LT James A

Lt. James A. Rowell, Jr.

June 20, 1820 - April 22, 1915

Where to begin with the elusive Lt. James A. Rowell?

His early years are somewhat of a mystery. His father is James Rowell Senior, as identified by Folks Huxford in Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia, Volume III (page 287-288) and mother is unknown. Family lore, passed through multiple generations of Rowell descendants, state father James married an “Indian maiden”, but there are no records to support this conjecture. James Senior was born between 1794 and 1801 based on the 1820 Population Schedule for Camden County, Georgia. He possibly removed from the Barnwell District of South Carolina to the southeast Georgia location. James Junior was born in Camden County, Georgia.

Huxford also stated James’ grandfather was Revolutionary Soldier John

Rowell. John Rowell’s wife’s name is unknown.

James Rowell Senior’s family was enumerated in Camden County, Georgia during the 1820 US Census. At the time of this census, the Rowell family consists of; 1 male between the ages 19-26 (John Sr) 1 male age 9 or less, 1 female between the ages 19-26 and 1 female age 9 or less.

Judge Huxford stated in POWG III the John RS Rowell was of Ware County however, Ware was not created until 1824 (Appling) and were Creek Indian lands until December 15, 1818.

The James Rowell Sr. family lived in and James A. Rowell, Jr. spent his early years in Camden County where the family was enumerated during the 1830 Census. This Schedule indicates the family was enumerated in the St Marys River area. Within the Rowell household are: 1 male 30-40 (James Sr) 1 male 5-10 (James Jr), 2 males under 5, 1 female 30-40, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 5-10, and 2 females under 5.

James served at least 4 tours of duty during the Second Florida War as referenced in the Seminole War Muster Books 5, 9, and 10:

Company	Regiment	Dates of Service	Rank
Capt Ayers B. Sheehee	Middle Fla Mounted Militia	25 Jan 1838 – 25 June 1838	1^st Sgt
Capt William Rowell	1^st Fla Militia	9 Jun 1838 – 9 Dec 1838	2^nd Lt.
Capt William Rowell	1^st Fla Mounted Militia	3 Mar 1839 – 4 Sep 1839	1st Lt.
Capt Alex’d Jernigan	1^st Fla Mounted Militia	16 Feb 1841 – 16 May 1841	Pvt.

James returned home after each enlistment to Wayne County, Georgia. The family of James Senior, must have physically relocated to Wayne from Camden sometime after the 1830 CC Census (based on the location of the family in 1830). The Rowell family is not found in Wayne during that county’s 1840 Enumeration however, James Junior married his first wife in Wayne. James, Jr. married Temperance “Tempie” Dowling on April 16, 1845 in Odom, Wayne County, GA.

James, Jr. and Temperance had the following children (in birth order):

David Reed Rowell – 1846 – 1915

Eliza Rebecca Rowell – 1848 – ????

Jabez James Rowell – 1850 – 1929

Sophie Jane Rowell – 1853 – ????

Jesse Savilla Rowell – 1854 – ????

Mary Elizabeth Rowell – 1856 – ????

Celestia Hester Ann Rowell – 1858 – 1898

John Darling Rowell – 1860 – 1939

Temperance Adeline "Tempy" Rowell – 1863 – 1948

Martha (F.) Matilda Rowell – 1864 – 1951

Frances Dorinda "Dora" Rowell – 1867 – 1950

William Henry "Billy" Rowell – 1870 – 1960

Rachel Keziah Rowell – 1874 – ????

The 1850 Ware County, GA Census has James, Jr. listed as a farmer while the 1860 Pierce Co., GA census shows “personnel prop $200, real estate $200, could not read or write.

Shortly after the 1860 census was taken, the Civil War began. James once again enlists in the military to defend family and home. James A. Rowell enlisted into the Confederate Army in September 22, 1862 as a Private in 7th Georgia Cavalry, Company D.

After the war James and his family are removed from Georgia and are found during the 1870 Census in Taylor Co., FL in which he lists “$140 personnel prop, $200 farm”.

Before the next census the family returns to Wayne County where the 1880 Federal Census has him living in District 335, of Wayne County, GA.

His first wife, Temperance “Tempie” Dowling died in May 1889 in Wayne County, GA. The same year James, Jr. married his second wife, Susan Augusta Drury.

According to his great-granddaughter from his second marriage, James A. Rowell Jr. was the local blacksmith who used to make his own dental tools so that he could pull the teeth of the people in his community.

The 1900 Charlton County, GA Census shows James, Jr. and his second wife, Susan, their three children and her son, Jesse Felder Drury, from her first marriage.

James, Jr. and Susan had the following children (in birth order):

Mary "Mollie" Rowell (twin) – 1890 – ????

Martha “Mattie" Rowell (twin – 1890 – ????

Joseph Layton "Joe" Rowell – 1892 – 1958

In 1910 Charlton County, GA Census Susan is shown living with her three children and listed as ‘widow’. However the 1910 Wayne County, GA Census shows James, Sr. living with his son “James Rowell, Jr.”. James Sr. is actually James A. (Lt. CSA) Rowell, Jr., father of this James, Jr. who is actually James Jabez Rowell who was married to his third wife, Ellen McBee, at the time of this census.

One of his great-granddaughters stated "James A. "Dad" Rowell, Jr. was one-half Indian which would probably make his mother full blooded Indian. This was told to her by her grandfather, Joseph "Joe" Layton Rowell (who is the son of James A. "Dad" Rowell, Jr.). James A. Rowell, Jr. was, as a young man, an Indian Scout or Confederate Spy. He had a pretty red (sorrel) mare and buggy and always wore a big hat.

He would go down to Florida to his 'other family' or to the Carolinas to be with 'other family'." Now what that means is open to interpretation, as it has been documented that James A. Rowell, Jr. was only married twice, first

to Temperance "Tempie" Dowling and second to Susan Augusta Drury.

The "History of Pierce County” (page 392 Obituaries) states James Rowell was 105 years old at the time of his demise. "Uncle Dad", as he was known was, oldest person in this section of state (then Pierce County, now Brantley County).

He died April 22, 1915, at the home of son-in-law, James Harris.

Within the book "History of Pierce County (page 442) an interesting story is told: “When Mr. James Rowell, Pierce County's oldest citizen in 1908, appeared at the polls to vote in the Democratic primary on June 4, 1908, which happened to be his 100th birthday, he was not allowed to vote because he hadn't registered. As he was exempt from taxation he had not thought it was necessary to register and

he expressed himself as "opposed to this registration law". When he was a young man, he said, "they never had any of it."’

James and his wife were members of the Primitive Baptist Church at Hickox based on Huxford's personal notes in the Rowell Family File: James A. Rowell, Jr

Lt. James A. Rowell, Jr.’s headstone shows his date of birth as June 4, 1810, but that seems to be inaccurate. Although census record takers have been inaccurate in reporting correct dates from time to time, it is believed that the majority of dates for his birth range from 1817 to 1823. Per David Stewart, direct descendant of James A. Rowell, Jr., he states that James A. Rowell, Jr. was born in 1820 and died in 1915.

Sketch prepared by Sheila M. Crews on July 22, 2014