The Prolific David Owens: Where They All Ended Up

Click the name to go to their story
DAVID OWENS & SARAH HOLLAR 
Founding Families of Poyner Township
A Little More on David Owens
Mapping it Out

The Prolific David Owens: His children:

Mother: Sarah Holler
Enoch Nicholas "Nick" Owens
Martha E Owens
Emily C Owens
Lucy Jane "Lizzie" Owens
    Josie Miller Must Have Liked Quirky  
    Remembering Florence Miller  
    Cappoens/LeRoy Line - Leo Linsey
    He Looked Down Upon Me And Laughed 
    Lucy Linsey and the Bridge Family
George Franklin Owens
James Dennis Owens
Sarah Edna Owens
    Back in the Bad Old Days: Bradford J St Charles
David C Owens
Harriet "Hattie" Estella Owens

Mother: Anna Eliza "Eliza" Barker*
William Lincoln Owens
Emery Ellsworth Owens
Carrie Elnora Owens
Mary Owens (died at age 3)
Infant Owens

*Information has recently come to light that Eliza may have been previously married to George W. Barker. Barker is most likely not her maiden name. George may have died or they may have divorced, but no confirmation is yet made. The timing and other biographical facts fit. For the time being, I'll let the name Barker, now associated with her, stand.

HOLLAR FAMILY STORIES 
David Owens married Sarah Hollar. The majority of the Holler/Hollar clan lived for generations in southern Indiana, while the children of Johannes' first wife remained in North Carolina. Sarah descendants are listed above. Other Holler stories below

Where There's a Will
Israel Holler
Hollar Out: The Tragic Tale of Grant Hollar
Isaac Walter Hollar
William Holler's Not So Fortunate Kids
The Confederate Hollers: Sidney & Franklin Cicero Sipe
Yin/Yang: The Bandy's in a Minute

The Prolific David Owens: Daughter Carrie Elnora Owens

Early 1900s postcard for Mt Vernon, SD

DAVID OWENS m ANNA E BARKER  > CARRIE ELNORA OWENS

You can read about David Owens' beginnings here. One little caveat discovered when working on
mother Anna: Barker may have been previously married to George Barker when they came to Black Hawk County. I don't know if George died or they divorced, but I'm fairly certain this is the Anna Eliza Barker David took as his third wife. I have not discovered Anna's earlier beginnings.

Carrie Elnora was born in Poyner Township, Black Hawk County in 1875 date according to her tombstone). She was the first daughter and third child of David and his third wife "Eliza." When the Owens' packed up and moved to near Mount Vernon, Davison County, South Dakota in April 1884, Carrie was nine years old. She married Thomas Benjamin Haynes in South Dakota in 1892. Thomas' parents had come from England and he was born in Wisconsin. Thomas was a farm implement dealer in Mount Vernon.

They resided in Mount Vernon their entire married lives, Thomas dying in 1949 and Carrie following him in 1950.

Owen Haynes

Their children were Hazel Lorraine, born 1896, who married James Earl Wells, Jr. James was an economist and analyst for the Department of Agriculture's Farm Board in Washington DC beginning in 1927. He was made secretary of the Commodity Credit Corp by Franklin Roosevelt and later was named second vice president and director, a post he held until 1936. He continued to work for the Federal government until at least 1940. After retirement, they lived in Minneapolis until their move to Tucson, Arizona in about 1966. James died in 1967 and Hazel in 1987.

Son Owen James Haynes, born in 1899,  was the first man in Mount Vernon to enter the service during World War I. He went on to Camp Cody, Demin, New Mexico and spent a year there before being sent to France, where he served with an ambulance company. When he returned, he left for Vermillion, where he attended the University of South Dakota. While there, he received his undergrad and law degrees. He practiced law in Belfourche, South Dakota before he joined Standard Oil Co in 1923. He rose to the rank of Vice President of California Explorations, a subsidiary of Standard Oil, that was in charge of lands, leases, and government relations. He died in 1971 in the wealthy enclave of Burlingame, California. His wife, Florence Nelson and daughter, Marilyn survived him.

The Prolific David Owens: Son William Lincoln Owens

A typical blacksmith shop

You can read about David Owens' beginnings here.

David and his new wife Anna Eliza "Eliza" Barker's first child was a boy. William Lincoln Owens was born 17 Jun 1867 inBlack Hawk County, Iowa. In 1884, the family moved to Davison County, South Dakota, settling near Mount Vernon. William was 16 at that time.

1891 found William visiting in Hartington, Nebraska, located west of Sioux Falls and south of Yankton, South Dakota, It was there he met and then married Aretta "Retta" Hamilton, who had come to Hartington to visit her uncle. The visit lasted though, when she decided to teach school there. They married at the Presbyterian Church there. According to a news article, the officiating minister, Rev Mr Martin said to the young couple, "I have performed many marriages in my time and not a single one has ended in divorce."

The article also stated he was raised in his early years in Raymond, Iowa, but in fact, spent his early years on a farm, near Raymond. Retta was the daughter of Jasper and Mary (Miller) Hamilton and was raised in Ellsworth, Wisconsin.

They moved to Davison County where William was a blacksmith. "I have been blacksmith in Mount Vernon for 45 years and have shod horses for 65 years," he said in the news account. For a brief time they lived on a farm outside of Mount Vernon, then moved to a farm near her parents in Wisconsin. The more rugged life seemed to suit them though, so they returned to South Dakota. William is well-known for his love of horses and hunting and at the time of the article in 1957, he was registered as the oldest licensed hunter in the state. He plied his blacksmithing trade from that point on.

"When asked what he thought of the change in transportation from the old era to the new, Mr Owens said that in his blacksmith shop in Mount Vernon, he made the "Owens Special" the first car in the city in 1908. It had rubber tires, high wheels, and a 24-horsepower engine." 

They moved to Mitchell in 1945.

Crappy news photo - but all I gots!

"Today, Mr & Mrs Owens live quietly at home. He drives her to the grocery store; if he shops for her and does not get just what she thinks is right, back it goes. Mrs Owens is a woman of firm convictions. Petite and fragile looking though she is, she does all her own housework, washing walls when needed, and plenty of canning. She is a charter member of the Rebekah Lodge and the Women's Relief Corps in Mount Vernon. Her husband is a former member of the IOOF lodge in Mount Vernon. Baptized a Methodist, she used to attend the Congregational Church. Now the two of them enjoy listening to the church services on the radio. According to Mrs Owen, they play a great deal of cards in the evening for a past time "Nobody has been taken any better care of than I," Mr Owens said in speaking of their long married life together. "You bet your life it has been happy and my wife is wonderful." he said. Mrs O retaliated with "Oh, yes, we have our disagreements, but they never last long and are never serious." Undoubtedly a powerful tall big man in the prime of life, he still towers over a person, even though now a little stoop shouldered. His large hands have a firm, strong grip. His good health he said is caused by the fact he has, "no bad habits: no liquor, no tea, or coffee, and no tobacco." Their ages? Mrs Owens will be 86 next June 9 and her husband will be 91, June 17. Mitchell Daily Republic March 1, 1958

William and Retta had only one child, a daughter, Lorraine, born in 1893 in Wisconsin. Lorraine married first John Wagner, who died before 1926 and Elmer Locke in 1926. There were no children of those marriages.

William and Retta made it to their 69th year of marriage before W. L. died in 1959. Retta followed him in 1965.

The Prolific David Owens: Son Emery Ellsworth Owens

A bit of ridiculous in the career of Emery Owens,
Police Chief, Mitchell, SD
Mitchell Evening Republican April 26, 1921

David Owens, my 3rd great grandfather, married my 3rd great grandmother, Sarah Holler  and had a passle of kids. He went on to have a passle more with his third wife, Anna. You can read their early story here.

I've spent the last little bit digging into the families of those children, with some frustration, some fascination and some questions, as I always seem to have.

Emery Ellsworth Owens of David Owens and his third wife, Anna Eliza Barker in Jan 1869 in Black Hawk County, Iowa. They David Owens clan eventually settled in Davison County, South Dakota, along with their children. Emery was quite a character, it seems. In the late 1910s, he served as Sheriff of Davison County. The papers are full of the crimes of the day, such daring bank robberies with blown safes and other nefarious crimes. In 1920, apparently with great reservation, the new mayor, Dr.  E. V. Bobb, appointed Emery Owens as Chief of Police of Mitchell, South Dakota, at a monthly salary of $175 per month. I say, with great reservation due to this transcribed article:

MAYOR BOBB MAKES OWENS CHIEF POLICE
NEW CITY ADMINISTRATION HOLDS ITS FIRST SESSION MONDAY EVENING
Owens Assumes Office
Former Sheriff of Davison County Gets Appointment - Council Approval Unanimous
Emery Owens, former sheriff of Davison County, was appointed chief of police of Mitchell for the coming year by Mayor EV Bobb at the opening session of the city council under the new administration. The appointment was unanimously approved by the council. An ordinance to raise the salaries of police officers was placed on its first reading at this meeting.

Mr Owens assumes office today. In making the appointment Mayor Bob made a straightforward talk to the council: "The police proposition has been a bone of contention in Mitchell as long as I can remember," he declared, "I had an idea that I was the smooth guy who wouldn't have any trouble, but I have found out different."

"I consulted many business men as to who would be best to appoint and found there were three or four good men, whom there appeared to be nothing against. Then a story was published in The Republican speaking of Mr Owens as a possible appointee, and it appeared that the city at large took it for granted that he was appointed."

"The next morning, however, an avalanche of protest poured in upon me and I found that friends who had backed me up in the campaign for election were bitterly opposed to this appointment. Charges were made against Owens which almost made me think by Friday evening that he was as bad as a horse thief. I have investigated these charges, however, and find that they are unfounded."

"Many of my friends warned me that I would get into a peck of trouble if I appointed Owens to this position, but if I refused to appoint him, it would appear that I believe the charges made against him were true. Besides, I feel that Owens is the best man that can be found for the position and I am going to appoint him to head the police department."
"I know that lack of harmony between the council an the mayor is on of the worst things that can happen and I regret that this kind of fight has been made against Owens. I am going to respectfully ask that you back me up, although I do not tell you to do so."

"Some of the charges made against Owens," Mayor Bobb continued, "have been made from personal enmity, some are from person who have heard them and believed them without complete proof, while some are from prejudice. Those who object to him because of hearsay or because of prejudice, will forget their objections if he makes good during the first two months, although the others will remember. I believe that he will make a good, substantial officer with the proper backing."...(other city business)...The ordinance dealing with the raising of the salaries of the policemen, provides that the chief be paid $175 per month and the patrolmen $110 per month.
Mitchell Evening Republican May 4, 1920

What the basis was for the innuendo, gossip, and discussion was not made clear in any of the articles - that might tread into libel territory. 

But, Chief Owens began his term, having successes including hauling in thousands of quarts of alcohol, many having come from over the border of Canada, during the early years of The Volstead Act (Prohibition). He also took a firm stand on jaywalkers.

Whatever caused the issues before he was appointed, may have lingered, because in 1922, the council wanted to be rid of him, but the Mayor refused to fire Owens and Owens refused to resign. The council put a special ordinance on the ballot in early 1923 which would reduce the Chief's wages to $1 per year, to force Owens out. The ordinance was passed by the town of Mitchell by a majority of 92 votes. Owens stayed. Bobb dug in.

Finally, in May of 1923, Owens resigned. A new chief was appointed. Owens sued the city in 1925 for back wages, saying the ordinance itself was illegal. No reference to the outcome of that suit was published that I can locate, so we could speculate it was settled quietly.

Emery was married to the English Rose, Alice Taylor in 1893 - but they divorced. They had two children, Mabel Gladys Owens Soost, who farmed with her husband Fred. She died in 1981; and Nellie Elma Owens Larson whose husband Robert Henry Larson was a salesman out of Brookings. She died in 1973 and left three children.