Biography of Marchall Owens, page  662.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

Marchall Owens, farmer, section 1, Jackson Township, was born in Wayne 
County, Ohio, Jan. 1, 1825, a son of John and Phoebe Owens.  His father died 
when he was three years of age.  His mother is living with his brother John 
in Jackson Township.  Reared by a widowed mother he was early obliged to 
learn the lesson of independence.  He remained in his native county till of 
age, and in the fall of 1846 came to Indiana and lived in Auburn the 
following winter.  The next year he worked at anything that offered, and in 
the spring of 1848 bought the land which is now his home and went to work to 
clear the timber, in connection with a friend, William Reynolds, who had 
land near him.  In the fall of 1848 he returned to Ohio and remained a year. 
In the fall of 1849 he came again to De Kalb County, but the following winter 
was sick and unable to work, and on his recovery was obliged to work for 
others to pay his indebtedness and to get money to enable him to resume work 
on his own land.  He was married November, 1854, to Nancy McDowell, a native 
of Ohio, born Feb. 20, 1829, a daughter of Abraham and Mary McDowell, pioneers 
of Wells County, Ind.  Together the young couple went to work, and by energy 
and good management they made for themselves a good home.  Understanding by 
experience the hardships having to be undergone by the poor they are always 
ready to assist worthy applicants and help them to a more comfortable way of 
living.  They have had a family of six children, but three are living---Julia 
Ann, Eve A. and Etta A. (twins).  The eldest died in infancy, Mary at age of 
sixteen years and Laura A. aged two years.

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