The actual family bibles of these two families may no longer be in existence. The information therein was provided by Ella Williams Owsley Brainerd (1840-1928) to Willis Joseph Bray (1884-1961) in the following letter, which was kindly furnished by Willis Joseph Bray, Jr., M.D., and first published in the December 1990 issue of the Owsley Family Historical Society Newsletter.

Lincoln, Illinois
Jan. 1, 1916

My dear Mr. Bray:

    

Your letter to my sister, Miss Kate Owsley is just received. She is staying with me at present, is almost 87 years old, as I am answering for her.
     In 1890, after five or six years of correspondence and investigation, my nephew, Harry Bryan Owsley, got out a book--"Genealogical Facts of the Owsley Family." It is considered very correct. However there was one branch he failed to get response from and that may have been your branch. The book is out of print as I am sending my copy which I value very highly and would like you to return to me at your earliest convenience. I am copying what my father wrote in the old family bible--

"The first old Thos. Owsley and Mary his wife, the ages of their children

     Ann Bayne Williams, the mother of Tho. Chilton. Born 26 Sept. 1747
     Wm. Owsley - 29th Dec. 1749
     Tho. Owsley 13 Nov 1752
     Henry Owsley 30th March 1755
     Anthony Owsley 21st April 1757
     Chloe Williams 12th Sept. 1761
     Jonathan Owsley 11th June 1759
     Virlender Hutcheson 10th April 1764
     Daniel Owsley 16th April 1766
     Mary Bryant 24th June 1768
     Patience Bledsoe or Crow 1772
     Elizabeth Gooch or Burdett 26th Sept. 1775

Children of their oldest son William and Catherine Owsley - dates of their ages.

     Ann Middleton 13th January 1772
     Peggy Bayne 9th June 1773
     Chloe Owsley 2nd Feb. 1774
     Samuel Owsley 2nd Feb. 1778
     Nudeget Owsley 10th April 1780
     Wm. Owsley 24th March 1782
     Mary Pearl 7th May 1784
     Patience Baughman 28th June 1786
     Jonathan Owsley 23rd June 1788
     Joel Owsley 28 June 1790
     Thos. Owsley 10 Dec. 1794

The following was on the tombstone of my Great Grandmother-

"Martha Bayne Owsley - Died Sept. 16 1808 in the 78th year of her age, who [had] at the time of her death - 191 children and grandchildren and 35 of adoption. Total 226"

My father Henry Hawkins Owsley would be about 130 years old if he were alive.

Most Cordially yours,
Ella Williams Owsley Brainerd
1006 N. Union St., Lincoln, Ill.

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BIBLE RECORD OF JOHN OWSLEY (1757-1845)

John Owsley (1757-1845) was the son of John Owsley (c1734-1764), son of Thomas Owsley II (c1697/8-1750), son of Major Thomas Owsley (1658-1700). His family Bible record is contained in his military pension file at the National Archives and was submitted by his widow in support of her claim for a widow's pension. As is evidenced by the corrected name for their third child, Isaac in place of Stephen, the record was obviously prepared years after the births of their children and probably only in support of Charity's widow's pension. Noticably absent are two other children, Joseph, born c1790, and Robert, born c1802. It is believed both were disowned by their parents who ascribed to the practices of the Primitive Baptist Church, Joseph, for having married a half-Indian woman about two years following the death of their eldest son, John, at the hands of the Shawnee Indians at the battle of Tippecanoe, and Robert, for having visited a neighbor during a dance. The following record was published in the September 1993 issue of the Owsley Family Historical Society Newsletter.

BIRTHS

Tabitha Owsley the first child of John & Charity Owsley was born March the 15 in the Year of Anna Domina 1780

John Owsley the second child of the aforesaid John & Charity was born March the 17th A.D. 1783

[Stephen lined out] Isaac Owsley the 3d child was born April the 27th in the year A.D. 1785

Stephen Owsley the 4th child of the aforesaid was born June 24th 1787

Matthew Owsley the 5th child of the aforesaid was born Sept 23d A.D. 1789

Ann Owsley the 6th child of the aforesaid was born December the 28th 1792

William Owsley the 7th Child of the aforesaid was born April the 9th in the yr A.D. 1796

MARRIAGES

John Owsley was married to his wife Charity Barton Agust the 16th 1778

The former was born the 6th day of November in the yr A.D. 1757

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BIBLE RECORD OF ISAAC OWSLEY (1785-c1840/50)

The following entries, all written in the same hand, were contained in a family record page of The Holy Bible published by the American Bible Society, New York in 1847. It is likely the entries were all made by either Isaac Owsley or his wife, Sarah. Other handwriting samples are not known to exist and thus a comparison cannot be made. The last known owner of the bible was noted to have been "Bertie Powers" who may be identified with Berdina (McNath) Powers (1872-1982), widow of Andrew Thomas Powers (1873-1952), a great-grandson of Isaac Owsley. This record was found by Charles M. Ward, Jr. on 7 June 1991 at the E. G. Fisher Public Library in Athens (McMinn County), Tennessee, filed under the name Powers, in a file cabinet containing numerous family genealogical files, and first published in the September 1991 issue of the Owsley Family Historical Society Newsletter.

Isaac Owsley was born April the 27th 1785

Sarah Owsley was born May the 2nd 1787

Ann Owsley daughter of Isaac and Sarah was born September the 3rd 1816

Son was born January the 11th 1818

Mary Owsley was born April the 18th 1820

Samuel D. Owsley was born April the 15th 1823

Tabitha Owsley was born October the 16th 1825

Justin Owsley was born December the 2nd 1828

Charlotte Owsley was born May the 4th 1830

John Owsley was born November the 6th 1757 the son of John and Ann Owsley--departed this life December the 19th 1845

Charity Owsley departed this life February the 20th 1848 aged 88 years 8 days

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BIBLE RECORD OF JOHN HOUSLEY (c1814-1894)     
Boyd E. Richardson writes, "I got this copy from a second cousin who is I believe 86 years old. She lived with my great-grandparents [Milton and Jane (Housley) Cooper] when she was young. When my great- grandmother died [in 1937], while they were cleaning the house, she found this one sheet from great-grandma's bible and kept it thinking someone might want it. I guess she still has the original, although I don't know for sure."

    

John Housley, born about 1814, probably in Campbell County, Tennessee was the son of Joseph and Phoebe (Longmire) Owsley, and grandson of John and Charity (Barton) Owsley, oc Claiborne County, Tennessee. This one page names the first six children of John and Caroline (Hinshaw) Housley, including their son, Golden, of whom there is otherwise no record. The page contains stray entries made over the years in an apparent attempt to better identify some of those named. This record was first published in the June 1998 issue of the Owsley Family Historical Society Newsletter.

   

 The entries, with missing information in brackets, read:

[Caroli]ne Housley deceased May [4]th A D 1858

Elizabeth Housley was born November 30th day 1833

Golden Housley was born october 27th day 1835

William Housley was born Sept 27th 1837

Manday Housley was born december 28th day 1838

Anna Housley was born december [28]th day 1841

[Rober]t Housley was Born Feb __th 1843.

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BIBLE RECORD OF ALFRED CRISP (1821-1864)
Alfred Crisp was married to Martha Ann Owsley (1831-1876), daughter of William B. Owsley (1803-1880), grandson of Newdigate Owsley (c1738-1797), son of Thomas Owsley II (c1697/8-1750), son of Major Thomas Owsley (1658-1700). The following entries are presented as written in the bible, without regard to proper page headings. This record was contributed by Michael E. Darnell and was first published in the March 1993 issue of the Owsley Family Historical Society Newsletter.

MARRIAGES

Alfred Crisp Married to Martha Ann Owsley on the 8th day of May one thousand Eight hundred & fifty six 1856

Alfred Crisp was born the 29th day of December one thousand Eight hundred & twenty one 1821

Martha Ann Crisp wife of Alfred Crisp was born the third day of May one thousand Eight hundred & thirty one 1831

BIRTHS

Ellen Crisp Daughter of Elfred & Martha Ann Crisp was Born the Eighteenth of Nov. one thousand Eight hundred & fifty Seven 1857

Mary Adelini was Born the 25th day of March one thousand Eight hundred and fifty Nine 1859

William O. Crisp was born the Twenty third day of April one thousand Eight hundred and sixty 1860

W. B. Owsley died May 11 1880

Cellia wife of W. B. Owsley died July 11 1897

Amanda Burton Crisp was born the Eighteenth day of February one thousand Eight hundred and sixty three 1863

Alfred L. Crisp Son of Alfred & Mary (?) was born the Eight day of March one thousand Eight hundred and sixty five Son of Alfred & Martha Crisp, 1865

W. B. Owsley was born the 11th day of February Eleventh day of February one thousand Eight hundred and three 1803

Celia Owsley was born the seventeenth day of January one thousand Eight hundred & Eight 1808

W. B. Owsley was Married to Celia Mullins on the Seventeenth day of February one thousand Eight hundred & twenty six 1826

DEATHS

Mary Adelini Crisp departed this life May the 24th Eighteen Hundred and Sixty three aged four years and two Months

Alfred L. Crisp Departed this Life the Seventeenth day of August one thousand Eight hundred and Sixty four 1864 aged forty two years Seven months & Nineteen days

Martha Ann Crisp Departed this life Nineteenth day of April one thousand Eight hundred and Seventy Six 1876 Aged forty four years Eleven months & sixten days

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BIBLE RECORD OF JAMES MARIEN OWSLEY (1825-1908)

This Bible record is contained in The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments, published in 1882, by A. J. Holman & Co., Philadelphia. James Marien Owsley was the son of John M. Owsley (1800-1870/4), grandson of William H. Owsley and great-grandson of Newdigate Owsley (c1738-1797), the son of Thomas Owsley II. This record was contributed by William and Lois Pattillo and first published in the September 1992 issue of the Owsley Family Historical Society Newsletter.

This is to certify that James M. Owsley of Auburn, Macon County, Alabama and H. A. Fears of Notasulga, Macon County, Alabama were united by me, in Holy Matrimony, in Her father's Residence on the 4 day of January in the year of our Lord 1853 in Presence of many witnesses. Signed Willis B. Jones.

BIRTHS

James Marien Owsley was Borned Sept 30th 1825

Ted Jackson Sanford was borned Oct 1, 1927 at Divine, TX

Hariet An Fears wife of J. M. Owsley was Born Aug 30th 1835

Daniel H. Sanford was Born April 16, 1930 at San Antonio, Texas

Euzema Lamartine Owsley was Borned April 1st 1859 at 1. OC at night on Friday

Edgar Jones Owsley was Borned May 18th 1869 on Tuesday 11 OC at night

James N. Sanford was born July 11, 1899

Virginia Texonia Owsley was Borned March 5th 1871 at 4 OC in morning Sunday

MARRIAGES

Virginia Texonid Ousley was married Jan 20, 1891

Daniel H. Sanford was married Oct 14, 1926 to Hazel Allene Moore of Divine, Texas

DEATHS

Eugene Clark Owsley died Feb 5th 1866 at half past 11 OC on Monday night age 9 years 7 month 20 days

DHS: Daniel Henry Sanford Sr. died Sunday, Sept 28, 1941 at 12:24 PM

Edgar Jones Owsley Died Nov 24th 1871 on Friday at 4 OC in the Evening Age 2 years 6 months 6 days

James N. Sanford died May 13, 1972 at Kimville, Texas Laurence Egenon Sanford was borned Oct 18, 1893 on Wednesday at 2 OC at night, Died April 14, 1972. Found Dead at Larkhart, TX.

Mrs. J. M. Ousley died Mar 23, 1907 at 8 o'clock in the morning Saturday.

by her father, with a hope that it may be Studied and pondered and its truths heeded Nov 15th 1885

Remember Daughter who gave thee this when other days shall come when he who gave Thine Earliest Kiss sleeps in his narrow Home. J. M. Owsley

To my Daughter.
Keep this Bible for my sake, read it for your own sake, Treasure the truths for Christs sake.
Your Father J. M. Owsley

Mr. J. M. Owsley Died Feb 29, 1908 at six o'clock Saturday morning.

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BIBLE RECORD OF CRAWFORD OUSLEY (1836-1908)

This record was transcribed from the pages of an old family Bible of Crawford Ousley on 1 March 1953. The Bible was then in the possession of Hattie O. Andrews, daughter of Crawford Ousley. A second transcription was made 2 August 1983 by the subsequent owner, Mildred Hoffman, who related the Bible was in an extremely fragile condition. Crawford Ousley (1836-1908) was the son of Joseph Owsley/Housley (c1790-c1879), the son of John Owsley (1757-1845) of Claiborne County, Tennessee.

This record was contributed by Noble G. Barker and Jean Burger and was first published in the June 1992 issue of the Owsley Family Historical Society Newsletter.

FRONT COVER

Catherine Ousleys Book Bought by Crawford Ousley from Rev. Vanfoben Oct. 20th 1884.

PAGE 1

This Certifies That The Holy Rite of Matrimony Was Selebrated Between Crawford Ousley of Phelps County and Catharine Cox of Osage County on October the 20th 1868 at Lanes Prarie by Squire Travis of Maries County. Witnesses: James Ousley Sr., Thomas Travis.

PAGE 2 - MARRIAGES and BIRTHS

Crawford Ousley and Malinda Lett was married Sept the 6th 1855

Crawford Ousley and Malinda Cox was married Sept. the 20th 1857

Crawford Ousley and Catherine Cox was married Oct. the 20th 1868

Crawford Ousley was bornd Nov. 2nd 1836

Catharine Cox was bornd Sept. 25th 1849

Charley B. Ousley was bornd Sept. 11th 1879

Hattie E. Ousley was bornd April 9th 1882

Ida E. Ousley was bornd May the 14th 1884

Henry Ousley was bornd Aug the 14th 1886

Henry Franklin Ousley was Born Oct. the 7th 1887

PAGE 3 - BIRTHS

Christian Ousley was bornd Aug. 20th 1856

Mary Ousley was bornd Oct. the 7th 1858

Pheby Ousley was bornd Nov. the 6th 1859

James S. Ousley was bornd March the 7th 1862

Catharine Ousley was bornd Dec. 25th 1863

Joseph S. Ousley was bornd Oct. the 30th 1865

William P. Ousley was bornd Feb. the 18th 1867

John E. Ousley was bornd Oct. the 7th 1867

Biditha Ousley was bornd March 14th 1869

Robert L. Ousley was bornd May the 19th 1870

Marian Ousley was bornd May the 22nd 1870

Thomas J. Ousley was bornd Aug. 23rd 1874

Walter Ousley was bornd Feb. the 20th 1875

Ela C. Ousley was Bornd April 30th 1879

PAGE 4 - DEATHS

Crawford Ousley died December 5, 1908 age 72 yrs. 1 mo. 3 days

Marion H. Ousley died April 26th 1899 age 28 yrs. 11 mo. 4 days

William P. Ousley died Dec. 25th 1909

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BIBLE RECORD OF JUDGE HENRY OWSLEY (1857-after 1910)

Judge Henry Owsley was the son of George Washington Ousley (1814-1880/1900) and his wife Lucretia (Bateman) Ousley (1823-1902). Judge Owsley was married 20 January 1880 in Chambers County, Alabama to Zolemma Elizabeth Hill. Soon after their marriage the Owsleys moved to Texas. In 1910, the family was living there in Mount Pleasant, Titus County.

This Bible record was in very poor condition and certain sections were illegible. Missing entries known from other sources have been included in brackets. This record was contributed by Lou and Bud Owsley and was first published in the June 1993 issue of the Owsley Family Historical Society Newsletter.

BIRTHS

J. H. Owsley June 29th 1857

E. L. Owsley Oct 20th 1858

Alonzo M. Owsley Feb 25th 1881

Hattie Lou Owsley Nov 17th 1882

Katie Lucretia Owsley July 12th 1884

[Sallie] Georgia Owsley Jan 20th 1887

Charles Thornton Owsley Oct 14th 1889

Thadeus N_____ Owsley Jan 15th 1893

Ben Carl Owsley [September 1894]

[Sudie] Josephine Owsley Nov 30, 1896

Enid Mary Lena Owsley June 28, 1899

_____ Wynne Oct 18, 1907

Jossie Fean _____ Aug 9, 1910

MARRIAGES

(one illegible marriage)

Hattie Owsley married Jan. 25, 1916 to _____