USA > South Carolina > Marion County > A history of Marion county, South Carolina, from its earliest times to the present, 1901 > Part 43
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A HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
Susan Gregg, youngest daughter of the late R. J. Gregg, who was Tax Collector for Marion District for thirty years, and well known to every one in his day as an honest, straightfor- ward, Christian gentleman and faithful official; the Widow Benjamin Gause had one child, a son, Benjamin, by her mar- riage with Gause, who now lives in Bennettsville. Benjamin Gause, Sr., was quite a prominent man in his day, well-to-do, and was twice elected to the State Senate, served with ability two terms, and was universally loved and respected by all who knew him. James N. Stevenson married his widow, and by her had and raised eight children, four sons and four daugh- ters, to wit : Robert, Samuel, James N. and Charles W., and daughters, Mary, Anne, Mattie and Susan. Of these, Mary, Susan and Charley are married-Mary to L. Fontaine Davis, and has five children; Susan married Dixon Gregg, and has no child; Charles W. married a Miss Gray, and has one child ; Robert, Samuel and James N. are unmarried ; Anne and Mattie are also unmarried; they live on the Gause homestead. J. Edwin Stevenson, son by James N.'s first marriage, married, first, Miss Julia Brown, daughter of the late T. Foster Brown; by this marriage five children were born, and I think all raised, and perhaps all married, but one daughter-to whom is un- known, except one son, married a daughter of Captain G. A. McIntyre; the Brown wife dying, J. Edwin Stevenson married, a second time, Miss Mattie Godbold, oldest daughter of the late. Dr. William H. Godbold ; by her he had some four or five children, three of whom survive; the Godbold wife died, and he married Mary, daughter of Sheriff Lewis, of Horry, and has removed to that county, and is merchandising ; is an energetic, progressive man, of good habits and of high character, as was his father, James Norton Stevenson.
CRAVEN .- Of this family the writer has not been able to learn anything prior to William H. Craven, our present fellow- citizen, in Britton's Neck. William H. Craven married a Miss Richardson, and has had ten children (one dead), as follows: Julius Edward (a deaf mute), Preston, Lane, Henry, Charles and Boyd, Gertrude, Lula and Claude. Julius married Anne Wall; Preston married a Miss Shelby; Gertrude married
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A HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
George Broadhurst-she is a widow; the other six children are single, and remain with their parents. William H. Craven is an industrious, energetic and good citizen, quiet and inoffen- sive, lives by his farm, is upright in his dealings and a good neighbor.
THOMPSON .- John C. Thompson married a Miss Edwards, daughter of Rev. David S. Edwards, on Buck Swamp; he had three sons, Chapman, Jefferson and Howard. The two former are dead; the latter, Howard, married twice-have not been able to find out to whom, nor as to their children, if any. John C. Thompson is dead; he was prominent in his neighborhood and a useful, good citizen. Jesse Thompson, brother of John C., is an excellent man in the Gapway section ; he married, first, Martha Williamson ; no child by this marriage; he married, a second time, a Miss Carter, and they have no offspring. There were two other brothers, Stephen and William; they moved to Horry.
KIRTON .- William Kirton came from Ireland to this country before the Revolutionary War, and married a Miss Avant, and had two sons, John and William. John never married; Wil- liam married a Widow Williams, nee Avant; they had two sons, Thomas and Philip, and one daughter, Elizabeth. Thomas Kirton married and went to Horry County. Philip married Miss Olivia Gasque, and had four sons, Thomas, Henry, Philip and Samuel, and three daughters, Elizabeth, Mary and Olivia. Thomas married a Miss Jones, and went to Horry, and was killed by Jeptha Jones, on the Great Pee Dee River. Henry Kirton married the Widow Sinoth, nee Hannah Philips ; they had an only son, Thomas H. Kirton, our worthy fellow-citizen, now near Tyrrel's Bay, in lower Marion, and he married, first, a Widow McQueen, nee Gerald, who had two McQueen daughters-none by her marriage with Kirton; one of these McQueen daughters is married, but to whom is un- known; the other one still resides with Kirton; the McQueen wife having died, he married, a second time, Miss Catharine N. Floyd; they have no child. What became of Philip Kirton, brother of Henry, the writer knows not. The other brother,
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Samuel, I think, married a Miss Gasque, sister of the late James C. Gasque, went to Georgetown and died there. Of the sisters of Henry Kirton, Elizabeth, Mary and Olivia, the writer has no information. Thomas H. Kirton was a gallant soldier in the Confederate War, and is a whole-souled man and an honorable citizen.
PHILIPS .- John Philips came from England long before the Revolutionary War, and settled in this county, below Marion, and married Miss Margaret Linton, also from England, and by her had an only son, John, called "Jockey John." "Jockey John" Philips married a Miss Kirton, and by her had sons, William L., Thomes, Jockey, Isaac, John and Zack, and daugh- ter. Annis Philips married Hugh Giles, son of Colonel Hugh Giles, of Revolutionary fame, and by him had one son, the late Hugh Giles-about whom something has already been said, and who may again be noticed among the Giles family. At- other daughter, Elizabeth, married a Rice, and moved to Ten- nessee. William L. Philips married Nancy Owens, and they had sons, John, William, David and Palmer, and daughters, Rebecca, Jane, Anna and Hannah-the latter was the mother of Thomas H. Kirton. John married a Miss Dansey; they had no children. William married a Miss Rice; they had nc children. David Philips married a Miss Owens; they had no children. Palmer Philips married a Miss Graham; they had one daughter, and moved to Horry. Jockey Philips moved West. Isaac married a Miss Eagarton, and had one son, Isaac, and daughters, Anna, Frances and Elsey. Anna married David Gibson. Frances married John Williams. Elsy married Wil- liam Collins. John moved West. Isaac, Jr., married Miss Julia Davis, and had two daughters, Mrs. John A. Atkinson and Mrs. Anna M. Gasque. Thomas Philips married a Miss Avant, and had one son, William, who married a Miss Marce, and had one son, named Isaac. Zack married a Miss Lewis, and had one son, Zack, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Celia. Zack Philips, Jr., married a Miss Rice, and had four sons, William L., Francis Marion, Hugh G. and J. Benjamin Philips. William L. Philips died in the war and Hugh G. was killed in the war. Francis Marion Philips married Clarissa
1
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A HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
Wall, and had Francis Marion, Jr., Percival and McGee, sons, and Julia, Issora, Vernull, Delta and another, name unknown, daughters. J. Benjamin Philips married a Miss White, daughter of the late Wesley White, and had five children, three sons, William, Chalmers and Remington, and two daughters, Cora and Martha Fleetwood. Francis Marion Philips and J. Benjamin Philips were good men, of high character and much respected ; they are both dead. Elizabeth Philips, daughter of Zack Philips, Sr., married Richard Collins, and Celia married Addington James; have no information as to their posterity, if they had any.
OWENS .- Rev. David Owens, first of the name known in the county, was the founder of Tyrrel's Bay and Gapway Baptist Churches-perhaps the two oldest Baptist Churches in the county. He was married twice-first, to Mary Palmer, by whom he had David, Nancy, Martha and Elizabeth; and his second wife was the Widow Martha Williamson, nee Jenkins, and by her he had one son, Solomon. David married some one, but had no children. Nancy married William L. Philips (which see among the Philips). Martha married John Wil- liamson. Elizabeth married "Gold-headed" Richard Edwards. Solomon married, first, Catharine Gerald; they had and raised Alexander, David, Joseph, Elizabeth and Catharine. Alex- ander married Susan Baker, first; they had five daughters and three sons; the sons were Albert, Alexander and William J. Albert Owens was killed at Gettysburg, was color-bearer, and had, at the time he was shot, both the State and Confederate flags stuck in his belt-a gallant youth. Alexander Owens, Jr., married a Miss Harrel, and had five or six children. One of his sons, David, married a daughter of Captain T. E. Stanley. Willie J. Owens married a Miss Eaddy, of West Marion ; he died a year or two ago, leaving a family of several children, neither the number or sex is known; had a son, Lamar, who married Lillian Miles, daughter of Dr. D. F. Miles, and live at Marion. David Owens, son of old Solomon, had a son, Daniel, who married a Miss Fowler ; had some family, but has left the country. Joseph W. Owens married a Miss Lambert, and is dead, but left several children-three sons and three daugh-
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A HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
ters-sons, Daniel, David and Solomon. David married a Miss Collins ; Leonora married a Mr. Springs, of Georgetown; Dora married a Mr. Collins; Solmon and Maggie are yet un- married. Solomon Owens, Sr., married, a second time, Rachel Brown; by her he had one son, E. B. Owens, who married Miss Ida Mullins, sister of the late Colonel W. S. Mullins ; by her he had several children; moved some years ago to Georgia. Solomon Owens, Sr., married, a third time, Miss Annie Flowers ; by her he had no children ; he was a prominent citizen in his day.
There are other Owens in the county, about whom the writer knows but little; but he has gathered some facts, as herein presented. Shadrack Owens, an old man years ago, perhaps seventy-five or a hundred, had three sons, Elisha, Elijah and "Shiver Bill." Elisha's family moved to Georgetown County. Elijah had Avant Owens, of political campaign notoriety, Rob- ert and Gourdin; Elijah also had three or four daughters (names unknown). Avant Owens had Memminger, Gause and Dock, and some daughters (names unknown). Robert Owens married a Miss Shelly, and had several sons (names not known). Gourdin Owens married a Miss Shelly, also, and had one son, named Wesley, and moved to Horry. "Shiver Bill" married a Miss Ammons, and had two sons, William and Ezekiel, and several daughters. William married a Miss Smith, and had sons and daughters unknown. Ezekiel mar- ried a Miss Holden, and has a family unknown. Gause Owens married a Miss Price, and has a family unknown. Memminger married a Miss Dozier, and has no children. Dock K. married a Miss Atkinson, and has a family (unknown).
There are some other Owens in upper Marion, and some of them may have already been noticed incidentally-I allude to the late David R. Owens, father of the late S. G. Owens, and Leonard R. Owens, late Postmaster at Marion. David R. Owens had a brother, Newett Owens, one of the most industrious and hard-working men I ever knew; he died in middle life, of typhoid fever, and left a large family, who have not turned out well. There was, fifty years ago or more, two other Owens, some relation to David R. and Newett, named "Wattie and Neddie;" they had families; but who their imme-
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diate ancestors were is unknown, or what became of their fam- ilies. There is another set of Owens originally in the "Fork" section ; the old progenitor of this family was named Shadrach Owens-not the "Shadrach" spoken of above. Old Shadrach was an old man, seventy years ago-was exceedingly supersti- tious, afraid of ghosts and spirits, a working man, however, and harmless-raised a large family ; the names of two of his sons only are remembered, Reddin and Lot. Reddin married and settled in Hillsboro, and died two or three years ago, at the age of ninety-four, and left many children, grand-children and great-grand-children. Lot married a Miss Huggins, and died without children. Reddin and Lot were quite respectable men and good citizens. Don't know anything further of old Shad- rach's posterity.
ROWELL .- The Rowell family and its connections are large, respectable and influential and has been prominent ever since Marion became a district or county. The first of the name, as well as can be ascertained, was Jacob Rowell, the grand-father of the present old gentleman, Valentine Rowell, over eighty years of age, near Centenary and Tyrrel's Bay Churches. Jacob Rowell was twice married; his first wife's name un- known; his second wife was a Miss Palmer, or Polson ; they had two sons, William and David. William went West. David, the father of old man Val. Rowell, married Rebecca Philips, and raised six girls and four boys; the boys were Jacob, William L., David and Valentine. Jacob never married. William L. married Miss Eliza Landing, and had Benjamin, Richard, William and Jacob, who died in childhood; he had daughters, Stacy Ann, Elizabeth, Mary Jane, Sarah, Agnes and Rebecca. Richard was killed, how or by whom is not stated. Benjamin never married. William married, and went to Georgia. Stacy Ann married Benjamin Rogers, had no children. Elizabeth married Green Williams, and died child- less. Mary Jane married Wesley Richardson ; she has a family of seven or eight children (unknown). Sarah married Stephen Brown, and has ten or twelve children. Agnes married Tony Watson, and has ten or eleven children, all sons but two. Rebecca married Thomas Altman, and has six or seven child-
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ren. David Rowell married Ann Gasque, daughter of old Absalom Gasque; they had thirteen children-sons, James, Albert, William, Alpheus, Jessee, Hugh G. and Julius, and daughters, Eliza, Rebecca, Susan, Emaline, Sallie and Dora. James married Fannie Gainey, and had two children, a daugh- ter and a son, Oliver; the latter is married and has four or five children. Albert and William both died in the war or were killed. Alpheus died when young. Jessee married Mary Gasque, daughter of Ann Gasque; they had sons, Samuel, Paul, John, Thomas and Herbert, and daughters, Ann Eliza, Carrie and Eva. Samuel married Miss Julia Atkinson, and has four children (small). Paul married a Miss Rogers, and has two children (small). None of the other children of Jessee Rowell are married. He died suddenly at Marion, some four or five years ago; he was jailor for several years, and was a capital and reliable amn. Hugh G. Rowell married a Miss Lovell, and has a large family (unknown). Julius Rowell married Ann Glisson; she had seven children and died; Julius married again, Miss Lizzie Boatwright ; no child by the second marriage. Eliza, the eldest daughter of David Rowell, mar- died John Dozier; they had twelve children (names un- known), but all of them are married, but to whom not known. Rebecca, the second daughter of David Rowell, married James Shelly ; they have a large family (names unknown) ; some of them are married. Susan, the third daughter, married Reuben Shelly; they have a family unknown. Emaline, the fourth daughter, married a Mr. Floyd, in Horry County. Sallie, the fifth daughter, married a Mr. Edwards, in Florence County. Dora, the sixth and youngest daughter, married Levin Rogers; he is dead; his widow survives, with five children. Valentine Rowell, eighty-two years of age, son of David Rowell, Sr., mar- ried Mary Collins, daughter of William Collins; they have five children, four sons and one daughter-the sons are William David, Alexander Valentine, Robert Charles and Joseph ; the daughter is Alice Rebecca. William David, the eldest son, married Miss Annis Dozier; they have four children, three sons and one daughter; the sons are Claudius, William and Benjamin; the daughter, named Mary, married Boyd Shelly ; no offspring. Alexander Valentine married Miss Laura Wall;
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they have four children, Willie, Arthur and Maxcy, sons, and one daughter, Mamie. Robert Charles married Miss Simpson Wall; they have eight children, two sons and six daughters, none of them married. Joseph married Miss Sallie Keever ; they have ten children, six sons and four daughters; the sons are Joseph, Keever, Archie, Bruce, Grady and David Oscar; the daughters are Alice, Ellen, Eva and Clara-none married. Old man Valentine Rowell's only daughter, Alice, is unmar- ried, and lives with her parents. Major William B. Rowell, quite prominent in his day, was the son of Valentine Rowell, and was born 28th March, 1800; his father, Valentine Rowell, married Miss Ann Baker, who became the mother of Major W. B. Rowell, and another son, whose name is unknown. Val- entine Rowell was also prominent in his day; he represented his county (Marion) several times in the Legislature, as will be seen in the list of Representatives hereto appended. Valen- tine Rowell, though only a lad in the Revolution, was with General Marion in the latter part of the war. Major W. B. Rowell had a fair education, though not collegiate; he married twice; first, to Elizabeth Avant, a daughter of Thomas Avant and wife, a Miss Baker; Major Rowell and his first wife were first cousins ; by the marriage he had only one child, Ann Eliza- beth ; the Avant wife dying, he married, a second time, Miss Martha Brantley, by whom he had one child, a daughter, Martha Eliza ; she grew up and married Dr. C. D. Rowell, her cousin. Ann Elizabeth, daughter by his first marriage, mar- ried Major D. J. Taylor ; she had one child only, a daughter, and died leaving the child only two weeks old; it was raised by her grand-father and his Brantley wife, and became the wife of Captain Huett, by whom she had one child, a son, now our fellow-citizen, William L. Huett, late County Supervisor. Captain Huett was killed in the Confederate War; his widow has since married J. T. Jones, of the Nichols community. Major Rowell's daughter, by his second marriage, Martha Eliza, married Dr. C. D. Rowell, a grand-nephew of Major Wm. B. Rowell; the fruits of this marriage were five sons and three daughters ; the sons are W. B., R. W. D., Melvin L., C. Thomas and Percival E. Rowell; the daughters were Mary A., Linnie I. and Mattie E .; of these, Mary A., C. Thomas and
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Percival E. are dead. W. B. Rowell, Jr., is in Florence, mar- ried. R. W. D. Rowell is at Bamberg. Melvin L. is at Lewie- dale. Lennie I. is Mrs. Hook, and lives in Lexington; and Mattie E. is Mrs. Crawford, and lives at Chester. Dr. C. D. Rowell and wife are both dead; he raised and was Captain of a company in the war. Afterwards a Methodist preacher in the South Carolina Conference, and died in that relation; his father , was named Cornelius, and was a nephew of Major W. B. Rowell. Major W. B. Rowell was no ordinary man-a South Carolina gentleman of the old type; never was beaten for any position to which he aspired ; served four terms, eight years, in the Legislature; of a high and unspotted character, faithful to all trusts committed to him, was liberal to all worthy enter- prises in State or in church, and at home dispensed unbounded hospitality; was a great friend of the church-his house was the home of the preachers ; he was devotedly pious-the "salt of the earth," lived it in his every day life. He died May 22d, 1880, eighty years old. In politics he was a Democrat of the Calhoun school, and I may say the idol of his people-loved by everybody. There were and are some Rowells above Camp- bell's Bridge, whether related to those below Marion is not known. There were two old Rowells up there, name not known. One of them had sons, James V., Jeremiah, John and David. James V. died or was killed in the war, left children ; others were all in the war. Jeremiah is up there now, is quite respectable, and has a respectable family.
GILES .- The late Hugh Giles was the son or grand-son (the latter, I think,) of Colonel Hugh Giles, who played a conspicu- ous part as Colonel of a regiment in the war of the Revolution. He married Polly Baker, sister of "Long Billy Baker;" they had ten children, and raised seven of them-their names are Catharine and Rebecca (the latter died when about three years old) ; Sarah and Edward died when quite young. William H., the oldest son, was killed in the fight around Atlanta, Ga., 28th July, 1864; he belonged to the Ioth South Carolina Regiment, and was a Lieutenant of his company. Abram J. Giles was also a member of the roth South Carolina Regiment, and was captured at the fight of Missionary Ridge, and imprisoned at
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A HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
Rock Island for eighteen months and seven days. John B. Giles was a member of same regiment, and died in hospital at Rome, Ga., in May, 1863. Robert B. also belonged to same regiment and company, and survived the war. The other two daughters were named Jeannette and Eliza Franconia. Catha- rine married Joseph A. Taylor ; they had five children-their names are Hugh G., Charlotte J., Joseph A., Edward E. and Archie. Abraham married Julia Flowers, daughter of Jere- miah John Flowers; they had seven children, raised six-their names were Mary Eliza, Jennette Elizabeth, Hugh, John B., Julia Daisey, Sarah Annis and James Robert. Robert never married. Franconia married John B. Richardson-one child was born to them; after the death of Franconia, he married his wife's sister, Jennette. Hugh Giles, like his distinguished an- cestors, was or had the elements of true manhood in his make- up-was quiet, inoffensive and law-abiding, generous and kind- hearted.
COLEMAN .- Griffin Coleman, the grand-father of our present fellow-citizen, Griffin B. Coleman, married a Miss Dozier, and had and raised four sons, to wit: Griffin, John D., Jacob and James. Griffin, Jr., married Betsy Whaley, and had three sons, Amos, Griffin and Daniel. Amos married a Miss Floyd, and had six children. Griffin, Jr., Jr., married a Miss Boatwright, and has eight children. Daniel, son of Amos, died unmarried. John D. Coleman first married a Miss Baxley, and by her he had seven sons and one daughter ; the sons were Isaac M., Wil- lian J., Griffin B., John W., David, Joseph and Daniel, and one daughter, Mary Ann, who married David Shelly. Isaac M. married Martha Waller, and had William, Augustus, Mary, Donnella and Bettie. His son, William, first married a Miss Richardson, and by her had one son, Pressly; the first wife dying, he married, a second time, a Miss Jones, and they have six children, Fontaine, Howard, Iris, Nina, Eula and Eugenia. Augustus married Catharine Floyd, and had two children, girls, Mattie and Lena ; Thomas H. Kirton took the latter and is rais- ing her. Isaac M. Coleman married, a second time, Miss Anna Jones, and had by her two sons, Gary and Cantey (small). William J., the second son of John D., married Miss Nancy
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A HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
Shelly, and by her had one son, Wesley, who married a Miss Avant. Griffin B. Coleman, third son of John D., married Celia Baxley ; they have three living children-one son, John W., and two daughters, Mary Ann and Emma R. Emma R. married C. R. Moore; they have eight children, five girls and three boys. One daughter, Margaret Parham, married Robert Eagerton, and have one child (small). John W., fourth son of John D. Coleman, married twice, and died in Alabama. David, the fifth son of John D. Coleman, married Miss Angelina Smith ; he and his wife died, and left five children, all grown and married; their names are Julius, Cornelius, Dora, Willie and John. Julius married Miss Virginia Pearce; no offspring. Cornelius married Alma Pearce; they have four children (small). Dora died childless. Willie married Miss Mamie Cook, and has one child (small). John married Miss Ida Shelly, and has two children (small). Joseph, the sixth son of Rev. John D. Coleman, married Mary Drew, and has one child, Mattie, who married Quincy Ballard, who has four chil- dren (small). Daniel, the youngest and seventh son of Rev. John D. Coleman, married Hannah Drew, and they have four sons and four daughters ; the sons are John D., Willie, Major and Pressly ; the daughters are Mary Ann, Anna, Alice and Charlotte. John D., Jr., married Miss Mary Allen, daughter of D. S. Allen, and has three children (small). Willie, Major and Pressly are single. Of the daughters of Daniel Coleman, Mary Ann married D. S. Allen, and has four children (small). Anne married Harllee Baxley (now dead), and left three chil- dren (small). Alice married Willie Baxley, and has two chil- dren (small). Charlotte married John Hatchel, and has one child (small). Rev. John D. Coleman married, a second time, Miss Polly Sasser, and by her had one son, Joel S. Coleman ; he is in North Carolina ; his second wife dying, he married, a third time, Miss Elizabeth Blackman, and by her had seven children, four sons and three daughters; the sons were J. P. Coleman, E. J., Dayton and Frank; the daughters were Anna M., Mar- tha J. and Sarah. Of these, Martha Jane, Sarah, Dayton and Frank, are dead, never married. J. P. Coleman married Miss Beda Rogers, and moved to Columbia. E. J. Coleman married, first, a Miss James, who died, leaving four children, two of
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