I see Jennie made her initial post on the Cowden rootsweb Bible page back in 1999 and Shawn responded to it Saturday. I have heard, too, that Cowdens are all related somewhere, but so far I have not been able to find much of a common link with mine and the rest of the writers on the Cowden list — what few there are. My great-grandfather was Henry Leonard Cowden, b. 23 April 1859 in Colville, Benton County, Arkansas Henry was the son of Leonard, aka Len, Lynn and Lenord, Cowden, born 1797 in South Carolina. Leonard had children by two wives Leonard's chronology appears as follows: Married to Marguret, ca. 1821 Wilburn Mayberry Cowden born 9 January 1823, Sevier County, Tennessee Walker Cowden (2) born 1825/30 Jane "Jennie" Cowden born 16 January 1826/8 Rebecca Cowden born ca. 1827 Mary Cowden born 1829 Elizabeth "Lizzie" Cowden born 1832 Martha G. Cowden born 1835 Sarah C. Cowden born 21 June 1838,, Sevier County, Tennessee James "Jamie" Cowden born 19 May 1840 Katherine Cowden born 30 March 1842, Sevier County, Tennessee Thomas C. Cowden born 16 August 1844 Married to Mary Catherine Thomas, ca. 1846 at Sevierville, Tennessee Hannah Cowden born 7 March 1847, Sevier County, Tennessee Melinda Cowden born 3 June 1849, Sevier County, Tennessee Lucinda Cowden born 9 October 1851, Sevier County, Tennessee Henry Leonard Cowden born 23 April 1859, Colville near Bentonville, Arkansas Many of these siblings settled in Texas, and several went to Texas "for the duration" during the Civil War years. I suspect allied Cowden families to have settled near Harrison, Arkansas, and Springfield, Missouri. Allied family names with the above siblings include: Thomas; Chillcutt; Catlett; Henry; White; Roberts; Moore; and Williams — especially Williams, Moore and Henry. I show Leonard to be the son of a Cattern (Cathern?), 1775-1820, and Thomas Cowden, who had another spouse, Nancy Crewes. It looks like Thomas may have had two wives at about the same time — some thing goes for son Leonard, though. There are some other children of Leonard I have listed which I question, as they appear to be born long before Leonard got married. If any of this rings any bells with you Cowden researchers out there, fell free to contact me. I'd love to clear up some on my puzzelment on this line. BAlan31282@aol.com E. Alan Long Holiday Island, Arkansas (just north of Eureka Springs) The surest guarantee of ignorance is contempt prior to investigation.