John Gowen, [William3, Thomas2, Mihil1] son of William Gowen and Catherine Gowen, was born in Stafford County about 1709. His identity as a son of William Gowen is documented in Fairfax County deed records when he transferred land located on Pope's Head Run which was granted to his father by the proprietors. The land was described as "part of a tract granted to William Gowen, deceased, father to said Gowen, from the Proprietors dated November 12, 1725." This farm was later famous as part of a Civil War battlefield in the Battle of Bull Run.
It was on the farm of John Gowen that Gen. Thomas Jonathan Jackson received the name "Stonewall." Long after John Gowen had removed to the southside of Virginia, the District of Columbia and the city of Washington was created just across the Potomac River in 1801. The Confederate troops were just 30 miles short of the Union capital when they repulsed the Union army in the Battle of Manassas there July 21, 1862. The Federals retreated in panic back to the Potomac.
In the second engagement, the Battle of Bull Run, fought August 29-30 the armies again swept across land that once belonged to John Gowen and his father-in-law.
About 1728 John Gowen was married to Mary Keife, daughter of Cornelius Keife, probably in Stafford County. Cornelius Keife, an Irish emigrant who arrived in Virginia in 1709, was contemporary with William Gowen in Stafford County. He probably lived in the same area since he is shown as holding a patent to land "on the north side of the Occoquan River near Ridgewell."
According to "Southern Lineages" by Adeline Evans Wynn, Cornelius Keife acquired other property. She wrote, "January 11, 1714-15, he was also granted land in Stafford County on the south side of Neapsco Run. Cornelius Keife, in partnership with Richard Kirkland received a grant "of 268 acres 23rd, 11th month, 1714."
Cornelius Keife/Keith appeared in Brunswick County, Virginia March 26, 1736 when he was a witness to the will of John Nipper, Sr. of St. Andrews Parish of Brunswick County, according to Brunswick County Will Book 2, page 31. He, along with Catherine Gowen Patterson and Mary King, was again a witness to the will of Thomas Stroud October 23, 1738, according to Brunswick County Will Book 2, page 1.
At least two children were born to John Gowen and Mary Keife Gowen about 1730, probably in Stafford County. John Gowen was mentioned in a grant to William Ellzey dated November 27, 1743 as living adjacent to the Ellzey property "on Wolf Run and Ox Road, along with Col. Carter, Bond Veale, Thomas Ford and Tillet."
Fairfax County was created in 1742, and John Gowen and his brother, Thomas Gowen found themselves in the new county. John Gowen and Mary Keife Gowen on March 5, 1744 deeded to Thomas Ford the 56 acres of land he had inherited from William Gowen, according to Fairfax County Deed Book A-1, page 551. This land was located on the east side of Pope's Head Run and was part of the 102 acres of land which had been granted to William Gowen November 12, 1725.
Another 50 acres of land was conveyed with another tract of adjoining land which John Gowen had received from the proprietors.
"John Goen, son of William and Mary his wife," sold 44 acres to Thomas Ford March 6, 1744, according to Fairfax County Deed Book A, page 351. John Gowen continued to live on a tract of land he had received from his father-in-law, Cornelius Keife at that time.
On July 6, 1744 John Gowen received Grant No. 368 for 155 acres "on a branch of the Popeshead and Pohick Rivers, adjacent to Thomas Ford and Capt. Connyers," according to "Grants by the Proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia." The land lay in Fairfax County, according to Deed Book F, page 187.
On July 10, 1744 John Gowen received Grant No. 371 for 144 acres "in a glade near a branch of North Run Pohick which corners Robert Carter," according to "Grants by the Proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia." It was also located in Fairfax County, according to Deed Book F, page 191. The deeds were recorded in "Patents and Northern Neck Grants of Fairfax County, Virginia."
He deeded land which had been granted to him by the proprietors on the east side of Pope's Head Run in July 1744, according to Fairfax County Deed Book A-1, page 551. On July 14, 1746 John Gowen sold 144 acres in Truro Parish he had received from the proprietors to Bond Veale, according to Fairfax County Deed Book B, page 24. Witnesses to the transaction were William Grove, George Dunson and John Duren. Mary Keife Gowen relinquished her dower rights.
"John Goen of Truro Parish and Mary, his wife,” daughter of Cornelius Keife" sold one half of 268 acres “on the north side of Occaquan below the mouth of the North fork of the said Run of Occaquan to the uppermost corner tree of land belonging to Richard Ridgewell & extending thense along sd. Ridgewell’s line . . . to the beginning, it being a tract of land granted to Richard Kirkland. dec’d & Cornelius Keife, father of sd. Goens wife 23 November 1714” to Edward Kirkland for "five shillings sterling and 1,100 pounds of merchanable tobacco," June 10, 1746, according to Deed Book B, page 35, as recorded in "Patents and Northern Neck Grants of Fairfax County, Virginia."
Witnesses: John [X] Gowen
Mary [X] Gowen
John Bayliss
William King
Bond Veale”
"John Gowen of Truro Parish" sold the grant July 15, 1746 to Bond Veale, also of Truro Parish "for £7:12:6 current money of Virginia plus 500 pounds of Tob." [tobacco], according to Fairfax County Deed Book B, page 26. "Grants by the Proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia" records:
"George Veale, one of the legal representatives of Elijah Veale, late of Hyde County, North Carolina, sold one equal undivided sixth part of this tract to George Slacum of Alexandria for "the further sum of $1.00." The deed recites that John Gowen sold the property to Bond Veale July 15, 1746. Bond Veale by his will devised it to his son John who devised it to his son Elijah.
Bond Veale, removing to Carolina, the land was taken up by Ellzey as a piece of vacant land for which he obtained a patent. When Elijah Veale came from Carolina he found Ellzey in possession of it. When Ellzey would not give it up, Elijah Veale brought ejectment to recover and engaged George Slacum to "attend the conduct of it in his absence and by his writing obligatory bearing date the twenty third day of March 1797 bound himself to convey the same to George Slacum upon his recovery.
The ejectment was determined in his favor and possession of it obtained by George Slacum, but before a conveyance was made of it by said Elijah Veale to George Slacum, he departed this life, intestate, leaving six children, George, Sarah, Elizabeth, John, Thomas and Eliphat. George Slacum had paid £55 to Elijah Veale for the property June 16, 1809, according to Fairfax County Deed Book J2, page 229."
Before selling out, John Gowen was a neighbor to Ellzey Thomazin [Thomason?]. On November 6, 1766 Ellzey Thomazin received a grant of 244 acres located "on the south side of the Pohick, adjacent to Walter Griffin," according to "Grants by the Proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia." The grant, No. 408, referred to "Walter Griffin's Old Rolling Road, Old Ox Road and Samuel Littlejohn's cleared land," according to Northern Neck Deed Book O, page 156 John Gowen had been associated with 144 acres of this land.
"William Ellzey, of [nearby] Loudoun County, Attorney at Law, and Alice his wife, on January 19, 1777 sold for £130 to Thomas Sangster, Blacksmith, two tracts: 300 acres granted to said William Ellzey and 56 acres, part of patent of John Gowen which William Ellzey purchased from James Ingoe Dozer," according to "Grants by the Proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia." and Fairfax County Deed Book M, page 252.
On July 10, 1744 John Gowen received a land grant in Fairfax County on the North Run of Pohick River. Later he leased this property. On June 9, 1746 he sold his homestead in Truro Parish to Edward Kirkland, possibly a son of Richard Kirkland who, along with Cornelius Keife, was the original grantee. The deed is recorded in Fairfax County Deed Book B, page 32. Witnesses to the transaction were Bond Veale, John Bayliss and William King.
This transfer involved 268 acres on the north side of Occoquan Run which had been originally granted jointly to Cornelius Keife and "Richard Kirkland, deceased." Since the Kirkland, Keife and Gowen families owned the same land in repeating succession, a relationship among them is suggested.
John Gowen and Mary Keife Gowen removed to Lunenburg County, Virginia on the North Carolina border about 1747. In 1765 Mecklenburg County was formed with land taken from the south side of Lunenburg County.
John Gowen paid a tax on two tithables in 1748 in the Lunenburg County tax list of Lewis Deloney, according to "Sunlight on the South Side." page 67.
It is possible that John Gowen moved on to adjoining Granville County, North Carolina, located on the Virginia state line, to join his son, William Gowen who owned land there. "John Going" paid tax on one tithable in Granville County, North Carolina on the list of Jonathan White about 1749.
It is believed that John Gowen and Mary Keife Gowen returned to the Northern Neck section of Virginia about 1750.
"John Gown" served in a detachment of militia from Fairfax County under the command of Capt. Bryan Fairfax about 1757 in the French & Indian War, according to "Virginia's Colonial Soldiers."
"John Gowen of Lunenburg County, Virginia" received a deed to "100 acres on Dodson's Branch at Hargrove's old line" from William Stroud February 23, 1760 for £30, according to Granville County Deed Book C. If this were John Gowen, his stay in North Carolina was short. They were soon back in Virginia.
John Gowen was granted 200 acres of land on Reedy Branch of Ruffin's Creek February 14, 1761, according to Lunenburg County deed records. Jack Harold Goins, Foundation member of Rogersville, Tennessee made a trip in September 1995 to Lunenburg County to locate the farm of John Gowen. He wrote, "My best estimation is that the farm of John Gowen was located about 10-15 miles west of present-day Lunenburg, Virginia which is located in the center of the county."
John Gowen and Mary Keife Gowen transferred part of the 200 acres on June 10, 1761 to his two sons.
The first deed, recorded July 7, 1761 in Lunenburg County Deed Book 6, page 379, read:
"To all people to whom this prasement writing shall come, I John Going, Sr. and Mary his wife for and in consideration of the natural affection and love which we have and bear unto our well beloved son, John Going, Jr. of the county aforesaid convey unto said John Going, Jr. land containing 100 acres more or less, bounded by Ruffin, this being part of 400 acres granted by patent bearing date February 14, 1761 which was granted by our Honorable Lt. Gov. Francis Farquhier. The aforesaid 100 acres lying on both sides of the Great Branch and being the land that the aforesaid John Going, Jr. lives on . . .
This 10th day of June the year of our Lord God One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-one.
John [JG Going, Sr.
Mary [M] Going
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
Rich Brown Isaiah Going Elizabeth [X] Going"
The Court held for Lunenburg County the 7th day of July 1761, the written deed of gift now acknowledged by the said John Going, Sr. and the same ordered to be recorded."
The other deed read:
"John Gowing, Sr. of Lunenburg County, Virginia and Mary, his wife, for the natural love and affection which we bear our beloved son, William Gowing of this county aforesaid--also for divers other causes and considerations, part of 200 acre tract granted by patent aforesaid to John Gowing, Sr., bearing date February 14, 1761 by Gov. Francis Farquier, land on branch called the Great Branch, and the land that the aforesaid William now lives on, bounded by John Ruffin."
John Gowen and Mary Keife Gowen signed the deed in the presence of Pinckney Brown, Susie Hubbard and Sarah Gowen, believed to be their daughter-in-law. Susie Hubbard is regarded as their daughter, Susannah Gowen Hubbard by Jack Harold Goins, Editorial Boardmember of Rogersville, Tennessee. On the same day they conveyed a similar portion of land to their son, John Gowen, Jr, according to Lunenburg County Deed Book 6, page 378-379. Witnesses to the transaction were "Richard Brown, Sarah Going and Elizabeth Going" [believed to be the wife of John Gowen, Jr.].
Jack Harold Goins made a study of the documents signed by John Gowen and Mary Keife Gowen in the Northern Neck counties and in Lunenburg County. Both were illiterate, but each had a distinctive mark used on documents. Mary Keife Gowen used "M" as her signature, and John Gowen used his initials "JG" overprinting the ascenders to form a ligature. These unique marks proved that John Gowen and Mary Keife Gowen of Fairfax County were the same ones who later lived in Lunenburg County, according to Jack Harold Goins.
“Gowin, Cardin, Ragsdale and Ruffin” were mentioned as neighbors in a deed made August 3, 1761 by Seth Moore of Lunenburg County to William Parrish of Charles City County, according to Lunenburg County Deed Book 6, page 414-415. The land also lay on “the Long Branch.” The deed was witnessed by William Russell and David Parrish.
At the end of the French & Indian War, the Crown issued the Proclamation of 1763 which set up a western boundary line for the colony of Virginia. The line ran north-south along/near the New River in the southwest part of the present state. The government in agreement with the Indians formed the boundary to protect the hunting territory of the Indians. No colonist was allowed to settle or improve land west of the boundary, however the colonists disregarded the boundary and began a serious encroachment of Indian territory within 10 years. This helped to drive the Indians into the British camp at the approach of the Revolutionary War.
Just before the Revolution erupted, on April 1, 1772, the Virginia House of Burgesses petitioned King George III for "your Majesty's paternal assistance in averting a Calamity of the most alarming Nature." They sought to have the King outlaw the importation slaves to the colony "which hath long been considered as a Trade of great Inhumanity and might endanger the very Existance of your Majesty's American Dominions."
Slaves from West Africa had allowed Virginia to grow and flourish over the past 150 years during which the trade had troubled few buyers. Now the same slave buyers wanted to cut off further imports. "The reason behind this apparent switch revealed Virginia's ambivalent attitude toward the institution," according to "American Heritage," April 1997. "In general, Virginians thought a little slavery was good, but not too much."
King George, preferring to keep his "gross product and revenues" from Virginia as high as possible, denied their petition. In 1778, a newly freed Virginia, finally outlawed the slave trade, but continued to vacillate over the issue. Two years later, the Virginia Legislature voted to reward Revolutionary War soldiers with 300 acres of land--and a slave!
"John Gowing took the oath of allegiance before James Lyon" in 1777," according to "Virginia Magazine of History and Biography."
Here the curtain of antiquity drops on John Gowen and Mary Keife Gowen. No further records have been located that refer to them. It may be assumed that they died in Lunenburg County and are buried in the vicinity.
Children born to them include:
John Gowen, Jr. born about 1730
William Gowen born about 1731
Thomas Gowen born about 1732
Joseph Gowen born about 1735
James Gowen born about 1738
Susannah Gowen born about 1740
[mc1759 Hubbard]
John Gowen, Jr, [John4, William3, Thomas2, Mihil1] son of John Gowen and Mary Keife Gowen, was born about 1730, probably in Stafford County. Joe Payne, Tennessee researcher, states that John Gowen, Jr. was born in Halifax County [part of Brunswick County in 1730].
It is believed that he was married about 1752, wife's name Elizabeth, in Fairfax County, and then moved to southern Virginia in the company of his father and brother.
John Going paid a tax on "two tithes" in 1848, according to "Sunlight on the Southside" by Landon C. Bell. "John Gowen" paid a tax on "two tithes, 12 head and scalps" in 1749. "John Goin" paid a tax one "one tithe" in 1751, and "John Gowen" paid a tax on "one tithe" in 1853.
Other taxpayers of that period in Lunenburg County were: Joseph Goin who paid a tax on "one tithe" in 1752, Thomas Going who paid a tax on "three tithes" in 1751 and William Going, who was living with William Callaway, and who paid a tax on one tithe in 1752.
He was issued Patent No. 34 February 14, 1761, according to "Virginia Patents," page 809. The patent read, "John Gowin, Lunenburg County, 400 acres beginning at William Hill's corner on Reedy Branch, adjacent Ruffin's line." This patent was issued in Lunenburg County before Halifax County was completely organized. When Pittsylvania County was organized in 1766 with land from Halifax County, John Going found himself in the new county. Henry County was formed from Halifax County in 1776, and the property of John Going again lay in the new county. His residence lay about 12 miles from the land of Shadrack Going on Polecat Creek. Shadrack Going is regarded as a kinsman.
Subsequently he appeared in northern North Carolina. "John Gowing" was "sworn chain carrier" February 14, 1755 when two patents were surveyed in St. John's Parish on Jonathan Creek for James Yancey, according to Granville County, North Carolina Surveyor's Book 14, page 107.
"John Going was sued in Granville County June 7, 1757 along with other members of his family.
John Gowen "of Lunenburg County, Virginia" received a deed to "100 acres on Dodson's Branch at Hargrove's old line" from William Stroud February 23, 1760 for £30, according to Granville County Deed Book C. He received a deed to land in Lunenburg County in 1761 from his parents.
From "Virginia Patents," page 809, "John Gowin" was issued Patent No. 34: "Lunenburg County, February 14, 1761, 400 acres beginning at William Hill's corner on Reedy Branch, adjacent Ruffin's line." This patent was issued in Lunenburg County before Halifax County was formed.
On December 1, 1761 “John Goin” deed “200 acres “on both sides of the Long Branch, bounded by William Hill, William Going, John Goin, Jr. and John Ruffin,” according to Lunenburg County Deed Book 7, page 151. Witness were Thomas Norell, John Farrar and Benjamin Burton. “Mary, wife of said John Gowing relinquished her rights of dower.” The deed was recorded February 2, 1762.
Paul Heinegg suggests that John Gowen, Jr. was the "John Going" who was sued in Orange County, North Carolina in May 1764, according to Orange County Court Minutes. Additionally he suggests that John Gowen, Jr. was "John Going" who was verbally excoriated by Col. John Hogan of Orange County. The colonel declared in 1765 that he "knew John Going well and that he was a trifling, contemptible fellow, a gambler, and a mulatto . . . he was then insolvent and probably is so still, if alive," according to "Claims of British Merchants after the Revolutionary War."
John Gowen, Joseph Gowen and William Gowen, regarded as his brothers, were included in a jury panel in May 1765, according to Granville County Court minutes.
"John Gowin" appeared as "one white poll" in the 1771 tax list of Granville County.
"John Gowing and David Gowing" signed the oath of allegiance about 1777, according to "History of Henry County, Virginia" by Judith Parks America Hill. "John Going" took the oath of allegiance August 30, 1777 before Edmund Lynne, Esq, according to "Virginia Magazine of History and Biography," Volume 9. It is believed that he and his sons served as Revolutionary soldiers during the American Revolution.
He appeared on the 1782 tax list with two members in the family and reappeared in the 1785 tax list with four in the family, probably two children born between 1782 and 1785. "John Gowing" was a purchaser at the estate sale of Thomas Bradford, deceased in August 1786, according to Granville County Will Book I, page 515.
The household of "John Gowing" was enumerated in the 1786 state census, page 2:
"Gowing, John white male 21-60
white female
white female
white female"
"John Goin" was listed as an "insolvent" along with "Edward Goins" in a Granville County list compiled in 1786.
"John Gowing" was mentioned as a purchaser at the estate sale of Thomas Bradford held in August 1786, according to Granville County Deed Book 1, page 515.
"John Going" paid a tax on "one poll" in Henry County, according to "Virginia Taxpayers, 1782-1787." In 1788, "John Going" was recorded as living on the Mayo River on the part of the River that remained in Henry County after Patrick County was formed in 1790. Adjacent to him was Nathan Going who was also taxed. In 1788 and in 1790, "John Going" lived on Blackberry Creek.
When Patrick County was organized in 1790 from Henry County, John Going owned a plantation that lay astride the Henry County-Patrick County line, according to Jack Harold Goins who has made two trips to Henry County to ascertain the location of the property. The land lay on both sides of Blackberry Creek in Henry County and on Polecat Creek in Patrick County.
In 1792, John Going was granted permission in Henry County Chancery Court to construct a gristmill on Blackberry Creek.
"John Going" posted bond in 1792 "for the maintenance of his illegitimate son born to Eleanor Boyse," according to Henry County Order Book 6, page 65. Eleanor Boyse was the daughter of Shadrack Boyse/Boaz, according to the research of Donna V. Gowin Johnston of Casper, Wyoming. She suggests that her ancestor Shadrack Gowin who was born April 17, 1791 was possibly the illegitimate son of John Going.
John Going wrote his will March 17, 1801. The will was transcribed by Lloyd D. Minor from a copy of the original document obtained at the Henry County, Virginia Courthouse. He wrote, "Readers are reminded that, while in the first line of the document, John Going is referred to as Sen. [senior], he is and should continue to be regarded as John Going, Jr. in the pedigree scheme. He may have taken on the Senior status in his own immediate family, as opposed to being Junior in his father's. This is very likely so because of the naming of one of his sons "John."
"The Last Will and Testament of John Going, Dec'd.
In the Name of God amen I John Going, Sen., of the County and State of Virginia being sick & weak in body but of sound mind & memory and calling to mind that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament in manner and form following Viz.
First I recommend my Soul unto the hands [of] Almighty God who [gave it] not in the least doubting I shall receive the same at the great day of the Resurrection & as to see the worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with I give as follows:
Item: I give & bequeath unto my well beloved daughter Nancy Goin one Sorrel Horse Coult, one Cow & Calf also one feather bed & furniture to her and her heirs for ever.
Item: I give & bequeath unto my well beloved daughter Sussanna Goin one Roan Mare one Cow & Calf also one feather bed & furniture to her & her heirs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath to my well beloved son Simeon Goin one cow & calf & one feather bed & furniture to him and his heirs for ever.
Item: I give & bequeath unto my well beloved son Zedikiah Goin one cow & calf also one feather bed & furniture to him & his heirs for ever.
Item: I give & bequeath to my well beloved son John Goin one cow & calf & one feather bed & furniture to him & his heirs for ever.
Item: I give & bequeath unto my well beloved son Iasiah [sic] Goin one feather bed & furniture to him & his heirs for ever.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my well beloved son Zachariah Goin one feather bed & furniture to him & his heirs for ever.
Item: I give & bequeath unto my well beloved son Littleberry Goin one feather bed and furniture to him & his heirs for ever.
Item: I give & bequeath unto my well beloved son Clabourn Goin one feather bed & furniture to him and his heirs for ever.
Item: I lend unto my well beloved wife Elizabeth Goin during her natural life all my stock of all kind my household & kitchen furniture together with all my land & plantations whereon I now live & after her death my will and desire is that all my land lying in the Countys of Henry and Patrick be sold & the money arising from the said sale to be equally divided amongst all my children that be then living that is to say Zephaniah Goin Nancy Goin Susanna Goin Clabourn Goin Littleberry Goan Elizabeth Minor wife of Hezekiah Minor to them and their heirs for ever & I do hereby appoint my Friend John Stone & John Cox, Jr. my executors of this my last will & testament revoking and disannulling all wills heretofore by me made.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this 17th Day of March One thousand eight hundred and one.
John [X] Goin
Signed Sealed Published and Declared for the
Said John Goin's last Will & Testament
In the Presence of
John Cox
Thibias Stone
Mary [X] Stone
Probate of the Will of John Going, Jr.
At the Court held for Henry County on the 25th Day of May 1801
The within Last Will & Testament of John Going dec'd was exhibited in Court and proved by the Oaths of the witnesses thereto to be published & declared as for the sd John Going Last Will & Testament & the same was Ordered to be Recorded and afterward to wit. at a Court of Quarterly Sessions held for the said County on the 27th Day of July 1801, the Executors in the within Will mentioned refusing to take upon themselves the Executorship of the same. On the Motion of Elizabeth Going widow & relict of the said John Going dec'd Administration with the will annexed is granted her who made Oath & with John Cox & Henry Clark her Securitys entered unto Bond & acknowledged the same therefore Certificate was granted her for obtaining Administration thereof in due form.
Teste
John Cox, Atty"
Abstracted from copy of Original by Lloyd D. Minor, September 9, 1997. [The use of the old conventions sd for said, & for the word and, Exor. for executor(s), and Exorship for Executorship, were for clarity spelled out in the above abstraction. Capitalized words were not always shown as such, as the use of upper case letters did not always denote Capitalization rather they were sometimes simply a technique of pensmanship.]
The will was probated two months later May 25, 1801, suggesting that John Going died between the two dates. Elizabeth Going appeared as a taxpayer in the 1810 tax list of Henry County. She paid a polltax and a tax on five horses, according to "A Supplement to the 1810 Census of Virginia" by Nettie Schreiner-Yantis. The polltax suggests that a grown son was living in his mother's household. Her location was adjacent to that of Simeon Going and Littleberry Going, her sons. Elizabeth Going died in 1816.
The estate of "Elizabeth Going" was inventoried in Henry County March 9, 1816. Insert Inventory Here. [Being forwarded from Lloyd D. Minor when completed]
Children born to John Gowen, Jr. and Elizabeth Gowen include:
Claiborne Going born about 1754
John Going born about 1756
Nancy Going born about 1757
Zephaniah Going born about 1758
Isaiah [Isaak] Going born about 1761
Littleberry Going born about 1764
Susanna Going born about 1767
Simeon Going born about 1768
Zedekiah Going born about 1770
Zackariah Going born about 1773
Elizabeth Going born about 1776
Claibourne Going [John Jr.5, John4, William3, Thomas2, Mihil1], son of John Gowen, Jr. and Elizabeth Going, was born about 1754, probably in Granville County. He was mentioned in the will of his father, written March 17, 1801 as the recipient of "one feather bed & furniture." Jack Harold Goins stated that Shadrack Goins also had a son named Claiborne Goins," and I have not been able to separate them in the records."
Claiborne Going removed to Indiana shortly after the death of his mother in 1816, along with his brothers Littleberry Going and Simeon Going, according to the research of Dr. G. C. Waldrep III. All three appeared in the 1820 census of Orange County, Indiana.
“Clabourn Goings” was the head of a household in the 1820 census of Orange County, page 128.
"Clabourn, Goings free colored male over 45
free colored female over 45
free colored male 14-25
free colored male 14-25"
It is believed that Claiborne Goings died during the decade. A free colored female believed to be his widow, appeared in the household of Claibourn Gowens, Sr, believed to be his son, in the 1830 census of Jackson County, Indiana, Salt Creek Township, page 219.
The household was enumerated as:
"Gowens, Claibourn, Sr. free colored male 24-36
free colored female 10-24
free colored female 10-24
free colored female 10-24
free colored female 10-24
free colored male 0-10
free colored female 0-10"
Children born to Claiborne Going are believed to include:
Claiborne Going born about 1805
George Going born about 1809
John Going born about 1812
Claiborn Going, regarded as a son of Claiborne Going, was born about 1805 in Henry County.
“Claiborne Gowens, Sr,” appeared as the head of a household in the 1830 census of Jackson County, Salt Creek township, page 219:
The household was enumerated as:
"Gowens, Claibourn, Sr. free colored male 24-36
free colored female 10-24
free colored female 10-24
free colored female 10-24
free colored female 10-24
free colored male 0-10
free colored female 0-10"
George Going, regarded as a son of Claiborne Going, was born about 1809 in Henry County, Virginia. He was brought to Indiana by his parents about 1816. He was registered as a “free person of color, born in Henry County, Virginia.”
George Going was married February 8, 1838 to Nancy Dixon, according to "Jennings County, Indiana Marriages, 1801-1867."
“George Goen” and his wife “Nancy Goen” gave a deed to 40 acres to Malachi C. Davis October 11, 1838 for $70, according to Jackson County Deed Book F, page 146.
They were the heads of a household enumerated in the 1850 census of Jackson County:
"Goen, George mulatto
Nancy 33 mulatto
William W. 11,
Charlotte 8,
Alexander 7,
Daniel 5,
Asbury 8/12,
Mark 1,
Dixon, Minerva 28, sister-in-law"
George Goen and his brother, John Goen, along with their wives are listed on the “Indiana Free Negro Register, 1852-1865.”
The household, minus George Goen, reappeared in the 1860 census of Jackson County in Jackson township, page 679:
"Goins, Nancy 43, mulatto
William 21, day laborer
Alexander 17, day laborer
Daniel 15,
George 4,
Asbury 13
Margaret 10
E. Susan 8,
Elizabeth 16, servant"
“Elizabeth Goen,” perhaps the servant above, was married August 3, 1865, according to Jackson County Marriage Book E, page 144.
Children born to George Goings and Nancy Dixon Goings include:
William W. Goen born about 1839
Charlotte Temple Goen born about 1842
Alexander Goen born about 1843
Daniel W. Goen born about 1845
Margaret Goen born about 1848
Asbury Goen born about 1849
E. Susan Goen born about 1852
William W. Goen, son of George Goings and Nancy Dixon Goings, was born about 1839. He appeared as an 11-year-old in the 1850 census of his father's household. In 1860 he was reported at age 21 as a day laborer.
Charlotte Temple Goen, daughter of George Goings and Nancy Dixon Goings, was born about 1842. She was married February 4, 1858 to Alfred A. Hattaway, according to Jackson County Marriage Book D, page 147.
They were enumerated in the 1860 census living in their own household:
"Hattaway, Alfred A, day laborer
Charlotte 18,
William 1/12,
Goins, Minerva 7, sister-in-law"
Upon the death of Alfred A. Hattaway, Charlotte Temple "Lottie" Goen Hattaway was remarried in Benton Harbor, Michigan July 4, 1880 to John Brown, according to Berrien County, Michigan marriage records. A photograph of John Brown presented him with long, straight hair and an Indian appearance.
Children born to Alfred A. Hattaway and Charlotte Temple "Lottie" Goen Hattaway include:
William Hattaway born in 1860
Minnie Etta Hattaway [twin] born in 1870
John Hattaway [twin] born in 1870
Minnie Etta Hattaway, twin daughter of Alfred A. Hattaway and Charlotte Temple "Lottie" Goen Hattaway, was born in 1870, according to her great-granddaughter, Sherla Alberola of Denver, Colorado. She was married to Franklin Pierce Hughes August 16, 1888 in Niles, Michigan in Berrien County. Later they removed to Misaukee County, Michigan.
Of her family Sherla J. Alberola wrote July 22, 1999:
"The members of the family of George and Nancy were always described as Mulatto or Colored, but today Charlotte's descendants are white. In Missaukee County they had nine children. One died in infancy. Minnie Etta and all of the children were listed in the 1910 census as "mulatto," but my grandfather, Frank Hughes was listed as white. He had light skin and blue eyes and was born of white parents, but he is listed as "Colored" on his marriage registration. Perhaps it was still illegal for whites to marry coloreds when he married Minnie Etta, so he listed himself as "Colored."
"They lived in a small farming community near Cadillac, Michigan composed mostly of Dutch immigrants. Everybody, except for a few Indian families was white. My grandmother always said that we were part Indian, but she didn't know how much or what kind. However, in later years, her brother told us that they were part Portuguese. Whatever they were, others in the community considered them "mixed." We will probably never know what they really were as all of the children have died of various kinds of cancer. They were always ashamed of their brownish skin, and I remember that my grandmother avoided the sun.
Minnie Etta died of diabetes, but she was also crippled with arthritis. My mother remembers that she had a "club foot" and wore a special shoe. Minnie Etta's twin brother, John married a Mulatto woman, Rachel A. Winburn December 25, 1895 in Berrien County. He died there in 1951. Twins seemed to run in this family. I hope that some of this will tie in with somebody else's family and be helpful to them.
Sherla J. Alberola"
Alexander Goen, son of George Goings and Nancy Dixon Goings, was born about 1843. He appeared in the 1850 census at age seven and as a 17-year-old day laborer in the 1860 enumeration.
"Alexander Goens" was married to Nancy Goens June 24, 1841, according to the Jackson County Marriage Book AB, page 263.
"Alexander Goens and Nancy J. Lamb, negroes" were married July 16, 1868, according to Jackson County Marriage Book F, page 112. Of Alexander Goen and Nancy J. Lamb Goens nothing more is known.