Can we determine Civil War service of William Gowen of Missouri?

Question

In creating a profile for William Gowen I have found conflicting information regarding military service. His 1863 draft record states he had 2 months prior service in the "E.M.M." - Eastern Missouri Militia? This notation is seen on many men registered where he lived with varying lengths of service in the E.M.M.

It appears likely he then served in Company I, Missouri 4th Cav. These records are found at Family Search but a more detailed search at fold3 produced nothing, even with alternate spelling Goens noted at FS. Some records of family members show him serving in Company E, 43rd Missouri (Infantry?) Regiment but lack documentation.

Could someone with greater familiarity with Civil War records for Missouri assist in sorting this out? All records found to date are cited on the profile.

Answer 1

E. M. M. is the Enrolled Missouri Militia. 

Comments

Could this be him?

William H. Gowen, 43 Regiment E.M.M.  He enlisted 27 September 1862 in California, Moniteau County, Missouri.

https://www.sos.mo.gov/Images/Archives/Military/s00787/s00787_2374.pdf 

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There are several Gowen / Gowens in the E.M.M.  https://s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/soldiers/Results.aspx 

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The 43rd would account for the family history which mentions that number as regiment without further detail such as Infantry.

This makes me think the pension record is his as it mentions the militia but that 4th Cav is not since I see that's Confederate whereas the EMM is Union. Does this make sense?

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I'll check the other Gowens. I believe some are relatives.

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T., read the history on the creation of the E.M.M. on Wikipedia that I linked to above.  He may have had southern sympathies.

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Thanks, Michelle. I'm thinking the Confederate record (which is very minimal) probably isn't him as there is nothing in it to identify him and the middle initial "H" seen in everything else on him is absent.  I suppose the pension record could belong to him or the other man of the same name found in EMM records though I read at your link that very few of the EMM men qualified for Federal pension.

It does seem these research efforts confirm the family lore that he was part of 43rd Regiment EMM. Always nice when the family lore is fact-based.

Answer 2

I see two William Gowens in the draft records for Moniteau County. The first is a 25 year old man from Willowfork Township, born in TN, registered in August 1863. He has no prior service.

The second is a 43 year old man from Linn Township, born in VA, registered in September 1863. He has two months prior service with the E.M. M.

Comments

The 43 yr old from Virginia is the subject of the profile.

Answer 3

The family may want to look at publications on the History of the area and people found here

  http://www.moniteau.net/hsoclib.htm

http://www.moniteau.net/cemeterymap.htm  map of cemeteries in the county

https://cooper.mogenweb.org/Cemeteries/HOPEWELL%20CHURCH%20CEMETERY.pdf  this lists him in Hopewell cemetery.

https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/43rd_Regiment,_Enrolled_Missouri_Militia_(Union)

http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unmoinf4.htm#38

http://www.moniteau.net/historicmap.htm

The following 2 are from user donated data and need to have data verified.  But there is a lot of date info and names so you might have a fighting chance. 

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~gowenrf/dcuz003.htm  I saw this and the name and date of birth are close 

I am seeking the identify of the father of William Gowen who was born about 1802 in Pittsylvania County, VA.  When William Gowen applied for a marriage license there in 1821 to marry Susannah Bruce, his mother "Anna Goin" wrote a note to the county clerk giving her consent.  The bride's father, Thomas Bruce, also wrote a note to the clerk giving his consent, sug-gesting that Susannah was also underage.  William Abston was security for the marriage.  William Gowen and Susannah Bruce Gowen were the parents of William Henry Gowen, my g-gf, born in 1822.  I am ready to pay any research person for his time in working specifically for my benefit.  Olen R. Gowens,

https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/bruce/2943/  SUSANNA5 BRUCE (THOMAS4, JAMES3, JAMES2, UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1805 in , Pittsylvania or Campbell Co., Virginia.She married WILLIAM GOING April 12, 1821 in , Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

       
Child of SUSANNA BRUCE and WILLIAM GOING is:
24.       i.       WILLIAM HENRY6 GOWEN, b. February 15, 1822, ,, Virginia; d. , Moniteau County, Missouri.

24.WILLIAM HENRY6 GOWEN (SUSANNA5 BRUCE, THOMAS4, JAMES3, JAMES2, UNKNOWN1) was born February 15, 1822 in ,, Virginia, and died in , Moniteau County, Missouri.He married MARTHA JANE OWEN.She was born May 26, 1832 in , Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and died February 12, 1916 in Florence, Morgan County, Missouri.
       
Children of WILLIAM GOWEN and MARTHA OWEN are:
       i.       COLEMAN BRUCE7 GOWEN, b. January 26, 1847, ,, Virginia; d. August 27, 1932.
       ii.       MARY GOWEN, b. July 26, 1848; d. July 26, 1850.
       iii.       JAMES THOMAS GOWEN, b. February 09, 1850, ,, Missouri.
       iv.       SUSAN ANN GOWEN, b. January 18, 1854, ,, Missouri; d. February 1875.
       v.       WILLIAM HENRY GOWEN, b. March 31, 1855, ,, Missouri; d. August 19, 1875.
       vi.       ABIGALE FLORENCE GOWEN, b. February 05, 1857, ,, Missouri.
       vii.       TERRY E. GOWEN, b. July 14, 1859, ,, Missouri; d. 1911.
       viii.       ELLEN ARABEL GOWEN, b. February 02, 1862; d. May 22, 1945.
       ix.       LOUELLA THOMAS GOWEN, b. September 02, 1864.
       x.       VERA LEE GOWEN, b. July 14, 1867.
       xi.       MARTHA JANE GOWEN, b. October 10, 1869.
       xii.       LEIF RICHARD GOWEN, b. October 12, 1870.
       xiii.       JOSEPH SHELBY GOWEN, b. March 12, 1872.

Comments

Thanks, Laura. That may provide enough clues to connect a father -- Going was one surname I did not look for! The late 19th and early 20th Century descendants were certain they were Scottish and I am curious to see if that is factual.

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Bruce as a surname can be Scottish (derived from French de Brus) or English.  So no clear help there.

Gowens there are 9 listings in Scotlands People from 1855 - 1998  There are 70 starting in 1632 through 1791

Goin, Goins and Going did not show up in Scotlands People

I am not sure about England or Wales or Ireland.