This letter was passed on to me by a cousin. I do not know who the Mrs. Jowell is in the salutation. Please see the note at the end of the letter. I present it here as I received it.
Box 266 Ventura, Calif. April 2, 1960
Dear Mrs. Jowell:
I received your letter requesting family information a short time ago, and I gather from the information you requested that you are desireous (sic) of more knowledge of the entire line. I am short of certain information, but rather than try to just answer your questions, etc. I will try to give a pertinent data on what I know (thanks to the many people who have answered my requests in the past.)
The earliest record found of the Jowell family occurs about the time of Queen Anne's War(1702-1713). History tells us that the Queen of England, in an effort to protect her colonies, placed an embargo of colonial shipping. No merchant ship should sail without a convoy of English men-o-war. The long loaded ships waited for months for a convoy which failed to arrive. Some forfieted their bonds and set sail without the escort. It was during this period that a "Jowell" kissed his wife goodbye and though he was soon to become a father, set sail -- possibly in just such a ship. He requested, we are told, that his wife name the child, if it were a son, "Ratcliff" (Radcliffe).
No one knows the fate of his ship and this "Jowell". My figures and scattered information, as well as speculation suggests that this "Jowell" married a Radcliffe and possibly lived in Virginia at the time. Radcliffe is a known family in name in the area. This would have been sometime in late 1707 or early 1708. Spelled: Ratliff, Radcliff, Radcliffe, Ratliffe.
To the Jowell - Ratcliff (?) Union a son was born: Ratcliff Jowell, born February 27, 1708; died 1785-88 m. Chrystie Abercrombie. (Chrystie Abercrombie, daughter of James Abercrombie (?) close relative of the James Abercrombie mentioned later)
To Ratcliff & Chrystie Jowell (Joel) were born at least these children: Richard born on or before 1764 married Rispah_____ Samuel born_____ John born March 3, 1768, died between 1851-1853 married M. Learwood Gabriel born 1773 died after 1850 m. R. Abercrombie George born Sept. 15, 1778 died January 26, 1853, m. Mary Knight. (His tombstone spells it "Joel".)
Ratcliff & Chrystie Jowell and some of their children moved to Craven Co. (later called Laurens Co.) So. C. shortly after it opened and some of the children were possibly born there. Due to the fact that property of Ratliff J. was in the hands of his sons shortly after his death, it appears his wife died first.
John Jowell m. Mary Learwood (One Learwood was listed in Laurens, S. C. records of lands and this was the spelling). Assumed she was born in Laurens Co., if not an early comer. John and Mary Jowell sold land owned by them in Laurens Co. 1813-1815; probably moved with their children shortly afterward. First to Tenn., later to Alabama, Marion Co...1844 They moved with their daughter Tabitha & her husband to Texas. Died within a short time of each other 1851-1853 in Rusk Co., Tex. Children: Richard Radcliffe Jowell born Feb 18, 1808 married (1)_________ (no children) Richard Radcliffe Jowell md (2) Elzira Hague Children: William George, J.G. (others not known) Polly Ann b.____ Married (1) Stovall Married (2) Harris Married (3) Wilson Tabitha Paralee Jowell born Oct. 10, 1815 died July 21, 1896. Married James Abercrombie Jowell (1st cousin) John b._____ died_____ married Betsy Ansel Children: Mary Francis, Tabitha, Lucinda, Ann & Caroline born Jan 8. 1819 died ____married Jere Davis
Gabriel Jowell (brother of John) born 1773 in S.C. (now called Laurens Co.) Land deals of his father prove his place of birth in S.C.) m. Rebecca Abercrombie (b.1784 in Laurens Co. S.C.) Records indicate Gabriel died in Tishamingo Co., Miss. he contested his father-in-law's will about 18(rest of this sentence not readable-marlene) Rebecca Jowell died about 1884 in Lee Co., Miss. (formerly Tishamingto Co.) Seems incredible that she married so young (13 years) and lived to be 100 yrs. Possibly the marriage was not sanctioned by her father - thus the will was a bit against her. Children of Gabriel and Rebecca Jowell: James Abercrombie Jowell, b. Nov. 18 1798; d.Feb. 16, 1886 John Jowell, b. March 11, 1807 died Jan. 7, 1886 married Eliz. Lindsey George Jowell b. Sarah Jowell, b. Elizabeth Jowell, b. Isabel Jowell, b. Cynthia Ann Jowell, b 1835 (twin?) m. Baker Hannah Jowell, b 1835 (twin?) m. Senter In discussing Rebecca Jowell, let us go back to her family: Daughter of James Abercrombie probably born Maryland, settled for a time in Anson Co., N.C., moved to S.C.(Laurens Co.), 1769. Possibly married a Sherril and later a widow, Mrs. Elizabeth O'Daniel McDaniel. Elizabeth (she died prior to her husband - before 1820). It is not too clear which of the children were by her and which were by the Sherril...Majority of the children probably by the O'Daniel. The children: Mary Isabella Rebecca m. Gabriel Jowell Susannah Hannah Margaret Elizabeth James
Will of James Abercrombie, Rebecca's father, probated March 1, 1820, and land deals show that he died between Jan. 15, and March 1, 1820. At Census of 1790 listed as 4th largest slave owner in Laurens Co. --15 slaves...
James Abercrombie Jowell b Nov. 18, 1798 Laurens Co. S.C. m. Tabitha Paralee Jowell (1st cousin). Tabitha was born Oct. 10, 1815 Bedford Co., Tenn. Both moved with parents to Marion Co., Alabama, married April 22, 1832,in Marion Co. Alabama. First came to Texas 1835 to near Marshall, but returned fast and came back in 1844, Rusk Co. Moved 1855 to Palo Pinto Co.. James A. Jowell died Feb. 16, 1886, near Strawn, Texas. Tabitha P. Jowell died July 21, 1896, near Palo Pinto, Texas. Their children were:
John Richard Jowell, born Feb 14, 1833 died Nov. 22, 1900 m. Martha Milstead. Children: Bud, Charles, George
Mary Caroline Jowell born Oct 10 1834 d.____ m. M.B. Locke Oct. 4, 1855, Rusk Co.
Gabriel Davis Jowell, born Jan 28, 1838 died_____
George Radcliffe Jowell born March 8, 1840 died Feb. 26, 1912 (see below)
James Campbell Jowell, born May 10, 1842 died Sept., 18, 1928 m. Mary Jane Mason.
Children: Tennie Jowell m. Lucian V. Scott
William Edward Jowell (Unmarried)
Jason Hunter Jowell m. Mary Overhuls (father of Jason you wrote in Utah)
Malcom Baxter Jowell m. Laura Grace Ebbert
Gideon Jowell m. Myrtle Watts
Ollie Pickens Jowell m. Henry Settle
Cynthia Ann Jowell born May 11, 1844 died March 1876 m. Lum Slaughter
Sarah Tabitha Jowell born Aug 21 1846 died May 1941 m. William Melcalf.
Children: May married Andrew Reed; Aurelia married Dan Cobb; George
Jeremiah Thomas Jowell born Jan. 29, 1849 died____m. (1) Willie Cowden
m.(2) Nannie Jowell (relative)
(1) Nettie Jowell m. Puckett
Callie Jowell m. ____Edwards
spencer Jowell m. Mammie Holt
Boy died young
Roy Jowell m. Lela Orr
Charles m. Nona Arthur
Victoria Isabella Jowell b Aug. 21, 1852 died Aug. 1941 m. D. Cicero Brooks. Children: Donna, Clara, Mallie, D.V., G.C., T.R., G.W.
Elzira Apsilla born June 11, 1855 married ____Neblett
George Radcliffe Jowell m. Leannah Tennessee Dobbs. Children: Lela Jowell born Dec. 23, 1871 died Nov., 1942 m. Albert Murchison Edna Beulah Jowell born July 4, 1873 m. David F. Johnson lives in Phoenix George Ratliffe Jowell, Jr., born March 31, 1875 died Feb. 11, 1939 m. Eugenia Birdie Cox (my parents)(this note by author of this letter) Connor Jowell, born Dec. 4, 1876, died July 11, 1925 divorced no children Luna Jowell, b Dec. 13, 1879 died Sep. 7, 1882 Lura Jowell, born June 4, 1883, died August 22, 1911 unmarried Empriss Jowell born April 27, 1885 married Robert Ball lives in Ft. Worth
Children of George R. and Eugenia B. Jowell:
Ophelia Corinne Jowell
Paul Horace Jowell
Mabel Lamorah Jowell
Inez Josephine Jowell
Richard Cox Jowell
George Ratliffe Jowell III
Eugenia Louise Jowell
J.T. Jowell
Jack Henry Jowell
Will close for the present, and hope this is of help.
Note: The above letter was copied here from a copy of a typewritten letter (not the original). The letter was unsigned. However, the name Jack Henry Jowell in the next to last paragraph of the letter was underlined, and therefore I believe it is safe to assume he was the letter writer - Marlene
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