John Howard Owens

1758 - 1873  (114 years)

• Name	John Howard Owens  [1]
  Born	21 Sep 1758	Wautauga District, North Carolina   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Died	27 May 1873	Tishomingo County, Mississippi U.S.A.   [1]
  Buried	Old Forked Oak Cemetery, Tishomingo County, Mississippi U.S.A.   [1]
  Notes	[TEST_file_Nov2002.ged] According to Patsy C. Pace on page 449 in the Tishomingo Count From the Tishomingo County History Book - page 449 OWENS - BEAN FAMILY " John Howard Owens, born circa 1763 to 1877, was recognized a t 114 as the oldest man in Mississippi. Although other record s give various birth and death dates, all accounts agree he wa s born in North Carolina, probably in the Wautauga District, a s ection that later became part of Tennessee. He served as a horse and baggage handler in the Revolution wit h his uncle, Caption Howard Owens, commander of a unit of men wh o "went over the mountain" to fight the British and Tories. Tra dition records he "grabbed a gun" and fought on a few occasions. About 1798 he married Rhoda Bean (Beene), daughter of Captain Ro bert Bean, Wautauga Riflemen (born 1750, Pittsylvania County, Vi rginia, and died 1824, Marion County, Tennessee) and Martha Woma ck (born circa 1755 and died circa 1848, Old Benton County, Alab ama.) John moved to Franklin County, Tennessee, and later to Jackson County, Alabama. There he and Rhoda farmed, raising at least 1 0 children. Although some children came to Old Tishomingo as early as the 18 30s, others stayed in Alabama until the 1840s before venturing o n to Texas. Rhoda died in Alabama in 1847, and John came to Mississippi in 1 849. According to Jackson County, Alabama, accounts, John married Sar ah (Sallie) when he was 90, probably while on a return trip to s ee relatives there. But other historians say she was an unmarri ed daughter who returned with him. (See 1850 and 1860 Old Tisho mingo census records.) At least three children remained in Alabama: Robert, born circ a 1799; Jess B., born circa 1816, and Jack, born ?. Three moved on the Texas: Dicie, born ?; Obediah, born circa 182 0; and John, born 1828. The others came to Mississippi: William Bean, born 1804, marrie d Mary Ann Pierce , born 1813: Howard W., born 1806, married Mary A. Sewell: Franklin Mabrey Lo wrey, born 1814, married Millie Spicer, born 1824; and Martha (P atsy), born 1807, married Zachariah Isbell, born 1799. The eldest, William Bean Owens, was the first sheriff of the cou nty, elected May, 1836. However, he resigned December 24, 1836 , becoming the first county official to resign. Other Owens-Bean descendants were active in settling and develop ing the county in 1840s and 1850s. When John came west in 1849 he quickly became well known. He wa s always strong and healthy (bragged that he had never taken a d ose of medicine), often riding a horse back to Alabama, one whe n he was 100. He never weighted more than 130 pounds. He ofte n joked that although he drank whiskey some, he was a slave to t abacco as he has smoked and chewed for over 100 years. He w a a member of the Primitive Baptist Church for 92 years (Alabam a and Mississippi). John Howard Ovens, a true frontierman, died quietly in his slee p and was buried in the original Forked Oak Cemetery (called Tro tter Family Cemtery), located about a half mile from the presen t Forked Oak. Submitted by Patsy C. Pace. " ------------------------------------------ 1850 Tishomingo County Mississippi Census (household 726,726) John Owens age 86 M farmer 500 born in N C Sarah (Grief ?) 4 0 F TN Pickens C. 1 5 M AL John Hancock 1 1 M AL Josia h 7 M AL Elizabeth Clemon s ? F TN Mary A. . 1 F MS 1850 Tishomingo County Mississippi Census (household 726,726) John Owens age 86 Male born NC Farmer value 5 00 Sarah ?? age 40 female born TN Picken C.? age 15 male born AL John Hancock age 11 male born AL ? age 7 Male born AL Elizabeth Clemons age ? female born TN Mary A. age 1 female born MS 1860 Tishomingo County Mississippi Census name age/sex occupatio n property value birthplace John Owens 98 M Farme r /200 NC Sallie 5 0 F TN ----------------------------------------------- Article from newspaper in Fulton, Mississippi (copied from TCH B page 450) "DEATH OF THE OLDEST MAN IN MISSISSIPPI John Owens was born September 21, 1758, and died the 27th day o f May, 1873, being 114 years, eight months and six days old. Th ere is nothing very remarkable to the "history" of Mr. Owens, ex cept the great age to which he lived. He was a native of Nort h Carolina, but in what county he was born is not known. Mr Owe ns was taken into camps of the Revolutionary War by an uncle, Ca ptain Howard, not as a soldier, but to assist in taking care o f the baggage, and frequently holding horses in time of battles . Soon after the close of the Revolutionary War he moved from N orth Carolina to Franklin County, Georgia. Remaining there seve ral years, he moved to Franklin County, Tennessee. He remaine d hereabout a short time and then settled in Jackson County, Ala bama. He there remained, on the same plantation for 50 years . He then moved to Tishomingo County, Mississippi. After remai ning there several years, he moved to his son's , Dr. W. B. Owen s, two miles east of Fulton, in Itawamba County, where he receiv ed every attention that could be bestowed by a dutiful son to a n aged parent. Mr. Owens did not have the advantage of an education, and theref ore did not aspire to an office during his long life, but remain ed closely on his farm until old age caused him to abandon it, a fter which he lived with his children until his death. Mr. Owens was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church for 92 ye ars, and died in full hope of a triumphant entry through the gat es into the Eternal City. Mr. Owens occasionally used whiskey, but never was known to be i ntoxicated. He was a slave to the use of tobacco, and alternatel y smoked and chewed for 103 years. Mr. Owens married in the thirty-seventh year of age, to Miss Rho da Beene. He raised 11 children, all of whom are now living, th e oldest being 74 and the youngest 49 years old. Strange to say , he never had a doctor called to his family; and he himself nev er took a dose of medicine. Mr. Owens was of small stature, wei ghing over 130 pounds, but remarkably stout and healthy throug h life. For 20 years before the death of Mr. Owens, he abandoned all th e cares of this world, and calmly awaited the summons to be call ed home. He often said it was a sin to crave death, but that h e was at times ready to meet his God and render to Him his stewa rdship. For several days before his death he positively refused any nour ishment whatever, but seemed perfectly calm and easy, until Tues day, at 9 o'clock a.m., May 27, 1873, he calmly fell asleep in J esus, without a struggle, when, no doubt, angels accompanied hi s soul to the peaceful shores of eternity, there to dwell with G od forever. " submitted by June Hutchins Newirth. *** /listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ifetch2?/u1/textindices/O/OWE N+2000+3570505+F T2N, R14E JAMES OWEN----S5, 1-10-1812 HINDS COUNTY MS --MARRIAGE & DEATHS PUBLISHED IN THE WEEKLY CLARION, JACKSON MS 1872-1873 JUNE 19, 1873 " A dispatch from Fulton tells of the death of the oldest man i n MS, . JOHN OWENS was born 9/21/1758 & died 5/27/1873 being 114 years . 8 mos & 6 days old. He was a native of NC. He was taken into camps of t he Revolutionary Way by Uncle , Capt. HOWARD, not as a soldier bu t to assist in taking care of the baggage & frequently holding hors es in times of battles. Soon after the close of the war he moved fro m NC to Franklin Co Ga. Remaining there several years he he then move d to Franklin co TN. He remained there for a short time then settle d in Jackson Co AL. Mr. OWENS remained on the same plantation fo r 50 yrs., he then moved to Tishomingo Co MS. After living there severa l yrs He moved to his son's DR. W.B. OWENS, 2 mi east of Fulton in Itawam ba Co. MR. OWENS was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church for 9 2 yrs. He married at age 37 to Miss Rhoda Beene & raised 11 children, al l of whom are living, the oldest being 74 & the youngest 49 yrs old. MR . OWENS was small of stature, weighing over 130 lbs" . ***** //familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/o/w/e/Carlos-J-Owens/GENE3 -0001.html?Welcome=1011649024 JOHN HOWARD OWENS Now, John OWENS was a remarkable Man - his grandson, Lowry Frank lin OWENS, says in the article below which he wrote 7 of Sept 19 51 for the Bean & OWENS Family History. I, Lowry F. OWENS, 87 years old, b. 21 April 1864 in Ms - Grandf ather John OWENS was a very remarkable man as he lived to be 11 4 years 6 months and 2 weeks old, I remember him well as he die d in 1877 when I was about 13 years old. He would tell me he wa s nearly twice as old as his wife when they married. He was abou t 35 and Grandmother Rhoda was 18 and yet he outlived her and ma rried again, cut his third set of teeth and his eyesight returne d all after he was 90 years old. He is buried in the Old Forked Oak Cemetery about a mile from th e present church and cemetery on land now owned by Joe Moss in t he 5th Dis. of Prentiss County, Ms. Rhoda died in Jackson County, Al a nd John moved to Ms in 1848. Also John OWENS fought as a young m an in western NC against the British and Tories as his family wa s Whigs. After the Revolutionary War was over several years, he married R hoda Bean (Beene). Now Rhoda Father Robert Bean, Fought in the w ar against the British and often heard them tell that he was a " deadshot" with his rifle and in one battle he killed the command ing officer. Just a few words about something I have been concerned about fo r years.... OK John Ownes was to said to have been 114 years old when he died 2 7 May 1873 in Itawamba County, MS. however, there is no real proo f of his year of birth, so I have reviewed all of the records th at are available on him. There was an old newpaper article in THE ITAWAMBA SETTLERS newsp aper, written sometime after his death, Pauline Womack copied th e article and it appeared a long time ago in the Bean Stalk Maga zine. I actually have or had an actual photo copy of the article , so I know it existed. An article was also written by a grandson of John Howard Owens , Lowry Franklin Owens. It stated that John Howard Owens was to o young to have served in the ARW, but he was taken in to the ca mps where he assisted in taking care of baggage and frequently h olding horses in times of battles. Both of these articles talked about his advanced age, howeve r I have researched all of the available census records that Joh n Howard Owens appeared on. I have listed that information regar ding his age below. Please note that between 1840 and 1850 he ga ined 16 years. Then between 1850 and 1860 he gained 12 years. Th at is 8 years extra.... I believe that someone lost count of th e year of John Howard Owens birth, and that he was probably wa s born about 1770, and was about 102 years old when he died! In addition to the story told by census records consider the art icle in the ITAWAMBA SETTLERS which said he was taken into the A RW camps by his uncle, where he handled baggage and horses. Thi s would seem to strongly imply that he was not old enough to ser ved as a solder. He married Rhoda Bean circa 1796 she was prob. 13-14 years old. He moved to Ga about 1803, then to Tn about 1809 Franklin Co. Tn for Jan 1812 tax list Jackson County, Al by 1820 Jackson County, Al in 1830 listed as 50-60 years old Jackson County, Al in 1840 listed as 60-70 years old Tishimingo County, Ms in 1850 listed as 86 years old Tishimingo County, Ms in 1860 listed as 98 years old. Have not located him in the 1870 census as yet. WyleneAlston **** Query...//listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ifetch2?/u1/textindi ces/O/OWEN+1999+8461437876+F From THE MISSISSIPPI GENEALOGICAL EXCHANGE Ronnie Farris McGinnis-Editor OWENS-Payne-Greer-Turner-Bean JOHN OWENS b. 1759 N.C. married Rhoda Bean ca 1795, lived in Tishomingo Co. MS 1850-1860. died 1873 MS. ( Mrs THELMA PAYN E OWENS, 120 South Fairbanks, Denison, TX 75020--Summer 1984 issue)
  Person ID	I4706	Devin Timber | Cay's pedigree
  Last Modified	20 Feb 2010

  
  

  Family	Rhoda Bean,   b. abt.1780, Virginia ,   d. 1847, Jackson County, Alabama U.S.A.  (Age 67 years)
  Married	abt.1798  [1]
  Children	1. Jack Owens   2. Dicie Owens   3. Robert Owens,   b. Abt 1799   4. William Bean Owens,   b. Abt 1804, Georgia U.S.A. ,   d. Fulton, Itawamba County, Mississippi U.S.A.   5. Howard W. Owens,   b. Abt 1806, Georgia U.S.A.   6. Martha Owens,   b. Abt 1807   7. Sallie Owens,   b. Abt 1810, Tennessee U.S.A. + 8. Franklin Mabrey Lowry Owens,   b. 20 Feb 1814, Jackson County, Alabama ,   d. Tishomingo County, Mississippi U.S.A.   9. Jesse B. Owens,   b. Abt 1816   10. Obediah Owens,   b. Abt 1820   11. John William Owens,   b. 05 Nov 1827,   d. 06 Jun 1898, Comanche County, Texas U.S.A.  (Age 70 years)
  Last Modified	20 Feb 2010
  Family ID	F1422	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Sources

  [S04193] Tishomingo County History Book, (Tishomingo County Historical and Genealogical Society; 1997).