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Created 19 April 2005
23 July 2005

  OWEN FAMILY Soundex 0500

BENJAMIN OWENS ELDER

Researchers: Swiftwater Hahn  swiftwater@lenapedelawarehistory.net
 Deanna Peterson  jpete711@aol.com

Is there anyone else out there who can contribute to the research on this family?

This family probably came from Wales, or England, but no connection has yet been found to the country of origin. 

            BENJAMIN OWEN Elder, father of Palmer Owen?

Because his son, Palmer Owen, was born about 1789/1790, his father [Benjamin?] would probably not have been born much later than 1770. His other sons  possibly included Lewis Owen, Jonathan (John) Owen,  and James Owens. The name Solomon Owen seemed earlier to be a candidate for the father of Benjamin Owen. But, the Major Solomon Owen who was born on 3 January 1771 and who died on 7 April 1858 could have been a brother to the possible Benjamin Owen. So, there is the remote possibility that the elder Benjamin Owen had a brother Solomon Owen; accordingly, his data is listed below.

Census Records:

Census 1790 Windham County, Connecticut: Benjamin Owen  2 white males under 16;2 white males 16 and over; 4 white females

Census Index 1800 New York, p.1074 (LDS Family History Library 974.7) There are entries for many Owen Families.
CENSUS 1800 US New York: There is a Benjamin Owen in Wallkill, Orange County, New York. Ancestry.com , p.344 or 334. No. of Family: 13323. Benjamin Owen 1 male 0-9; 1 male 10-15; 2 male 16-25; 1 male 45 or over; 1 female 0-9; 1 female 10-15; 1 female 16-25; 1 female 45 or over. There is also a Solomon Owen in Tioga County, p. 220 [of a census index?]

Census 1810 US New York. There is a Benjamin Owen in Onondaga County #026 32010-12. 
Line 20. Lewis Owens: Males 1 (26-45); Females 1 under 10, 1 (16-26)
Line 21. Benjamin Owens: Males 1 (16-26), 1 (45 and over); Females 1 (16-26), 2 (45 and over) Assuming one female 45 and over was Benjamin Owen's spouse, then who is the second female over 45?) Was this his mother? Or her mother?

Census Index 1810 New York, p. 503[?] Surname Index for Broome County at Binghamton, New York.
[Line 20. Lewis Owens [possible brother]: Males 1 (26-45); Females 1 under 10, 1 (16-26)]
*[Line 21. Benjamin Owens [Possible father of Palmer]: Males 1 (16-26), 1 (45 and over); Females 1 (16-26), 2 (45 and over) Assuming one female 45 and over was Benjamin Owen's spouse, then who is the second female over 45?) Was this have been his mother? Or her mother?]
Line 22. Palmer Owens. Males 1 (16-26); Females 1 (16-26). This is the first time that Palmer Owen was enumerated as a head of household.
From this census it appears possible that Palmer and Lewis were Benjamin Owen's sons.
[Census 1810 US, New York, Dutchess County, Phillips[town], p.102. There is [Line 18, unmarked] a Solomon Owen 2-0-1-1-0/1-0-0-0-1-0; [Line 26, 0/0-1-0-0-1-0].

Census 1820 Harpersfield, Delaware County, New York, National Archives Microfilm M37-65, Ancestry.com Online Image 6 of 7, p. 65: Benjamin Owen [Line 4 unmarked], 1-0-0-0-1--0-2-1-0-1-0-0-1: 1 male 0-9,1 male 26-44 [1976-1894], 2 females 6-9, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 26-44, 1 person engaged in agriculture. Who is this?
Samuel Owens [Line 9 unmarked], 0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-1: 1 male 26-44, 1 female 16-29, 1 person engaged in agriculture. Who is this?

Census 1855 New York , Broome County, Sandford. James L. Owens, age 56 [1809], born Orange County. Mary Owens, age 56, wife. Mary A Owens, age 24 [1841], daughter born Ohio. Harriet A. Owens, age 23 [1842], daughter, born Ohio. Ann H. Owens, age 20, daughter born New Jersey. Alfred nephew, born New Jersey.  It appears that James L. Owens could be a son of the earlier Benjamin Owens -- the possible father of Palmer Owens. In an  attempt to find out, I went to the 1850 census for Broome County, but James L. Owen was not there. A search of the state of New York revealed that he was in 1850 Deerpark, Orange County, New York Census in the enumeration of 26 September, p.556 (606), Line 37, Dwelling 58 Family 59 as James L. Owen, age 41, laborer, born New York. Line 38 Mary Owen [his wife]. age 41, born in New York. Almeda Owen, age 11,  born in Ohio, attended school. Harriet Owen, age 9, born in Ohio. Anne A. Owen, age 5, born in New Jersey, Samuel Owen, age 2, born in  New York. The fact that two of his children were born in Ohio  (1839 and 1841) was of interest because his grand-nephew, Orson Owen, who was the son of the younger Benjamin Owen who was the son of  born of Palmer Owen, James L. Owen's possible brother, was born in Ohio in 1840. The point being, that Orson was the only one of the family born in Ohio and no reason could be found for his parents, Benjamin and Sarah (Hulce) Owens being in  in Ohio. Having Owen relatives there suggests the possibility that Benjamin and Sarah could have been been visiting or living with them or some other member of the Owen Family at the time. However, I have as yet to find their location in the 1840 census.

Census 1860 New York , Broome County, Sandford, p.606 (556), MyFamily.com/Ancestry.com image 8/96 researched 18 April 2005, Line 37, Dwelling 58 Family 59, James L.[?] Owens, age 51 [1809], farmer, real estate worth $2,000, personal property worth 700, was born in New York. Line 20 [His wife,] Mary Owens, age 51, was born in New York. [His daughter], Mary Owens, at age 19, was a teacher, and was born in New York. Harriet Owens, at age 18, was born in New York  and Ann Owens, at age 18[?], was born in New York. This family was the next neighbor to James Graves and his wife, Clarissa Graves, the daughter of Palmer Owen. Palmer had a son James Reuben Owen, but he was born on 30 April 1829, approximately one generation earlier. [James being a possible son of the earlier Benjamin Owen.]

Miscellaneous Data

In the "The Town of Hancock," History of Delaware County (1880) there is a mention of a Benjamin Owen: 1785 . . . Benjamin Owen has a fish-weir below the forks at Schehawken, and he has caught quantities of bass in his weir.

The Day Books of Dr. French mention Major Owen on page 1840.

In looking for a Benjamin Owen in Ohio, to explain the birth of his son, Orson's birth there in 1840, there is a census entry for Concord, Lake County of a Benjamin Owen age 15-20 with 1 female under 5 and 1 female 15-20. (Ancestry.com Online Image 1 o 10, Microfilm Roll 407.

Temporary Entry for Solomon Owen

This is placed here just in case there is a connection. Editor

Census 1800, Tioga County, New York. (Tioga County later became Broome County.) Solomon Owen is in this census. First marriage in Broome County, New York. Was a farmer/blacksmith. Emigrated 1798 from Stockbridge, Massachusetts to Lisle, Broome County, New York. Died on 7 April 1858 in Lisle. Was buried in the Lisle Cemeter6.

Census 1810 New York. There is a Solomon Owen in Philips Township, Dutchess County, New York, Ancestry.com p. 175, 20110-100001 and in Onondaga County, New York, Ancestry.com, p. 026. 3201-12010. (See Census 1810 US New York, Delaware County, p. 503.  (For an index, see LDS Family History Library 974.7x/2pa/1810, p. 994.)

Census 1820 Lisle, Broome County, New York. Solomon Owen is in this.

Census 1825 Lisle, Brome County, New York.

Census: 1830 Lisle, Broome County, New York, Lisle [?]. Page 117 (36), Line 24 [not marked]. Solomon Owen: 2 males 10 and under, 1 [?] male 10-15, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 20-30, 1 male 50-60 [1760-1770]; 1 female 10-15, 1 female 15-20, 3 females 20-30, 1 female 40-50.

Census 1840 Lisle, Broome County, New York: 2 males 16-20; 1 male 30-40; 1 male 60-70; a female 10-15; 2 females 20-30; 1 female 60-70

Census 1850 Lisle, Broome County, New York: Enumerated 6 August. Line 33, Dwelling 819 (225), Family 850 (229). Sullivan [Solomon] Owen, age 79, was born in Massachusetts, was a farmer; Sylvia Owen, age 68, was born in Massachusetts; Orin Owen, age 39, was a farmer, was born in New York; George Owen, age 25, was a farmer, was born in New York; John Owen, age 25, was born in New York, was married within the year; Frances Owen, age 20, was born in New York, was married within the year. [Frances Owen was John Owen's spouse.

Census 1855, Lisle, Broome County, New York, #253. Solomon Owen age 84, a farmer, was born in Massachusetts; Sylvia, his wife, was age 73; son Orrin was age 44; son George was age 30

Census 1860 Lisle, Broome County, New York, Killoway Post Office. P. 5. Line 38. Dwelling 50, Family 42. Sylvia Owen, age 78 [1882], a widow, was born in New York; Orin Owen, age 48, was born in New York, a farmer; George C. Owen, age 35, was born in born New York; Frances J. Owen, age 25, was born New York; Frederick J. Owen, age 7, was born in New York; Amelia Bowker, age 20, was born in New York.

Parson-Bates Genealogy: Don Parson  DParson2Sr@aol.com Born on 3 January 1771 in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Militia Captain in 1802, Major in 1809, a Major in the War of 1812.

O. B. Walker, "Annals of Owen Hill.: Major Solomon Owen, settled in Lisle, married Sylvia Cook [in Lisle, Broome County, New York] , children: William Orin, John, George, Iva, Jerusha, Ruth, Mercy, Melinda, Catherine, and Frances.

R. E. Dale, Lincoln Nebraska, 1934:  Son of John and Joanna (Nash) Owen of Sheffield, Massachusetts. Married at age 20 to Sylvia Cook, age 16. Children: Joanna baptized 22 May 1803 married Newell Stoddard; William Ballard married and moved to Michigan; Orrin was baptized  20 September 1810 [in Lisle], died 24 January 1867 single; twin John married Fanny Holiday, twin George died in the Civil War; Iva [born before 14 May 1807] Jerusha [born before 22 May 1803]; Ruth was baptized on 14 May 1807, married Alva Lilly, twin Mercy [Marcia] was baptized 17 July 1808, married Dr. Eldridge; twin Melinda [Belinda] was baptized 17 July 1808, married Nelson Heath; Catherine was baptized on 24 April 1814 [in Lisle], married Chauncey Parsons; Frances born about 1814 in New York married Anson Thompson. [George was born about 1825; Joh was born about 1825].

Revolutionary War Veterans Buried in Broome County, p. 104: K=Lisle, NY. Group 2 Soloman Owen [War d 1812].

Lisle Village Cemetery Owen:
Sylvia Cook wife of Major Owen, born Jan. 20 1782 d. July 11, 1866
Major Solomon b. Jan 3, 1771 d. Apr. 71858
Orrin b. Sept. 20, 1810 d. Jan 24, 1867
Mary Twinning d. Oct 27, 1856 age 26
Lt. George d. Nov. 1863
Marcia Owen Eldridge d. Dec 13,1856 age 48

Solomon Owen. Died in Lisle 7 April; Solomon Owen. Age: 88 years. Native of Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., Mass, He came to this town over 6o years ago, Member of the Congregational Church in Lisle.  (Binghamton Register, 5 May 1858) [Note: Long Obituary. Nothing further of note in it.]

Solomon Owen:  Virgil D. White, Transcriber, Index to the War of 1812 Pension Files, 1812 Pensioners, pp.1376: Owen, Solomon, no pension, served with Captain Webb's Company, New York Militia as a private, Bureau of Land Warrants (BLW) #11053-40-50 and 49792-120-55.

The Day Books of Dr. French mention Solomon Owen on page 1838.
The Supervisors Book 1806-1830 lists Solomon Owen.

Soloman Owen: Born 1760 & died 4-7-1858. From Stockbridge, Connecticut. Wife Sylvia Cook of Mansfield, Connecticut. Settled on Owen Hill, Lisle, New York. Served as a Major and a blacksmith. (Unknown title, but listing War of 1812 veterans of New York or Delaware County, p. 67)

Solomon (Major) born 3 January 1771 died 7 April 1858. (Cemetery Records, Lisle, p. 108) [It appears that those on p.108 may have been buried in the same plot.]

Orrin [son]: Orrin born 20 September 1810 died 24 January 1867. (Cemetery Records, Lisle, p. 108)

Daughter, Catherine Owen, of Lisle, married in 1835 Chauncey Parsons. ("Town of Chenango," History of Delaware County [?], p. 449)

William Lawyer, editor, "The Town of Lisle," Binghamton: Its Settlement, Growth, and Development and the Factors in its History 1800 - 1900, together with a History of the Villages and the Towns of the County. "The first marr4iage was that of Solomon Owen and Sylvia Cook (p.677); " ... Major Solomon Owen (for whom Owen Hill was named) and who was one of the first blacksmiths in the town." (p.678).

Temporary Entry for John Owen

A John Owen died in 1892. In the Deposit, Broome County newspaper for 17 February 1892 is an an item that said:, "Died North Sanford Feb. 2 1892 John Owen 89 years old." A possible son of Benjamin Owen?
Also, (Mrs.) died 1900 wife of John Owen (Cemetery Records, Lisle, p. 108)

John M. (Cemetery Records, Lisle, p. 108)

Census 1850, Sandford [?[, Broome County, New York: John Owen, age 78 [1872], a farmer, was born in Connecticut; Olive Owen, age 68 [1882]; Amherst Owen, head of household [?], age 58 [1892], real estate value $1,000 Personal Property $500; Charlotte Owen, age 64; Olive Owen, a CS [?] teacher; Joseph Owen, age 17, a farmer

Temporary Entry for George Owen

George, Lieutenant, died November 1863 (Cemetery Records, Lisle, p. 108)

In the "Index of Names," History of Broome County by H.P. Smith (1885) are the following Owens:
Maj. Owen, pp. 398, 400; Catherine Owen pp.399,349, 555; John Owen; Frances Owen; George Owen; Orrin Owen, Ruth p.399; Solomon Owen p.449, Thomas Owen p.484.

The Lisle Town Office is at Road 1, Lisle, New York, 13797
The Sanford Town Office is at 146 Front Street Deposit, New York 13754

Times New Roman 14 point. Internet copy 5 May 2005. Photo check A. TH