LINKING JAMES A. FOWLER TO THE FOWLERS OF MARYLAND,
PENNSYLVANIA AND KENTUCKY
Originally Published January 12, 2006
It was just "confirmed" that Benjamin Fowler, b. April 16,
1737, was the one who married Hammutal Stinchcomb, as previously believed.
Benjamin Fowler's brother (or half-brother), Jubb Fowler, was a witness to
the will of Elizabeth Boone whom I believe was the mother of Richard
Boone, first husband of Hammutal Stinchcomb. Richard died before
1760 and she remarried to Benjamin Fowler. I also believe that this
Benjamin Fowler was the father of 1768 Benjamin who married Mary Naylor
and the grandfather of James A. Fowler of Butler County, Ohio. If my
theory about the identity of Benjamin Fowler (b. 1737) is correct, his
mother would be Helen Bridgall and his father would be Samuel Fowler (b.
1706).
Genealogy of the Linthicum and allied
families (Heritage Quest)
Baltimore, Md.: unknown, 1936?, 214 pgs.
Samuel Fowler married Helen Bridgall, daughter of Daniel and
Margaret (Neal) Bridgall, widow of Edward Mortimer. They were
married Sept. 20, 1732. Benjamin and Helen and six children are
recorded in Westminster Parish. Their children: John, Jubb,
Benjamin Jr. (b. Apr. 16, 1737, m. Hannutah Stinchcomb (widow Boone)),
Helen (b. Apr 28, 1740), Samuel (b. June 19, 1742, m. ca. 1765 Hannah
(Jacob) Boone, dau. of Richard and Hannah (Howard) Boone), Elizabeth (b.
Oct. 11, 1744).
Page 100-101
Elizabeth Boone, Anne Arundel Co, widow
17 Nov, 1761 30 Mar, 1763
To son, Humphrey Boone, my slave woman
To grandson, John Boone, son of Thomas, 20 lbs, current money
To son Thomas Boone, 1 s. sterl.
To Ann Boone, wife of son Humphrey, my wearing apparel.
To grandson, Charles Boone, son of sd. Humphrey, certain slaves. Mentions
his grandson Stephen Boone, son of sd. Humphrey Boone
Ex: Humphrey Boone
Wit: John Brice, John Thompson, Jubb Fowler
1. Our 1768 Benjamin Fowler was in Madison, KY in
1792 and 1800. Jacob Fowler, brother of 1733 Benjamin was listed
there in 1810. Jacob would be the first cousin of 1768 Benjamin if
my theory is correct. Little is known about 1733 Benjamin - he may
have died young.
2. Quite a few Duvall families were living very
near Benjamin in Ohio. Marsh Mareen Duvall Jr. was in Hamilton,
Ohio, very near James A. Fowler who was in Butler, OH. Mareen B.
Duvall was in Annapolis, Maryland in 1800 along with Jubb Fowler.
The Duvall family was allied with the Fowler family of Maryland.
1830 census
Marsh Merin Duval Millcreek, Hamilton, Ohio (001010001-00130001)
age 60-70 <1760-1770> (Image 5)
Thomas Duvall Millcreek, Hamilton, Ohio (00121001-00001001) age 50-60
<1770-1780> (Image 5)
Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin,
Volume 1-38
Listed in: Vol. 19, No. 4, Fall 1978
Page number: 246
1800 Anne Arundel, MD Census - City of Annapolis
Gabriel Duvall (02101-02111) age 45+
Mareen B. Duvall (01100-00000) age 16-26
Baruch Fowler (02110-00000) age 26-45
Daniel Fowler (11001-00110) age 45+
Jubb Fowler (02201-00301) age 45+
Mark Fowler (01010-20100) age 26-45
William Fowler (11001-02001) age 45+
3. Hammutal's possible grand nephew (David Stinchcomb) married Sarah Dye who was born in Mason, KY (same birth place
as the daughter-in-law of our Benjamin's son (Elizabeth Devore)) and David
was also living near them in Ohio.
4. 1737 Benjamin Fowler's first cousin (Jeremiah) was in
1792 and 1800 Madison, KY with a Benjamin Fowler, so it is likely this
Benjamin was his close relative. Our Benjamin named a son Jeremiah.
5. George Stinchcomb was in Butler Co, Ohio in
1808, the year that James A. Fowler married Elizabeth Devore in that
county. George may have been the father of David Stinchcomb who was
in nearby Miami, Ohio from 1820 to 1850. David was born in PA and he
married Sarah Dye, daughter of Stephen Andrew Dye from the same region of
PA. George may have been a nephew of Hammutal.
The History of Butler County, Ohio
(Heritage Quest) - Taxables of 1808
George Stinchcomb, Middlesex Township, 400 acres, 2 cows, 2 horses or
oxen, valuation $322, tax $97
6. Clues from another researcher places the
Benjamin Fowler who was in Madison, KY in 1800 in Butler, OH in later
years. This is in connection to his daughter Rebecca's marriage to
Henry Carson, son of Margaret Ellis and David Carson.
7. Information was located indicating that a James
Fowler and a Jacob Fowler served in Thomas Stockley's Rangers from PA
1778-1783 along with two sons of Jeremiah Fowler and Drucilla Isaac.
This James Fowler may have been the son of Benjamin Fowler and Hammutal
Stinchcomb. He has not been listed as a son of any other Fowlers
from this family line. Jacob was the son of William Fowler and
Susannah Duvall, and was possibly our Benjamin's brother. Another
researcher believes this Jacob Fowler was the son of Edward Fowler and
Rachel Piatt - they moved to Campbell County. It is not known if
Edward was part of the Thomas Fowler/Susannah Ijams line. He was
born 1809 in Boone County, Kentucky. Two Edward Fowlers (Senior and
Junior) were listed in 1800 Campbell County and one in 1800 Madison County
along with our Fowlers. The Edward who had a son named Jacob ended
up in Campbell County, and it is not known who the Edward Fowler in
Madison, KY was. There were also two Jacob Fowlers listed in 1800,
one in Campbell County and one in Bullitt County. It is probable
that the Jacob Fowler who was in 1810 Madison KY was the same one who was
in 1800 Bullitt KY (see below for others who were in Bullitt, KY in 1800)
and the same one who served in the Rangers, but it could be the other one,
since there were some Kees who also served in the Rangers and the
Campbell, KY Fowlers were allied with the Kees. But, there were
others who served who were allied with our Fowlers, including some Ellises
and some Devores. (NOTE: Bullitt County borders with Nelson
County's northern border - Nelson County is a location were several Fowler
families and other families allied with the Butler OH Fowlers were located
before going to Ohio. Ben "Fouler" was there in 1791. Also
there in 1785, 1792 and 1810 was Zachariah Fowler, possible son of
Benjamin. He was born ca. 1760 in Maryland).
Historical Note: Basil Williams was in
Capt. Thomas Stockley's Rangers in Westmoreland/Washington Co PA in
1778-1783 during Revolutionary War. In the Ranger list were Andrew and
Hugh Kees, Matthew-Jacob-James Fowler and William Hudson.
Washington Co Pa. Militia 1781 Militia List: Pvt. 1st Class Andrew Kee and
Hugh Kee 8th Class; Thomas Fowler, Associative Militia. 1780 Early
Settlers of Washington, Fayette, Greene Cos. Pa.: Jacob Fowler,
Basil Williams Jr. (Sources: "Ten-Mile Country," Web site US GenWeb
Archives cites PA Archives, Vol. XXIII, 3rd Series, pp. 198-200. See also
Williams Family of Ky. in "Marylanders to Ky." by Peden.)
http://www.spaldinggenealogy.com/Kees-Keas-Harter.htm
1800 Bullitt, Kentucky - from Tax Lists
Jacob Fowler (possible brother of Benjamin Fowler and son of
Susannah Duvall)
Zachariah Dewitt
Lewis Duvall (grandson of Mareen Duvall "The Younger")
KENTUCKY CENSUS (From Tax Lists)
ZACHERIAH FOWLER KY Nelson County No Township Listed 1792
PETER DEWIT KY Nelson County No Township Listed 1792
JACOB DEWITT KY Nelson County No Township Listed 1800
JAMES DEWITT KY Nelson County No Township Listed 1800
1810 Census
William Fowler Bardstown, Nelson, KY 1810
Zakh Fowler Bardstown, Nelson, KY 1810
ZACHERIAH FOWLER KY Nelson County No Township Listed 1792
8. If we look at the map of Kentucky in the year
of it's statehood (1792) we see that Mason and Madison Counties are
located in the eastern-northeastern part of Kentucky below what is now
Ohio. These two counties were formed before the year of statehood
(Madison in 1786, Mason in 1789). The fact that some of the Fowler
and allied families were in Madison County and some were in Mason County
does not present a question about too much distance between them. It
appears they were all living near the Ohio border and near each other.
A John Fowler was in Fayette County, Kentucky as early as 1784 when he
served as a deputy. It is not known if he was related to our
Fowlers. He lived from 1755 to 1840 and served in the U. S. House of
Representatives from Kentucky. A John Price served as the deputy
there from 1782 to 1786. It is not known if he was related to the
Price family who married into our Fowler family.
9. I have been unable to locate James Fowler
(possible son of Benjamin) in the 1790 census, however, since he probably
was in Fayette, PA with Jacob, it is possible that he was living with
Jacob. In the 1790 census, Jacob is listed with 2 males over the age
of 16, indicating that there may have been another family living with him,
although the other male could have been a son. But we know that
James was in that general area of PA because of his service in the Rangers
with Jacob.
1790 Census
Jacob Fowler Tyrone, Fayette, PA 1790 (23400) 2 males over 16, 3 males
under 16, 4 females Pg 108
10. Evidence was recently found
indicating the possibility that our Benjamin Fowler may have been in
Nelson County, KY with Zachariah Dewitt in 1791, as shown in the following
Nelson County Tax List. He is listed with a Joseph Barnet and his
son, Benjamin (b. 1798 KY) married Elizabeth Barnett whose father was
Joseph Barnett and she also had a brother named Joseph.
TAXLIST: Nelson
County Tithes 1785-1791, Nelson Co., KY
Barnet Alexander and negro 2 1 John Vertrees 1791
Barnet Joseph & Ben Fouler & Case McGrady.
George & Stephen Standlee; 2 negros 7 17 John Vertrees 1791
Andrews Isaac & John Paul - 9 Jesse Davis #1 1791 (possible brother
of Christianna Andrews who married John Carson, brother-in-law of Benjamin
Nicholas Fowler. There were also some Ewings and Chambers on the
list and these families also inter-married with the Andrews family)
The Joseph Barnet mentioned with "Ben
Fouler" in Nelson, Ky was apparently the first pastor at Cedar Creek
Baptist Church, the second church in Kentucky. Also mentioned is
John Barnett. It is not known if this was John B. Barnett, father of
Elizabeth Barnett who married Benjamin Fowler (b. 1798 KY).
Elizabeth was born ca. 1795 in Kentucky, so it is possible. Notice
the mention of the name Rogers. Elizabeth's brother, Joseph, married
Jane Carr Rogers. She could have been a descendant of Col. James
Rogers.
CEDAR CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH - NELSON, KY
http://loricase.com/nelson/cedar-creek.html
This site where the Old Cedar Creek is located is a very interesting one.
Peter Grayson of Cedar Creek was Minister to Texas in 1841. It is told
that a member of the Cedar Creek Church, a Nathan Viers who was received
at the age of ninety-four, remembered George Washington. (CEDAR CREEK
CHURCH From Spencer's History)
This old church located about 4 miles west of Bardstown on the Bellwood
Road, one mile off Highway 62, near the site of Rogers Station. John
Barnett assisted by John Gerrard constituted the Cedar Creek Baptist
Church. July 4, 1781 and was second in the state. This being five years
after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and while the
Revolutionary War was still in progress. Just sixteen days after the
organization of the Severn Valley Church.
The first meeting place was on the banks of Cedar Creek and Downs Run. The
second Meeting place was a log building across the road from where the
present brick church now stands.
In building the brick structure they dug the clay from the ground nearby
and burned the brick on the site. The walls were plastered using hog hair
to mat the plaster together. The roof was composed of white oak hewn
beams. The walls are sixteen inches thick.
Pioneer settlers of nearby Rogers Station, 1780, Colonel James Rogers,
first judge of Nelson County, Atkinson Hill, Judge James Slaughter, and
Matthews William and Jonathan Rogers are among the founders of the
church.
First pastor of Cedar Creek Church was Joseph Barnett who continued
to minister the church until October 1785 and probably some years later.
The Reverend Joseph Barnett preached the introductory sermon before
the convention that formed the Salem Association at Cox's Creek Church in
October 1785. Refer to Spencer's Book on Baptist and you will find they
had a membership of forty one at that time
PASTORS 1781-1981
FIRST CEDAR CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH
Joseph Barnett 1781-1785
A GENERAL HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST
DENOMINATION IN AMERICA, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD
By David Benedict
http://www.fbinstitute.com/baptist-in-america/benedict34.htm
SALEM ASSOCIATION
This Association was formed of four churches in 1785. The first settlers
in this region were from Virginia; but they were soon joined by a
considerable company from the Redstone country, in the back part of
Pennsylvania. Among this company was that worthy minister William Taylor,
whose praise is in all the churches in this quarter. This part of Kentucky
settled slowly for a number of years. The first settlers were often
molested by the Indians, and Elder John Gerrard and a number of his
brethren fell victims to their rage. The Salem Association was formed on
Cox’s Creek, a small distance below the Salt River, about fifty miles
south of Frankfort, and not far from the place where Bairdstown now
stands. Its ministers at first were William Taylor, Joseph BARNET,
and John Whitaker; the names of the first four churches were Severn
Valley, Cedar Creek, Cox’s Creek, and Bear Grass. They did not all contain
but about a hundred and thirty members. And so slow was its progress, that
fourteen years after, its number was a little less than five hundred. But
the great revival, which began here about 1800, prevailed in a most
astonishing manner. This Association in the course of three years received
the addition of upwards of two thousand members, and became so large that
it was necessary to divide it.
This Association, at its beginning, adopted the Philadelphia Confession of
Faith, and for a few years corresponded by letter with that body, as it
did also with the Charleston Association in South-Carolina, and the
Ketocton in Virginia. The churches of which it was composed were for a
number of years principally in the county of Nelson; but by the
subdivisions of that county, and the enlargement of the Association, they
are now in the counties of Hardin, Brackenridge, Washington, Bullet, and
Ohio.
11. A Joseph FOWLER was among
those who settled at Fort Boonesborough south of
present-day Lexington, Kentucky (Fayette County) in 1775
with Daniel Boone and several members of
the BARNETT family, including a Joseph BARNETT. A Joseph Fowler
(Rev. War Patriot from Maryland) was also in Boone, KY in 1820 along with
a Benjamin Fowler. Boone, KY is just across the border from Ohio.
Also, a Joseph Fowler transferred Ohio lands in 1804. They may have
been descendants of Samuel Fowler and Helen Bridgall. This is a
loose connection between our Fowlers and Joseph Barnett, possibly a close
relative of Elizabeth Barnett. Also on the list of Fort Boonesborough settlers are James and Mary ELLIS. They were the
parents of Nathan ELLIS whose daughter, Margaret, married David Carson,
probable parents of Nancy Ann Carson, wife of Benjamin Nicholas Fowler.
Fort Boonesborough Foundation - Early
Settlers
http://www.fortboonesboroughfoundation.org/settlers.html
On the 1st of April, 1775, Daniel Boone, Richard Henderson and their
companions, reached the southern bank of the Kentucky River, and began to
build a fort, afterwards known as Boonesborough.
The names of those persons and/or families known to have resided in or
near the Fort Boonesborough and Boone's Station area follow
James ELLIS, Mary ELLIS, Alex BARNETT, Abrose BARNETT, James
BARNETT, John BARNETT, Joseph BARNETT, Robert BARNETT,
Joseph FOWLER, Ann BOONE, Betsey BOONE, Col. Daniel BOONE, Daniel
Morgan BOONE, Edward or Allen BOONE, Enoch Morgan BOONE, George BOONE,
Hannah BOONE, Isaiah BOONE, Josiah BOONE, Lvinia BOONE, Moses BOONE,
Nathan BOONE, Rebecca BOONE, Sarah BOONE, Squire BOONE, Mrs. Squire BOONE,
Squire BOONE, Squire H. BOONE, Susan BOONE, Ulissy BOONE
1810 census - Boone, KY is next to Hamilton Co,
Ohio
Benjn Fowler Boone, KY 1810 (20020-20100) age 26-45 <1765-1784>
NEXT LINE: Robt Fowler Boone, KY 1810 (10010-10100) age 26-45 <1765-1784>
1820 census
Benjamin Fowler Burlington, Boone, KY (220010-22010) Image 7 age
26-45 <1775-1794>
Joseph Fowler Burlington,Boone,KY (110101-00011) Image 7 age 45+
<b. bef. 1775>
BLM Glo Records:
FOWLER, JOSEPH OH 3/14/1815 Ohio 1112 OH1950__.277 - brother of James?
PATENTEE: Andrew Ellison
WARRANTEES: Joseph Fowler and Joseph Lewis
Warrant reads: "Know Ye, that in consideration of military service
performed by Joseph Fowler and Joseph Lews (Soldiers for the War)
and by Thomas Wilkerson (a soldier for three years) to the United States,
in the Virginia Line on Continental Establishment....there is granted unto
Andrew Ellison, assignee of George Wallace who was assignee of the said
Joseph Fowler likewise assignee of Martha Lewis legal representative of
the said Joseph Lewis, and also assignee of the said Thomas Wilkerson...a
certain tract of land containing 500 acres situated between the Little
Miami and Scioto rivers, north-west of the river Ohio, as by survey
bearing date the 27th day of October, 1804...."
signed by andrew Ellison
12. Another family allied with the Fowlers and
Ijams in Anne Arundel and Baltimore, Maryland were the Cheneys.
(Also spelled Chaney). William Ijams married Elizabeth Cheney,
both of Anne Arundel, MD. Elizabeth was the daughter of Richard
Cheney (b. 1630). Anne Cheney married Richard Ijams. Anne was
the granddaughter of Richard Cheney (b. 1630). William Chaney, the
great-great-grandson of Richard Cheney (b. 1630) was living very near
James A. Fowler in 1830 Butler, Ohio. Prior to 1820 William Chaney
was in Calvert, Maryland. Also in Butler, OH in 1830 was a Clemment
Chaney that I have not yet idenitifed. He was probably closely
related to William because the name Clement was common to these families -
Clements was another allied family from Maryland.
1830 Census
Clemment Chaney Hanover, Butler, Ohio (0111001-0100001) age 40-50
<1780-1790> - Image 21
William Chaney Hanover, Butler, Ohio (00211001-0100001) age 50-60
<1770-1780> - Image 21
John Price Hanover, Butler, Ohio (12010001-0021001) age 50-60 <1770-1780>
- Image 15
James Fowler Oxford, Butler, Ohio
Jared Fowler Liberty, Butler, Ohio
Benjamine Fowler Madison, Butler, Ohio
Lewis Chaney Reily, Butler, Ohio
Jacob Chaney Trenton, Butler, Ohio
13. Yet another family allied with
the Maryland Fowlers and Naylors was the Selby family. Nicholas
Naylor, the possible brother of Mary Naylor who married Benjamin Fowler
(b. 1768), married Mary Selby, daughter of William MacGruder Selby.
Deborah Selby, daughter of William Wilson Selby, married Benjamin Naylor,
son of Batson Naylor. Sarah Selby, granddaughter of William
MacGrudger Selby, married James Nicholas Naylor, grandson of Batson
Naylor. Zachariah Selby, the nephew of William MacGruder Selby, was
in Butler, OH in 1820 and 1830. His son, Middleton Selby, was there
in 1830 and later, living very near James A. Fowler. Some of these
Naylors and Selbys were also in Madison, KY at about the same time as the
father of James A. Fowler (1768 Benjamin).
1820 census
Zachariah Selby Madison,Butler,OH 1820
Middleton Selby Madison,Butler,OH 1820
1830 census
Middleton Selby Madison, Butler, Ohio (males: 3111101) oldest male age
40-50 <1780-1790>
Zeth (Zachariah?) Selby Madison, Butler, Ohio (males: 0110001001) oldest
male age 70-80 <1750-1760>
14. MASON COUNTY, KENTUCKY
Reading the book entitled "History of
Maysville and Mason County" (Kentucky) by G. Glenn Clift, is like reading
the story of many of the Fowlers and families allied with the Fowlers from
Maryland and Pennsylvania. I made a list of everyone who was
revealed during my research that was in the index of this book and the
list included over 65 names. Many of these people were involved in
the exploration and pioneering of Ohio. Here are just a few of those
names....
Elisha Dewitt, p. 58, 68 (related
to Zachariah Price Dewitt)
Mareen Duvall, p. 366 (son of John Duvall and Ann Fowler)
John Duvall, p 365 (son of John Duvall and Ann Fowler)
Lewis Duvall, p. 365 (grandson of Mareen Duvall and Ruth Howard)
Andrew Dye, p. 214 (father of Sarah Dye who married David
Stinchcomb)
Capt. Isaac Eaton, p. 297 (father of Josiah Eaton who married Nancy
Ann Fowler)
James Ellis, p. 55 (son of Col. James Ellis and brother of Capt.
Nathan Ellis whose daughter married David Carson. David was the
father of Nancy Ann Carson who married Benjamin Nicholas Fowler)
Jesse Ellis, p. 395 (brother of James Ellis)
Moses Fowler, p. 293, 298 (possible son of Benjamin Fowler and
Hammutal Stinchcomb)
Benjamin Fry, p. 46 (possible father of Mary Frye who married
Samuel Ellis)
James Gillmore, p. 28 (signed petition for a new state near
Washington, PA along with many others in this book; associated with the
Carson family)
William Greathouse, p. 166, 183 (possible relative of Eleanor
Greathouse who married James Charles Carson, son of John Carson and Rachel
Beam)
John Hanson, p. 212 (possible relative of Mary Hanson)
John Mann, p. 276 (married Abigail Devore, aunt of Elizabeth Devore
who married James A. Fowler)
William and Samuel Smoot (the Smoot family was allied with the
Fowlers and others in Maryland)
James and William Story (the Story family was allied with the
Fowlers in Maryland)
Jeremiah Washburn (married Rebecca Devore, aunt of Elizabeth Devore
who married James A. Fowler)
John Barnett, p. 70 (father of Elizabeth Barnett who married
Benjamin Nicholas (b. 1798))
William and Tunis Bennet (brothers and Tunis married possible
daughter of Benjamin Fowler and Hammutal Stinchcomb)
John Fowler, mentioned in several chapters (it is unknown which
John this was)
***********************************************************************
None of these points of evidence are that strong by
themselves, but taken collectively, it makes sense that James A. Fowler
was a descendant of Thomas Fowler and Susannah Ijams. Below is the theoretical ascendancy of Benjamin
Nicholas Fowler...
Benjamin Nicholas Fowler b. 1811 in Ohio m. Nancy Ann
Carson b. 1812 in Ohio
Parents: James A. Fowler b. 1787 MD and Elizabeth Devore b. 1792
Mason, KY
Grandparents: Benjamin Fowler b. 1768 probably in MD and Mary Naylor
b. ca. 1768 probably in MD
Great Grandparents: Benjamin Fowler b. 1737 in MD and Hammutal
Stinchcomb b. 1736 MD
2nd Great Grandparents: Samuel Fowler b. 1705 in MD and Helen
Bridgall
3rd Great Grandparents: Thomas Fowler b. 1670 in MD and Susannah
Ijams b. 1677 in MD
OTHER FOWLER FAMILIES NEAR OUR FOWLERS
JACOB AND MATTHEW FOWLER WERE IN
EARLY CINCINNATI
HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON
COUNTY
http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Hamilton/HamiltonChapV.htm
Some effort of the imagination is requisite to reproduce a true picture of
the Cincinnati of St. Clair's day; Cincinnati the capital and emporium of
the old Northwest Territory; Cincinnati the muddy-streeted,
woods-surrounded, stump dotted, log town, protected by the swaggering,
whisky-loving, dare-devil soldiers of Fort Washington. During the first
four years of the town's existence its inhabitants and the other settlers
of the Miami Country lived in constant dread of the native tribes whose
rich lands they had so long coveted. The military protection afforded by
the troops at the fort was inadequate. Harmar was defeated in 1790; St.
Clair's terrible repulse and defeat was in 1791; the people were
panic-stricken; the settlements seemed on the edge of ruin, until, in
1792, the sword of " Mad Anthony Wayne" flashed along the border
and led civilization to victory. Let some patriotic citizen mark with a
suitable enclosure and memorial stone the great elm tree near the corner
of Chase and Dane streets, Cumminsville, under which encamped St. Clair in
1791 and Wayne in 1793. After the Treaty of Greenville, in 1794, the
doomed Indian sullenly removed his tents to other fields. The farmers
began to breathe easily, and could leave the rifle on its hooks over the
chimney-piece while they went out to plow or to harvest. The traders under
the shadows of the wooden walls of Fort Washington ordered new stocks of
goods with gathering confidence. New families from the East floated down
the Ohio on their arks."
Before manufacturing can fairly begin in a new country, commerce and
exchange must provide for the wants of a community in many directions.
Local trade sets in as soon as there is anything to buy or sell, be it
only a fish hooked from the water, or venison shot in the forest. When
Demand calls "Hello!" Supply answers "Here I am." The Cincinnati pioneers
in 1789 wanted seed-corn, and corn for hominy and bread, and immediately
corn-meal came from Lexington, down the Licking, in canoes. The hungry
garrison at Fort Washington craved meat, and forthwith Jacob Fowler and
his brother Matthew agreed to deliver, at the barracks, a regular
supply of the flesh of buffalo and bear, taken in the Miami woods.
Commerce, on a small scale, was thus carried on. Lexington was older than
Cincinnati, and for many years kept the lead as a source of supply.
Cincinnati merchants obtained their goods from Lexington.
Jacob and Matthew were probably related
to Benjamin Fowler. It is known that 1737 Benjamin Fowler had
cousins named Jacob and Matthew. Matthew died in Madison, KY (where
Benjamin was in 1800) and Jacob was there in 1810. Cincinnati is
very near Butler, OH where our Benjamin lived in 1820.
MAJOR JACOB FOWLER
A Major Jacob Fowler was present at the
previous battle in which St. Clair was defeated. It is not known if
Jacob was part of the same Fowler line as our Benjamin. Major Jacob
Fowler could be the same one who was mentioned above with a brother
Matthew, however our Jacob did not have a brother named Matthew (he did
have a cousin named Matthew), both listed in Madison, KY.
This Jacob may have been the son of
Edward Fowler and Rachel Piatt. It is not known if Edward was
related to our Fowlers, however, an Edward Fowler was listed with our
Fowlers in 1800 Madison, KY.
The battles referred to in the previous
narrative and the narrative below were about events that took place
between 1791 and 1794. These are the years when we find Benjamin
Fowler and allied individuals listed in regions near these battles.
Our Benjamin did not leave Maryland until after his son James was born
there in 1787. Apparently, he traveled from Maryland, through
southwestern Pennsylvania, down the Wilderness Road into Kentucky and
north into Nelson County where he was listed in 1791. It is possible
that Benjamin participated in the first battle with Major Jacob Fowler, or
he may have participated in the second battle with his close friend
Zachariah Price Dewitt. OR - he may have participated in both or
neither battle.
Fowler’s Story of the Battle.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~henryhowesbook/mercer.html
In commenting upon his honorable acquittal of all blame by the committee
of Congress appointed to inquire into the causes of the failure of the
expedition, Judge Marshall, in his Life of Washington, remarks, with his
usual felicity of manner, “More satisfactory testimony in favor of St.
Clair is furnished by the circumstance that he still retained the
undiminished esteem and good opinion of President Washington.”
To the foregoing description of the battle we extracted from the narrative
of Major Jacob Fowler, now (1846) living in Covington, Ky., his own
personal experience in the events of that fatal day. Mr. Cist, in his
Advertiser, in which it was published, says: “There was hardly a battle
fought in the early struggles with the Indians in which Mr. Fowler did not
participate. He is now (July, 1844) at the age of eighty—his eye has not
waxed dim, nor his natural force abated. He can still pick off a squirrel
with his rifle at one hundred yards distance. He can walk as firmly and as
fast as most men at fifty, and I cannot perceive a gray hair in his head.
His mind and memory are as vigorous as his physical functions.
Excepting in a single instance, St. Clair kept out no scouting parties
during his march, and we should have been completely surprised by the
attack when it was made, if it had not been that volunteer scouting
parties from the militia were out on the evening before and the constant
discharge of rifles throughout the night warned us to prepare for the
event. The militia were encamped about a quarter of a mile in front of the
residue of the army, so as to receive, as they did, the first shock of the
attack, which was made a little after daybreak. The camp was on the bank
of a small creek, one of the heads of the Wabash river, the ground nearly
level and covered with a heavy growth of timber. As surveyor, I drew the
pay and rations of a subaltern, but, as an old hunter, was not disposed to
trust myself among the Indians without my rifle. Indeed, I found it very
serviceable during the march, the army being upon not more than half
rations the whole campaign.
My stock of bullets becoming pretty low from hunting, as soon as it was
daylight that morning I started for the militia camp to get a ladle for
running some more, when I found that the battle had begun, and met the
militia running in to the main body of troops. I hailed one of the
Kentuckians, who I found had been disabled in the right wrist by a bullet,
asking him if he had balls to spare. He told me to take out his pouch and
divide with him. I poured out a double handful and put back what I
supposed way the half, and was about to leave him, when he said, “Stop,
you had better count them.” It was no time for laughing, but I could
hardly resist the impulse to laugh, the idea was so ludicrous of counting
a handful of bullets when they were about to be so plenty as to be had for
the picking up by those who should be lucky enough to escape with their
lives. “If we get through this day’s scrape, my dear fellow,” said I, “I
will return to you twice as many.” But I never saw him again, and suppose
he shared the fate that befell many a gallant spirit on that day. I owe
the bullets, at any rate, at this moment.
On returning to the lines I found the engagement begun. One of Capt.
Piatt’s men lay near the spot I had left, shot through the belly. I saw an
Indian behind a small tree, not twenty steps off, just outside the regular
lines. He was loading his piece, squatting down as much as possible to
screen himself. I drew sigh at his butt and shot him through; he dropped,
and as soon as I
Pg. 227
had fired I retreated into our lines to reload my rifle. Finding the fire
had really ceased at this point, I ran to the rear line, where I met Col.
Darke leading his men to a charge. These were of the six months levies. I
followed with my rifle. The Indians were driven by this movement clear out
of sight, and the colonel called a halt and rallied his men, who were
about three hundred in number. As an experienced woodsman and hunter, I
claimed the privilege of suggesting to the colonel that were we then
stood—there being a pile of trees blown out of root—would form an
excellent breastwork, being of length sufficient to protect the whole
force, and that we might yet need it; I judged by the shouting and firing
that the Indians behind us had closed up the gap we had made in charging,
and told the colonel so. “Now, if we return and charge on these Indians on
our rear, we shall have them with their backs on us, and will no doubt be
able to give a good account of them.”
“Lead the way, then,” said he, and rode to the rear to march the whole
body forward. We then charged on the Indians, but they were so thick we
could do nothing with them. In a few minutes they were around us and we
found ourselves alongside of the army baggage and the artillery, which
they had been taking possession of. I then took a tree and after firing
twelve or fourteen times, two or three rods being my farthest shot, I
discovered that many of those I had struck were not brought down, as I had
not sufficient experience to know I must shoot them in the hip to bring
them down. As to the regulars, with their muskets, and in their
unprotected state, it was little better than firing at random.
By this time there were about thirty men of Col. Darke’s command left
standing, the rest being all shot down and lying around us, either killed
or wounded. I ran to the colonel, who was in the thickest of it, waving
his sword to encourage his men, and told him we should all be down in five
minutes more if we did not charge on them. “Charge, then!” said he to the
little line that remained, and they did so. Fortunately, the army had
charged on the other side at the same time, which put the Indians, for the
moment, to flight. I had been partially sheltered by a small tree, but a
couple of Indians, who had taken a larger one, both fired at me once, and
felling the steam of their guns at my belly, I supposed myself cut to
pieces. But no harm had been done, and I brought my piece to my side and
fired, without aiming at the one that stood his ground, the fellow being
so close to me that I could hardly miss him. I shot him through the hips,
and while he was crawling way on all fours Col. Darke, who had dismounted
and stood close by me, made at him with his sword and struck his head off.
By this time the cock of my riflelock had worn loose and gave me much
trouble; meeting with an acquaintance from Cincinnati, named McClure, who
had no gun of his own, but picked up one from a militia man, I told him my
difficulty. “There is a first-rate rifle,” said he, pointing to one at a
distance. I ran and got it, having ascertained that my bullets would fit
it.
Here I met Captain J. S. Gano, who was unarmed, and handing to him the
rifle I went into battle with, I observed to him that we were defeated,
and would have to make our own escape as speedily as possible; that if we
got off, we should need the rifles for subsistence in the woods. The
battle still raged, and at one spot might be seen a party of soldiers
gathered together, having nothing to do but present mere marks for the
enemy. They appeared stupefied and bewildered with the danger. At another
spot the soldiers had broken into the marquees of the officers, eating the
breakfast from which those had been called into the battle. It must be
remembered that neither officers nor men had eaten anything the whole
morning. Some of the men were shot down in the very act of eating. Just
where I stood there were no Indians visible, although their rifle-balls
were striking all around. At last I saw an Indian break for a tree about
forty yards off, behind which he leaded and fired four times, bringing
down his man at every fire, and with such quickness as to give me no
chance to take sight in the intervals of his firing. At length I got a
range of two inches inside his backbone, and blazed away; down he fell,
and I saw no more of him.
A short time after I heard the cry given by St. Clair and his
adjutant-sergeant to charge to the road, which was accordingly done. I ran
across the army to where I had left my relative, Captain Piatt, and told
him that the army was broken up and in full retreat. “Don’t say so,” he
replied: “you will discourage my men, and I can’t believe it.” I persisted
a short time, when, finding him obstinate, I said, “If you will rush on
your fate, in God’s name do it.” I then ran off towards the rear of the
army, which was making off rapidly.
Piatt called after me, saying “Wait for me.” It was of no use to stop, for
by this time the savages were in full chase and hardly twenty yards behind
me. Being uncommonly active in those days, I soon got from the rear to
front of the troops, although I had great trouble to avoid the bayonets
which the men had thrown off in the retreat, with the sharp points towards
their pursuers.
It has been stated that the Indians followed us thirty miles; but this is
not true, and my duty as surveyor having led me to mark the miles every
day as we proceeded on our march out, it was easy to ascertain how far we
were pursued. The Indians, after every other fire, fell back to lead their
rifles, and gained lost time by running on afresh.
Even during the last charge of Colonel Darke, the bodies of the dead and
dying were around us, and the freshly-scalped heads were reeking with
smoke, and in the heavy morning frost looked like so many pumpkins through
a cornfield in December. It was on the 4th of November, and the day was
severely cold for the season. My fingers became so
Pg. 228
benumbed at times that I had to take the bullets in my mouth and load from
it, while I had the wiping-stick in my hand to force them down.
THE FOWLERS FROM NEW JERSEY:
There was another Benjamin Fowler b. 1705-1713 who
married Ales (Alice) Steward. They were from New Jersey and went to
Frederick, MD. Their son James married Mary Ogborn and they went to
Columbiana Co, Ohio. One of their granddaughters, Elizabeth, married
an Elliott or an Ellis. This is a possible connection between
our Fowlers and these Fowlers, especially since some of the other allied
families were also from New Jersey. Benjamin Fowler and Alice
Steward may have had a son Benjamin who could have been our Benjamin.
However, from what I can find on this family, none of them were living
near our Fowlers in Ohio (they settled in the far northeast part of Ohio
and our Fowlers were in the far southwest part of Ohio) and none of them
were in Kentucky. We know that our Fowlers were in Kentucky because
Benjamin #2 was born there in ca. 1798. Therefore, I do not
believe our Fowlers were part of this Fowler line.
JAMES FOWLER OF KENTUCKY:
According to the book "The House of Fowler", James K.
Fowler was the son of Robert Fowler of Augusta, Virginia. He was a
scout and pioneer of Kentucky and spent much time hunting and scouting for
Indians in Kentucky and even went up the Ohio River in a canoe. One
of his hunting companions was Thomas Pittman. He was killed near the
Wilderness Road in KY in 1779. Administrators of his estate included
Phebe Fowler of Washington, VA, Matthew Fowler, Brig. General William
Campbell and Marcha Rogers. It is not known if he had any children.
The book does not explain what his father's ancestry was. Fowler's
Lick in Kentucky was named after him. His widow married a Rogers in
lived in Bourbon Co, KY.
Pitman is a name associated with our Fowlers in Butler
Co, OH. James A. Fowler's possible son, Felix Dewitt Fowler, married
Susan Pitman June 24, 1820 in Butler Co, OH. It is not known if she
was related to Thomas Pittman who hunted with James K. Fowler.
This book also mentions an Ellis Fowler but it does not
explain any significance for the first name "Ellis". He was a native
of Albemarle, VA. Ellis is a name associated with our Fowlers of
Butler Co, OH through marriage only.
There is a remote possibility that our Fowlers were
connected to Ellis or James K. Fowler, however, James A. Fowler was born
in Maryland, and Ellis and James K. Fowler were born in Virginia, so they
were probably not closely related.
HENRY FOWLER AND NATHAN ELLIS
The book "The House of Fowler" mentions a Henry Fowler
whose will dated April 9, 1795 and recorded in Granville, North Carolina,
was witnessed by Nathan Ellis and James Allen. Nathan Ellis was also
the name of a person associated with our Fowlers by marriage in Ohio.
He was the father of Margaret Ellis who married David Carson, parents of
Nancy Ann Carson who married Benjamin Nicolas Fowler of Butler, OH.
As far as is known, "our" Nathan Ellis was not in Granville, North
Carolina, but it is not known for sure, so I don't know if he was the same
one who witnessed the will. "Our" Nathan Ellis was from Maryland and
died in Brown Co, Ohio. In 1795 his daughter Elender was born in
Washington Co, PA, so it is probable that he was not the one who witnessed
the will in that year in Granville, NC.
CAPTAIN JOHN FOWLER OF LEXINGTON, FAYETTE, KENTUCKY
Captain John Fowler was the son of John Fowler and
Judith Hobson. He was the grandson of Godfrey Fowler of Henrico Co,
VA. This Fowler line may be related to the line of Benjamin but that
relationship probably goes far back before Benjamin was born (probably in
Maryland). Here are some notes I took from the book about John:
He was married 1789 to Millicent Wills
He entered service in 1777 and served until 1783
He was granted land in Kentucky after the Rev. War
He was elected to Congress in 1797 and served until 1807
Postmaster of Lexington from 1814 to 1822
He died in Lexington Aug. 22, 1840 at the age of 85
Buried in Old Episcopal Cemetery
His wife died in 1833 at their home
In attendance (not a complete list):
Henry Fowler, John Fowler, Elizabeth Fowler
They were Quakers who attended the Black Water and Upper Monthly Meetings
in Virginia
Members of the Gravelly Run Congregation
HENRY
FOWLER OF DEARBORN, INDIANA
Henry Fowler married Ann King and they
were from Virginia. Henry died 1815 in Dearborn, Indiana.
Dearborn County is located very near Butler Co, Ohio, and it is possible
he was related to our Fowlers. He named one of his sons Benjamin (b.
ca. 1809 in Indiana). Again, since they were from Virginia and
our Fowlers were from Maryland, I tend to believe they were not closely
related, if at all.
ZADOCK AND ALEXANDER FOWLER - REV. WAR SOLDIERS
It is possible that Zadock Fowler was the brother of
Benjamin Fowler who was born ca. 1737 in Maryland and who married Hammutal Stinchcomb. Benjamin was a
descendant of Thomas Fowler and Susannah IJAMS. The following
Rev. War Pension record for Zadock supports this theory. His brother
may have been Alexander (Elexis) whose service number was only two digits
away from that of Zadock. Notice the reference to the name Plummer
IJAMS in Zadock's record. The service record of Alexander
mentions James Fowler who signed the document with a John Kunderlin.
It was dated in the year 1854 which indicates that Alexander was deceased
at that time and James Fowler was acting on behalf of his estate.
Washington Co, KY is on the southern border of Nelson Co, KY. We
know that Benjamin, the father of James, was in Nelson, KY in 1791 and
James lived just over the border in Ohio in 1854. James may have
been his nearest living male relative. The record mentions a Rachel who
was presumably his wife. Perhaps James was acting on her behalf.
James would have been Alexander's nephew if this relationship theory is
correct. In 1782 and 1783 Alexander was granted land in KY on the
Mississippi River. In 1789 he was deeded land along Casey's Creek in
Kentucky, near James and Joseph Barnett who had been deeded land there in
1784. I believe the James Fowler mentioned in this Rev. War record
was the son of Benjamin Fowler and the nephew of Alexander Fowler, and I
believe he was the same James Fowler who married Elizabeth Devore.
PENSION RECORDS:
MARYLAND - Elexis (Alexander?) Fowler, and Rachel, Number R3712
(Mentions James Fowler and John Kunderlin(?) to appoint an
attorney, and was issued in the County of Washington, State of Kentucky,
dated March 25, 1854.)
MARYLAND - Sadoc (Zadock) Fowler, Number R3714 (Frederick
Co, Maryland, May 12, 1834, swears that he was born in Prince George
County, MD in 1762 and resided there until 1776 when he removed to
Frederick County and lived there until June 1, 1781 when he entered the
service of the US as a drafted militia man in a company commanded by Capt.
George Berket and during the same marched to Georgetown and joined the
regiment commanded by Col. Wood, he remained in Georgetown until the
latter part of June when he was marched back to Frederick town - in July
he released under the agreement that he would enter the volunteer troops
caled "select militia or minute men" which was then being formed. He did
enter that unit which was attached to a company commanded by Capt. Ralph
Hillary, 1st Lt. Joseph Madan, Ensign Thomas Hillary - he served until
December as a drummer. He was discharged March, 1782. Charachter
references were Benjamin Murdock, Elisha Beck and Plummer Ijams,
Dr. Belt Brashears, all residents of Frederick Co, MD
THE DEWITT AND PRICE FAMILIES
Some clues
about the Fowlers and Devores include the fact that Jerusha Price who
married Isaac (or Israel) Dewitt, was the sister of Elizabeth Price who
married James Jacobus Devore. Benjamin Fowler of Butler, OH was
closely associated with the Dewitt-Price family. He and his wife,
Nancy A. Carson named one of their sons Price Fowler. They also had
a grandson (son of James) named Franklin Price Fowler. Their
daughter, Hannah, named a son Edward di Price Stevens. Since the
middle name of one other descendant of Ben and Nancy was associated with
an ancestor, it is possible that the name Price is part of Ben's ancestry
in some way, in addition to Elizabeth's ancestry.
Jerusha Price was the daughter of Samuel
Price and Sarah Perrin of Connecticut and New Jersey. James Jacobus
Devore was the brother of Elizabeth Devore's great grandfather.
James was born 1708 VA or PA and died Nov. 14, 1778 in Yohogania,
Virginia. Yohogania County was dissolved later when the border
dispute between PA and VA was resolved. It became part of PA.
The following counties were involved in this border dispute:
Yohogania, VA, Augusta, VA, Ohio, VA, Monongahela, PA,
Westmoreland, PA, Fayette, PA and Washington, PA. So those who were
born, living or died in any one of these areas - we're talking about the
same general region. In the following excerpt from Washington, PA
history, a reference is made to Jacobus Devore running a ferry from 1775
to 1782 near the mouth of Pigeon Creek. Since James Jacobus Devore
died in 1778, it is possible that his sons continued to run the ferry
after his death. Notice the reference to the name Decker.
Nicholas Devore married Sarah Decker and they were the grandparents of
Elizabeth Devore.
On the first day of January, 1781,
viewers were appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Washington
county to lay out a route "from Bassett Town to the mouth of Pigeon
Creek." This immediate locality, therefore, seems to have been known as
"the mouth of Pigeon Creek" and "Devore's Ferry" until 1782, when, by an
act approved April 13th of that year, the landing of a ferry of Parkison
and Devore---meaning Joseph Parkison and Jacobus Devore---was established,
"30 perches below the mouth of Pigeon Creek." Besides the Parkison
and Rodgers families there were living at the ferry or in its immediate
vicinity in 1790 the Dickeys, Deckers, Fromans, Devores, Daniel Depue, a
justice of the peace, Joseph Depue, Nicholas Depue, Samuel Cole (a
son-in-law of Danile Depue), who lived on the premises now owned by Joseph
Warne, Adam Wickerham, Daniel McComas, Andrew McFarland, Hugh McGuire, and
doubtless a considerable number of others.
The Deckers had reared their primitive
cabin a short distance above the spring on what is now the Van Voorhis
homestead, on Pigeon Creek, and consequently Joseph Parkison on his
arrival was compelled either to dwell in a tent or enjoy the hospitality
of the Deckers. The DEVORE Ferry, authorized in l775, was in operation on
the arrival of Parkison. It was known as Devore’s Ferry
until l782 when the landing of DEVORE on the north side and that of
Parkison on the south near the mouth of Pigeon Creek was established by
law as Parkison’s Ferry. Prior to this date DEVORE seems to have had kind
of a private ferry, worked to suit his own will. DEVORE had at an early
date a store near his landing which was a branch of the great store of
David Furnier,
located just below Bellevernon of the present day.
http://www.savory.org/chartiers/crumrine/twp-b-monongahela.html
Much of the Devore, Carson, Dewitt, Ellis and Fowler
history goes back to this region of Pennsylvania where many of them lived
prior to beginning their journeys south into Kentucky and north into Ohio.
The Price family seems to have mostly remained in Connecticut and New
Jersey, however some of their descendants were in PA in 1790 and 1800.
A Joseph Price was in Fayette, PA in 1790 when many of the other families
were there, however, I don't know if he was related to Jerusha and
Elizabeth. The Dewitt family was also from New Jersey and Jerusha's
brother, Capt. Zachariah Price Dewitt moved to Ohio from Nelson, KY and
settled in Butler County at close to the same time that Benjamin Fowler
did. Zachariah's daughter, Sarah, married Jeremiah Fowler, Ben's
uncle, 1817 in Butler, OH. And a grandson of Ben was named Felix
Dewitt Fowler. Other than that I can find no other marriages between
the Fowlers and Dewitts. Here is some information about Zachariah
Dewitt:
Zachariah Price DeWitt was born of a Dutch family in New Jersey April
24,1768. He and brothers Jacob and Peter made their way to Kentucky in the
1780's, settling in Nelson County, around Bardstown. Zachariah and
Elizabeth Teets, who had been born in Pennsylvania April 14,1774, were
married on March 11, 1790. It has been written that they "then settled
down in a log cabin near their families and started raising corn, hogs,
and eventually, nine children." Nevertheless, somehow during these years
Zachariah gained a reputation as a hunter and Indian fighter. It is
believed he may have been among Kentuckians who marched up Western Ohio in
1794 with Mad Anthony Wayne. The admission of Ohio as a state March 1,
1803, attracted Kentuckians to cheap, newly-available land. By 1805
Zachariah and Elizabeth DeWitt, with seven children, had found their way
through almost-uncharted country to the spot where Zachariah built this
house on the Four Mile.
In 1820 there were several Price families living near the Dewitts and
Fowlers in Butler, Ohio. If you have any information about them
please contact
Sandra.
1820 Census
Benjamin Fowler Oxford,Butler,OH 1820 (010101-01201) age 45+ (Pg
71)
Jeremiah Fowler Oxford,Butler,OH 1820 (000010-10100) age 26-45 (Pg
71) (Ben's son)
James Fowler Oxford,Butler,OH 1820 (810010-10010) age 26-45 (Pg 71)
NEXT DOOR: Zachariah Dewitt (010101-12210) age 45+ (Pg 71)
NEXT DOOR: Hannah Dewitt (010000-00011) age 45+ (Pg 71)
Joseph Fowler Wayne Twp (Pg 135) (310010-01010) age 26-45 (Ben's
son)
Isaac Fowler, Reily Twp. (000100-00010) no young males (age 18-26)
(p. 118)
John Price Hanover,Butler,OH 1820
William Price Hanover,Butler,OH 1820
Thomas Price Milford,Butler,OH 1820
Wm Price Milford,Butler,OH 1820
The closeness of the Fowler and Dewitt
families is not entirely understood. It is known that James A.
Fowler (son of Benjamin) served in Capt. Zachariah Dewitt's unit in the War of 1812 out of
Butler, OH. This may be where they met, or they may have known each
other prior to that. Perhaps Benjamin went to Ohio with Zachariah
Dewitt if and when he explored that territory in about 1794.
Zachariah was in Nelson and Bullitt, KY from the 1780's to at least 1794.
Nelson and Bullitt counties are in the northern part of Kentucky but south
of Indiana, not south of Ohio. Mason, KY is further east and on the
northern border of KY just below Brown Co, OH. According to Butler
Co, history, Zachariah emigrated from Kentucky to Butler Co, Ohio in 1805.
This is approximately the same time that James A. Fowler went there.
The wife of Benjamin Fowler #3 (son of James A.), Elizabeth Devore, was
born in Mason County, KY, so James may
have moved north from Madison, KY (where he presumably was in 1792 and 1800) and north to
Mason County where the crossing was established into Ohio from Maysville.
It is possible that Benjamin was moving around in that area of Kentucky
between the years 1791 and 1800. (see
earlier reference to "Ben Fouler" in Nelson County, KY). Zachariah may have done the same thing, coming from Nelson, KY to
Mason to make the crossing. Between the years 1800 and 1805, it is
presumed Zachariah Dewitt and Benjamin Fowler made contact, and probably
before they reached Ohio.
Jerusha Price's nephew (son of John
Price and Esther Smith) - Hezekiah Price, was on the 1796 Tax List of
Hamilton Co, Ohio. He served in the Ohio Legislature and was a
Justice in Sycamore Township in 1819. He arrived in Ohio very early,
before Zachariah Dewitt and the Fowlers did, although the Dewitts and
Fowlers may have traveled between KY and OH for a while, between the years
1794 and 1805. Hezekiah was in Somerset, New Jersey as late as 1794
when he appeared on the Tax List there in that year. His first
marriage was to Anne Reading, born in New Jersey. She may have been
related to Leah Reading (also born in NJ) who married Robert Carson in
Westmoreland, PA sometime before 1799. Hezekiah probably did not
stay in PA or KY very long as he passed through on his way to Ohio, since
he was on the NJ list in 1794 and on the Hamilton, Ohio list in 1796.
NORTHUMBERLAND, PA DISPROVEN FOR
BENJAMIN FOWLER #1.....
When I first located Ben Fowler in the
1790 and 1800 census records in Northumberland, PA, I wasn't sure if it
was him because he was on the Madison, KY tax list in 1792 and 1800 and his first
son was born ca. 1787 in Maryland.
Why would he be living several counties north of Maryland when he
eventually ended up in Ohio via Kentucky? There is another problem -
if Benjamin #2 was his son born ca. 1798, Benjamin #2 shows his birth
place as Kentucky. If this is correct, then his parents were in
Kentucky by 1798 and the Ben Fowler in 1790 & 1800 Northumberland, PA
would not be them. The following information was found listing
Benjamin Fowler and Asahel Fowler in Northumberland, PA in 1784....
We, the
subscribers, promised to pay the several sums annexed to our names into
the hands of such persons as shall be named by a majority of us to
receive and collect the same, to be set apart as a fund for the
encouragement and promoting the preaching of the Gospel among us at the
settlement of Mahoning.
Done this twenty-fourth day of November, 1784.
Asahel FOWLER 7s 6d
Benjamin FOWLER 17s 6d
Because he was there as early as 1784,
I'm now fairly certain he was not my Benjamin Fowler because his son James
was born 1787 in Maryland..
GENERAL NOTES
I cannot find Benjamin #1 in the 1810
census or on a tax list in that year, but he was in Madison, KY in 1792 and 1800 and
in Butler, OH in 1820. His son James A. Fowler married Elizabeth
Devore in Butler, OH in 1808, so I am assuming they went to Ohio before
that year. Why Benjamin does not show up on Ohio tax lists in 1810
I'm not sure. The following allied individuals were listed on 1808,
1809 or 1810 Ohio Tax lists: Zachariah Dewitt-Butler Co, Nathan
Ellis-Adams Co, Benjamin Devoe (Devore?)-Butler Co., Jacob Dewitt-Butler
Co., Peter Dewitt-Clermont Co., Nicholas Devore-Clermont Co., David
Devore-Adams Co., Samuel Fowler-Washington Co., John Fowler-Adams Co.,
John Fowler-Ross Co. (not a complete list). Benjamin does not show
up in Ohio records until 1820 but he was obviously there because of his
son James's marriage in Butler, OH in 1808.
Another interesting thing is that Hannah
Orr who married Jacob Dewitt was first married to Price Devore in Nelson,
KY. It is not known who Price Devore was. With the name
"Price", he was probably a descendant of James Jacobus Devore and
Elizabeth Price. He was listed in the Kentucky Census in 1790 in
Nelson County and 1792. Nelson, KY is where Zachariah
Dewitt was located from the 1780's to about 1805 and "Ben Fouler" was
there in 1791. In 1800 Jacob
Dewitt was also in Nelson, KY. Listed with him were James and Peter
Dewitt. At this time most of the Devores in KY were in Bracken and
Mason County. These counties are in the northern section of Kentucky
near the Ohio border. But the Fowlers were south of
them in Madison, KY until at least 1800, so it's not clear if, when or
where they met up to make the crossing into Ohio.
If you know of an early marriage between
the Price family and the Fowler family, please send me an
email.
NAMING TRADITION
The name "Price" may have been passed
down in the Devore family for several generations. Elizabeth's
great-grandfather, Nicholas, was the brother of James Jacobus Devore who
married Elizabeth Price. The Devore and Price families may have
intermarried prior to that also, hence the name becoming a part of the
naming tradition.
KENTUCKY
We know that Zachariah Price Dewitt was
in Nelson, KY by the 1780's. Ben "Fouler" was listed there n 1791. Zachariah Fowler was listed in Nelson,
KY in 1792, 1800 and 1810. He was in Baltimore, MD in 1790. This is
where James A. Fowler may have been born. We also know that Jeremiah
Fowler (son of Jeremiah Fowler and Drucilla Isaac) was born in Madison, KY
in 1789. Knowing that Zach Dewitt and these Fowlers were in KY this
early, it seems that the other Fowlers and Jacob Dewitt who were in PA in
1790 followed them to KY several months or years later. I believe
Zachariah was probably the brother of Benjamin Fowler #1 who married Mary
Naylor. Zachariah may have been the reason that James went north to
Ohio, since Zachariah was in Nelson County with Zachariah Dewitt.
It's difficult to understand why all
these people were living in different counties at these times, knowng that
they all started out in or near PA and ended up in or near Butler, OH, but
it could have something to do with the timing of the census. When
Benjamin Fowler was listed in 1792 and 1800 in Madison, KY, he may have gone north
shortly after that into Mason or Nelson, in between census years.
There may have been two James Fowlers in 1800 Mason, KY. This name
shows up four times and usually each name is listed twice. One
of them is unknown and the other one may be James A. Fowler who went to
Butler, OH by ca. 1805. Since he married Elizabeth Devore who was
born in Mason, KY this makes sense.
Moses Fowler was in Mason, KY in 1790.
It is not known who Moses was but he may have been a brother of Benjamin
Fowler #1 and an uncle of James A. Fowler. His possible sister,
Rachel, married Tunis Bennett Nov 22, 1791 in Mason, KY. They
remained in Mason, KY until at least 1830. Tunis was the son of
Hyrum Bennett of Maryland and Mary Tunis. Moses married Jane
Ackland Feb 4, 1796 in Mason, KY. I can find very little information
about Jane Ackland, in fact, very little about any Acklands. There
were some Acklins in Washington and Fayette, PA, but nothing that ties
them to the Fowlers. A Samuel Acklin was in Mason, KY in 1800.
He was probably related to Jane. If you have any information about
the Ackland / Acklin family of Mason, KY, please contact
Sandra.
TIMING SCENARIO...
The problem with trying to follow these
people using tax lists and the 1790 census is that so many of the first
names are the same and it's not easy to tell which one is which.
Here is a possible scenario for the locations of Benjamin #1 (b. 1768),
Benjamin #2 (b. 1798) and James A. Fowler (b. 1787):
Year |
Benjamin #1 |
Benjamin #2 |
James A. |
1787 |
Maryland |
|
Maryland
(age -1 yr) |
1790 |
Anne Arundel,
Maryland?
(possibly living with widowed mother Hammutal) |
|
Anne Arundel,
Maryland?
(age 3 yrs) |
1791 |
Nelson, KY |
|
Nelson, KY
(age 4 yrs) |
1792 |
Madison, KY
(Tax List) |
|
Madison, KY
(age 5 yrs) |
1800 |
Madison, KY |
Madison, KY
(age 2 yrs) |
Madison, KY
(age 13 yrs) |
1808 |
Butler, OH |
Butler, OH
(age 12 yrs) |
Butler, OH
(age 23 yrs) |
1820 |
Butler, OH |
Ohio |
Butler, OH |
1827 |
|
Marion, Indiana |
|
1830 |
probably died |
Marion, Indiana |
Butler, OH |
1840 |
|
Marion, Indiana |
Butler, OH |
1850 |
|
Marion, Indiana |
Butler, OH |