I don't know why the Cowan's moved to Arkansas....perhaps the grass was greener on the other side of the hill, the hardships of the Civil War or they were just restless. Joseph Skiles Cowan died in 1846 in Tennessee. Often back then, when a Patriarch died, his children moved on with allied families, but I do not think that is the case here because they didnt leave Tennessee until later. In this case, they left 4 or 5 years after the Matriarch died in 1866. With the settlement of the will (and Joseph Skiles Cowan had 13 children), there probably wasn't enough money for each son to buy land in Tennessee (remember Tennessee land was granted to Revolutionary War Soldiers for their "service") and it is very possible that Arkansas was a place where Joseph Skiles Cowan's children could buy cheaper land. Sections of his will are included below as I try to figure this out. I'm trying to figure out WHAT land the Cowan boys got and WHEN they got it. From the will below, they did receive 1/3'rd each of 1/2 of the property that Jane Cowen Graham was living on immediately from their fathers will. But did he own OTHER land than what Jane Cowen Graham was living on? If so, he left the boys quite well off and they had enough money to buy farms in Arkansas in 1846. Notice he gives Jane Cowen Graham the land and houses for her "lifetime". I have included only parts of the Will below to help explain where I'm going with this. WILL OF JOSEPH COWAN, DECEASED FEBRUARY TERM 1846 THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, WILLIAMSON COUNTY, THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JOSEPH COWAN. I DO MAKE AND CONFIRM THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT IN MANNER AND FORM THAT IS TO SAY 1ST, I WILL AND BEQUESTH TO MY BELOVED WIFE JANE COWAN ABOUT HALF OF MY FARM ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CREEK THAT IS TO SAY THE UPPER FIELD ADJOINING WM. BURNES FARM AND ABOUT HALF OF THE FIELD ADJOINING IT BELOW ALSO THE LITTLE LOT OPPOSITE THE HOUSE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE CREEK, TOGETHER WITH MY DWELLING HOUSE, OUTHOUSES OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS, ORCHARD AND LOTS ABOUT THE HOUSE, WITH THE PRIVILEGE OF RAIL TIMBER FIREWOOD AND ETC. ON ANY PART OF MY LAND, TWO BEDS AND FURNITURE AS MUCH AS MY COOKING UTENSILS & CUPBOARD-WARE AS SHE MAY WISH TO KEEP. MY WAGON AND GEAR WITH THREE HORSES, HER CHOICE OF WHAT I MAY POSES AT MY DECEASE WITH AS MANY OF MY FARMING TOOLS AS SHE MAY THINK PROPER TO KEEP, FIVE HEAD OF CATTLE HER CHOICE, TEN SHEEP HER CHOICE, TWENTY HEAD OF HOGS, HER CHOICE, AND AS MUCH CORN FODDER, HAY, ETC., AS MAY BE SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN HER FAMILY AND STOCK UNTIL SHE MAY HAVE TO MAKE A CROP TO BE SET APART BY MY EXECUTORS, AS MUCH PROVISIONS IN MEAT, WHEAT, SUGAR, COFFEE! , SALT AND BUTTER AS HERSELF AND MY EXECUTORS MAY THINK SUFFICIENT FOR ONE YEAR, IF THERE SHOULD BE AS MUCH ON HAND, AND IF NOT MY EXECUTORS ARE HEREBY EMPOWERED TO BUY WITH THE PROCEEDS OF MY EFFECTS SAID ARTICLES, I ALSO GIVE HER TWO NEGROES, CHARLES AND MARY. 2ND. ALL THE ABOVE NAMED PROEPERTY WHICH I HAVE GIVEN TO MY WIFE, JANE COWAN, I DO GIVE IT TO HER FOREVER, EXCEPT THE LAND AND HOUSES WHICH SAID LAND AND HOUSES I GIVE AND BEQUETHE TO HER DURING HER NATURAL LIFE TIME. 3RD. THE REMAINDER OF MY LAND TO BE RENTED UNTIL THE DEATH OF MY WIFE. And then he goes on to say: 4TH. I GIVE AND BEQUEATHE ALL MY LAND TO MY THREE SONS JOHN COWAN, RICHARD G. COWAN, AND DAVID A. COWAN, TO BE EQUALLY DIVIDED AMONG THE THREE IN THREE LOTS OR SOLD AND THE PROCEEDS EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN THE THREE PERSONS ABOVE NAMED, TO WIT, JOHN COWAN, RICHARD G. COWAN AND DAVID A. COWAN. So after Jane Cowen Graham dies in April 1866 (in Tennessee--she is buried in the cemetery with Joseph Skiles Cowan--at the Cowan Cemetery)--all of the land may have been sold then. I am assuming she lived on the land until she died in 1866 since she is buried next to Joseph Skiles Cowan. And finally he says: 15TH. THE REMAINDER OF MY PROPERTY TO BE SOLD BY MY EXECUTORS, AND AFTER PAYING ALL MY JUST DEBTS, FUNERAL CHARGES, ETC. THE REMAINS OF THE PROCEEDS TOGETHER WITH THE RENTS OF THE LAND TO BE EQUALLY DIVIDED AMONG MY HEIRS, TO WIT, MY WIFE JANE COWAN, AND MY CHILDREN, ELIZABETH MEACHAM, ROSANNA MEACHAM, JOHN COWAN, NELLY BAXTER, SUSANNA COWAN, POLLY ANN MEACHAM, RICHARD G. COWAN, JANE COWAN, SALLY HILL COWAN AND DAVID A. COWAN AND LASTLY I APPOINT RICHARD G. COWAN AND MATTHEW MEACHAM MY EXECUTORS OF THIS MY LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT. What was "THE REMAINDER of my land to be rented until the death of my wife, Jane Cowen Graham" and then to be "sold by my executors, Richard G. Cowan and Matthew Meacham"? There was probably other "farm equipment", "sheep", "hogs", "horses", "furnishings" etc., and it looks like probably other parcels of land which were rented (by whom?). He speaks of The remains of the proceeds together with the RENTS of the land to be equally divided. I need to find deeds and see if he had other land. Okay, on with the search. The Civil war lasted from 1861 to 1865. Was Jane Cowen Graham the one who took a suitcase of Confederate Money and kept it--thinking it would be worth some money again? I think it was more likely Richard Graham Cowan Sr. ended up with the suitcase. My Grandfather Hosea Keether Cowan, b. 1892 (son of Josiah Murray Cowan b. 1858, son of Richard Graham Cowan, b. 1817) told stories of the suitcase of Confederate Money he used to play with when he visited his grandmother when he was a child. My Uncle, JM Cowan, Hosea Keether Cowan's son, and my father's half brother, just recently told me verbally (within the last three months) that my Grandfather played with the suitcase full of Confederate money--it was a story he told his children often, my father included. Uncle JM (yes that's his real name--just JM--it does not stand for Josiah Murray). But who's suitcase was it? Was it packed by Jane Cowen Graham or was it packed by Richard Graham Cowan Sr. after ! Jane Cowen Graham died in 1866--after the Civil War? I believe that Jane Cowen Graham packed the suitcase, because she died a year after the war ended. It was probably Richard Graham Cowan who ended up with the suitcase because he was one of the the Executors of the will. Richard Graham Cowan and Matthew Meacham would probably have been the ones who went in for an "inventory" after her death since they were the executors. Since the "money" was worthless after the Civil War, Matthew Meacham probably didn't care what happened to the suitcase. And Richard Graham Cowan was not a son-in-law, he was a blood relative. Richard Graham Cowans wife, Louisa Jane Cowan died in 1899--7 years after my grandfather, Hosea Keether Cowan, was born. Probably, Hosea Keether visited his grandmother, Louisa Jane Chapman Donegan Cowan, and she let him play with the suitcase full of Confederate money. Does any other Cowan have family lore about the suitcase? Unless it was thrown out on a cleanin! g day, it may still be in somebodys closet or under their bed (or in a safe deposit box!). Joseph Skiles Cowan was already deceased when the Civil War started. Did Jane Cowan Graham die after the Civil War because her heart and spirit were broken--remember Gone with the Wind and Tara? The plantation was very probably destroyed or burnt during the Civil War. Both sides, the Union and the Confederates were "slashing and burning" to prevent the other side from obtaining supplies. Was Jane Cowen Graham and her grown children caught in that kind of destruction? Her children would have been all adults, her last being born in 1825. Did they have to walk away and start all over again--in Arkansas or did they make repairs and go on? Evidently they moved from Arkansas after March 1870 and before October 1872. That would have given them (The Cowan Brothers) at least 4 to 5 years to clean up the mess after their mother's death, make it a working farm/plantation again and sell it and move to Arkansas. How did I come up with those dates? Please read the next paragraph. Now, Richard Graham Cowan Sr, the executor of Joseph Skiles Cowans will, would have had 9 children by the end of the Civil War. (Was one of his slaves the Mammy who did not wish to depart the Cowans, but wished to stay and help Louisa Jane Chapman Donegan (Dunagan) raise their children because she had too many children to raise alone? I do not know if this is fact or fiction--it has been in our family lore for years.) Louisa Jane and Richard Graham Cowan had three more children after the Civil War ended .for a total of 12 children. Their last child (their 12th) was born in 1872 in Arkansas! The 11th child was born in 1870 in Tennessee. So I have it narrowed down to they moved before 16 Oct 1872 and after 15 March 1870. I still don't know for sure WHY they moved. Well, now, that turned into quite a long explanation. But now we know where to start looking for land deeds in Arkansas. Also, when I went to look back at Richard Graham Cowan Sr's cihldren, I have some of the children being born in Washington County, Arkansas in 1850 to 1853. Then in 1855 back to Tennessee, and between 1870 and 1872 back to Arkansas. It is possible they moved back and forth. Can anybody confirm the birth places/dates of Richard Graham Cowan Sr's children? Is it possible or probable they moved to Arkansas, back to Tennessee and then back to Arkansas...or is my information just wrong on the birth places? I hope this answered your question. Do you know when your Baxters went from Tennessee to Arkansas? Karen (Cowan) Thomas PS: I'm so glad you appreciate the package I sent to you. There is no need to reimburse me for anything. I am just glad to share and contribute for a change, rather than "take". I've been picking people's brains and receiving input for nearly 28 years....now it's my turn to share with others what they were so kind to share with me. Melanie Wood <melaniewood@hotmail.com> wrote: Karen, I have just spent about 2 hours going through your packet. I appreciate it so much! Could I reimburse you for the postage or something? Gee, you spent a lot just mailing those. My ancestor, John Fondren, was in the Revolutionary War, but he was a Tory. His plantation was right where the Battle of Kings Mountain was fought. So I am especially interested in the excerpts from the books. I keep thinking that when I retire I will get to read all of these articles I want to read so I can put all the puzzles together. Looks like you have done a great job on the Cowans, Grahams, Catheys, etc. Why did your ancestors leave Williamson Co., TN, and go to Arkansas? Some of the Baxters did the same thing and they went to Washington Co., ARK. (They probably traveled with the Cowans.) It certainly is a small world, isn't it? Thanks again for all the information. When you write your book, I want a copy!! Will write more later, Melanie