Nathaniel Owens (parents believed to be Samuel Owens and Vashty Owens) married Rebecca Massey (parents Reuben and Mary Massey). They lived in King George, Va. Nathaniel and Rebecca had two (2) children John Owens and Nancy Powell Owens.
John Owens married Harriet Frazier/Frasier (a servant hired to care for his grandmother Mary Massey). Because John was white and Harriet was black, they left Virginia traveling to Maryland staying in Baltimore for several years. I am not sure how long they stayed, I am sure it was not more than three years.
Leaving Maryland they traveled south to Louisiana settling in what is now Iberia Parish. John and Harriet had ten (10) sons.
The census records list some of the family as mulatto, some as black. John is listed as mulatto on some records as black on others. Some records say they are from Virginia others say Maryland.
John and Harriet separated/ or divorced, he was then married to or lived with Margaret Richardson. They had no children. Harriet was married to or lived with Tobias (Toby) James. They had one (1) son Evan in addition to Toby's two (2) daughters by a previous marriage.
My main source of information was my grandfather (John and Harriet's grandson). He remembered his grandparents well. He always insisted his grandfather was not a mulatto, he described him as white with eyes like
a cat. My grandfather also indicated Mista (the name his family used in talking with or about John Owens) was"as means as they come". My grandfather also insisted the name was OWEN there was no S plain and simple he corrected anyone who called him Mr. Owens. Some the census listed the family as Owen others as Owens most of the family conformed .
To his credit John Owens made sure all of his children learned to read, write and count. According to my grandfather "he didn't want nobody to cheat us out of nothing".
John Owens was last known to be living on Avery Island in Louisiana, he died after 1910.. This is an ongoing project.
I have been unable to located any information on Moses Owens he was listed in one census as Moses James (or Jones) in another simply as alias James.
Anyone with information on any member of this family please feel free to contact me. There is quite a bit of information not listed. I would certainly do my best to verify your information and include any that has been authenticated.
As always there is some controversy regarding John Owens being the son of Nathaniel Owens and Rebecca Massy.
There seems to have been another John Owens (John E. Owens) who is thought to be their son. Based on the information I was given and the research I have done John E. Owens could have been a relative. I am still doing research on this. I have not been able to substantiate any information on this John E. Owens other then he named two of his sons after Nancy's sons. Nancy was the daughter of Nathaniel and Rebecca.
As you know researching your family history is an ongoing project that offers many rewards to our family. I am committed to publishing as much information as I can.
Many thanks to David H. Owens. Mr Owens has done extensive research on the family, his work is ongoing. |
