1840 Nancy Chisholm Goyen of Calhoun Co, Mississippi

Nancy Chilsholm Goyen b. 1840 married to Robert Neely Provine b. 1840

Parents:

• Drury B. Goyen b. abt 1800 – d.  abt 1848 m Elizabeth Smith (daughter of John Smith who married Nancy Chisholm)

Children:

• 1) Joseph Findley Provine b. Nov 23, 1860 – d. , m. Josie V. Wright , married on Feb 10, 1885 – lived in Coffeeville, Miss.
• 2) John Williams Provine b. June 19, 1866 – d. 1948, m. Mary P. Sproles . married on Aug 19, 1896 –
• 3) Robert Foster Provine b. Nov 15, 1867 – , m. Emma Boland. Married on Sept 27, 1892.
• 4) Charles Calhoun Provine b. Oct 16, 1869. M. Pearl Dowell. Married Dec 19, 1990
• 5) George Hiram Provine b. Aug 9, 1871 m. Marguerite Thompson b. ? – d. Aug 28, 1958. Married Feb 16, 1898 in McKinney, Texas – living on farm there.
• 6) James Neely Provine b. June 13, 1873 m. Fannie Jones . Married on Jan 4, 1900.
• 7) Edgar Braxton Provine b. March 2, 1875 (no other info)
• 8) Oscar Tilden Provine b. July 14, 1876 d. Nov 18, 1956 in Calhoun, Miss. m. Kate Denley. Married in 1902 in Big Creek, Miss.
• 9) Elizabeth Mae Provine b. May 12, 1879 m. Charles Bertrand Boland

Siblings:

• John E. Going – 1826/27 abt – ? m Elizabeth McGill (evidence strongly suggests Drury is father)
• William W. Goyen – 1828/29 abt-1864 m Sarah Martha Bell (confirmed child of Drury B. Goyen)(confirmed sibling of Nancy Chisholm Goyen)
• Ann Eliza Going – 1829 abt – 1894 m. Jason Fish  (evidence strongly suggests Drury is father)(confirmed sibling of Joseph Martin Goyen & Mary Davidson Goyen)
• Theodocia Elvira Goyen – 1830 abt – 1916 m. Abraham Smith Davis 1810-1859, and then m. Thomas A. Avens 1809-1881 – no children (T. E. Going and T. D. Going are the same person as she was often called “Docea” – short for Theodocia).
• Sarah Catherine Goyen – 1836-1914 m. John Calvin Newton (brother of William Harvey Newton) (d. 1862), then m. Benjamin Alfred Wyatt (confirmed sibling of Nancy Chisholm Provine & Elvira)(under construction).
• Joseph Martin Goyen – 1839-1930 (confirmed sibling of Eliza Fish & Mary Elizabeth “Puss” Davidson Goyen)
• Nancy Chisholm Goyen – 1840 – 1922 m. Robert Neely Provine (confirmed sibling of William W. Goyen, Elvira, & Sarah Catherine Goyen)
• Mary Davidson Goyen (middle name appears to be “Elizabeth” according to a photo in family album of Joseph Martin Goyen’s family – also known as “Puss”) – 1841-1922 m. William Harvey Newton (brother of John Calvin Newton) (confirmed sibling of Joseph Martin Goyen and Eliza Fish)(under construction).
• Unknown male child (Possibly one other male child based on 1845 Mississippi Census)

Possible Sibling/Cousin:

• Thomas B. Goyne – b. abt 1825 (It is possible this is Drury Goyen’s oldest child – it appears this Thomas B. Goyne is either the child of Drury B. Goyne, or is a cousin –  Possibly a child of James Goyne b. abt 1777 (James Goyne was a child of Drury Goyen b. 1749).

• Alabama – Pickens County
• Mississippi – Lowndes County
• Mississippi – Oktibbeha County
• Mississippi – Calhoun County
• Mississippi – Grenada County
• Mississippi – Yalobusha County
• South Carolina – Chester County
• South Carolina – Union County
• South Carolina – York County

FACTS and SOURCES:  

Nancy Chisholm Goyen b. March 25, 1840 in Pickens Co, Ala.  – d. Nov 20, 1922 in Coles Creek, Miss – Married Robert Neely Provine b. March 28, 1840 at Coles Creek – d. Dec 11, 1929.  Married on Dec 1, 1859 in Starkville, Miss. Both buried in Shiloh Cemetery.

Drury B. Goyne b. abt 1800 – d.  abt 1848 m. Elizabeth Smith (daughter of John Smith who married Nancy Chisholm)

Nancy Chisholm Goyen: 

(Photos of Nancy Goyen and husband Robert N. Provine).

(Robert Neely Provine with wife Nancy Goyen Provine, and all their children – far left is Joseph Finley Provine, next to him is John William Provine).

A larger group photo of the Provines:

We know from William W. Goyen’s letters that were written in the Civil War (found on his body and delivered to his wife after his death) that his sister was Nancy Goyen who married into the Provine family.  (In letter was to his daughters and referred to their aunt “Nannie Provine” and her “little boy” Joseph Findley Provine).

In the month prior to William W. Goyen’s death at the Battle of Brice’s Crossroads in the Civil War, he wrote two letters to his family. The letters were found on his body and sent home to his wife Sarah Martha Bell Goyen.  Transcriptions of the letters are below:

LETTERS from William W. Goyen to his daughters during Civil War (See attached – copies of originals and transcriptions) (full transcriptions below):

Letter No. 1. – to his two daughters, Martha Elizabeth and Anna Mae Goyen. (Transcribed from originals):

May 9th, 1864 — CAMP NEAR VERONA, MISSISSIPPI.

“Dear Little Girls”

Your dear Papa has for the first time in his life seated himself for the purpose of writing you. This leaves me in good health and doing well and I hope it may find you in the same enjoyment.

Papa often thinks of his dear little girls and asks the Great God to keep them from harm, and I hope that he will do so. Be good and kind to all, but especially to each other. Love is only to be obtained by giving love in return, and this I enjoin upon you. Love each other and you will have the blessings of your good and kind parents and at the same time secure the blessings of our appreciating God.

Study your books diligently and learn to write soon. Papa would like to have a letter written by you very much indeed, and I know if you mind Cousin Martha that you will soon be able to write yourself, but now you will have to get them or Cousin Doff to write for you as you are just beginning to learn. My Dear Little Girls you must have them write me how you are getting along at school and how fast you are learning and whether you are well satisfied at school or not, also what you are studying.

Let me know when you heard from Ma and how she and John Bell and Eugene were.

My dear Little Girls you must be good to your kind GrandPa and Ma and must not vex them and they will love you and bless you.

I saw your Aunt NANNIE PROVINE and her little boy (Joseph Findley Provine) and Kin a few days ago at Coles Creek. They were very well and would like to see you very much. They speak of visiting you this summer.

Love to you and your Grand Pa and Ma, also Cousin Doff; Uncle Frank and Aunt Liz and cousin Martha and others that you wish to, and remember to do good. Goodbye my dear little “Bettie” (Martha Elizabeth) and Anna Mae. Love to all there and remember to do good. This is from your dear Papa —

W. W. GOYEN. — P. E. – Write to me soon, Direct your letter to Duff’s Regiment, Verona, Mississippi.”

Letter No 2:  dated June 7, 1864 – camp near New Albany:

“My Dear Wife: . — In haste I drop you a few lines. This leaves me in good health, and I hope it may find you in the same enjoyment.

We have been on the March two days to meet the enemy. They are at Ripley, and we expect to fight them today or tomorrow if they come on. I do not know how many there is. We have about 1500 in our Brigade. We have had a great deal of rain here. I found all the boys willing and in good spirits. I hope that we will come out all right.

Tell Billy to push ahead. I will write again as soon as we get through the scrap that we are in.

Write to me – Direct it to OXFORD, Duff’s Regiment, Company “K”.  Kiss the children for me.

God Bless all of you.  — W. W. GOYEN–“

(Transcription of W W Goyen letters dated May 9, 1864 and June 7, 1864.  They were found on his body after killed at Battle of Brice’s Crossroads on June 10, 1864 – Letters were taken from his pocket and delivered to his wife Sarah Bell Goyen. Her daughter Martha Elizabeth Goyen passed these letters on to her granddaughter Nan Hoos who provided copies of the transcriptions to this researcher).

1839 June 21 – Joseph P. Prince v. Drury Gowings
In Chancery
The Answer of Drury Gowing, Guardian Ad Litem of William W. Gowings a minor to the Bill of Interpleader of Abram S Humphries the complainant. This Defendant answering to himself all right of exception to ch. said Bill of Interpleader for answer thereto saith that about the year 1824 or 1825 as he is informed and verily believe, one John Fernandes then a resident Citizen of Union District South Carolina purchased for Elizabeth Gowings at present the wife of the said Defendant & mother of the said William W. Gowing but who was then Elizabeth Smith a certain negro girl by the name of Milley then not more than 13 or 14 years of age.
And this Defendant further answering saith that the money with which said negro was purchased belonged (as he is informed & verily believes) to the said wife of this Defendant then Elizabeth Smith.
And whilst she was single and unmarried and the heir of her body, this Defendant further answering saith that he is informed and verily believes that the title to said negro Milley was by said John Farnandes vested in the said Elizabeth Smith and the heirs of her body as the money with which she had been purchased had been obtained from the sale of a negro which had been given to the said Elizabeth Smith and the heirs of her body by her father John Smith some years before.
This Defendant further answering saith that about the first of January AD 1839 that Abram S Humphries who had interpleaded in Ch Co. purchased from the said Elizabeth at that time the wife of this Defendant and the mother of the said William W. Gowing the said negro Milley and her three children Anthony about 6 years old, Maria about 4 years, and Willis about 2 years for the sum of 2000 dollars.
This Defendant further saith that 1100 dollars of this aforesaid sum was appropriated by the said Abram S Humphries by and with the consent of the said Elizabeth on the 19th day of January AD 1839 to the purchase of a certain negro woman by the name of Sarah and her two children Fayette and Oscar from one Olivia Clark then a citizen of the County of Winston in the State of Mississippi. All of which will more fully appear by reference to Exhibit marked A and which this Defendant prays may be made a part of his answer.
This Defendant further answering saith that a short time after this purchase of the last-mentioned slaves that said Abram S Humphries paid over to the said Elizabeth about four hundred dollars and a short term afterwards, some two or three hundred dollars more as this Defendant is informed and verily believes.
This Defendant further answering saith that the said Elizabeth being willing and anxious to secure to the heirs of her body as large a share as she could from the proceeds of the sale of the aforesaid negroes Milley and her three children requested the said Abram S Humphries to make and deliver to her minor son William W. Gowing a promissory note for the balance due from him on the purchase of the said Milley and her three children – which request was carried into effect by the said Abram S Humphries executing & delivering the note now in suit in the Circuit Court of Lowndes County, Mississippi wherein William W. Gowing by his next friend Drury Gowing (who is the Defendant) is Plaintiff and the said Abram S Humphries is Defendant.
This Defendant further answering saith that it was to arrest the progress of the aforesaid suit at law that the said Abram S. Humphries has interpleaded and restrained all further proceedings in said court.
This Defendant further answering saith that the negroes purchased as above mentioned by the said Abram S Humphries from the said Olivia Clark for the said Elizabeth & the heirs of her body are all that is left to the said Elizabeth & the heirs of her body of the aforesaid sum of 2000 dollars given by said Humphries for the said Milley and her three children except the amount now due on said not in suit – and that if said William W. Gowings is deprived of said sum of money that manifest injustice will be done him.
This Defendant further answering saith that the said Joseph P. Prince who now claims the amount of said note from said Abram S Humphries as garnishee should not in Equity and good conscience be permitted to have or possess the same as the said money belongs not to this Defendant but to the said William W. Gowing who is one of the minor heirs of the said Elizabeth Gowings.
This Defendant therefore prays that your Honor will protect & guard the interests of the said William W. Gowing from this and all other attempts to divest him of his just rights in the premises.
All of which matters and things this Defendant is ready and willing to aver, maintain, and prove as this Honorable Court shall direct & humbly prays to be ___ dismissed with his reasonable costs & charges in this behalf most wrongfully sustained.
Signed: Ace-Gray, Solicitors for Deft.
Note on last page: I have withdrawn Exhibit No. A from the papers to have it recorded in the Probate Clerks office of Lowndes County, Miss, August 11, 1842. A.S. Humphries.
Files Notes at top of Page: 3916 and 5251
Sheet 6, image b: indicates this is recorded in Book 24, Page 242, File 84.
Sheet 1, image a: Officer of Court v. Joseph P. Prince: indicated the case was dismissed on the 5th day of April 1842. No property found in the County on which to levy … 3916, 49 (Note: Drury Gowing won the suit and was attempting to collect his costs against Joseph P. Prince – who apparently had no property in the county)
Sheet 1, image b: State of Mississippi, Lowndes County – To the Sheriff of Lowndes County: Greeting, We command you, that the goods and chattles, lands and tenements of Joseph P Prince, late of your County, you cause to be made the sum of 25 dollars and 01 cents which Drury Gowing lately in our Circuit Court, hath recovered against him for costs about his defence in a certain action, at the suit of the said J P Prince. Whereof the said J P Prince is convicted as appears to us of record; and that you have the said moneis before the judge of our said court on the First Monday of October next, to render to the said Gowing use of Officers of Court for their costs aforesaid, – and have then there this writ. June 1st, 1842. Signed Sterling H Lester, Clerk. by Chas R Jordan.
Lowndes County, Mississippi. Circuit Court Records. Drury Gowing’s Answer: Case Number: CC3916-02b sheet 07, images a through e.  (NOTE: Ambram S. Humphries is Elizabeth Smith’s 1st cousin. Elizabeth Smith’s father John Smith and Abram S. Humphries mother Mary Smith were siblings (brother and sister). John Smith married Nancy Chisholm and Elizabeth Smith, the wife of Drury Gowing, is their daughter, and Mary Smith married John Jefferson Humphries, and Abram S. Humphries is their son).  (ALSO NOTE: John Farnandes mentioned in this answer is the son of Henry Farnandes who was sold some of Adam Chisholm decd’s land back in Union County, SC. Nancy Chisholm is the daughter of Adam Chisholm – Nancy Chisholm married John Smith – and Elizabeth Smith is their daughter – she is the wife of Drury B. Goyen/Gowing in this document … The Smiths, Humphries, Goings, Davis, Chisholms, and Alexanders  – all moved to the Pickens County, Alabama and Lowndes County, Mississippi area in the 1830s about the same time – and were related by marriage to one another). 

Nancy Goyen is mentioned in “Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi. Embracing an Authentic and Comprehensive Account of the Chief Events in the History of the State and a Record of the Lives of Many of the Most Worthy and Illustrious Families and Individuals · Volume 2. 1891”.  p. 625.  Originally published: 1891 by Goodspeed Publishing Company.

Information from the book shows Nancy Chisholm Goyen was born in 1840 and a native of Pickens County, Alabama.  She was an orphan at an early age and raised by her brothers and sisters, and married Robert Neely Provine at age 20.  Nancy Goyen and Robert N. Provine had 9 children, 8 sons and 1 daughter. See:

“… R. N. Provine passed his youthful days on the home place, and as he was but a boy six years old when his father died, a great prospective responsibility rested on his shoulders, he being the eldest child. He was married at the age of 20 years to Mrs. Nancy Goyen, a native of Alabama, in Pickens County, born 1840. She was left an orphan at an early age, was reared by her brothers and sisters, and received her education in the common schools. To Mr. and Mrs. Provine have been born 9 children – 8 sons and 1 daughter …” pg. 626 of the following pages of the book:

https://books.google.com/books?id=i-REAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA626&lpg=PA626&dq=R+N+Provine+and+Nancy+Goyen,+mississippi+memoirs&source=bl&ots=80eGygIx5F&sig=3eIMPhNWZHpuqXs3vC2HetQtxyc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj1q5v0tbHJAhXLJiYKHX7KCMEQ6AEIHjAA#v=onepage&q=R%20N%20Provine%20and%20Nancy%20Goyen%2C%20mississippi%20memoirs&f=false

1860 United States Federal Census
Name: Nancy Provine
Age: 19, Birth Year: abt 1841
Gender: Female, Race: White
Birth Place: Alabama
Home in 1860: Calhoun, Mississippi
Post Office: Pittsboro
Dwelling Number: 1298, Family Number: 1312
Married Within Year: Y
Household Members Age
Robert Provine 30 Farmer
Nancy Provine 19
John Provine 19 Farm Laborer
Year: 1860; Census Place: Calhoun, Mississippi; Roll: M653_578; Page: 723; Family History Library Film: 803578
https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/29731306?h=fc4688

1870 United States Federal Census
Name: Nancy Provine
Age in 1870: 30, Birth Date: abt 1840
Birthplace: Mississippi
Dwelling Number: 121
Home in 1870: Township 23 Range 8, Calhoun, Mississippi
Race: White, Gender: Female
Post Office: Big Creek
Occupation: Keeping House
Inferred Spouse: Robert Provine
Inferred Children:
James Provine
John Provine
Franklin Provine
Henry Provine
Household Members Age
Robert Provine 30
Nancy Provine 30
James Provine 9
John Provine 4
Franklin Provine 2
Henry Provine
Year: 1870; Census Place: Township 23 Range 8, Calhoun, Mississippi; Roll: M593_722; Page: 422A
https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/29731798?h=d01a07

In 1880 the US Census shows Nancy C Goyen Provine living next door to Sarah Goins (Sarah Bell Goyen – the widow of Nancy Provine’s brother). The Provine family is in Dwelling Number 257, the Goins (Goyen) family is in Dwelling Number 258, directly next to eachother. William W. Goyen, brother of Nancy Goyen Provine, had died in the Civil War.

1880 United States Federal Census
Name: [Nancy C. Provine]
Age: 40, Birth Date: Abt 1840
Birthplace: Mississippi
Home in 1880: Calhoun, Mississippi, USA
Dwelling Number: 257
Race: White, Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Marital Status: Married
Spouse’s Name: Robert Provine
Father’s Birthplace: South Carolina
Mother’s Birthplace: South Carolina
Occupation: Keeping House
Household Members Age Relationship
Robert Provine 40 Self (Head) – Farmer and Merchant
Nancy C. Provine 40 Wife – Keeping House
Joseph F. Provine 19 Son – Clerk in dry goods store
John Provine 14 Son – going to school
Robert F. Provine 12 Son – going to school
Charles C. Provine 11 Son – going to school
George H. Provine 9 Son
James N. Provine 7 Son
Edgar B. Provine 5 Son
Oscar Provine 4 Son
Lizzie M. Provine 1 Daughter
Year: 1880; Census Place: Calhoun, Mississippi; Roll: 642; Page: 616A; Enumeration District: 016
https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/29701860?h=2b8c73

1880 United States Federal Census
Name: [Sarah Goins]
Age: 50, Birth Date: Abt 1830
Birthplace: South Carolina
Home in 1880: Calhoun, Mississippi, USA
Dwelling Number: 258
Race: White, Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)
Marital Status: Widowed
Father’s Birthplace: South Carolina
Mother’s Birthplace: South Carolina
Occupation: Farming & Keeping House
Household Members Age Relationship
Sarah Goins 50 Self (Head) – Keeping House & Farming
Anna Goins 20 Daughter – Assisting in Keeping House
John B. Goins 19 Son – Working on farm
Willie Goins 17 Son – Working on farm
Year: 1880; Census Place: Calhoun, Mississippi; Roll: 642; Page: 616A; Enumeration District: 016
https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/29701620?h=d1a7ff

The 1900 US Census shows that Nancy Goyen Provine’s sister Elvira Goyen Aven is living with Nancy and her family. She is listed as R N Provine’s “Sister in Law”.

1900 United States Federal Census
Name: Elvira Aven
Age: 69, Birth Date: Apr 1831
Birthplace: Alabama, USA
Home in 1900: Beat 4, Calhoun, Mississippi
Sheet Number: 11
Institution: 5658
Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation: 182
Family Number: 180
Race: White, Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Sister in Law (Sister-in-law)
Marital Status: Widowed
Father’s Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
Mother’s Birthplace: South Carolina, USA
Can Read: Yes, Can Write: Yes, Can Speak English: Yes
Household Members Age Relationship
R N Provine 60 Head
Nannie Provine 60 Wife
Oscar Provine 23 Son
May Provine 21 Daughter
Elvira Aven 69 Sister in Law (Sister-in-law)
Ben Mccluscy 30 Hireling (Hired)
Frieda Romer 32 Hireling (Hired)
George Doler 20 Hireling (Hired)
Corse Green 12 Hireling (Hired)
R L Schultz 32 Hireling (Hired)
Leonora Schultz 11 Boarder
Year: 1900; Census Place: Beat 4, Calhoun, Mississippi; Roll: 802; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 0016; FHL microfilm: 1240802
https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/29728058?h=5d7a01 (pg 1)
https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/29701642?h=99418c (pg 2)

1910 United States Federal Census
Name: Elvira T Aven
Age in 1910: 79, Birth Date: 1831
Birthplace: South Carolina
Home in 1910: Beat 4, Calhoun, Mississippi, USA
Race: White, Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Sister-in-law
Marital Status: Widowed
Father’s Birthplace: South Carolina
Mother’s Birthplace: South Carolina
Native Tongue: English, Able to read: Yes, Able to Write: Yes
Number of Children Born: 0
Number of Children Living: 0
Household Members Age Relationship
Robert N Provine 70 Head
Nancy C Provine 70 Wife
Lizzie M Provine 30 Daughter
Elvira T Avan 79 Sister-in-law
Year: 1910; Census Place: Beat 4, Calhoun, Mississippi; Roll: T624_734; Page: 20B; Enumeration District: 0024; FHL microfilm: 1374747
https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/29729587?h=aa741b

Finally, the following Genealogy of the Goyen family was done in 1958 by Mrs. Elmer Mathie Adams.  It traces the siblings of William W. Goyen that she knew about and their descendants. It also traces the all the children of William W. Goyen, and their descendants.  It has been helpful in piecing together family members who may still be alive.  I have redacted birth date information of those who may possibly still be living to protect privacy: