Biography of John C. Owens, pages 661 / 662.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

John C. Owens the youngest of six children, and the fourth born on New 
Year’s day, of John and Phoebe Owens, was born Jan. 1, 1828, in Wayne 
County, Ohio.  His father died when he was an infant, and his mother was 
left to rear her family.  His educational advantages were limited, but he 
was ambitious, and by private reading and observation has acquired a good 
business education.  He was reared on a farm and has made agricultural 
pursuits his life work.  In the fall of 1849, with very little money, he 
came with his brother, Marchall, to De Kalb County, Ind., intending to enter 
land, but the next winter was sick with typhoid fever and was unable to work.  
This exhausted the little money he had, and he was obliged as soon as able, 
to work by the month to regain what he had lost.  In 1851 he bought forty 
acres of heavily timbered land on section 1, Jackson Township, and in 1852 
began to clear it, working on his own land when not employed by some one 
else.  In August, 1852, he was married to Julia A., daughter of John and 
Anna Thomas, who came to De Kalb County in 1840.  The following May, Mrs. 
Owens died, and Mr. Owens afterward married Mary Jane, daughter of Robert 
and Margaret Culbertson, of Concord Township.  Five children were born to 
them---Robert W. died in his fifth year; Margaret E., wife of Henry 
McGinnis; James M. and Marchall, at home, and John W. died in infancy, 
Dec. 5, 1872.  Mr. Owens’ home was again left motherless, and in December, 
1873, he married Elizabeth Wilson, a native of Holmes County, Ohio, born 
May 30, 1854.  Mr. Owens’ mother makes her home with him.  She is now in 
her eighty-fifth year, and enjoys good health.  Mr. Owens’ farm contains 
sixty-five acres of good land, well cultivated, and he is one of the most 
esteemed men of the township.  He is a politics a Republican.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com