Family Snapshot: The G.W. Gowens Family (Graham, Texas, 1912)

Introduction: A look back at the G.W. Gowens family, captured in a portrait taken in Graham, Texas, around 1912. This image captures the family hierarchy and fashion of the early 20th century, featuring the parents, General Washington Gowens and Frances Emily Gowens, alongside their children and son-in-law.

Below, you will find the original photograph followed by a numbered key to help identify each family member.

The Photograph

Colorized version of the original photo

Identification Key

Legend Use the numbers in the outline drawing above to identify the family members listed below. The list includes their names, ages at the time of the photo, and their relationship to the head of the household.

1. James William Gowens

Age: 16

Relationship: Son 

2. Lena Georgia (Gowens) McCallister

Age: 18

Relationship: Daughter 

3. Henry Matt McCallister

Age: 27

Relationship: Son-in-law 

4. Sylvester Bernard Gowens

Age: 15

Relationship: Son 

5. Cordie Loraine Gowens

Age: 11

Relationship: Daughter 

6. Frances Emily (Phariss) Gowens

Age: 41

Relationship: Mother 

7. Clarence Preston Gowens

Age: 7

Relationship: Son 

8. General Washington Gowens

Age: 52

Relationship: Father 

9. Stella Vera Gowens

Age: 6

Relationship: Daughter 

10. Cloyce Washington Gowens

Age: 2

Relationship: Son 

11. Crystal Elizabeth Gowens

Age: 10

Relationship: Daughter

This post was inspired by Steve Little's article here: https://aigenealogyinsights.com/2025/12/19/fun-prompt-friday-group-portrait-keys/

Charity Evelyn (Gowens) Ray (1887-1983) Biography

 Charity Evelyn (Gowens) Ray (1887-1983) Biography

A Biography of my 3/4 great-grandaunt

Charity Evelyn Gowens was born on August 29, 1887, in Old Silver Valley, Coleman County, Texas, the daughter of General Washington Gowens and Rachel Ann Needham. She entered the world in a rural ranching and farming community during a time when Coleman County was still relatively young, its small settlements closely tied by kinship and shared labor.

Tragedy struck early in Charity's life when her mother, Rachel, died on April 9, 1891, leaving four-year-old Charity and her older siblings in the care of their father. In the years that followed, General Washington Gowens remarried, and Charity became the eldest sister to a large blended family of half-siblings born between 1893 and 1913. Sadly, not all survived infancy—Charity experienced the early deaths of her half-brother Moses in 1893, her half-sister Lola May in 1898, and her half-brother Joseph Calvin in 1908.

George Leonard Ray and Charity Evelyn (Gowens) Ray

By 1900, the thirteen-year-old Charity was living with her father, stepmother, and younger siblings in Justice Precinct 6 of Coleman County. On September 25, 1904, at the age of seventeen, she married George Leonard Ray, a man eleven years her senior. The couple made their home in Silver Valley, where George worked in farming and stock-raising. Their first child, George Washington Ray, was born in 1905, followed by Ida Mae Ray in 1907 and Willis Raymond Ray in 1910.

In February 1914, Charity endured one of the most painful moments of her life when she gave birth to twins, Charity Ann Ray and Jerry Dan Ray, both of whom died the following day. More than a decade later, on March 25, 1926, she welcomed her youngest child, Rosa Evelyn Ray.

The Rays remained rooted in Coleman County throughout their marriage. Census records from 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, and 1950 document Charity's life as a farmer's wife, raising children, tending to the household, and helping maintain the family's livelihood through decades of economic change, including the Great Depression and World War II.

Charity's life was also marked by the continual bonds and losses within her extended family. She lived to witness the passing of her father in 1945, her husband in 1957, and many of her siblings and half-siblings over the decades. Yet she also saw her children grow to adulthood and establish their own families, and she became a grandmother and great-grandmother many times over.

50th. Wedding Anniversary in 1854

Gowens' Siblings in the early 1970s

 

In her later years, Charity lived in Coleman, where she remained part of the close-knit community she had known all her life. On August 12, 1983, at the age of 95, she died at 11:05 a.m. at the Holiday Hill Care Center in Coleman. Funeral services were held two days later at Stevens Funeral Home, officiated by David Coffman of the Novice Church of Christ. She was laid to rest in Coleman Cemetery beside her husband.

Photo by Ralph Terry

Spanning nearly a century, Charity Evelyn Gowens Ray's life reflected the endurance, faith, and family-centered values of rural Texas women of her era. Her legacy lives on in the many descendants who carry her memory forward.

Written from facts by J. Paul Hawthorne (3/4 great-grandnephew) and AI (ChatGPT) 08/13/2025.

3/4 relationship? Even though Charity was my maternal grandmother’s 1/2 sister (different mothers), Charity’s maternal great-grandparents were also my grandmother’s great-grandparents! This is called pedigree collapse. Maybe 3/4 is not the correct term. 

William Samuel Galloway (1811-1901) Biography

 Biography of William Samuel Galloway (1811–1901)

Pioneer, Farmer, Postmaster, and Patriarch of Texas

Headstone photo by J. Paul Hawthorne 2024

   William Samuel Galloway was born on September 22, 1811, in Rowan County, North Carolina, into a family deeply rooted in the early American frontier. The son of Charles Galloway and Elizabeth Clifford, William grew up amid the shifting borders and burgeoning settlements of the young republic. His early years were shaped by the birth of several siblings, including Lucinda (1815) and Caleb Cobb (1819), with whom he would remain connected throughout his life.

   In 1827, tragedy struck when William was just sixteen: his mother died in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Soon after, he moved westward, likely with his family, settling in Calloway County, Kentucky. There, on his 22nd birthday—September 22, 1833—he married Martha Brush. Together, they would raise a growing family, beginning with the birth of their son, Charles Richard Galloway, in 1835. Over the next decade, William and Martha welcomed several children, including Elizabeth (1840), J.W. (1842), George Washington (1844), and Caleb Petty (1847).

   William's life in Kentucky was marked by both joy and sorrow. He endured the deaths of close family members, including his brother George Washington in 1844 and his father in 1846. The most profound loss came in 1849 when Martha passed away, leaving William a widower with young children.

   The following year, William remarried. On March 21, 1850, he wed Mary Dillingham in Caldwell County, Kentucky. That same year, he is recorded as living in District 1 of Calloway County. But the winds of change were blowing once again. By 1851, William had moved his growing family to Texas, settling first in Upshur County. This journey marked the beginning of a new chapter in his life as a pioneer in Texas.

   In Texas, William embraced his role as both provider and community leader. Between 1852 and 1861, he and Mary welcomed seven children: Samuel Thomas, James E., Mary L., Jefferson Rufus, Hulda Ann, Eaton, and William Russell. In 1859, William was appointed postmaster of West Mountain, Upshur County—a position he held through the beginning of the Civil War, also serving under the Confederate States in 1861. In the 1860 census, he is listed as a farmer in Gilmer, Texas, reflecting his dedication to working the land to sustain his large family.

   The Civil War deeply impacted William’s life. His eldest son, Charles Richard, died in 1862 while serving in Arkansas. The post-war years brought new beginnings, including a move to Bastrop County, where additional children were born, including Ruth Galloway in 1871.

   By the 1880s, William had settled in the small community of Jeddo, Bastrop County. He was now the patriarch of a large and extended family that included descendants from both of his marriages. In the 1880 census, he is listed as a farmer, and in 1900—at the age of 89—he was recorded as a landlord living in Justice Precinct 2, Bastrop County. Despite his advanced age, he remained active in community and family affairs.

   William outlived many of his children and siblings. He witnessed the deaths of George Washington (1888), Jefferson Rufus (1894), and his brother Caleb Cobb (1887), among others. Through it all, he maintained his position as a respected elder in his community.

   William Samuel Galloway died on July 17, 1901, in Jeddo, Bastrop County, Texas, at the remarkable age of 89. He was laid to rest in Jeddo Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy of perseverance, faith, and family. His life spanned the breadth of 19th-century America—from post-colonial North Carolina to the raw frontier of Texas—embodying the rugged spirit and resilience of the pioneer era.

 W. S. Galloway was my maternal 3rd. great-grandfather.

Written by facts from J. Paul Hawthorne and bio from ChatGPT on 26 July 2025.

Charles Albertson, Danish Immigrant to Galveston and a Witness to Juneteenth

 Charles Albertson, Danish Immigrant to Galveston and a Witness to Juneteenth

Graphic from https://www.galvestonhistory.org/

Charles Albertson was born on September 18, 1836, in Helsingør, Frederiksborg, Denmark. Raised in a maritime community, Albertson grew up surrounded by the sea, a defining aspect of his early life. At the age of 20, seeking adventure and opportunity, Charles "jumped ship" in Galveston Bay, Texas, an act that would forever change the course of his life.

In the years following his arrival in Galveston, Charles found himself caught in the tides of history. By 1862, he joined the Confederate forces during the Civil War, serving in Cook's Heavy Artillery and later aboard the Confederate Navy's "Bayou City." He participated in notable events such as the Battle of Galveston Bay, a pivotal Confederate victory that showcased his maritime expertise.

However, it was an event two years later, on June 19, 1865, that would become a defining moment in Galveston's history—and the nation's. On that day, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston to announce the end of slavery in Texas, marking what we now celebrate as Juneteenth. For Charles, living in Galveston at the time, the proclamation was a seismic cultural and societal shift.

Juneteenth symbolized the liberation of over 250,000 enslaved people in Texas, more than two years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Albertson, a recent immigrant and Confederate veteran, witnessed the transformative event and the jubilation and challenges it brought to the region. Juneteenth became a cornerstone of African American freedom and resilience, with annual celebrations in Galveston that grew into a nationwide commemoration.

In the aftermath of the war, Charles embraced a quieter life. On February 15, 1866, he married Mary Catherine Clair in a Roman Catholic ceremony in Galveston. Together, they built a family, contributing to the community he had adopted as his home.

Charles Albertson’s life, spanning the tumultuous years of the Civil War and Reconstruction, reflects the complexities of identity and change. His journey from Denmark to Galveston intertwined with the unfolding of one of America's most significant milestones: Juneteenth. While his own story is steeped in the maritime and military heritage of his era, the broader narrative of emancipation and justice remains a defining feature of the world he inhabited.

Today, as we celebrate Juneteenth, we honor the resilience of those who gained their freedom in Galveston and the generations that followed. Charles Albertson’s witness to this historic moment underscores how intertwined individual lives can become with pivotal chapters in history.

 

Written by his 2^nd. Great-grandson J. Paul Hawthorne, using ChatGPT on June 16, 2025.

 

More info on Juneteenth: https://www.galvestonhistory.org/news/juneteenth-and-general-order-no-3

Maggie Lucille (Gowens) Galloway Friendship Quilt

    My grandmother, Maggie “Lucille” (Gowens) Galloway (1913-2008), referred to this as a "Friendship Quilt." Lucille created and assembled the quilt in Texas between 1932 and 1934. She was just out of High School when she started and finished just after she was married. My grandmother would send each square to family members, who would then hand-embroider their name, date, and location onto the fabric before sending it back to her. After she had all the pieces back, she stitched them together.

My grandmother's "Friendship Quilt"

Provenance:

   After the death of my grandmother in 2008 in Klamath Falls, Oregon, it was handed down to her daughter, Juanita (Galloway) Fallon. Last year (2024) Aunt Juanita gave it to my mother, Faye (Galloway) Hawthorne, during a family reunion.

My mom with the quilt 

The Squares

There are twenty squares: Four across and five down.

In the following descriptions I will number each square left to right, top to bottom.

1.     This is most likely Mary (Jones) Bass, the mother of her sister-in-law, Minnie Bell (Bass) Gowens. Minnie married Lucille’s older brother, Slyvester Bernard Gowens.

2.     Debra Shaw could be a friend. I have found no family connections yet.

3.      Rosa Evelyn Ray is her niece, the daughter of her older ½ sister, Charity Evelyn (Gowens) Ray. But, Rosa would have been 5 years old, so maybe it was completed by her mother?

4.     Mrs. Charlie G. Ray is her older sister, Charity Evelyn (Gowens) Ray. Note: She is also the same person in square #15.

5.     Nadine is her niece. Daughter of her older sister, Stella Vera (Gowens) Perry.

6.     Lena Georgia (Gowens) Perry is her older sister.

7.     Frances Delilah McCallister is her niece. Daughter of her older sister Lena (Gowens) McCallister and Henry Matt McCallister.

8.     Nota Mae (Phariss) is her maternal 1^st. cousin. Daughter of her maternal uncle Joseph William Phariss and Maude Mae Close.

9.     Crystal Elizabeth (Gowens) Reedy is her older sister.

10. Mother is her mother Frances Emily (Phariss) Gowens. I am not sure why it says “Lubbock.” They lived in Crosbyton, which is almost 40 miles east.

11. Cordie Loraine Gowens is her older sister.

12. Lora Eva (Atchison) Gowens is her sister-in-law. The wife of her older brother Clarene Preston Gowens.

13. Maude Mae (Close) Phariss is her aunt-in-law. The wife of her maternal uncle Joseph William Phariss.

14. Minnie Belle (Bass) Gowens is her sister-in-law. The wife of her older brother Sylvester Bernard Gowens.

15. Charity Evelyn (Gowens) Ray is her older sister. The same person as in square #4.

16. Tishe [?] Bass. I have not identified this person yet. There is Theresa (Davis) Bass, wife of Henry Bass, who was living in Crosby County at the time.

17. Virginia Lea Reedy is her niece. Daughter of her older sister Crystal Elizabeth (Gowens) Reedy and Charles Leslie Reedy.

18. Lila Mae Reedy is her niece. Daughter of her older sister Crystal Elizabeth (Gowens) Reedy and Charles Leslie Reedy.

19. Sarah S. (Millican) Perry is the step-mother-in-law of her older sister Stella Vera (Gowens) Perry. Clyde Perry’s step-mother.

20. Juanita Linsly[?] I have not identified. Could be a friend. But, my grandmother’s maternal great-grandmother was Emily (Linsley) Phariss who died in Coleman County, Texas. There may be a connection there.

TOP ROW (L-R)

NEXT ROW (L-R)

NEXT ROW (L-R)

NEXT ROW (L-R)

BOTTOM ROW (L-R)

 

   My grandmother learned how to sew from her mother. She became a seamstress for the rest of her life. She made all the clothes for her children when they were young. After they moved to California in 1942, she worked for several companies, including one in Costa Mesa that only made men's suits. She learned to use the big industrial sewing machines that they had. My mom said she made her a skirt to wear the next day at school all in one night! 

Lucille Gowens and Sammie Galloway - Wedding Day 1933 Scurry Co., Texas

The Southwestern Historical Quarterly

Do you have ancestors in Texas? How about Louisiana, Alabama, Arizona or surrounding States – even Latin America? If you do, then The Southwestern Historical Quarterly might have a surprise waiting for you! The publication has been digitized and made available for free on The Portal to Texas History website. The digitized journal spans the years 1897 through 2004 and “… has been a major source for most of the textbook accounts of Texas and Southwest history.”[1]

 To search inside The Southwestern Historical Quarterly is quite simple. Just enter your search term(s) into the search box and hit “enter”. You will be taken to a “results” page. From there click on one of the results and you’ll be taken to the volume of interest. You will notice your search word(s) in another search box in the upper right side of the page already. Simply click on “search” one more time to reveal which page(s) they appear on. Click on the image to open the page and voilà! The nice thing is the word(s) you searched for are highlighted in yellow for locating quickly. 

Source:http://www.library.unt.edu/sites/default/files/images/featured-item/the_portal_to_texas_history.jpg 

 As I was researching this database, I found an extensive and in-depth article on the Confederate soldiers who emigrated to Latin America and in particular, Brazil after the Civil War. My own paternal 2nd. great grand uncle, Brig. Gen. Alexander Travis Hawthorn, emigrated to Brazil abt. 1870 and lived there for almost a decade before moving back. This article entitled, “The Confederate Exodus to Latin America”, can be found in Volume XXXIX, No. 3, pages 161-199. [2] 

 Such a wealth of knowledge within these pages await you, and this is just the tip of the iceberg that The Portal of Texas History has amassed! I myself haven’t spent enough time prying into the inner depths of this mega historical website. [3] Truly, it is as big as Texas is!

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[1] Southwestern Historical Quarterly (http://texashistory.unt.edu/explore/collections/SWHQ/ : accessed 25 Jan 2015), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association, Denton, Texas.

 [2] Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 39, July 1935 - April, 1936, Eugene C. Barker, editor, Journal/Magazine/Newsletter, 1936; (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101095/  : accessed 25 Jan 2015), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association, Denton, Texas.

[3] The Portal to Texas History (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ : accessed 25 Jan 2015).