Edward Owens

OWENS, MORGAN

Posted By: Diane Wilson (email)
Date: 7/29/2002 at 21:08:17

Edward Owens was born in Ddohhydefed Mills, Montgomery county, Parish Lanver, township Hennaith in Wales, January 13, 1776. He succeeded his father in the management of the mills, and lived there until 1834, when he emigrated to America, settling in Pike township, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, where he bought a farm. He died there September, 1861. His son, John E., was born in the same building as his father, on December 19, 1827; and was but seven years of age when his father emigrated to America.
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He attended school until seventeen years of age, when he engaged with his uncle, John Morris, to learn the trade of carpenter and joiner, serving three years. He then entered the office of Upjohn, the architect, in New York City, and was with him three years. He then made a contract with the Erie Railroad Company to build bridges.
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In 1854, he built the Catholic Church at Penn Yan, New York. In the fall of that year he built the Baptist Church at Elmira; also the Brainard House. In the spring of 1855, he made a contract with the Delaware & Lackawana Railroad Company to build bridges. In the fall of that year, in company with two other men, he made a contract to build three churches in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and one at Wilkes Barre.
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He married, in 1856, Miss Anna Eliza Morgan. In July of that year he came to Dubuque, and with his brother engaged as architects and builders. In 1857, he engaged with the government in the construction of the custom house. In 1858, he engaged in mining five miles northwest of Dubuque. That year he struck what is well known as the Owens Lead, which yielded over a million pounds of ore.
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During the war he went to Cedar Falls and engaged in the livery business, buying horses for the government. In 1863 he went to Wisconsin and bought 3,000 sheep, which he brought to Iowa and sold among the farmers; some of which he sold in Butler county. In 1865 he came to Monroe township and bought a farm on section 26. He engaged in building bridges in Butler, Hardin and other counties, in payment of which he took indemnity scrip. Mr. Owens is at present engaged in farming, stock raising and dealing in real estate. He has four children – Hazel C., Robert Dale, Etta L. and Ann Eliza.
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Source: History of Butler and Bremer Counties, Iowa
Union Publishing Co., Springfield, IL, 1883
Page 646