BIO: Owens, Mathew Henry, Union & Jefferson Co, Ky From: Maria & Tim Troutman Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 05:58:41 -0400 ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ************************************************************************ Owens, Mathew Henry of Union County, Ky, born April 1822 in Jeffersontown, Jefferson County, Ky to William Owens and Fanny (Zilhart) Owens of Jeffersontown, KY. Little is known about the subject's father, other than census records indicate he was born in TN. The subject's mother was a seamstress and after her husband died remarried to John Muster. The subject's mother's family were wagon makers. Mathew seems to have had itchy feet or maybe lack of finances kept him on the go. After marrying, Mathew left Jefferson County, KY and went to Iowa, though no records to prove it yet, other than FHC stating his marriage in Iowa to Elizabeth Jacobs. His first three children were born in Johnson Co., IN, though no records have been found yet to show Mathew living in Johnson County, IN. From IN, he went back to Jefferson County, KY, and then in later years went to Union County, KY, and once during the same census year, was found in Union and Webster County, KY. Mathew was a carpenter, rumored to have taught school in Johnson County, IN, and said to have preached at the Walnut Grove Church of Christ, as well as he helped to build the church. Old family members say that they remember their parents talking about his love of reading. Mathew 1st married July 1841 in Shelby County, KY to Elizabeth Jacobs, daughter of Martin Jacobs and Judith Jacobs, Elizabeth b. 1814 KY and died before 1857. They were the parents of 4 children, James b. 1842; John b. 1844; Frances Marion b. 1846; and Emily b. 1848. Mathew 2nd married in Iowa to Eveline Nelson, daughter of John Woodford Nelson, widow of William Williamson. Eveline b. 1828 IA, died before 1867. Shortly before or after the marriage, Eveline gave birth in 1851 to a daughter by her deceased husband William Williamson who was named Mary Eveline. This step daughter was welcomed into Mathew's family and later went on and married a brother to Mathew's 3rd wife, making her step daughter and daughter in law. Mathew and Eveline also had Woodford b. 1857 in Marshall County, IA; Robert b. 1862 IA; and Susan b. 1865. Mathew 3rd and lastly married Nov. 1867 Morganfield, Union County, Ky to Nancy Jane Tripp, b. Mar. 1844 d. 1916 Union County, KY. Mathew and Nancy had the following children; Ed b. 1869; Mary Evalyne b. 1870 (note; not to be confused with the daughter by the 2nd wife); Bluford b. 1873; Sylvester b. 1874; Roxie b. 1876; Charles b. 1879; Baird Waldon b. 1880; Florence. B. 1883; and Harvey b. 1887. Mathew was rumored to have had 28 children but proof of 28 have not been found. It was also rumored that he had a 4th wife by which no children were born, but once again, no proof has been found to back that up. According to older family members, Mathew died 1901 and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Union County, Ky. No death records or cemetery records have him listed however. But, there is a hand carved stone in old section of the cemetery with the initials of MHO on three sides. His last wife Nancy is suppose to be next to him, however, there is no stone to indicate which side she may be on if she is there. Names- OWENS, DEMOSS, TROUTMAN, TRIPP, WILLIAMSON, JACOBS, NELSON, ZILHART March 26, 1997, Maria DeMoss Troutman, Schopp, Germany (great great granddaughter) UPDATE: 13 Mar 2001 - Upon receiving pension papers for Matthew, he does list that he has been previously been married 3 times and that they are all dead. It is not until his last wife, Nancy Jane Tripp (my great great grandmother) files for her widow's pension do we find out when and where these women died at. According to Nancy Tripp Owens, information in Matthew's Pension Application and other research, Matthew's first 4 wives were.... #1. Elizabeth Jacobs married 29 July 1841 in Shelby Co., Ky, she died 1 Feb 1852 in Jefferson Co., Ky #2. Susan Martin married 17 Oct 1852 in Bullitt Co., Ky, she died 9 Apr 1856 in Bullitt Co., Ky #3. Eveline Snelson Williamson (widow of Wm. Willimson), estimated marriage date of late 1856, she died 29 Mary 1867 in Union Co., Ky #4. Nancy Jane Tripp married 14 Nov 1867 in Union Co., Ky, she died 28 Apr 1916 in Union Co., Ky Matthew Henry Owens died 19 Jan 1902 per his pension records. Maria DeMoss Troutman - Dayton, Ohio