If there is one name that defines my Fowler line — it is this: GODFREY.

Never mind that the first known ancestor in our Fowler family is John Fowler the First who immigrated from England to Virginia in the 17th century.  Never mind that there were enough John, Mark, Thomas, William, and Ellis Fowlers to populate any well rounded and well researched Fowler family tree.

The name Godfrey goes back to a son of John the First, and perhaps beyond.  It has persisted through the generations to present day.  It is the defining name of our Fowlers.

I remember as a child, sitting beside my Fowler grandmother while she talked about relatives long laid to rest in their eternal sleep.  I was too young to care much and too many years have passed to remember the treasured memories that she shared with me.  But I do remember the sort of shock I felt when she began to talk about Uncle Godfrey.  I had never heard that name — Godfrey — and it almost felt sacrilegious.  Sadly, my fascination with the name is the only thing I remember;  I do not remember what she said about Uncle Godfrey, and I do not know how he was connected to my family.  But I never forgot the name.

Fast forward many years later, and many Godfrey Fowlers inundate my research.  I no longer have irreverential feelings about the name.  Godfrey.  The name defines my line.

Henry Ellis Fowler 1746-1808 m. Catherine Puckett

• GODFREY FOWLER 1773-1850 m. Nancy “Nannie” Kelly
  • James Fowler 1793–1858 m. Susan Gault 1800–1834
    •  Wade Fowler 1820–1881 m. Elizabeth A. Carothers 1828-
      • John Clark Fowler 1856-1911 m. Mary E. Henley 1866–1912
        • Edith Fowler 1882–1900 m. Joseph Wallace Gault 1879–1963
          • Thelma Guynelle Gault 1904–2009 m. William Asbury Spears; married John Elliott Hughes
            • Mary Elizabeth Spears
          • Marie Gault 1907–
          • Vera Ruth Gault 1909–1993
          • John Clark Gault 1912–1995
          • Roy Gault 1915–
          • James Edgar Gault 1918–1999
        • Blanche Fowler 1885–1958 m. James Lylt Patton 1875–
        • Mary Lyle Patton 1908–1991 m. Hood Crawford Worthy  1894–1978
        • Blanche Anne Worthy 1932–2013 m. Robert E. Brozina
        • James Fowler Patton 1910–1972
        • Keller Lake Fowler 1889–1969 m. Robert Henry Middleton 1875–1943
          • Kellar L Middelton 1912–
          • Robert H Middelton 1913–
          • Blanche F. Middleton 1914–1974
          • Hugh Calhoun Middleton 1916–1993
          • Vera Ruth Middleton 1926–
          • Mary Elizabeth “Bette” Middleton 1928–
        • Lewis Fowler 1890–1890
        • Marie Fowler 1891–1894
        • John Herbert Fowler 1894–1960 m.  Mollie Brown 1900–1974
          • Ferol Ruth Vinson 1921–2012
          • James H. Fowler Sr 1925–1995
          • Dorothy Grace Fowler –2016
        • Vera Fowler 1897–1900
    • Sarah Fowler

    • Francis G. Fowler 1825–1866
    • Irvin J. Fowler 1830–187
    • Frank Fowler 1831–1873
    • James W. Fowler 1832–1900
    • Baby Girl Fowler 1834–1834
    • Sarah Ann Fowler 1840–1925
    • Samuel Waddy Fowler 1843–1861
  • John Fowler 1794–1875 ???????
  • Thomas Gillman Fowler 1798–1880 m. Susannah Hames 1804-1863
    • Elizabeth Fowler 1821–1826
    • Gilman H Fowler 1822–1861
    • Gassaway Fowler 1827–1887 m. Elmira Ann Smith 1839–1911
      • Fannie Fowler 1856–1931
      • Tom Fowler 1858–
      • Leila Fowler 1861–
      • Franklin Fowler 1862–
      • Infant Twin Fowler 1863–1863
      • Pinkney (Pink) Fowler 1866–
      • Dora Fowler 1870–
      • James Steadman Fowler 1872–1952
      • George Gazzaway W Fowler 1875–1948
      • Annie Fowler 1875–1963
    • Charles Ellis Fowler 1828–1900 m. Margaret Mary White 1836–1915
      • Emma Fowler 1854–1922
      • Foster C Fowler 1856–1919 m. Nancy Jane Carter 1863–1942
        • Clayton Edwin Fowler 1884–1965
        • Elizabeth Fowler 1886–
        • Ola Carter Fowler 1888–1963
        • Viola Fowler 1889–
        • Vandine Charlie Fowler 1891–1963
        • Albert Fowler 1893–
        • Ernest Boyd Fowler 1894–1988
        • Thomas Fowler 1898–
        • Russell Franklin Fowler 1900–1987
        • Virgie Fowler 1905–
      • Anna Kansas Fowler 1858–1930 m. William Asbury Mc Whirter 1848–1917
        • Henry Oscar McWhirter 1876–1952
        • James M Mc Whirter 1877–
        • Marvin E. Mcwhirter 1878–
        • Addie B Mc Whirter 1880–
        • Benard A Mcwhirter 1889–
        • Albert Malcom McWhirter 1890–1976
        • Madge Mc Whirter 1892–1985
        • Lemond C Mc Whirter 1898–
        • Lucile Mc Whirter 1898–
      • Clara Elizabeth Fowler 1858–1900 m. John Thomas Landy Scott 1855–1908
        • Minnie Scott 1880–
        • Florence Foster 1893–1979
      • Lola M Fowler 1861–1892
      • Robert Junius Fowler 1866–1957
      • William Darby Fowler 1867–1951
      • Joseph Elliot Fowler 1869–1957
      • Coleman Carlisle Fowler 1871–1955
      • George Milligan Fowler 1873–1929
      • Susan S Fowler 1874–1940
      • Florence C Fowler 1876–1902
      • Charles C Fowler 1878–1890
    • Elijah T. Fowler 1830–1908 m.  Mary Jane Moseley 1835–1918
      • Gazzaway Josephine “Josie” Fowler 1861–1953
      • Susan Bettie Fowler 1863–1923
      • Frances Fannie Fowler 1868–
    • Martha Ann Frances Fowler 1834–1910
    • Thomas F. Fowler 1836–1892 m. Mary S. Coleman 1843–1887
      • Charles R. Fowler 1867–1926 m. Anne E Going 1874–1957
        • Conrad Durwood Fowler 1887–1892
        • Inez C Fowler 1894–1986 m. John Humpheys 1893–
          • Charles Humphries 1915–
          • Rembert C Humphries 1916–1958
          • Robert A Humphries 1919–
          • John W Humphries 1919–
          • Jeanette Humphries 1921–
          • Mary Humphries 1923–
          • James Humphries 1925–
          • Annie Lou Humphries 1927–
          • Ralph Humphries 1929–
          • Frank D Humphries 1934–
        • Olivia Madeline Fowler 1898– m. Samuel Victor Robinette  1895–1960; m. FMU Howell
          • Annieline Robinette 1918–2004 m. Sidney A Martin  1928–1972
        • Robert Cleon Fowler 1903– 1942 m. Susan Alberta Ladd 1898–1972
        • Garnell Fowler 1911–1917
      • John R Fowler 1868–1910 m. Elizabeth Wilson
      • Emma S. Fowler 1870–1909
      • Thomas W. Fowler 1873–1889
      • Sallie Fowler 1875–1889
      • Addie Fowler 1877–
      • Robert Joseph Fowler 1879–1953
      • Annie Fowler 1881–
    • Junius R Fowler 1841–1848
    • Susannah Adeline “Mamie” Fowler 1843–1901
    • Joseph K Fowler 1845–1887 m. Cornellia Puckett 1838–1913
  • Joseph Fowler 1800–1852 m. Clarissa Foster 1814–
    
    • Hampton O. Fowler 1823–1890
    • Joseph Fowler 1825–
    • Godfrey Butler Fowler 1837–1906 m. Louisa Jane Mitchell
      1844–1921
    • Cansady Fowler 1838–1904 m. William G. Holmes 1829–1899
      
      • Margaret Ann Holmes 1867–1910 m. Roland Marcus Woody
        1853–1907
        • Lillie Woody 1889–1913
        • William Furman Woody 1892–1966
        • Dewey Woody 1898–
        • Winnie Oline Woody Banks 1902–1987
        • Ralph Woody 1903–1909
        • R.M. Woody Jr. 1908–1909
      • Mary C.A. Holmes 1869–
      • Joseph Z. Holmes 1871–1934 m. Evelina Elizabeth Driskill
        1881–1961
        • Estelle Holmes 1907–1967
        • Addie Holmes 1910–
        • Joseph Z Holmes Jr 1912–1969
        • Ruby M Holmes 1918–
        • William G. Holmes 1922–1981
      • Mary Adeline “Addie” Holmes Chapman 1871–1953
      • Luther Davenport Holmes 1875–1944
      • Adolphus Gaston Holmes 1876–1944
      • Benjamin F. Holmes 1877–1944
    • John Hudson Fowler 1846–1892
    • Adolphus Fowler 1852–1900 m. Mary Susan Gault 1856–
      • Anna Fowler 1879–1972 m. Richard Adams 1878–1967
        • Annie Adams 1900–
        • Elsie M Adams 1901–
        • Aiken Adams 1902–1951 m. Grace L  1904–1995
          • C Edward Adams 1921–
          • Laura E Adams 1922–2000
          • Richard Lee Adams 1928–1980
        • Jesse Adams 1904–1962 m. Lemma Jett 1901–1979
        • Mary Adams 1906–1998
        • Ada P Adams 1909–
        • Azalea Adams 1911–2002 m. Ralph E Lybrand 1906–1978
        • Evelyn Adams 1914–2002
        • Wells Adams 1918–
      • Jane Fowler 1880–
      • James Fowler 1882–1900
      • Lula Fowler 1883–1901
      • Nannie Belle Fowler 1887–1966 m. Forrest Ballanger Hopper  1887–1938
        • Lois Louise Hopper 1907–1972
        • Ruby Hopper 1912–2004
        • Georgia Hopper 1915–
        • Elbert Hopper 1917–
        • Laverne Hopper 1918–1995
      • Emma Fowler 1892–1973
      • Eddie Fowler 1894–
      • Josephine Fowler 1896–1962
      • Mary Fowler 1898–
  • Milligan Fowler 1802–1871
  • Nancy Fowler 1804–
  • Kiziah Elizabeth Fowler 1805–1836
  • Mary Fowler 1806–1893
  • William Fowler 1813–
  • Coleman Fowler 1816–1877 m. Martha R 1830–
    • Mary Elizabeth Fowler 1849–1916 m. Timothy S Haney 1844–1925
      • Minnie Fowler Haney 1868–1952 m. Daniel George1866–1933
        • Laura E McCarroll 1891–1963
        • Anna Belle George 1893–1985
        • Nellie Grace George 1895–1964
        • Virginia R “Virgie” George 1899–
        • Roy D George 1904–1960
        • Ray George 1905–
        • Minnie Mae George 1907–
        • Edward Lee George 1909–1963
      • T P Haney 1870–1871
      • Nooner A Haney 1872–1964 m. James A George 1869–1960
        • Carrel C George 1893–
        • Maggie E George 1895–1988
        • Olive R George 1899–
        • Willie Edna George 1902–1983
        • Coleman S George 1905–
        • Maudie George 1907–1983
        • William D George 1911–
      • Mattie Haney 1875–1875
      • Luella Haney 1876–1877
      • Olive Haney 1879–1880
      • James Coleman Haney 1882–1969
      • Edith Haney 1884–1946
      • Luther S Haney 1887–
      • Inez G Haney 1891–1970
    • Emily Mandival Fowler 1853–1921
    • Lewella Fowler 1855–
    • Steele C. Fowler 1858–
    • States Right Compeer Fowler 1860–1937

Godfrey had a son named John??

Were there two different sisters………Kiziah and Elizabeth or were they the same woman?