William Fowler (abt. 1740 - abt. 1805)

Born about 1740 in Granville, North Carolina

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1805 at about age 65 in Granville, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

William was born about 1740. William Fowler ... He passed away about 1805.^[1]

From: A Fowler Family by Mabel Gaye Phillips and Waldo E. Fowler, Taken from The House of Fowler by Grover Parsons Fowler ^[2]

According to the House of Fowler, Our John Fowler, believed to be the son of Christopher, arrived in Virginia from England about 1660 with his wife Mary. They settled in Henrico County. John was a member of the Society of Friends, or the Quakers. On September 12, 1662, he received a grant in Henrico County for 100 acres and on October 30, 1683, one for an adjacent 390 acres for transportation of 8 persons. Both of these claims were between Old Town Creek and the Appomatox River, west of Petersburg. The Fowler home was across the Appomatox River from Fort Henry. Being located between Richmond and Petersburg, this original home of the Fowlers in America was probably part of the battleground of some of the greatest carnage of the Civil War. Among several entries in the Quaker records on John Fowler, one of special interest was a 1672 visit to his home by George Fox, founder of the Quakers. John Fowler died before October 1, 1683, leaving 3 minor sons: John, Mark and Godfrey. On that date, Thomas Batte, Sr. was ordered in Henrico County court to serve as trustee for the estate of John Fowler and act a guardian for the Fowler orphans. In August of 1685, Mr. Batte was ordered to report on his guardianship of these orphans. In August 1687, John Davis was appointed guardian in place of Mr. Batte, who had failed to provide proper security for the estate. At the same time, Mark Fowler was granted his share of the estate, indicating that he had turned age 21. By 1691, both John and Mark Fowler were dead without issue, and Godfrey Fowler sued Thomas Batte in Henrico County court to deliver unto him, the sole surviving heir of John Fowler, his father's estate. Godfrey Fowler, son of John and Mary, was born in Henrico County about 1670 and was married before February 1695. On that date, a deed from Godfrey Fowler, planter, for a sale to John Wilson, Sr. of fifty acres in Bristol Parish of Henrico County was also signed by Susannah Fowler, wife of Godfrey. Godfrey is shown in Virginia records as having patented 3 parcels of land in Henrico County. Jointly with George Archer, he was granted January 22, 1717, 500 acres for the transportation of 10 people. On July 9, 1724, he was granted 300 acres and on August 17, 1725, and additional 400 acres. Godfrey Fowler's will was written on June 29, 1743 and proved the first Monday in May, 1747. It named his sons John, Mark, Godfrey, Thomas and Joseph Fowler and daughters Ann Hill Fowler and Martha Fowler Vaden. Apparently, Susannah was already deas, as she was not motioned. To each of his sons, Godfrey bequeathed at least 200 acres. That of his dead son Thomas, was assigned to Thomas' widow Phebe in trust for their sons William and Josiah. That of his son Joseph was given to Thomas Ellis, to whom Joseph had sold his interest upon his move to North Carolina. Each of the daughters received a single piece of furniture - Ann, a sealskin trunk and Martha, a leather chair. Additionally, Mark received all the cattle in his possession and release from his debts to his father, Joseph received one shilling sterling and Godfrey Jr, who was named executor, received everything not specifically mentioned in Godfrey's Estate. Witnesses to the will were John Parkenson, Henry Dance and Allick Moore. John Fowler, oldest son of Godfrey and Susannah, married Judith Hobson. The will of Matthew Hobson, Judith’s father, recorded Oct. 30, 1772 in Henrico County, names 7 children of John and Judith: Bernard, William, John Jr., Judith, Pollina, Tabitha and Nancy Fowler. Bernard Fowler married Temperance Paukey and was in Fayette County, Kentucky before 1800. William Fowler, son of John, received 4,000 acres of land near Frankfort, Kentucky for three years service in the Continental Army. Capt. John Fowler Jr. married Millicent Wills, was by 1783 in Kentucky where he was granted 14,257 acres and, among various other political offices, was Kentucky Congressman from 1797 to 1807. Mark Fowler, second son of Godfrey and Susannah, lived in Chesterfield and Dinwiddie Counties, Virginia. Mark's wife was Margory. They were the parents of Simmons, Godfrey, John, Henry, Richard and Sarah Fowler. The Quaker records of Blackwater Monthly Meeting in the latter half of the eighteenth century included various references to Mark and Margory's sons Simmons, John and Henry. Simmons Fowler married Mary Sears in 1764 and had one daughter Martha, born August 28, 1765, who married Peter Binford and left four children at her 1789 death. Simmons, as a Quaker opposed to military service, is recorded on three different occasions as having had his hat taken from him as a fine for failure to report to muster. Godfrey Fowler, son of Mark and Margory, was the father of nine children: James, Thomas, Milligan, Coleman, William, Joseph, Molly, Betsy and Keziah. John Fowler, son of Mark and Margory, married Elizabeth Sears in 1762. Mark and Margory's son Henry married Rebecca. Henry's will, proved August 1796 in Granville County, North Carolina lists seven children: Elizabeth, George, Hanson, Charles, Allen, Henry and Lewis. Richard Fowler, son of Mark and Margory, is believed to be in our direct line and is discussed in detail after the summaries of the children of Godfrey and Susannah. No records have been found for Mark's daughter Sarah. Godfrey Fowler II, son of Godfrey and Susannah, married Sarah and moved to Dinwiddie County, Virginia. Their daughter, Susannah Fowler married William Bott of Amelia County. Their son John was in Anson County, North Carolina by 1773 and in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina before 1790. Thomas Fowler, son of Godfrey and Sarah, settled in Granville County, North Carolina and later Green County, Tennessee. Both Francis Fowler and Joseph Fowler, sons of Godfrey and Sarah, moved to Spartanburg County, South Carolina and Joseph Eventually on to Tennessee. Richard, the sixth and final son of Godfrey and Sarah, settled in Laurens County, South Carolina. No records, other than his mention in his father's will, have been found for Thomas Fowler, son of Godfrey and Susannah. Joseph Fowler, youngest son of Godfrey and Susannah, married a woman named Nancy with whom he had nine children. After her death, he remarried and had three more children. He had already moved to Wake County, North Carolina by 1743 when Godfrey wrote his will. Joseph's will was proved in Wake County April 30, 1973. Joseph's oldest son, Bullard, lived in Charlotte County, Virginia. Bullard and his wife Mary were the parents of Bullard II, William, Joseph, Elizabeth who married John Hopkins, Martha Epps who married Lemuel Cook and Mary Peterson who married Joseph Tucker. Captain William Anderson Fowler, son of Joseph, married Mary, served in a Virginia regiment during the Revolutionary Was and in his will, proved in Wake County in February 1800, named five children: Claiborn Anderson Fowler of Bedford County, Tennessee; William Fowler who married Priscilla Perry and moved to Warren County, Tennessee; Nancy who married Robert Handcock; Delilah who married William Willifred and Lavina who married James Pace. Susannah Fowler, daughter of Joseph and Nancy, married a Jones in Virginia. Her sister Mary married a Spain Vin Virginia. Godfrey Fowler, son of Joseph and Nancy, married Rehab Cooper. Wilmoth "Willie" Fowler married a Hopkins in North Carolina. Joseph and Nancy's youngest daughters, Elizabeth and Nancy, married Houghtons in Virginia. Martha, Sally and Burwell Fowler were the offspring of Joseph's second marriage. Ann Hill Fowler, daughter of Godfrey and Susannah, married Thomas Simmons, son of John Simmons of Prince George County, Virginia, November 7, 1738. As a widow, Ann Hill Fowler Simmons married John Chappell September 4, 1741. Martha Fowler, youngest child of Godfrey and Susannah, married Henry Vaden, prior to 1725 and died before 1747. Henry was born September 12, 1694 and died in 1747. It is interesting to note that Henry was descended from Paul and Clara Vaden for whose transportation, together with several other people’s, John Fowler I received a grant in 1673. Henry and Martha Fowler Vaden were the parents of Joseph Vaden; Burwell Vaden of Pittsylvania County, Virginias; William Vaden who married Frances Wilson; Henry Vaden, Jr. born in 1725 who married three times and lived in Amelia County; John Vaden; Susannah Vaden; Mary Vaden and two others. Richard Fowler, son of Mark and Margory, married Grace. He was granted 285 acres in Johnston County, North Carolina in 1761. In 1762, he received a grant of 780 acres in Granville County, North Carolina. His Granville County will dated October 28, 1770, listed his sons William, Richard and Thomas and daughters Jane and Phoebe. The will was witnessed by Francis Fowler and John F. Fowler. William Fowler was willed “the 305 acres where I now live” in the will. William was born before 1755 and was listed in the Granville County, North Carolina censuses of 1790 and 1800. William, who is apparently our direct ancestor, will be discussed in greater detail later. William deeded the same 305 acres will to him to his brother Thomas October 6, 1774. Thomas married Jean, lived in Warren County, North Carolina and is only know to have one daughter; Richard Fowler, Jr. lived in Granville County in 1790 and 1800. Richard Jr. was the father of John Fowler who was born in 1795, married Nancy Hendrick, moved to Hopkins County, Kentucky in 1849 and died in 1885; Thomas Fowler who married Jane Jones; William Fowler who died in Fentrys County, Tennessee in 1855; Washington Fowler; Moody Fowler who married Polly Harris and died in Granville County in 1862 and possibly other children. No known records exist for Jane and Phoebe Fowler, daughters of Richard and Grace. William Fowler, oldest son of Richard and Grace, is believed to be the father of Mark, Thomas, Samuel, James and at least five daughters, none of whose names have been recorded. No record remains of William’s wife’s name, but she may have been a Henderson. Mark Fowler, William’s oldest son, married Rebecca Smith April 8, 1794 and became the father of at least eight children. Thomas Fowler, son of William, married Phoebe and is recorded as being the father of one son, Rev. Thomas Jefferson Fowler (1800-1878). This Thomas Jefferson Fowler named two of his sons Henderson: Thomas Henderson Fowler (1839-1906) and John Henderson Fowler (1841-1914). William’s son Samuel Fowler married Frances, lived chiefly in Stokes County, North Carolina and was apparently the father of Marshall Fowler who married Sally Westmoreland: William Fowler who married Elizabeth Westmoreland; John T. Fowler who married Elizabeth Barnes; Elijah Fowler and Samuel Fowler Jr., James Fowler, son of William, married Caty Johns July 26, 1802 and Nancy Hannah Thomas in 1805. James was the father of Rev. John C., William, Mark, James Washington and George Fowler and perhaps others. None of William’s at least five daughters or their husbands or children have been identified. Mark Fowler, son of William, was born between 1765 and 1774. He married Rebecca Smith April 8, 1794 in Orange County, North Carolina. Rebecca was born between 1775 and 1780. They had at least eight children. The 1810 Census shows Mark’s household as containing five males under age 10, two males age 16-26 (apparently hired men or relatives), one male age 26-45 (Mark), one female under age 10, two females age 10-16, one female age 26-45 (Rebecca) and one female over age 45 (probably Mark’s mother as Rebecca’s apparent father was still living and was the head of a nearby household in this census). The 1820 census of Orange County lists one male under age 10, one male age 10-16 (Henderson Alonzo), one male age 16-18, one female age 26-45 (Rebecca) and one female over 45 (Mother). In other 1830 Census, Mark was dead and Rebecca the head of a household consisting of three boys under age five, one boy ate 10-15 and one girl under age 5 (probably grandchildren); one male age 20-30 (Henderson); one female age 30-40 (likely a widowed daughter or daughter-in-law who was the mother of the young children.) and one female age 50-60 (Rebecca). It is in this family in which most researchers have concluded that Henderson Alonzo Fowler must belong. No children of Mark and Rebecca have been conclusively identified. Henderson is believed to be one of their sons. Family traditions hold that Henderson had a brother named William. There was a William Fowler who married Susan Bird September 3, 1827 in Orange County. He may be Henderson’s brother. Marriage and census records suggest other possibilities of siblings, though none are definite. Simeon Fowler who married Jensy Collins July 31, 1830 in Orange County had the same witness at their wedding, a J. Taylor, as did Henderson and Harriet two months later. This same John Taylor served as the witness for the marriage of Green Fowler to Ruth Turner on November 28, 1837; James Fowler to June Hayes April 1, 1846 (for whom Simeon Fowler was bonds-man); and Mary Fowler to Elizah Hunt January 16, 1811.

Sources

1. ↑ A source for this information is needed.
2. ↑ THE HOUSE OF FOWLER, A history of the Fowler families of the south; Compiled and Published by the author, Grover Parsons Fowler, Member of the Historical Society of South Carolina and the Institute of American Genealogy; 1940 Hickory Printing Co, Hickory, NC. Available on Archive.org

See also:

• THE HOUSE OF FOWLER, A history of the Fowler families of the south; Compiled and Published by the author, Grover Parsons Fowler, Member of the Historical Society of South Carolina and the Institute of American Genealogy; 1940 Hickory Printing Co, Hickory, NC. Available on Archive.org