By Staff
I have been asked to repeat some material that I did almost four years ago about the McGowin family. There are so many descendants of this family in the area that it's easy to find them.
David McGowin was given a grant of land by King George III, 24 Dec. 1771 consisting of 200 acres in St. George Parish, Ga. He was married to Elizabeth and died about 1798. They had at least three children, John McGowin, William McGowin and Mary McGowin. John McGowin (d. abt. 1830) who married Nancy and had David McGowin and William C. McGowin.
William McGowin (son of David) had a son, James McGowin (died about 1813) who married Mary Lewis. After the death of James, Mary remarried to Thomas Floyd. The Floyds, along with their two daughters, Cherry Ann and Mary, and her sons, Samuel and James came to Alabama and settled in Conecuh County near Brooklyn. Mary's son, Anthony McGowin (1801) came to Alabama sometime later. He married twice and had six children, Sarah Jane, Albert, Sarah Ann, Charles, Joseph and Thomas McGowin.
Samuel McGowin (13 May 1805-19 March 1892), son of James McGowin and Mary Lewis married Martha Mason (abt 1807-18 Sept. 1892), daughter of Peter Mason. Another daughter of Peter (Sarah Mason) married Wiley C. Downing and were the ancestors of many more descendants in Escambia County.
Samuel and Martha Mason McGowin were the parents of at least 13 children, Mary Ann McGowin (1 Sept. 1832-7 July 1874) who married William Foshee 6 Sept. 1849, son of James Foshee and Martha Parker, Peter McGowin (24 Oct. 1833-19 Dec. 1863) who married Nancy Floyd, Alexander McGowin (16 Jan. 1835-19 July 1914) who married Nancy Floyd McGowin, Samuel McGowin (13 Nov. 1836-12 July 1862), James McGowin (9 Feb. 1838-23 Nov. 1897) who married Martha Ghent 18 June 1861, Joseph McGowin, Anthony Lewis McGowin (11 Oct. 1840-23 Feb. 1864), J. Thomas McGowin (13 Aug. 1842-6 Oct. 1890) who married Amanda Bryant, John Charic McGowin (12 Nov. 1843-29 July 1862), Sarah Jane McGowin (5 Nov. 1845-23 Feb. 1906) who married Reuben Sylvester Hart 28 Aug. 1867, Martha Elizabeth McGowin (13 March 1847-7 Jan. 1898) who married James Uriah Blacksher, Ann Elizabeth McGowin (29 Nov. 1848-March 1903) who married Elbert J. Blow 26 Nov. 1861 and Matilda Catherine McGowin (5 Feb. 1851-Dec. 1908) who married Stewart James Foshee.
Mary Ann McGowin married William Foshee, son of James Foshee and Martha Parker. They are buried at the Old Foshee Cemetery and they had at least eight children, Virginia Foshee (22 April 1851-24 Jan. 1904) who married William D. Hart, Martha Foshee (22 Dec. 1852) who married Joseph W. Bradley, Alexander Foshee (19 March 1858-2 Aug. 1889), George James Foshee (27 May 1860) who married Gatsy Barrow, Alabama Foshee (9 June 1862) who married J.B. Brewton, John William Foshee (18 Aug. 1864-29 Dec. 1886), Sarah Foshee (30 Sept. 1866) who married Watt W. Moore and Mary Ann Foshee (7 Feb. 1874) who married W.A. Robinson.
Peter McGowin married Nancy Floyd, daughter of Thomas Floyd and Elizabeth Bryant. He died of typhoid fever in a Confederate camp near Mobile. An epidemic of the fever had broken out at the camp and many of the soldiers died. One of the sons of Wiley Dixon and Elsie May died in the epidemic also. The widows of both Peter and the Dixon soldier went to Mobile and brought the bodies back to be buried.
Peter McGowin and Nancy Floyd had three children, Thomas Jackson McGowin (22 June 1858-12 Jan. 1925) who married Ida Pickens Lovelace, Samuel L. McGowin (6 Oct. 1859-29 Sept. 1928) who married first Ada Bethea and second Madge Fannie Parker and Alexander McGowin (24 May 1861-22 Nov. 1907).
Next week I will continue with this family.
I also wanted to let you know that the price of "Heritage of Escambia County" has been reduced. The regular price is $64.80 but for a limited time the price is $43.20. I only have three copies left, so be sure to see me if you are interested in purchasing one.