BIO: James C. OWENS, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 948 & 949. _____________________________________________________________ JAMES C. OWENS, a prosperous farmer of Burnside township, was born on the old Owens homestead in this township, January 11, 1841, son of William and Hannah (Wagner) Owens. His paternal grandfather was Robert Owens, who was born May 28, 1787, and who married Margaret Carns. Robert Owens came to Burnside township in 1836, settling near Patchin, where he engaged in limbering and rafting on the Susquehanna river. His wife, Margaret, died in 1871. William Owens, father of our subject, was born November 9, 1815, in a Pennsylvania town near the New Jersey line, and he was twenty-one years of age when he accompanied his parents to Clearfield county. He was associated industrially with his father and also engaged in farming, buying the present Owens homestead, which he cleared. Later he purchased an additional farm, and was engaged in lumbering and agriculture for the rest of his life, which closed in January, 1903. He married Hannah Wagner, who was born in Center county, Pa., April 19, 1819, the daughter of well known and respected residents of that county. Her mother, Mrs. Jane Wagner, who was born in 1784, died October 21, 1853. The subject of this sketch is the only one of their children now surviving. James C. Owens, after attending school for a time, was engaged in farming on the parental homestead until reaching the age of twenty-four years. He then operated a farm of his own until 1904, subsequently removing to his present homestead, which he had previously owned. He has been successful in his operations and is now one of the substantial citizens of his township. He is a member of Harmony Grange, No. 1201, and takes an active interest in whatever is calculated to advance the welfare of the community. In politics a Republican, he has served as a member of the school board for the last twelve years, being president of the board for one term. Mr. Owens is a Civil war veteran, having enlisted in Company E, 172d Pa. Vol. Infantry, for nine months, his regiment forming a part of Gen. Howard's command, Army of the Potomac, after the Battle of Gettysburg. He is a member of the old G. A. R. post at Westover, Pa. Mr. Owens married Sarah Fulton, a daughter of Simon and Elizabeth (Young) Fulton. Of this marriage there have been five children, as follows: Elizabeth, is the wife of S. Brickley of Westover, and the mother of nine children. Her daughter, Iva, married Fred Kitchen, and has two children. William A. married Letta Kitchen and resides in Kansas. He has a family of nine children. Rosa J. is the wife of L. Kepler, a machinist residing on the Owens homestead and has three children. Rebecca, is the wife of Charles Litchfield and lives in Kansas. She has four children. Harvey married Ora Jane Fyock, who is associated in the farming industry with our subject. He and his wife have three children. Thus it will be seen that Mr. Owens has no less than twenty-eight grandchildren, besides two great-grandchildren, showing that he and his family have no need of Mr. Roosevelt's warning to beware of race suicide. Mrs. Sarah Owens, the mother of the above mentioned children, died in 1905 at the age of fifty-nine years. She was a good wife and mother and highly respected throughout the community.