Archibald Owings' Wife Revealed!

          ©  Kathy Duncan, 2021

Uncovering the identity of wives becomes nearly impossible in the absence of marriage records and family bibles. Archibald Owings' wife has been particularly elusive. In an earlier post, I discussed that "my" Archibald Owings is frequently confused with his young nephew who was also named Archibald Owings. Unfortunately, the younger Archibald Owings' wife, Jane Kellett is frequently linked to the elder Archibald Owings as his wife.

Archibald Owings, the elder, would have married in the vicinity of Laurens County, South Carolina, and taken his wife and older children with him to Lancaster County, South Carolina by 1790, where he is found on the census, and then removed to Kershaw County, South Carolina before 1800. His wife was deceased by 1820 when she does not appear on the census. 

To date, I had found no mention of her in any records. I was not even able to determine her given name from any records. I needed to examine any books of transcribed records with an every-name index. I was hoping that she would be mentioned in her family's records and that somehow there would be an indication that she was my ancestor's wife.

As luck would have it, I determined that I had never seen Brent H. Holcomb's book Laurens County, South Carolina: Minutes of the County Court, 1786 - 1789. While 1786 - 1789 presents a very narrow timeframe, any Archibald Owings mentioned in it would likely be my ancestor since the nephew did not come of age until perhaps the mid-1790s. Yesterday, I headed to the Dallas Public Library to examine that book, and it did not disappoint:

"A deed of gift from Daniel McClain to Archebald Owins, proven in open Court by Wm. Obennian and John Hutson and Ordered to be Recorded." - 10 March 1788, p. 208

A deed of gift usually represents a family relationship of some sort.  I did not recognize Daniel McClain's name in connection with either Archibald Owings, the uncle, or Archibald Owings, the nephew. Who was he? What was his connection? Could he possibly be "my" Archibald Owings' father-in-law? A brother-in-law?

I explored deed books to see if anything more could be learned about this deed of gift. From Laurens County, South Carolina Deed Abstracts: Books A-D, 1785-1793 (1769-1793) by Larry Vehorn came the following record:

"Page 300 [Deed Bk B] 11 Aug 1787, Daniel McLain (Ninety six Dist., Laurens Co.) residing upon Redy River, freeholder, in consideration of the love, good will & affection I bear towards my loving daughter Elizabeth Owings, [give] 100 acres of land on Redy River, joining McAnalting line. Witness Wm. Obannon, John Hutson. Signed Daniel McLain. Rec. 2 Apr 1788."

Margaret Peckham Motes' book Laurens County, S.C.: Rabun Creek Settlement 1762-1848 reveals that Archibald Owings lost half or all of this tract of land to cover an old debt:

"Richardson, Thomas: 8 September 1787: Edmond Martin, Esquire, Sheriff of Ninety Six Dist., SC., and Aaron Steel, planter, of the same place. Whereas Archibald Owins [Owens], late of the Dist. and State aforesaid was seized of a certain tract of land in Laurens County on the S side of Reedy River containing 50 acres bounded N by the Reedy River, S and W by Daniel McLain, other lands laid out to one McAnulty, as appears by a plat. And whereas the said Aaron Steele in November term 1785 impleaded the said Archibald Owins in the Court of Common Please in the state aforesaid held at Ninety Six in a joint suit with Thomas Richardson for the recovery of the sum of 64 [lbs] Stg. in which action such proceedings was there for had that the said Aaron Steel did obtain and recover judgment against said Archibald Owins. Edmond Martin. Wit: John Downs, Samuel Taylor. Proved by Jonathan Downs 20 August 1789 before Joseph Downs, J.P. [LCDBK C:72-73]"

This record reveals that the Archibald Owens, who was the son-in-law of Daniel McLain, was by September of 1787 no longer a resident of Laurens County since "late of the Dist." indicates that he was previously or formerly a resident of Laurens County. My ancestor Archibald Owings had moved to Lancaster County, South Carolina before the 1790 census. 

Of course, the next thing to do was to find out as much as I could about Daniel McLain. So far, I have not found much, but I did find a sister for Elizabeth (McClain) Owings. 

A few months later, Daniel McClain/McLain/McLean gifted land to his other daughter, Mary (McLean) Hutson:

"169-170 [Deed Bk B] 4 Nov 1786, Daniel McLean of Ninety six Dist. but now called Oxford Dist. in Laurens Co. in consideration of the Love, good will & affection I bear towards my loving Daughter Mary McLean, but now by marriage Mary Hutson, give 100 acres of Land which I now dwell on which I had surveyed by a bounty warrant & has a patent for the same by William Bull Esq. then Lieut. Governor, 29 July 1768, containing 300 acres. The land I give border mouth of my Spring branch. I desire that the improvements & clear land &c may be within the boundaries of the 100 acres. Likewise I give said Mary Hutson four Cows with a mark tht is an over kut & an under kut in the Ear, one big pot & one little pot, one Chest or box, plow, Irons, loom. Witness David Speers. James McClanahan. Signed David McLean. Rec. 11 July 1787."

John Hutson went to court to prove this deed of gift. Later, Daniel McLean sued John Hutson, but the suit was withdrawn in 1789 because of the death of John Hutson. 

Merry Christmas, Mom!!

Daniel McLean, Irish Immigrant, 1768