Post Pearl Harbor Instructions for Californians

My mother was living in La Puente, California with her parents when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. She said that she was frightened and it was a very stressful time.
I found these instructions published in a Torrance, California newspaper after Pearl Harbor.

The December 10 false alarm resulted in anti-craft fire. 

Everyones dying....Don't Panic!

This was the mantra in 1918 "Don't Panic". Why? Because it might hurt the war effort. The media tried to play the flu epidemic down, but it was like hiding an elephant in the living room. There was so much sickness and dying going on in Jackson County, Indiana in the Fall of 1918 it's hard to keep up with it all. Don't know if there are any figures on the death totals in Jackson County, Indiana?

Pale Horse Pale Rider is a great semi autobiographical novel about the epidemic in the US (see book below).

They Farmed... what else?

I have had difficulty telling the story of my Jackson County, Indiana ancestors. They didn't fight off indians, the Civil War wasn't fought there. It wasn't the site of any major historic events. I've seen signs like nothing happened here in such and such year, which could be a sign found in Jackson County.
On a family level I know major life events occurred here. Such events were seldom recorded. Diaries, letters and so on are generally the places we find these events recorded. I have a transcript of one letter, that of Isis Browning-Forgey, with instructions she wanted carried out after her death. My family lived in a small town so these events also often made news and were recorded in the local Brownstown Banner Newspaper under such headings as "Freetown facts and fancies". Thankfully these newspapers have been digitized to the year 1923.
After reading the available papers I now have a much better picture of my ancestors lives. The Forgeys in Jackson County were primarily descendants of Hugh Forgey and Elizabeth Wray. A son of Hugh's brother, James Forgey, William was a blacksmith in Seymour.
I am still trying to amalgamate everything I've found into a unified story. My impression of the people of Jackson County is that of a practical, pragmatic people. They didn't have many material possessions. They often lived below there means. They worked hard and enjoyed visiting family and friends during their free time. Hunting, Fishing and Sunday Baseball games (Red Forgey was a pitcher) were also pastimes they enjoyed.
Contagious disease was a major cause of death in early times up to the early twenties. Without antibiotics entire families were wiped out by disease. There was a high child mortality rate as can be seen in the list of deaths for 1884.
The people of Jackson County, in general, were very receptive to new technology. They installed electrical wiring and phones as soon as they could afford to. Complaints were lodged when the phone company raised it's rates from 50 cents a year to $3 per year an increase of 600 percent. Cline Forgey signed the complaint. The switchboard for the phone company was is Rinda Denny's house. The job of operator was a 24/7 job. An alarm would go off when there was a call at night.
It seems the early Forgeys had strained family relationships? Maybe the belief in strict discipline and the never ending farm chores caused rifts. I noticed Hugh Forgey did not refer to Leander and William as beloved sons in his will? He referred to others in such a way. The newspapers seem to support a less than close relationship between father and sons. It appears that Hugh traveled to Arkansas and Oregon without the family. William Forgey disappeared at one point without notifying his family. He also spent time in Iowa as a teenager. It was implied that he was difficult to handle, and needed to apply himself more to his studies?
It was interesting to find some health history too. It surprised me to find out that my great-grandfather was diagnosed with heart trouble in 1900. It's hard to say whether that was an accurate diagnosis. His son, my grandfather, also had heart trouble. He had to have a pacemaker. My Great-Grandmother Isis and her daughter Edna had Diphtheria in 1900. It was said they had it again?
There was talk about my great-grandfather William (Spud) Forgey opening a combination furniture and undertaking establishment. I don't think this ever happened? He was going to go into business with a brother-in-law.

My grandfather shows up in the paper as Dick Forgey in 1923 (His name was actually Charles Lynn Forgey). He was apparently hiding his identity so my grandmother wouldn't find him. I had no idea he had returned to Indiana in 1923 to visit his family. He also went to Detroit to visit brother George (Claude). I don't know how the visit went but he returned to California and in 1925 his wife and daughter joined him. Sounds like he was separated from his wife, my Grandmother, and his daughter, my mother, from 1923 to 1925. There isn't any mention of my grandfather's service in the Marines in the Brownstown Banner. I think my Great-Grandfather was quite angry with my Grandfather. As I understand there were no pictures of my grandfather in the family house. Perhaps my grandfather fell in with a bad element. As early as 1884 there were complaints about drunken teenagers (see article right).
My Great-Great Uncle Leander Forgey seemed to be the most stable of the early generation. He had a large family of 11 children. Being such a large family they encountered every conceivable problem which a family could face at that time. They had numerous illnesses such as TB and Spinal Meningitis. One of their daughters died at age 3. A son died at age 28 of TB. He, John Forgey, was deaf from the age of 9 and attended deaf school in Indianapolis. He learned the printing trade there. He later went west to pursue a career as a Cowboy and contracted TB.
Many of the Forgeys ran small businesses in southern Indiana. William "Red" Forgey (Leander's son) was a very successful businessman. He ran a grocery and Barber Shop in Freetown for 62 years. His brother Clyde ran a Grocery store in Surprise. Their cousin (my Great-Uncle C. C. Forgey) owned a Cream Station. Some of his sons also owned the Forgey Food Liner from 1955 to 1967.
Cline Forgey, another of Leander's sons, was a school teacher and sold real estate and insurance on the side. Sounds like his Aunt Sarah Ellen Forgey/George also studied to be a school teacher in the early 1870's. I don't know whether she ever taught school?
I found out that my Great-Grandfather William Wray Forgey spent two years in the far west, but no other details were given. I would like to know exactly where he went?

I am happy that The Banner waved gloriously over the Forgey "The Forgey Mansion" LOL,  I filled in many gaps in my knowledge of the family.

Civil War Pension CD

I received the Civil War Pension file on CD from the National Archives a little more than a week ago. In the past it took months to get the file after they received your order. It now can take as little as 3 weeks. I got mine about 2 1/2 later weeks after ordering. I was shocked to find out how much the price has increased since I last ordered a Pension file. It now costs $80 dollars for a copy of the full file. So I ordered 8 pages at a cost of $30. Ordering is much easier than in the past. The last Pension I ordered in early 2000 I had to make out a form and snail mail it to them. Online ordering now speeds up the process.

I was thrilled with the contents of the file I received for James H. Owens. It confirmed my relationship to him. It confirmed that he was the same man who appeared on the 1900 Census in Kansas. It resolved conflicting information. Both James and his wife Christina claimed to be widowed while both were still living. They evidently were falsifying some of their information for their own reasons.
So the missing James H. Owens has now officially be found!

Exasperated White People?

No, it's not what you think. This has nothing to do with the 2012 Elections. When I came upon this, "All the white people are exasperated",  did bring to mind recent events.
I found these manuscripts at Virginia Memory Governor's Letters . I've been transcribing them. They are difficult to read so may contain some errors.
Our relation David Owens plays a key role in the negations with the Native Americans for the release of  prisoners who were part of the white settlement south of the Ohio River. They were being held prisoner in what is now Indiana.

Ft. Nelson 13^th April 1784 (To James Sherlock)

This letter will acknowledge the receipt of by Mr. Coleman + the Indian messengers. I now find them back accompanied by Mr. David Owens who speaks the Tongue, and will inform you of everything more particularly than I can write. I expect you home this spring with all the Prisoners. The Governor from my recommendation of you has not been forgetful of you. For god's sake do not do my discredit. Your own Fortune in this great mission depends on your perfect conduct.

I sent a small talk to the Shawnee as well as the Wyandots: You are to interpret them, and if Mr. Owens can assist you. I am glad to find their disposition are for peace ________shall once more for ever hold the ____ chain of friendship together never to be broken.

I would have dispatched your messengers immediately, but I wished to have our Chiefs of this country to hear what I had to say in answer to the speeches I received, as well as to do honor to the messengers of our Brothers the Shawanese + Wyandots.

Your detention during this winter Jeffersonville be rather advantageous than detrimental; especially as I have hopes it paves the way for your bringing in the Prisoners without fail, and you have just reason not only to assist but be in a great measure assured of receiving to yourself a valuable consideration for any prisoners you bring in, from the Parents Guardians or friends of them respectively; exclusive of the views I have from Gov. in your favors. In short expect yourself on this occasion + there is next to a certainty of your being a man of consequence seen hereafter.

Genl. Clark is one of the comdrs. Appointed to threat with the Shawanese + others arrived. When he does I shall be enabled to find the necessary invitation for our meeting Shawanese but at any rate as the Wabashe tribes are expected in. I shall depend on your return to interpret for me. Your return is expected as quickly as possible.

I am highly displeased with Mr. Benjamin Pyatt for daring to tell such lies to our brothers. All the white people are exasperated at the news, but hope no regard will be paid to anything said by such a fool. Rest assured that agreeable to your present good conduct you have it in your power to do a great deal for yourself, in which you will always command the assistance and good office of ___Sir.

You friend + Humble Serv.

George Walls

Mr. David Owens

You are hereby in consequence of your appointment as Indian Interpreter, to proceed in Company with the Shawanese messengers, taking in your care the Speeches I send to the Shawanese + Wyndots you are to deliver these speeches to Mr. James Sherlock and give him all the assistance in your power to render essential Service to your Country. You are to advise with Mr. Sherlock what is, or may be expedient for the public Good, having in View that you Return to this place as quick as may be done without injuring the public welfare, + that in case Mr. Sherlock should not be immediately ready to accompany you, that you use your Best endeavours to bring home under your Escort all the prisoners which may be ready for your taking in charge from Mr. Sherllock.

Given under my hand at Fort Nelson (Falls of Ohio)

This 13^th April 1784

Signed Geo. Walls

Maj. Comdr.

Copy of a Talk to the Shawnese Sent them by David Owens + two Shawanese Runners the 14 April 1784

Brothers,

Your messengers arrived in Saply? And we received them with Friendship as we would do our own flesh + Blood, which they can assure you of. We also received your good talk, and rejoice to find your Heart as good + inclined to Peace which is also our Desire as your Messengers will inform you.

Brothers

Will lose no time in finding your good talks to our great Chiefs and your Elder Brother the Governor of the Big Knife. In the mean time we will not believe any foolish Stories to your prejudice + Atho Some of our Blood has been lately spilled at limestone Creek on our Side of the Big River, yet we are willing to believe it was the Cherokees who did it without your Knowledge or consent, however we shall soon drive out the bad Spirit from among them which has caused them to be so long be so long blind to their own good. We are sorry their misbehavior puts us to the necessity of Chastising them and are glad to hear your intention of putting a Stop to their Bad conduct this Spring.

Brothers,

Altho we cannot meet you immediately to treat, yet the Path is now open and cleared from the Briars and thorns that might hurt your feet, so that any of you Peaceable men may come in friendship and see us and Shake hands + Smoke and talk with us at any time until matters are finally Settled to the Satisfaction of us all and when they? Chiefs to leave us they may depart in Peace and friendship.

Brothers We are sorry for the Death of your great chief wry-neck, + consoles with you for his ___ We wish he had lived to see us once more lay hold of the strong chain of friendship, never let go.

Brothers

We are glad to hear you desire no more Liquor to be sent into your Nation, as it always hinders both you and us in good intentions. If you may be a friend that we will do all in our Power to put a Stop to it; but Several of our Foolish People we hear have taken it among you without our knowledge or consent, which we are very Sorry for. We hope will be as good as your Promise in delivering up our flesh and blood this Spring which now taken prisoners in the time of War, as we long much to see them again. We are glad to hear you have given our messenger a good reception, + expect he will bring our flesh + Blood with him on his return.

Done at Fort Nelson of Ohio April 13^th 1784.

Signed

Geo. Walls

Maj. Comd.

Speech to the Wyandots sent by the same messengers at s. Time

Brothers

We have received your good speech by the Shawanese Messengers with four Strings of white + Six Strings of Black Wampum, which we accept as a Token of you friendship, + of the Sincerity of your Hearts.

Brothers,

I have Sent your talk to your Elder Brother the Govr. and the great chiefs of the big Knife + as soon as we receive an answer we will send to you and appoint a time and place of meeting in order finally to confirm the Peace we are both so desirous should take--------- among us, as well as to receive from your hand our flesh + blood which were taken prisoners in the time of War, which we make no doubt you will bring with you according to your promise.

Brothers. I hope you will not listen to ____foolish Stories, but believe that we are Sincere in wishing to hold fast the chain of Friendship forever. In token of which I send three Strings of white wampum.

Done at the Falls of Ohio April 12 1784

Signed

Geor. Walls

Maj. Comdr.

Mapping Owens Family

I mapped out the state and county locations of the Owens family. The descendants of James Owens of Booths Creek in Virginia remained in the West Virginia area for many generations. I beleive he is likely related to our Owens family. We have not been able to establish the exact relationship.

The descendants of John Owens Sr. and Jr. relocated to Kentucky and Indiana.

More markers to separate them

I have certainly found, and been given, a great deal of information which will help me separate all of the Johns, Georges etc..
This indenture naming James Owens Jr. is helpful because it identifies the James referred to as Junior as being married to Fanny. The other James married to Sally Broshears must be the James referred to as Senior? So now I know that my James D. Owens didn't own the property near the Broshears on Turtle. That was James Owens Sr..

From Karen Degroote

A great source of information about the John Owens 2 and Susannah family are the probate/orphans court records. We get the names of all the children which helps to identify the family group when they relocate from Pennsylvania to Kentucky. The ages are helpful to although, unfortunately, ages aren't provided for individual children. We can come up with a general age range

Since David made his own choice of guardians we know he is over 14 yrs. of age which was the age when you could select your own guardian.

Same for John Owens 3:

The minor children of John Owens 2

This probate document gives date ranges for children without names:

Age ranges presented in probate papers April 3, 1781:

1. One under 5 months. "He being under 5 months old." Do they mean boy?
2. Twins 2 years 5 months
3. One child 4 years 6 months

So we have a couple of children born before 1776 and 4 between  1776 and 1781.

Matching the children with the ages is the challenging part. Although the order in which the children are named in the probate may be a hint to the birth order?

Happy Halloween!

Always curious about how my ancestors celebrated holidays I searched the Brownstown newspapers for Halloween news. Here is how they marked Halloween in Jackson County, Indiana in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. The Spider web social was kind of a mystery. You had to unwind your partner?

Paint the Town Red for Halloween 1885?

Halloween 1898

Halloween 1906

Halloween 1920's

Can't we separate all of the Johns, Georges, Davids?

Is it possible to match all of the Johns, Georges, Davids and a couple of James's to their correct parents? That is the game right now.
We begin looking in Western Pennsylvania and neighboring West Virginia where our John Owens I, the Indian Trader, planted this family in the mid to late 18th Century. Early on we only have John Owens I.and his brothers David I and George I so it's not that challenging. We also have a James Owens on Booth's Creek in Virginia. He settles there in about 1770 so he may also be a son of John Owens I. This date comes from a preemption land warrant later granted to his son John Owens. An Owen Owens also lived in the area don't know how he is related?
We may have one John son of James living in the Virginia area in the late 1700's or we may have two? We have one we know to be the son of James, as named in a land record. There are two purchases of land under the name of  John Owens in 1786. Might be two different men or the same John son of James? I have not been able to locate John Owens Jr. son of John Owens Sr. and Susanna. He may have settled in the West Virginia area? Some say he settled in Ohio?

John Owens deceased 1829 Greene County, PA

We also have a John Owens who died in 1829 in Greene County, Pennsylvania which might be John Owens son of James and Susannah? I also found a John on the 1810 Census for Ohio County, VA. Don't know if this is the same person? He was under 45 in 1810.

David Owens Ohio County, Virginia

In Ohio County, VA we also find David. I assume it is David Owens son of John Owens I. He first settles in that area about 1770. He transferred his warrant to David Jones in 1773 and remained on the property several years. I have also found a David Owens to the east of there on the 1800 Census for Washington County, PA. This may be David Owens I. He is over 45 years old. May have returned to area. 

1800 Census Washington County, PA

I matched a few of these men while doing some research for this post. I went back to Virginia Memory and found a couple of databases I had not used before. When I tried the Revolutionary War rejected claims database I found 31 documents for George Owings aka Owens. This answered so many questions, and provided more details of his death. Sadly he was slowly burned to death by Indians.

George Owens family as described by Nephew

1784 Commissioned as an Interpreter

These documents identified George Owens I children who were alive in 1840. They were identified as Thomas and George C. Owens. Their father was a Captain in the Army when they were born. He was stationed in what is now Southern Indiana. I believe George I's wife's name was Charity Casteel.

Georges Owen's half brother David I was sent from Pennsylvania to Fort Nelson in Louisville as a Native American language interpreter. As his son David II explained he met his Uncle George in April 1782 which is supported by a letter mentioning his presence at Fort Nelson. It appears that George Owens I's sons left Indiana after their father's death and joined their relatives in the more peaceful Bracken County, KY area. George and Thomas appear on Taxlists for Bracken County up until 1811 when they probably return to Indiana. So now we have George son of John II and Susanna plus George Casteel Owens son of George I and Charity Casteel. So we have the two Georges identified but still can't place the two Jameses on the taxlists?

1811 Taxlist Bracken County, KY

John and David Owens Indiana 1820

So George I and David I both lived in what is now Southern Indiana in the area that is now Clarksville. I now believe that the John and David mentioned in the History of Clark County, Indiana in 1783 may actually be George I and David I. Later there were brothers, likely David's sons, named John and David living in the area. I think someone may have gotten the names mixed up? 

Now we may be able to deduce that Willis Callaway Owens who was a DNA with my line is likely the grandson of David Owens, since George and David's families are the only early Owens families in that area. His son John Owens is probably the man who married Sarah Jackson in 1787. And their son John in turn married a Callaway. Not positive but the most likely scenario. Still need to work on finding the proper families for the two Jameses. 

When lines connect! Breaking down a brickwall!

Get out the champagne the Owens Brickwall is coming down!!! It took two people working independantly then finally connecting our lines through the internet. Just like the meeting at Promontory Point we celebrated the extenstion of our lines!
I've been working on this line since 2001. In 2003, I believe it was, I made the connection which took me from Mattoon, Coles, Illinois to Bracken County, Kentucky. Looking at the other Owens family in the Bracken, Ky area I determined that my James D. Owens was likely related to them. As I've stated before his children shared some of the same names as the other Owens families. Most of the Bracken County, KY families were descended from John Owens 18th Century Indian Trader  in Pennsylvania. His life story is very interesting, and many researchers have posted info about the family on the Internet. I could not make the connection using traditional sources.I've exhausted most of the resources available at long distance. I don't have access to the old court records which may contain more info on the family.
Last week I found a DNA website for the Owens family. I noticed that a group of men who tested descended from John Owens Indian Trader. Having just about exhausted all the records currently available I was thinking that DNA might be my best hope of establishing a more solid connection. I had looked for male Owens descendants before with no success. William F. Owens, my ggg-grandfather had 3 sons. I wondered if the oldest may have died in the Civil War? I gave up on looking for them. Someone posted a tombstone picture at Find-a-grave that I had requested last week also. I decided to use Find-a-grave to locate a possible descendant of William F. Owens. Checking the memorial for his Mother Nancy I found that someone carrying the name Owens left virtual flowers and provided additional info about the whereabouts of the family. I contacted her and received a goldmine of info on every member of William's family. I was going to ask whether she knew someone who would take the Y DNA test. I was so surprised when she said her husband had already tested and matched the descendants of the Indian Trader. I had noticed there was a newer entry at the Owens DNA site with no additional info. I had wondered if that person might be in my line? Yes, they were!
So why couldn't I locate these men when this person did? It has to do with name changes. George Owens was identified as Joshua in the US Census. I was looking for a Joshua. The ancestral line of the husband of my contact went back to the eldest of William and Nancy's children, James H. Owens. I was looking for a man by that name but his year of birth didn't match. As it turns out James Owens was in the Civil War. He was under age when he joined. He changed his name from James H. Owens to Jame H. Hicks. Hicks was his mother's maiden name. He also disappears from records any records until he marries in 1888 in Kansas. He permanently changed his year of birth from 1848 to 1845. I guess he worried that he wouldn't get veterans benefits if they found out he lied about his age. I would have not been able to make this connection between my James H. Owens of Illinois and the one in Kansas and Nebraska on my own. Only a person from that line could do that. So both of us working independently got our research to the point where such a connection could be made.
In 1870 Josephine "Josie" Owens was living in the household of my ancestor Mary E. Owens/Mason, her sister. I had used Josie's marriage record to identify their parents. So I knew her married name was Durham. The James Owens descendant's family had found his Civil War related records. He had been placed in a home for old soldiers and he identified his closest living relative as Josephine Durham. Along with the use of the name Hicks as an alias I now knew he was the long lost James H. Owens. This did not, however, establish a link with the family who lived in Kansas and Nebraska. An application for a pension in 1894 Nebraska pulled everything together. We now had a James H. Hicks alias Owens living in Nebraska in 1894 when their family was known to live there. The 1900 US Census Kansas gives his year of birth as 1845 and James H. Hicks alias Owens also stated he was born in 1845.
We still  have more work to do on this line, but we've come a long way. It only took 12 years to get here!

Pennsylvania Manuscripts on the Web

Pennsylvania Archives and Colonial Records at Fold3

I am finding a wealth of info online regarding Pennsylvania. I have been using the Pennsylvania Archives for years at Fold3. I've learned you can also access these records at archive.org or google books. Journals and personal papers of contemporaries of my ancestors have been very helpful too. Since some of my ancestors where indian traders in Pennsylvania accounts of the indian trade have been interesting and helpful. The book "Ohio Company Papers" is available at Heritage Quest online. I found a number of references to my ancestor John Owens Indian Trader in the Ohio Company Papers. If you can find a manuscript collection or a book containing transcripts or extracts from original manuscripts they can prove to be very helpful and may breakdown a brickwall. I need to locate these kinds of materials for Tennessee.

Here are some links to the Pennsylvania manuscripts I've found helpful

• The Writings of Benjamin Franklin; (July 1905)
• Hanna's "Wilderness Trail"
• "Journal of Nicholas Cresswell"
• Kenneth Bailey's "Michael Cresap"
• Parkman's "Pontiac"
• "Benjamin Franklin's Papers"
• "Sir William Johnson"s Papers"

David Owens was brought to the attention of Benjamin Franklin several time unfortunately

Share A Memory

Seeing a picture can jog your memory. This picture taken by the Temple swimming pool in Puente, California during the 1920's really brought back memories. The Temple Mansion was turned into a nursing home in the 1940's. My Grandfather Forgey worked there after WWII. My Grandmother Forgey was a resident of the modern nursing home built next to the Mansion in the 1960's. I used to walk the grounds of the nursing home with my father while my mother spent time with my grandmother. When I saw the picture above posted in my news feed at Facebook it really jolted me. I had never seen a picture of the pool from that era. I remember when I first noticed the old pool on one of my walks with my father. I was about 5 yrs. old and was fascinated by it. I couldn't believe it was a pool. I never saw one like it before. I've had dreams about swimming in that pool. Every time we visited my grandmother I had to look at the pool. My father said my Uncles swam in it. Don't know if that's true? (I also enjoyed looking at the old cemetery, also located on the grounds; which probably helped spark my interest in genealogy and love of cemeteries.)
I believe the Puente Hills can be seen in the background. I grew up at the base of those hills. I feel lucky that I was able to see the pool and other landmarks in the area before they were demolished. The pace of change in Southern California really sped up during my childhood in the 1960's and 1970's. You could still find unspoiled open spaces and farms near where I lived in the late 1960's early 1970's. We had terrible smog back then too. The smog situation is better now, but I do miss some of the old landmarks and the farms which were still around back then.

My Sources so far on Owens

I've been busy getting up to speed on the Owens line this week. I've found some of the original material sited by other researchers. I still have more to find. I have not found any of the deeds I need online. The orphans court records are not online either. Another important document I need is the power of attorney which Thomas Broshears gave to James Owens regarding Hannah and John Owens estate.

Sources for James D. Owens and Francis

1843 Taxlist Bracken County

1. William is the son of James Owens comes from a taxlist which reads "William of James".
2. William appears next to Francis his mother on taxlists.
3. William is bondsman on Hannah's marriage bond. Hannah is found in on the Census in Francis's household.
4. James and Francis children include Hannah, John, and David V. Owens. These names appear in the John and Susannah Owens family of  PA and VA.
5. A Broshears purchases an item from the James D. Owens estate.
6. Hannah states her father was born in Pa on the 1880.



David and Brother John settled in Clarksville Indiana

7. Several of the Children of John and Susannah settle in Bracken County Ky. John and David seem to have settled not far away in the Clarksville area of Indiana. They were there in 1783.

Sources John Owens Jr. and Susannah 

1. The proof that Susannah was John's wife comes from his 1781 Washington County, PA Will.
2. The names of his children are said to come from Orphans court records. David and John are the only two mentioned by name on will. Otherwise it just states brothers and sisters of John and David.
3. Their place of residence is Monongahela Ten mile Creek Virginia according to the will.
4. John's aged mother is mentioned on the will but her name is not given 
5. A number of contemporary accounts give the cause of his death as the  result of an indian attack 
6. John's brother David was said to be the son of an Indian trader according to several contemporary accounts. I have not seen John referred to as son of the Indian Trader.
7. John owned land in Bedford County according to will.
8. The fact Susannah remarried and her married name was McMullin is from her husband John's will documents.
9. Susannah's death date of 1790 comes from her Washington County, PA will.

Sources for John Owens Sr.

1. The first record for him I've found is as a witness to a treaty in 1752.
2. He and his Indian wife also appear in a 1756 Pennsylvania Gazette article.