ten-year-old Jimmy Gowin, standing in the back of the buggy, has fond memories of his days at Thomas Fresh Air Camp at Craggie Hope, TN. Other children in the photo, taken in 1925, are unidentified. The mules are identified as Mary and Sarah.

2)  Jason Gowen. Esau Gowen Fled to Maryland To Avoid His Indebtedness (Edited: Nov 7, 2022 – correct name is Esau/Eashaw Goeing in record, NOT Jason Gowen or Jashen Goeing – see corrected story below)

Easaw Gowen, son of the slave Mihil Gowen, was born about 1660, probably in James City County. It is believed that he joined his brother Thomas Gowen about 1696 in a move to Westmoreland County, Virginia. (This first paragraph above is wrong – Esau Goeing and Thomas Going both were in Talbot County, Maryland in 1671/1672 and then both are in Westmoreland Co, Va records by 1693 as shown in records below. Both having birth years by or before 1650).

When he became indebted there to Gowin Corbin, he apparently “skipped the country.” It is believed that he removed across the Potomac River to Maryland.

“Gowin Corbin, Gentleman, obtained an attachment against the estate of Jashen Eashaw Goeing for 815 pounds of tobacco, and the sheriff made return that he had attached one gray horse branded on both buttocks with obscure brands which horse he had in custody and a bridle and saddle in the hands of Abraham Smith. Jashen Eashaw Goeing having absented himself out this county, and for that it appeared by the oath of Mr. James Ellis that Jashen Eashaw Goeing stands indebted to Gowin Corbin, judgment is granted him for the debt, the horse being appraised at 800 pounds of tobacco. Ordered the sheriff doe deliver him to Mr. Corbin in part of the satisfaction of the debt.”

When Thomas Gowen, brother to Jason Gowen, was challenged as to whether he was a “free man” or an escaped slave, he made a trip to Maryland perhaps to obtain documents from Jason Gowen proving that he was born free.  

(The final paragraph above is wrong. Thomas Going was not challenged as to whether HE was free. Thomas Going posted bond for a Chapman Dark so that Chapman Dark could go to Maryland to get his papers to show that Chapman Dark was free). See:

1703 May 26: Chapman Dark by the peticon to this court shewing that some tyme agoe by assignemt from John Harper of Stafford County his late Master, hee was assigned to Joseph Tayler of this County for the remaining part of his tyme of service not then expired, that his sd tyme of service is some tyme past expired as by the sd assignment if produced would appeare, but the sd Joseph Tayler wrongfully detaines him and refuses to produce the assignment by wch hee pretends to claime a right to his service to the peticoners great detriment and praying to bee discharged from his said master Tayler. Therefore it is ordered that the sheriff of this County do summon the sd Joseph Tayler that hee appeare at the next Court to bee held for this County to answer the sd complt and shew cause if any hee can why hee detaines the said Chapman Dark and because the sd Chapman Dark hath offered to this Court that hee can produce testimony from Maryland that hee is realy free praying liberty to go over to Maryland to procure the same. Thomas Goen haveing assumed to the Court in the summe of two thousand pounds of tobo that the sd Chapman Dark shall appeare before her Majesties justices here at the next Court to bee held for the County to prosecute his said complaint and that in case hee bee not found to bee free hee shall serve his sd master ratably(sp?) after his first tyme expired according to Law for the tme of his absence. It is ordered that hee the sd Chapman Dark have liberty to go for Maryland in order to prosecute his sd pretence. Westmoreland County Court orders 1698 to 1705 pg. 190a.

1703 June 30: Upon a full heareing of all matters debated and argued between Chapman Dark and Joseph Tayler his late master concerning his freedom, it is the oppinion of this Court that the sd Chapman hath served his full tyme of service due to his said late master and doe therefore discharge him from any further service pretendedly due to the said Tayler and order that the sd Joseph Tayler doe forthwith pay him his corn and cloaths due to him according to the custom of this Colony together with his costs in the behalf also etc.
From which judgment the sd Joseph Tayler appeals to the second day of the next Genl Court.
John Spencer Gent assuming with the appellant for his prosecucon of his sd appeale, and
Thomas Goen with the appellee for his appeareance and ordered they enter into bond according to Law for performance of the same.  Westmoreland County Court orders 1698 to 1705 pg. 194a-195.

(RECORDS PROVIDING THE REASON ABOVE STORY IS EDITED FROM JASON to EASHAW:  See the following records. Someone transcribed the records incorrectly): 

1671 May 13 – Came Francis Staunton Mercht and proved right of 500 acres of land for transporting of:
Roger Pate, James Barber, Francis Lloyd, Richard Thompson, John Vincent, Thomas Going, William Ashbee, Bartholemew Hayes, Richard Taylour and Elizabeth Miles into this Province to inhabit, which he assigns as followeth, vizt:
Know all men by these presents that I Francis Staunton of London merchant for a valuable consideration to me in hand paid by Bryan O’Mayley of Talbot County planter have assigned sold and set over and by these presents do assign & sell and set over unto the said Bryan Omaly all my right title and interest of in and to 500 acres of land to me due for transporting:
James Barber, Francis Loyd, Richard Thompson, John Vincent, Thomas Going, William Ashbee, Bartholomew Hayes, Richard Taylour and Elizabeth Miles into this Province to inhabit. To have and to hold the said 500 acres. Rights to him the said Bryan Omaley his heirs & assignes forever. Talbot County, Maryland
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale this 13th day of May 1671.
Signed: Francis Stanton (sealed)
Sealed & delivired in the presence of us, Richard Moy, Robert Ridgely.
Talbot Co, MD. Patent Record 1670-1673. Liber No. 16, transcribed from WT, from folios 1st to fol 640. Containing rights, warrants and assignments certificates and pattents. SR 7357. pg. 135.
Source: WT: 133 Film No: Transported by 1671 ; Transcript: 16:135; MSA SC 4341-
http://earlysettlers.msa.maryland.gov/
SERNO: S11. LAND OFFICE (Patent Record)#16, p. 135 Thomas Going, 1671 [MdHR 17,350, 1-23-1-21]. 06/02/92. Tracking No.: 17596. Circ. No.: 6395.
https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/stagserm/sm1/sm2/000000/000019/pdf/mdsa_sm2_19.pdf

Compare this to:

1672 Esau Goeing and his wife Ann Goeing are noted in service in Maryland. Source: 17:376 Film No: Husband of Ann, service by 1672;  MSA SC 4341- 1672 Goeing, Ann17:376 Film No: Wife of Esau Goeing, service by 1672; Anne, the wife of Esau Goeing proved rights to land for service provided in Talbot County, Maryland. Esau Goeing assigned his wife’s rights for her service to John Pitt in Talbot County, Maryland.

1672 Dec 24th – Know all men by these presents that we Thomas Logings, John Barrett, William Potter, Ann the wife of Esau Goeing, Thomas Watson & William Street proved then 6 rights due to them for their several times of service performed in this Province.
Signed: Math. Warde
Know all men by these presents that we Thomas Logings, John Barrett, William Potter, Esau Goeing, Thomas Watson & William Street have assigned and set over unto John Pitt of Talbot County 6 rights due to us for our several times of service performed in this Province and all our & every of our right title and interest of in and to the land due for the same. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands & seales this 24th of December 1672.
Signed: Thomas Logings, John Barrett, William Potter, Esau Goeing, Thomas Watson, William Street.
Wit: Math. Warde, John Baynard
Source: 17:376 Film No: Esau Goeing Husband of Ann, service by 1672; MSA SC 4341- 1672 Goeing, Ann 17:376 Film No
Talbot County, Maryland

Note:  This transaction tells us a few things a) Anne Goeing was owed for her service – likely this was an indenture, meaning she started her indenture at least 4 years earlier (1668 or before). Since she was married, and selling her rights to her service, she was now free.  b) Esau Goeing married Anne Goeing, and as her husband, he was selling her rights due to her for her service.  Since he was contracting and married, he obviously was not under any indenture either – no documents have indicated Esau ever was a servant, nor have any documents indicated when Esau Goeing arrived in the Americas.  He may have been born in the Americas.

Relationship to Thomas Going – it appears this may be Thomas Going.  Both Thomas and Esau appear in records in Talbot County, Maryland about 1671/72.  Both then appear in records in Westmoreland County, Virginia in 1693.  This “suggests” they may be related in some fashion, but it is unknown how.

By 1693 Thomas Gowing is living in Westmoreland County, Virginia [organized in 1653 from Northumberland County] where he appears in several court records.

1693 April 7, Abraham Smith vs. Thomas Goen. Defamation. Withdrawn in person (entered twice, back to back, on same page)
County Court orders 1690-1698. Westmoreland Co, Va. p 90
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4V-6B48?i=203&cat=382658

1693 May 31 – Gawen Corbin Gent attachd an attachmt against the estate of Eashaw Goeing for eight hundred and fifty pounds and the sheriff under return that he had it attached one gray horse branded on both buttocks with obscure H brands which a horse has had in custody and a bridle and saddle in the hands of Abraham Smith as being the proper estate of the sd Eashaw Goeing.
Easaw Goeing late of this county being indebted to Mr. Gawen Corbin in the summ of eight hundred and fifteen pounds of tobo by cask as it was said and having absented himself out of the county the sd Corbin obtained an attachment agst the sd Goeings estate by Corbin of which the Sheriff attached one gray horse branded on both buttocks with an obscure brand being the proper estate of the sd Easaw Goeing as by the estate of the sd attachmt doth appeare. And for that it appeared to this court by the oath of Mr James Ellis that the sd Easaw Goeing stood justly indebted to the sd Gawen Corbin in that sum of amt of tobo by ammt for good judgment is granted him for his sd debt and (sp?) and the sd horse being appraised at Eight hundred pounds of tobo and undemaned awarding (sp?). It is ordered the sheriff orer over him to the sd Mr Corbin in part of satisfaction of his sd debt and such.
County Court orders 1690-1698. p. 97. Westmoreland County, Va
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4V-6B8K?i=216&cat=382658

3)  First Families of Tennessee Organized for Bicentennial

In honor of Tennessee’s Bicentennial in 1996, the East Tennessee Historical Society is sponsoring a new heritage program titled “First Families of Tennessee.” The purpose of the project is to identify and recognize all descendants of the first residents of the state of Tennessee. Anyone who is directly descended from a person living in Tennessee when the state was admitted to the Union in 1796, or before, is eligible for membership in this permanent remembrance of his family history and the Tennessee Bicentennial.

To qualify for membership in the First Families of Tennessee, the applicant must directly descend from an ancestor who settled in Tennessee prior to June 1, 1796. The applicant must be able to prove descent from the ancestor [male or female] by an acceptable record or records for each generation, including proof for the applicant. Current Tennessee residence is not required.

Applicants who qualify and are admitted to membership in First Families of Tennessee will receive a handsomely designed certificate issued by the East Tennessee Historical Society featuring the applicant’s name and the name of the applicant’s ancestor. In addition, members of First Families of Tennessee will receive invitations to members-only events and will have an opportunity to contribute to ETHS activities connected with the Bicentennial celebration in 1996.

The information furnished by applicants as proof of lineage will be placed in the McClung Historical Collection. There, as a resource for other researchers and genealogists, it will serve as a valuable addition to the history of Tennessee and a source of information and pride for future generations. For more information or for an application form, contact the East Tennessee Historical Society, P.O. Box 1629, Knoxville, TN, 37901-1629 or call 615-544-5732.

4)  DEAR COUSINS

I descend from Shadrach Goings bc1796 VA dc1885 Hardy Co, WV. Shadrach married twice: 1st to a Hester and 2nd c1855 to Mary Webster in Hardy Co. Known children of Shadrach and Hester were Hannah C, Mary Ann, Washington, Abraham, William H, Shadrach Jr, George, Isaac, and Jacob [there are probable others judging from the gap in ages of the known children].

Issue by Mary Webster were: Susan T. Anna B. and Ella A. Shadrach Sr. owned and operated the only ferry across the Potomac River outside of Moorefield, WV. I am interested in any information the Foundation may have concerning this family and their ancestors. Also, I would like to hear from anyone researching this family. Can you help? If I can be of help in any way, please let me know. Joyce Hardy Cates 4900 Pleasant Ave, Fairfield, OH, 45014, 513/896-7897.

==Dear Cousins==

I am saddened to report the deaths of two more Gowen cousins. I attended the funeral of Hazel Gowen Stapleton, daughter of James Vernon Gowen and Agnes Dean Gowen, who was born November 23, 1912 and died February 8, 1995. She had eight brothers, but is survived only by one, Harold Sidney Gowen. She was buried in Folkston Cemetery. Sheppard Andrew Gowen, son of Andrew Greene Gowen, Jr. and Bertha Sheppard Grooms Gowen, died January 29, 1995 at Waycross.
He was buried at Traders Hill near the graves of his parents and his grandparents. Hazel Dean Overstreet, 5175 Odum Highway, Odum, GA, 31555.

==Dear Cousins==

I am searching for three brothers, Abner Goins, Absalom Goins and Hirum Goins, all born in Georgia c1800, perhaps Houston County. They reportedly removed to Missouri c1860. I regard them as uncles of my James Elijah Goins. Would be pleased to hear from any researcher with a lead. Jaymie Frederick, Box 361, Scobey, MT, 59063, 406/487-2738.

==Dear Cousins==

I recently had a visit from Sherry Chitty. I was quite excited to meet her. My husband is a descendant of Thomas D. Goins and Nancy Johnson Goins [Newsletter, February 1995]. His lineage is through their daughter Sarah Goins. Sherry did not have any of the material that I had. I will be happy to share what information I have with the Foundation or any member. I am enclosing two memberships in the Foundation. One is for Bell Cain Morrow of Houston, also a descendant of Thomas D. Goins, and one is for me. Suzy Cain, 310 Commander Creek, Rt. 2, Galveston, TX, 77554, 409/935-8914.

==Dear Cousins==

Foundation members need to be advised that the Foundation has no connection with the publication “Three Centuries of Gowens” currently being offered for sale from Denver by “Gowen Family News.” The Editor.

Gowen Research Foundation 806/795-8758
or 795-9694
5708 Gary Avenue
Lubbock, Texas, 79413 Electronic
Library/BBS 806/795-2005

James Madison Gowin, Sr. & Jr.
Have Experienced 154 Years
Of American History
See Page 1 . . .

___________________________________________________________

NOTE:  The above information produced by the Gowen Research Foundation (GRF), and parts of the “Gowen Manuscript” they worked on producing.  It has tons of information – much of it is correct, but be careful, some of it is not correct – so check their sources and logic.  I’ve copied some of their information in the past researching my own family, only to find out there were some clear mistakes.   So be sure to check the information to verify if it is right before citing the source and believing the person who researched it before was 100% correct.  Most of the information I found there seems to be correct, but some is not.

Their website is:  Internet: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gowenrf

There does not seem to be anyone “manning the ship” at the Gowen Research Foundation, or Gowen Manuscript site any longer, and there is no way to contact anyone about any errors.   The pages themselves don’t have a mechanism to leave a note for others to see any “new information” that you may have that shows when you find info that shows something is wrong, or when something has been verified.

Feel free to leave messages about any new information found, or errors in these pages, or information that has been verified that those who wrote these pages may not have known about.