The Family of George Rowland
and Rebecca Stark

INTRODUCTION

This page created May 6, 2007.

Why am I including a page on the Rowland-Stark family in my website concerning the descendants of two Whittens and their Spencer wives? The answer: context. The Spencer wives of the Whitten brothers had a sister named Nancy Ann Spencer. In 1852 or 1853, Nancy Ann's husband James Terry died. In April 1853, Nancy Ann remarried to George Y. Rowland. George's wife Rebecca Stark also died in 1853. George and Nancy merged their respective families Brady-style (her one daughter and his eight children) and then proceeded to have six more together. So in light of such a large blended family, I felt it would be useful to provide a little bit of information on George's first family with wife Rebecca Stark.

My sources of information on this family were Ricky Shingler and Lester Barrentine, descendants of George and Nancy Ann. During 2002, Ricky and Lester graciously shared with me the story of their family. Much of their information had been given to them by their aunt Betty Stout, and I am grateful for their sharing it with me. Here is a high-level summary of the Rowland-Stark family of Winston and Warren Counties in Mississippi. Please note that I have not verified any of this information, except for the 1860 census of Winston County, Mississippi listed in the Family History section below.

According to Ricky and Lester (per their aunt Betty Stout) George Young Rowland's first wife was Rebecca Stark, daughter of Pennington Stark and Rachel Davis. George and Rebecca were married in either Newberry or Laurens County, South Carolina in 1835. Here is their story as told to me by Ricky and Lester (and to them by Mrs. Stout):

George Young Rowland and Rebecca Stark Rowland moved from Laurens County, South Carolina, in the latter 1840's to Louisville (Winston County), Mississippi. They had gotten caught up in the Westward Movement to Texas as they left South Carolina, but found along the way that they were tired of traveling and they really like Central Mississippi, so they decided to make Winston County their new home. Great Grandmother, Rebecca, died probably in the Spring of 1853. She would have been 36 years old. When they started on their westward journey Great-Grandfather, George Y. Rowland, promised that if anything happened to Great-Grandmother, Rebecca Stark Rowland, that he would bring her back home to South Carolina for burial. He kept his promise -- she was taken back and buried in the family plot in South Carolina. Several years after Rebecca's death, Great-Grandfather remarried a woman by the name of Nancy Anne Spencer Terry in Winston County. They moved with the family from Winston County to Vicksburg (Warren County), Mississippi, and settled in the Oak Ridge area. They remained there until his death.

FAMILY TREE

George Young Rowland
Born: January 20, 1808 in Edgefield District, South Carolina
Married (1): December 20, 1835 in Newberry or Laurens County, South Carolina
Died: May 23, 1888 in Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi
Buried: Rowland / Hackler Family Cemetery, Flowers Hill Road, Oak Ridge, Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi
Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown
--------------------------------------------------------------

Rebecca Stark
Born: 1817 in Newberry County, South Carolina
Died: Abt. 1853 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
Buried: In a family plot in Edgefield, South Carolina
Father: Pennington Stark
Mother: Rachel Davis
--------------------------------------------------------------

  1. Loduska Frances Rowland
    Born: 1836 in South Carolina
    Married: 1855 in Winston County, Mississippi
    Spouse: James H. Kinard
    Died: Unknown
    Buried: Unknown
  2. Lettice Eveline Rowland
    Born: 1838 in South Carolina
    Married: 1856 in Mississippi
    Spouse: Benjamin F. Frank
    Died: Unknown
    Buried: Unknown
  3. Pennington Stark Rowland
    Born: 1840
    Died: August 1861 in Centerville, Virginia
    Buried: Unknown

    Pennington served with his brother Henry Young Rowland in the Winston Guards of Company A, 13th Mississippi Regiment. Visit my Winston Guards page for a brief synopsis of his service history.

  4. Henry Young Rowland
    Born: 1842
    Married: 1875 in Macon, Noxubee County, Mississippi
    Spouse: Martha A. Martin
    Died: Abt. 1916 in Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi
    Buried: Oak Ridge, Warren County, Mississippi

    Henry Young served with his brother Pennington Stark Rowland in the Winston Guards of Company A, 13th Mississippi Regiment. Visit my Winston Guards page for a brief synopsis of his service history.

  5. James Elbert Rowland
    Born: 1844 in South Carolina
    Married: 1884 in Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi
    Spouse: Alice Elizabeth Hackler
    Died: 1937 in Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi
    Buried: Rowland / Hackler Family Cemetery, Flowers Hill Road, Oak Ridge, Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi
  6. John Salathiel Rowland
    Born: 1846
    Married (1): 1876 in Warren County, Mississippi
    Spouse (1): Mollie Wilson
    Married (2): 1878
    Spouse (1): Ella Wilson
    Died: Unknown
    Buried: Unknown
  7. Smith Davis Rowland
    Born: January 21, 1849 in Louisville, Winston County, Mississippi
    Married: May 09, 1875 in Warren County, Mississippi
    Spouse: Nancy Juanita "Nina" Terry (daughter of James Terry and Nancy Ann Spencer)
    Died: January 09, 1900 in Oak Ridge, Warren County, Mississippi
    Buried: Rowland / Hackler Family Cemetery, Flowers Hill Road, Oak Ridge, Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi

    Smith Davis along with two other people were killed in a shooting in front of the Justice Court Office in Oak Ridge, Mississippi on January 9, 1900. The incident occured during a proceeding involving a Negro and a five dollar loan. Below is a transcription of the Vicksburg newspaper article, provided to me by Lester Barrentine.

    Article from the Vicksburg Post, January 9, 1900 (Special Edition)
    FEARFUL AFFRAY
    THREE MEN KILLED AND ONE BADLY WOUNDED-THE PEACEMAKER FIRST TO FALL

    Dr. Otha Austin, S.D. Rowland, and Robert L. Steveson, three of the best known and most popular men in Warren County, are dead as the result of an awful shooting affray which occurred at Oak Ridge this morning about 10:00 a.m. The trouble grew out of a feud which had existed between the men over a lawsuit between a black tenant and Jim Austin of Oak Ridge. The scene of the tragedy was on the gallery in front of the Justice of the Peace Court, where court was being held by Justice Griffin. Dr. Otha Austin, who was killed, was a brother of Jim Austin, with whom the black tenant was entangled with the lawsuit. About a year ago, the black tenant on the plantation of Jim Austin borrowed $5.00 from him and said that he would remain on the plantation until it was paid back. However, the black tenant did not pay his debt and was removed from the place. He was a well-to-do Negro and Dr. Austin said that he would initiate proceedings by which to get the money, which the Negro had gotten under false pretenses. The matter drifted on and finally a third party, S.D. Rowland, one of the dead men, took sides with the tenant, it was said, and some words resulted out of it. This was several weeks ago, and the affair, which was surely a personal matter, was supposed to have been fixed to the satisfaction of all parties involved. At last, Jim Austin had the tenant face him in the money matter between them in the lawsuit, and it was anticipated that trouble would grow out of that affair should it go into the courts. It did!! And today's awful tragedy was the result. This morning the case came up in the Justice Court at Oak Ridge, and Dr. Austin was present, acting as a peacemaker in the matter. Hot words resulted in Mr. Rowland drawing his revolver and killing Dr. Austin with the first shot. Then his brother Jim Austin [drew] his pistol and killed his brother's slayer, Mr. Rowland. In the middle a third party Robert L. Steveson, a brother-in-law of Dr. Austin, was shot and killed, and Mr. Rowland's son was badly wounded in the shoulder. For a while, it was thought that more trouble would occur, but tonight all is quiet, and so far, no arrests have been made. This is one of the most deplorable tragedies which has ever occured in the state. As all the men killed were prominent and the unnecessary slaughter that grew out of a trifling 5 dollar Negro lawsuit.

  8. Elizabeth Stark Rowland
    Born: 1851 in Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi
    Died: Unknown
    Buried: Oak Ridge, Warren County, Mississippi

For information on Nancy Ann Spencer's first family, visit "The Family of James Terry and Nancy Ann Spencer".

For information on George and Nancy Ann's second family together, visit "The Family of George Rowland and Nancy Ann Spencer Terry".

FAMILY HISTORY

1860 Winston County, Mississippi Census: Louisville Post Office, August 1860, page 89 (685), Dwelling/Family 580/580:
Rowland, G.Y. -- age 52 (1808), male, farmer, real estate 1500, personal estate 4000, born SC
Rowland, Nancy -- age 30 (1830), female, born SC
Rowland, P.S. -- age 20 (1840), male, born SC
Rowland, Henry -- age 18 (1842), male, born SC
Rowland, Jas -- age 16 (1844), male, born SC
Rowland, Jno -- age 14 (1846), male, born SC
Rowland, S.D. -- age 10 (1850), male, born MS
Rowland, Geo. -- age 3 (1857), male, born MS
Rowland, S.L. -- age 1 (1859), male, born MS

GENEALOGY RESOURCES

LINKS & CREDITS

| Parents and Siblings of Nancy Ann Spencer | The Family of James Terry and Nancy Ann Spencer | The Family of George Rowland and Nancy Ann Spencer Terry | Main Whitten Page |

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Mary K. Johnson
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