Dear Polk Folks, I've been researching the above families for 8-10 years all through GA, Alabama and the Carolinas. My maternal Gowens/Busby lines ended up first in Cherokee Co. and then Calhoun Co., AL, from the l860s until present. My known lineage: 1. My GGGgrandfather William Alexander GOING/GOINS/etc. b. abt. l786 VA. Married first wife ?Mary? abt. l8l3-l814; they were perhaps in SC until about l8l7. Married 2nd wife Mary Wright, widow, l847 Newton Co. GA. 2. My GGgrandfather James D. S. GOWENS m. Marcena SPARKS (d/o Levin Sparks and Nancy ? of Newton Co. GA) l850 Newton Co. GA. Were living in Pleasant Gap Community in Cherokee Co. AL by l860 census. 3 My Ggrandfather Robert BUSBY (s/o Harrison M. Busby m. to Mary Clemantine STEPHENSON, perhaps also of Newton Co. GA) married l888 to Mary Jane Gowens. Her parents were James and Marcena Gowens per above. Both are buried in Cedartown GA. 4. My Grandfather Fred BUSBY (s/o Robert and Mary Jane) m. l9ll Nora MURPHY, and lived in Piedmont, AL. Buried in Piedmont AL 5. My mother Lucile BUSBY m. Grover CARPENTER in l943 and lived in Oxford, AL (Calhoun Co.) until deaths in l986 and l990. 6. Carolyn CARPENTER (me) m. Gene FUNDERBURK in l975; living now in Wilmington NC. I am particularly interested in info that the Gowens/Busby/Stephenson/etc. families MIGHT have had Indian blood. The Gowens/etc. name is frequently found in the Cherokee and Lumbees, perhaps also Choctaw. The Lumbee Indians are a tribe in eastern NC. Two Gowens sisters married into the Pope family--not my direct line. My Ggrandfather Robert Busby worked on the train line of Cedartown GA to Birmingham AL, maybe as an engineer but not sure of that. I'd be so grateful to anyone who can help complete my family background. And I'll be glad to share whatever I may know. Let me hear from your Polk County cousins! Best wishes. Carolyn Funderburk bamagal50@ec.rr.com