By Staff
Before I continue with the McGowin family material I wanted to share something with you. You may remember me telling you about ordering a Confederate marker for my husband's ancestor. We placed it next to the grave of his son in a country cemetery in Covington County about this time last year. This past Sunday, plans were ready and we dedicated the memorial with a ceremony. It was really nice with soldiers, bagpipes and a bugler. We laid a wreath on the marker and I told the history of the veteran.
Many of you had your own Memorial Day plans and spent them in various ways. That is what we were doing on Sunday. A man who was not rich enough to have owned slaves but he answered the call to go to war. He was killed on the battlefield fighting to keep General William T. Sherman out of Atlanta. Wherever he is buried the family remembers his name and service.
I want to point out something to you as I continue with the McGowin family this week. As you may have realized by now, I, just as others have before me, have used McGowin and McGowan interchangeably. Either way we are still talking about the same family.
The sixth child of Samuel and Martha McGowin was Joseph. Joseph (22 April 1839-31 Dec. 1862) was killed during battle at Murfreesboro, Tenn. He was a member of Co. D, 16th Alabama Regiment, Wood Brigade, Shardeas Division. It was reported that some of his friends buried him at the scene.
It might be of interest to note that of the eight sons of Samuel McGowin and Martha Mason, five of them lost their lives in the Civil War.
The seventh son was Anthony Lewis McGowin (11 Oct. 1840-23 Feb. 1864) who died of pneumonia at Dalton, Ga during the war.
Thomas McGowin (13 Aug. 1842-6 Oct. 1890) married Amanda Bryant (28 April 1852). They lived most of their life near the ferry that he operated on the river six miles south of Brooklyn.
They had a large family, Mary McGowin, Peter McGowin, Sarah Jane McGowin, Alex Boge McGowin, Samuel Scranton McGowin, Martha Elizabeth McGowin, James Crossley McGowin, Joseph McGowin, Lewis McGowin and John Thomas McGowin.
John Cheric McGowin (12 Sept. 1843) died in camp at Gainesville at the age of 18.
Sarah Jane McGowin (5 Nov. 1845-23 Feb. 1906) married Reuben Sylvester Hart (11 Nov. 1844-24 Dec. 1928). Their children were Dennis Hart, Andrew Jackson Hart, an infant daughter who died young, Ruby Hart and Ursie Hart.
Martha Elizabeth McGowin (13 March 1847-7 Jan. 1898) married Uriah Blacksher (19 March 1848-19 Feb. 1899) who was the son of Jeptha Blacksher and Martha M. Mayo. They had Mattie Idell Blacksher, Erasmus Manford Blacksher, Margaret Elizabeth Blacksher and twins who died in infancy.
Ann Elizabeth McGowin (29 Nov. 1848-4 March 1903) married Elbert J. Blow (23 Feb. 1847-20 June 1938) who was the son of Cullen Blow and Cecilia Mancil. They had Elbert J. Blow Jr. and Alabama Blow.
Matilda Katherine McGowin (5 Feb. 1851-30 Dec. 1908) married Stewart James Foshee (1851-20 Sept. 1907) who was the son of James Stewart Foshee and Cassaline Amanda Clements. They had 12 children, Lewis James Foshee, William Edward Foshee, Mason Foshee, Martha Foshee, Samuel Foshee, John David Foshee, Mary Foshee, Clyde Foshee, Eugene Foshee, Georgia Foshee, Bruce Foshee and Erasmus Manford Foshee.
Both Stewart James Foshee and his son, William Edward Foshee, served as presidents of the Bank of Brewton.
I will continue with this next week.