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GENERATION #8: John Owsley and Charity Barton |
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John Owsley was the oldest son of John Owsley and Ann Stephens.
He was raised in Loudoun County, Virginia, and was just six (6) years old when his father was killed in 1764. John Owsley
first appears in 1774 at age seventeen (17) years on a Loudoun County, Virginia tax list as a single man. This is the
only instance that he is named on a Loudoun County tax list. On March 8, 1775, he witnessed a deed in Loudoun County between
Thomas, Lord Fairfax, and William Stephens, probably an uncle (Loudoun County Deeds L: 39-42). John reached adulthood during perilous times, as the American
Revolutionary War was about to begin. John made his decision to fight in the War and did so in 1776 and 1777. He resided in
Loudoun County, Virginia, during the American Revolution and assisted in establishing American Independence, while acting
in the capacity of Volunteer in the Minute Service, guarding the Virginia frontiers with General George Rogers Clark. In 1776,
John Owsley (Ousley) enlisted at Loudoun County, Virginia in the Army of the United States under Lieutenant William Housley
(Owsley), in the company commanded by Captain Joseph Combs for 6 months service in the Minute Service. The company was stationed
at Alexandria, Virginia to keep the British from landing. Sometime in 1777 in Loudoun County, John Owsley volunteered again
and served under Captain Charles Porterfield in General Morgan's brigade, which marched to Philadelphia and on to join General
George Washington at White Plains. This army marched in and around Philadelphia and New York. Later, John volunteered again
and served guarding the Virginia frontiers. This service probably occurred in 1783, while serving in the Montgomery County,
Virginia Militia. John received a pension from the United States government from
1833 until his death in 1845 for his service in the Revolutionary War. After John's death, his wife, Charity, applied for
a widow's pension in April of 1846. Her pension request was denied due to John's alleged desertion in August of 1777. It has
not been determined why John deserted the Army. Records show hundreds of other soldiers also deserted. John may have left
so he could move south to North Carolina with his mother and stepfather. John moved to Rowan County, North Carolina where
he married Charity Barton on August 16, 1778. It is believed Charity may have been the daughter of John Barton Sr., who paid
taxes in Rowan County, North Carolina in 1759. The marriage of John Owsley and Charity Barton produced at least eight children. John Owsley and his family were living in Rowan County, North Carolina in
1778, where John was listed as having paid taxes. By 1784, they were living in Wilkes County, North Carolina, where
on October 27, 1784, John (Howsley) was listed as working on a road crew. They lived in the Roaring River community,
along with John's mother (Ann Adams and her husband, John Adams). John Owsley paid a poll tax in Wilkes County in 1786.
Charity (Hously) and her children were living in Wilkes County, North Carolina, according to census records. John
was away from home for some unknown reason. Some Owsley family researchers believe John Owsley lived in Lincoln County,
Kentucky for a short period of time in 1782. If so, he would have lived near his uncle, Thomas Owsley III. There is a John
Owsley listed as serving in an expedition against the Shawnee Indians from October 22, 1782, through November 25, 1782. This
John Owsley served in Captain John Snoddy's Company of Lincoln County Militia. Also serving were four sons of Thomas Owsley
III: (Thomas Owsley, William Owsley, Anthony Owsley and Daniel Owsley). (NOTE: It is my belief that the John Owsley who served
in the Lincoln County Militia in 1782, was probably Jonathan Owsley, another son of Thomas Owsley III. Another possibility
is John Owsley, son of Sarah Owsley, sister of Thomas Owsley III.) It is believed that in the 1790’s, John Owsley may have had a relationship with a lady (name unknown)
who lived in the Indian Ridge area of Grainger County, Tennessee. This relationship may have produced at least four children:
Joseph Owsley (Ousley, Housley), Amy “Ann” Housley, Elizabeth Housley, and Robert Owsley. Joseph Ousley was
listed in the 1810 Census of Grainger County, Tennessee. He later married Phoebe Longmire around 1812 and settled in nearby
Campbell County, Tennessee. (NOTE: DNA tests conducted in 2003 proved, without a doubt, that Joseph and Robert were sons of
John Owsley.) Amy “Ann” Housley married Samuel Gilmore in 1809, while Elizabeth Housley married Joseph Smith in
1811. Both marriages took place in Grainger County. The Gilmore family resided in Grainger County, but later moved to Gasconade/Osage
counties in Missouri in the 1830’s. In the 1840’s, other Owsley families also settled in Osage County, Missouri,
and were close neighbors with the Gilmore family. These families were children of Joseph Owsley and Robert Owsley. The family
of Joseph Smith and Elizabeth Housley settled in Campbell County, Tennessee. They were close neighbors with Elizabeth’s
brother, Joseph Owsley. Sometime after 1790, the family of John Owsley and Charity Barton moved from North Carolina to
Tennessee. (NOTE: In census records, the birthplace of their daughter, Anna Owsley Keck, is listed as Tennessee. Anna
was born in December of 1792.) By 1802, they were residing in Claiborne County, Tennessee, which borders Grainger
County in East Tennessee. John and Charity lived there for the remainder of their lives. They first settled in the Sand Lick
area of Claiborne County near the Clinch River. On March 2, 1802, the Claiborne County court minutes record "John Housley'
as a hand to work for Nimrod Dodson, overseer of the road from Jacob Capses to Bald Creek. On December 8, 1802, "John Housley
Sr." succeeded Nimrod Dodson as road overseer. On March 7, 1803, John was appointed overseer of the road leading from Bullard's
Ferry to Fielding Lewis's. His son, John Housley Jr., was one of the hands to assist him in maintaining the road. (NOTE: The
Fielding Lewis family is said to have been one of the first families to settle in Claiborne County, Tennessee. They moved
to Claiborne County from the Roaring River area of Wilkes County, North Carolina around 1792. The Fielding Lewis family had
been neighbors of the John Owsley family in Wilkes County, North Carolina.) On February 7, 1807, John Owsley of Claiborne County, Tennessee purchased (for $200.00) 100
acres of land from Enos Johnson of Jefferson County, Tennessee (Claiborne County, TN Deed Book B). The land was located as
follows: "lying and being in the county of Claiborne on the waters of the Big Barran Creek." (NOTE: The purchaser of this
land was apparently John Owsley Junior. On October 17, 1808, John Owsley Junior of Claiborne County sold "for $300.00" 100
acres of land to William Savage of Claiborne County. The land was located on the waters of the Big Barran Creek.) (NOTE: Enos
Johnson may have been the father-in-law of John Owsley Junior and Stephen Owsley, sons of John Owsley and Charity Barton.
John Owsley Junior was married to Rachel Johnson, while Stephen Owsley was married to Rhoda Johnson. It is known that Enos
Johnson had a daughter, Rachel, who was born in 1787. He also had a daughter, Rhoda, who was born in 1789.) On August 10, 1816, John Owsley of Claiborne County
purchased (for $300.00) 400 acres of land from William Narvell of Claiborne County (Claiborne County Deed Book E). This land
was in Henderson and Companys survey in Lot A. The land was located on the south side of the Powell River near Old Town
Creek. On August 1, 1817, John Owsley of Claiborne County
sold (for unspecified amount) 100 acres of land to John Keack (Keck) of Claiborne County (Claiborne County Deed Book E). This
land was in Henderson and Companys survey in Lot A. John Keck was married to Anna Owsley, daughter of John Owsley and Charity
Barton. On August 15, 1820, John Owsley of Claiborne County
purchased (for $120.00) 100 acres of land from Luke Perry of Claiborne County (Claiborne County Deed Book E). This land was
in Henderson and Companys survey in Lot A. The land was located on the south side of the Powell River near Old Town
Creek. In
Claiborne County, John Owsley was a member of the Old Town Creek Primitive Baptist Church. Charity Barton Owsley was
also a member of the Big Barran Primitive Baptist Church, where her death is recorded in the church records. John's
occupation was a cooper. The
death of John Owsley occurred in 1845, while Charity died a few years later in 1848. Both were buried in the Pleasant Point
Cemetery in Claiborne County, Tennessee.
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