Genealogy deserves accuracy, not repetition. For years, online family trees have repeated the same mistake: they have merged two entirely different men named Thomas Fowler into one. This article lays out the documented facts—census records, marriage records, probate filings, and burial locations—that prove beyond question that Thomas William Fowler, son of Gazaway Fowler and Elmira…
JAMES W. FOWLER (1838-1899) Son of James, Grandson of Godfrey
James W. Fowler was born April 9, 1838 in Union County, South Carolina. He was a son of James Fowler (1793–1858) and Susan Gault (b. 1800). As a grandson of Godfrey Fowler (1773–1850) and Nancy "Nannie" Kelly (1775–1857), James W. Fowler came from a family of military men. His grandfather Godfrey Fowler fought in the…
The Confederate Soldiers: SAMUEL WADDY FOWLER (1843-1861)
Samuel Waddy Fowler was born December 11, 1843 in Union County, South Carolina. He was the youngest son of James Fowler (1793–1858) and Susan Gault (b. 1800). Waddy was the grandson of Godfrey Fowler (1773–1850) and Nancy "Nannie" Kelly (1775–1857). Samuel Waddy Fowler came from a family with a documented line of military service. His…
The Three Daughters of SOPHIA FOWLER
Sophia. Octavia. Charlotte. Those were the three daughters born to Sophia Fowler, a woman of color. James Boyd Smith, a white slave owner, was their father. This is their story. WHO WAS JAMES BOYD SMITH? In hopes that the descendants of Sophia Fowler may want to know their lineage, I have included extensive research on…
The 1898 Brutal Murder of ARMETTIE FOWLER
Her name was not even mentioned in the many newspaper articles. Instead, the news was the horrific description of the gaping hole that the shotgun blast left when it ripped her face apart. The biggest mistake in her short life would be the one that would end her life:. She married the evil monster who…
JASPER FOWLER, HIS WIFE, HIS CHILDREN, HIS LIFE
Ten years ago, in 2015, I researched and wrote all I knew of Jasper Fowler, son of Ephraim. Thanks to a wonderful new research tool, my speculation of the names of his children has become documented fact. Even the identity of his unnamed wife has come to light. What follows is my revised body of…
GODFREY BUTLER FOWLER (1837-1906), Son of Joseph
When I first drafted the beginning of this narrative, I had no idea that I was related to Godfrey Butler Fowler. I did not know that my paternal grandmother's grandmother Mahala was a Fowler; and I certainly did not know that Mahala's brother was this Godfrey. But here we are. UNCLE GODFREY I remember as…
JOHN M. FOSTER (1788-1869) of Union County, SC
Let's get this out of the way. Somewhere... sometime... someone decided that John M. Foster of Union County married a woman named Catherine Palmer Adair. The "research" was very flawed, and unfortunately, spread like wildfire. There are countless family trees with this incorrect information. John M. Foster was my great-great-great grandfather. I want to set…
The Life and Ministry of Reverend LITTLETON FOWLER (1802-1846)
Littleton Fowler. The name appeared on my research radar while looking for the origins of my ancestor Henry Ellis Fowler. It did not take long to realize that Littleton Fowler was a well documented descendant of John Fowler who immigrated from England into Virginia in the 1600s. Research indicated that my branch of the Henry…
DR. WADE FOWLER (1820-1881) Son of James, Grandson of Godfrey
Close your eyes, for just a moment, and imagine that you have gone back in time. It is 1850, and you are sick. Very sick. You live in the American South where climate and living conditions contribute to the prevalence of infectious diseases. Poor sanitation and not understanding how diseases are transmitted allow illness to…
THE FOWLER FAMILIES OF UNION COUNTY, SC 