Named after his grandfather, Ellis Fowler was the last son born to Ephraim and Nancy Moseley Fowler.  He was born circa 1805 in Union County, SC and died before 1840. Ellis and his sister Betty were still living in his father's household in 1822 when Ephraim's will was probated.  How do I know this?  From Ephraim's…

After Ephraim Fowler's death in 1822, there was no rush to settle the affairs of the estate he left to his ten children. All but three of his sons and daughters had married and left home by 1820, and it is likely that only the two youngest children, Ellis and Betty, were still in the…

There is a book that contains wonderful information about the descendants of John Fowler the First. I like this book and refer to it often in my research. It was written many years ago when family research was much more difficult and DNA testing was not available to prove paper trails. This book follows the…

  I research and write articles primarily about my Union County, SC ancestors.  I help many people with their family research but I do not usually devote the hours and hours it takes to write and post articles online for others.   As much as I would like to do that, I have material enough for…

The story of the Whitlock Family Massacre has a sad and tragic ending.  Much has already been written of this horrendous event, but little mention has been made of the Union County, SC Fowler family involved.  I will go back in time to the beginning, to the circumstances that led to the demise of an…

ELLIS FOWLER is without a doubt, the most overlooked and misunderstood son of Henry Ellis Fowler.  The reasons for this are abundant and clear: extensive use of the name Ellis within this Fowler family undocumented research inaccurate family research published in two or more volumes widespread family trees containing misinformation lack of deeds recorded in the…

"I also give and bequeath unto my three daughters Salley, Suky, and Vina one bed and furniture each." Last Will and Testament of John Fowler, dated 18 February 1817. Three daughters. Salley. Suky. Vina. Who were they? What path did they follow? Did they survive childhood, get married, have children of their own? Were they…

When I first saw the name "Purchase" in the household of Ellis Fowler and his wife Sarah Clark Fowler, I thought the task of documenting her life would be an easy one. It was not a totally uncommon female name used in the 1800s, but it was an unusual name in the Union County Fowler…

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…

SMITH COOK (1820-1872) son of Sampson Cook and Mary Smith; married Malinda Cook (daughter of Alfred Cook and Nancy Jane Foster) Sampson Cook and his wife Mary Smith had a legal agreement in 1823 stating that they mutually agreed to live separate.  Their son, Smith Cook, was born December 19, 1820. Mary Smith Cook was head…