1850 U.S. Census, Virginia, Essex County
Page 70
Dwelling 68, Household 68
Owen, Joseph, 35, male, laborer, born in Virginia, cannot read or write
Owen, John, 14, male, born in Virginia

On 25 January 1866, John M. Owen was married to Priscilla Dunn in Essex County, Virginia. He was 29, single, born in Middlesex County, Virginia, living in Essex County, Virginia, son of Joseph Owen and Sissora Mercer, occupation machinist. She was 23, a widow, born in King and Queen County, Virginia, living in Essex County, daughter of Conway Courtney and Ann Booker. Marriage by Isaac Diggs. [Essex County, Virginia, Marriage Register 1, page 14.]

On 3 April 1873, John M. Owen married Mary E. Shearwood in Essex County, Virginia. He was 36, a widower, born in Essex County and living there, a steam saw mill engineer; she was 26 [this is incorrect], single, born in Essex County and living there. His parents were listed as Joseph Owen and Lura Mercer, hers as Richard Shearwood and Lucy Boughan. The minister was Peter Ainslie. [Essex County, Virginia, Marriage Register 1, page 33.]

On 1 November 1888, John M. Owen was mentioned as a neighboring landowner in a deed from Peter T. Campbell and Mildred Campbell his wife to Arthur Jackson. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 56, pages 280–281.]

On 26 May 1890, J. M. Owen was mentioned as a neighboring landowner in a deed from Peter T. Campbell and Millie A. Campbell his wife, Willie L. Campbell and Lula C. Campbell his wife, Justin Derieux and Mollie E. Derieux his wife, and Mary E. Campbell widow of Peter T. Campbell to James E. Rogers. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 56, pages 54–55.]

On 2 November 1876, complainant John M. Owen sued on behalf on himself and all other creditors of Peter T. Campbell deceased. The distributees and heirs of Peter T. Campbell are: Mary E. Campbell his widow, and children Thomas Campbell, William Campbell and Mary E. Campbell. Thomas is above 14; William and Mary are under 14. There is an answer of the children by James Roy Micou stating that they are of very tender years, etc. The answer of Mary E. Campbell states that Peter T. Campbell died in April 1873. “She is in very limited circumstances, with three children, two of whom are quite young and almost uneducated”. [Essex County, Virginia, Box Chancery Ended 89, 1891–92, loose paper.]

Note: Did John Owen secondly marry an Ella M. Shearwood, sister of his first wife? They had a daughter Mary S. Owen who in 1908 married Charles E. LeFoe. See ECMR1, page 172. They also had a daughter Owen Lee who in 1914 married Clayton Stafford. See EDMR1, page 194.