| Notes |
- Perhaps the name has caught your attention, and you wonder where it came from. Sorry, I can be of no help. The 1880 census runs the two names together and appears to be Dilefate. Marriage and probate records list him as D.F. But Dilly Fate is the spelling his daughters used. Maybe the name Dilly stems from the fact he was the last of 14 children and Fate because his Mother was 46 at the time of his birth. But this is another of those questions to have ready when the last trumpet sounds.
Dilly was born 24 May, 1872, in Stone Co., MO, to Wm. K. Owens and Sarah Ann McCray. We can assume he had the normal life of any young boy of that time, working on the farm, hunting and going to school. I don't know what education Dilly had but he could read and write. When his father died in January 1882, I am sure after that his life changed with more responsibilities thrust upon him. When his mother Sarah, became ill, Dilly looked for someone to live at the home and help care for Sarah. He found a young woman of the community, Mary Elizabeth Davis (b. 15 Aug., 1865, Miller Co., MO, daughter of John Thompson Davis and Nancy Jane Davis). How long the employer-employee relationship lasted I am not sure, but August 2, 1888, Mary and Dilly were married in Stone County.
To this marriage three children were born in Stone Co., MO, as follows: Sarah Naverett Bell Owens, b. 1/27/1890, d. 1/9/1971, in Pryor, OK. She was married 2/28/1909, in Stone Co., MO to John Henry Victory; Dosha Elizabeth Owens, b. 12/4/1891, d. 11/23/1979, in Tulsa, OK. She was married 10/27/1910 in Stone Co., MO, to John Franklin Graves; Charles Weaver Owens, b. 10/20/1893, d. 9/30/1961, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, was first married October 10 1927, Stone Co., MO, to Rosa Francis Strimple. His second marriage, in 1938, was to Julia Grace Shannon King.
From accounts of Dosha Owens Graves, they were a happy family with lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins to visit. The Owens School house was a center of activity--school, picnics, and preaching services.
Fortunately for many of us the traveling photographer made his way through Stone County in July 1905 and preserved on film one of the last happy days of this small family (see photograph). Only one week after the picture was taken, Mary fell victim to a common disease of that time, dysentery, and died within a week. The heading for the photo is: The Owens family: Charley, Dilly, "Nett", and Dosha, July 1905.
Dilly remained a widower till 6 Nov., 1907, when he married in Stone County, Lucy Melissia Francis Taylor, b. 24 Feb., 1883, Stone County, daughter of Geroge W. Taylor and Lonia Jordon.
Born to Dilly and Lucy, in Stone Co., MO, were five children as follows: Lee Marshal Owens, b. 5/4/1909, d. 6/4/1968, at Reeds Spring, MO. His first marriage was to Allie Mae Blankenship on 7/17/1931, at Galena, MO; his second marriage was in 1938 to Opal Gardner, and his third marriage was in April, 1953 to Edna Teague. George Farris Owens was b. 3/22/1911, and d. 10/26/1984, Springfield, MO. He was married 6/3/1934 in Barry County, MO, to Alta Mae Lewis. Trude Margaret Owens was b. 8/1/1913, (living in 1988), married Albert Franklin Tilden 3/27/1940 in Stone Co., MO. Florence Owens was b. 11/1/1915, and d. 6/6/1987 in Caldwell, Idaho. She was married 8/19/1936 at Cassville, MO, to Kirby Maxwell.
Gladys Leona Owens b. Feb. 8, 1917, d. Jan. 17, 1957, St. Joseph, MO, m. Oct. 3, 1937, Monett, MO, Harold Presley Colboch.
Lucy died Nov. 2, 1918, from complications of child birth. She was buried in the Owens Cemetery, one space from Mary David Owens (Dilly was later buried between them). Again Dilly was a widower with five children under the age of nine. Soon Dilly married Alice E. Fly, but the relationship was not long lasting; they were separated at the time of Dilly's death Oct. 2, 1920.
Dilly became very ill with stomach pains, and was aware of his impending death and made arrangements for the five children. He didn't feel that either Nett or Dosha could handle any of the chilren; Net had 5 and Dosha 3 at the time. I don't know who all the childdren were raised by, but on a whole they were well taken care of.
Dilly was a progressive type of person--he inherited his parents' land and purchased other land. He operated a store and post office at Norwalk. He understood that the way of life was changing in Stone Co. from hunting and farming. Just before his death he had purchased a herd of Jersey cows to start a dairy. After his death the herd had to be auctioned off to settle the bank debt. The land was free of debt, and the court ruled Alice Fly Owens could have use of the land until her death, then the land went to the eight children. When the Table Rock Dam was built, part of the land was covered by water and the remainder sold.
I remember the Christmas my grandparents bought me and four cousins new shoes from Sears. For each of the three children they bought a set of "good dishes." One was the Blue Willow pattern, one Roses, and my parents' was Gardenias. I have my Mother's Gardenia set, and one of my sons has already asked to inherit them. So in a way the Owens "land" is still in the family.
There are many of Dilly's descendants in the U.S., mainly settling in MO, OK, Idaho, and CA.
by Linda Melson Mulkey
From: History of Stone County, Missouri p. 532-533.
Stone County, Missouri, Historical Society
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1871 - 1920 (49 years)