Bowers and Morgans of Coweta County

Before I launch into the Bowers and Morgan stories, there are a few more loose ends to tie up and an announcement to make.

First, I received a phone call from Beverly Hanson, responding to my stories on the Echols families. Beverly says she is descended from the early Echols, that is, John Echols and Mary Cave, and would gladly share family information with those who are connected or related. Beverly also has information on the Marchbanks, St. Leger, Brockman and Collins lines. E-mail Beverly at hansjack@bellsouth.net, or call her at 770-487-5977.

Many have written asking about genealogy classes in our area. Nathan Mathews, who lives in Fayetteville, has informed me that he will be teaching a two-week, four-session evening class next month at the Fayette County Library in Fayetteville. Nathan is a professional researcher, is on the board of directors of the Georgia Genealogical Society and publishes their quarterly magazine (which is terrific). He also is a fantastic guy, has a lot of patience with beginners (I know from firsthand experience) and his classes should be both informative and fun.

Classes will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning March 11, at 7 p.m. There will be a one-hour lecture followed by about 30 minutes of questions and answers, so things should wrap up about 8:30.

Topics will be: March 11, census records; March 13, wills and estate records; March 18, land records; and March 20, Internet genealogy. The classes are free but space is limited. To register and reserve your space, call 770-461-8841, ext. 5331.

Frances Hanson Arnold wrote me after the last story appeared on the Arnolds and Vollenweiders (this week's Bowers and Morgans tie into this same family) and said the reason I couldn't find William Carl Vollenweider and Lucinda Bowers in 1870 was that he was listed under the name of "Henry Winslow." (Well, Frances, why didn't you tell me that in the first place?) Why he is listed that way is anyone's guess.

But, sure enough, in 1870 Coweta County, there he was ... Henry Winslow, wife "Lusenda," married within the year, living with Lucinda's mother, Mary (Morgan) Bowers. And that leads me right into this week's story, the Morgans and Bowers, parents of the elusive Lucinda Bowers, wife of William Carl Vollenweider.

Lucinda's parents were Giles Bowers and Mary Morgan, both from families with deep Coweta roots, with perhaps the Morgans edging the Bowers out only slightly. Also, the Bowers tie into the Youngs and the Carmichaels who were both early Coweta settlers, so Frances' husband, Giles Arnold, had roots which extended very deeply into Coweta history.

These families are covered extremely well in Coweta County reference books available at the Coweta Genealogy Library and the Coweta public library in Newnan, so I won't waste space giving you a lot of information you can find for yourself.

But basically, the Bowers came from the Dutch Fork section of Newberry Dist., S.C. area to Coweta County sometime around 1840 and settled in the White Oak community, between Sharpsburg-Turin and Moreland-Luthersville.

Stephen Bowers and his father, Andrew Bowers came to South Carolina from Ireland. One of Stephen's sons, Jacob Bowers, came to Coweta County and shows in the 1850 census with his wife, Mary, and seven children: Levi B., Elizabeth, Harriett, Mary A., Alexander, George P. and John B. An older son, Giles, had already married. Giles and his wife, Mary Morgan, (parents of Lucinda) appear in the 1860 Coweta census (Turin/Haralson P.O.) with five children, and Frances' research shows one, maybe two more, although I could not find them in later censuses.

Another Bowers family, Levi Bowers and Elizabeth Ann Young, (very much related to our Giles and Lucinda Bowers) also appears prominently in Coweta history books. You will find graves of these Bowers families in several cemeteries in Coweta, including the White Oak A.R.P. Church on Gordon Road near Moreland and the Elmore Cemetery near Senoia.

The family of Giles Bowers' wife, Mary Morgan, was here almost from the beginning. Daniel Morgan first moved to Coweta County in 1828 and Coweta Chronicles, listing events in 1880 states: "Daniel Morgan moved into the First District from Newberry District, South Carolina."

W.U. Anderson lists both Daniel and Ezekiel Morgan as early settlers, "up to the first three or four years of our county" of the first district, Coweta County. Other Morgans listed in the same district are B. Billy Morgan and T.H. Billy Morgan. The first district encompassed the southeastern portion of Coweta including Senoia and Haralson. Daniel and Ezekiel were brothers who came to Coweta and settled on Standing Rock Road near Senoia. Daniel and his wife, Mary Langford (or Lankford) were the parents of Mary Morgan who married Giles Bowers. Other children of Daniel and Mary Morgan were Lorenzo, Sarah, Harriett, Daniel Fielding, Thomas M., William L., Amy Elmore, Lucinda Harlin and John.

Most Coweta County resources will give you plenty of material to trace these families successfully. I know I've only hit the high spots, but, if you're like me, you'd rather have hints so you can enjoy the thrill of the search for yourself.

Once again, I thank Frances Arnold for sharing all this information with me and for letting me have some of the "thrill of the search" myself. Please contact her at ArnoldF1916@aol.com if you want more information on this family ... or if you're a long-lost cousin.

I'm still looking for stories about your Atlanta area ancestors. Send them to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

Until next week, happy hunting!

(Judy regrets that time does not permit her to do personal research for others. She will willingly share research information on her own family lines, including collateral and allied lines.)