Eli Rowland (1813 - 1870)

Born 2 May 1813 in Virginia, United States

Husband of Elizabeth A (Bethel) Rowland — married 31 Jan 1849 in DeKalb, Tennessee, United States

Died 2 Jun 1870 at age 57 in DeKalb, Tennessee, United States

Biography

Pvt Eli Rowland served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: 1864
Mustered out: 1865
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): 50th Consolidated Regiment, Tennessee, Infantry, Company K

Eli was born in May 1813 in Virginia. He is a son of Reason Rowland and Eleanor Reeder. He passed away on 2 June 1870 in DeKalb County, Tennessee and is buried in Salem Baptist Church Cemetery, Liberty, DeKalb County.^[1]

Eli is on the census in 1840 Dekalb County, Tennessee - District 1. In his household are his first wife Nancy Ford; two sons under age 5, probably son James and one unknown; and one male age 15-20, possibly a brother or hired farm labor:

• Males under age 5 - 2 [James & ??]
• Males age 15-20 - 1 [unknown, possibly relative]
• Males age 20-30 - 1 [Eli]
• Females age 20-30 - 1 [Nancy]^[2]

In 1849 Eli Rowland is listed as a member of Salem Baptist Church, Liberty, DeKalb County, Tennessee.^[3]

In 1850 Eli and second wife Elizabeth Bethel are living in DeKalb County, Tennessee. Eli is a Blacksmith, born in Virginia. He is listed with land valued at $800. In their household are children from a previous marriage: James D Rowland (1841), Martha T Rowland (1843) and Calista V Rowland (1845). Also Elizabeth and Eli's son Marcus C Rowland, age 6 months, born about December 1849.^[4]

Eli and Elizabeth are living and farming in Dekalb County, Tennessee on the 1860 census. Eli is a farmer with land valued at $3500 and personal property at $3000. In the household are the same children listed in 1850 with the addition of daughter Julia A Rowland (1853) and son William C Rowland (1854).^[5] Eli is listed on the 1860 Federal Slave Schedule with two slaves, both female, ages 18 and 4.^[6]

In 1870 Eli and Elizabeth are living in DeKalb County, Tennessee. Eli is a farmer with land valued at $4350 and personal property at $1760. In the household are children: [Martha] Tennessee, Marcus, Julia, and William Rowland.^[7] Eli died on 2 June 1870, the day after the effective date of the census.

Marriages & Children

Eli married first Nancy Ford about 1840 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. Nancy passed away between 1845 and 1849. Known children include:

1. James D Rowland, 1841
2. Martha T Rowland, 1843
3. Calista V Rowland, 1845

Eli married second Elizabeth Bethel on 31 Jan 1849 in DeKalb County, Tennessee.^[8] They had children:

1. Marcus C Rowland, Dec 1849
2. Julia A Rowland, 1853
3. William C Rowland, 1854

Civil War Service

Eli enlisted in 1864 as a Private in Company K, 50th Consolidated Regiment, Tennessee, Infantry, Confederate.^[9]

Death & Legacy

Eli wrote his will on 24 April 1870 in DeKalb County, Tennessee. In it he names:

• Wife Elizabeth Rowland: "... all my slaves [sic] and property of every description during her natural life time..."
• Children James D Rowland, Martha L Rowland, Marcus C Rowland, Julia A Rowland, & William G Rowland to inherit equally following Elizabeth's death.
• Executors: son James D Rowland and wife Elizabeth Rowland
• Witnesses: A B Hicks, David Griffith, Wm J Givan

Note: Full transcription of the will is available online at Will of Eli Rowland. No official records have yet been located online or on either ancestry.com or familysearch.org to confirm the provisions. There is one small problem: the will includes disposition of "all my slaves." This would not have been possible in 1870 since all slaves were freed following the close of the Civil War in 1865.

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #112252331
2. ↑ 1840 census
3. ↑ Salem Baptist Church Minutes 1809-1908, Membership List
4. ↑ 1850 census
5. ↑ 1860 census
6. ↑ "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WKTK-7LZM : 16 October 2019), Eli Rowland, 1860.
7. ↑ 1870 census
8. ↑ "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH3-FQZL : 30 November 2017), Eli Rowland and Elizabeth Bethell, 31 Jan 1849; citing DeKalb, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 593,050.
9. ↑ "United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F9KX-M4Z : 4 December 2014), Eli C. Rowland, Private, Company K, 50th Consolidated Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, Confederate; citing NARA microfilm publication M231 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 38; FHL microfilm 880,092.

• "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTK-384 : 18 August 2017), Eli Rolin, DeKalb, Tennessee, United States; citing p. 230, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 520; FHL microfilm 24,543.
• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDZ-FXM : 12 April 2016), Elis Rowland, De Kalb county, part of, De Kalb, Tennessee, United States; citing family 74, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8TH-4MT : 12 December 2017), Eli Rowland, 1860; 1st District, DeKalb, Tennessee, United States citing Household 70, page 10; U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) M653_1247; FHL Film #805247.
• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD85-7ZS : 14 June 2019), Eli Rowland, 1870; District 01, De Kalb, Tennessee, United States citing Household 7, page 3; U.S. National Archives and Records M593; FHL Film #553023.

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 10 February 2020), memorial page for Eli Rowland (2 May 1813–2 Jun 1870), Find A Grave Memorial no. 112252331, citing Salem Baptist Church Cemetery, Liberty, DeKalb County, Tennessee, USA ; Maintained by Sherrie Paty Barber (contributor 46947141) .