Descendants of John Coward

Generation No. 1  

1.  JOHN¹ COWARD was born Unknown, and died Unknown.  He married ELIZABETH WIMBERLY GRIFFIN Unknown.  She was born Unknown, and died Unknown.

Child of JOHN COWARD and ELIZABETH GRIFFIN is:

2.                i.       JOHN² COWARD, b. 1721; d. Unknown.

Generation No. 2

2.  JOHN² COWARD (JOHN¹) was born 1721, and died Unknown.  He married MAYBEE CAKE. 

Children of JOHN COWARD and MAYBEE CAKE are:

3.                i.       JAMES³ COWARD, SR., b. 1753, Dorsetshire, England; d. 1814, Rutherford County, NC.

                  ii.       WILLIAM COWARD, b. Unknown.

                 iii.       JOHN COWARD, b. Unknown.

Generation No. 3

3.  JAMES³ COWARD, SR. (JOHN², JOHN¹) was born 1753 in Dorsetshire, England¹, and died 1814 in Rutherford County, NC.  He married WEAVER¹ 1772 in Rutherford County, NC.  She was born Unknown in Rutherford County, NC², and died Bef. 1810.

Notes for JAMES COWARD, SR.:

James Coward, Sr., came to Charles City, Maryland at age 21 from the Port of London on the ship "Chance" on Feb. 9, 1774.  His occupation was listed as gardener, and he was an indentured servant.  He later moved to Virginia, then on to North Carolina.

Children of JAMES COWARD and WEAVER are:

4.                i.       PETER CRAWFORD⁴ COWARD, b. November 13, 1771, Rutherford County, NC; d. December 1849, Cherokee County, GA.

5.               ii.       BENJAMIN COWARD, b. ABT  1774, Rutherford County, NC; d. 1850.

6.              iii.       JONATHAN COWARD, SR., b. ABT  1774.

                 iv.       SARAH COWARD, b. ABT  1780, Rutherford County, NC; d. Unknown; m. DAVID COCKRAM, January 13, 1802; b. Bet. 1771 - 1780; d. Aft. 1830.

7.               v.       JAMES COWARD, JR., b. ABT  1785, Rutherford County, NC; d. Aft. 1870.

8.              vi.       STEPHEN COWARD, b. July 20, 1789, NC; d. December 12, 1868.

                vii.       MILLICENT COWARD, b. ABT  1790.

9.            viii.       REBECCA COWARD, b. ABT  1792, Rutherford County, NC.

                  ix.       ELIHU COWARD, b. ABT  1793; m. (1) MARY CHASTAIN; b. Unknown; d. Unknown; m. (2) CHARLOTTE BIRD, January 27, 1823; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                   x.       MARGARET COWARD, b. ABT  1795; m. ABRAHAM CHASTAIN; b. 1770; d. 1848.

Generation No. 4

4.  PETER CRAWFORD⁴ COWARD (JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹) was born November 13, 1771 in Rutherford County, NC, and died December 1849 in Cherokee County, GA.  He married NANCY DIMSDALE January 13, 1801 in Rutherford County, NC³, daughter of ZACHARIA DIMSDALE and WINIFRED.  She was born November 17, 1780 in SC, and died Bef. 1840 in Rutherford County, NC.

Children of PETER COWARD and NANCY DIMSDALE are:

                   i.       ROBERT JOSEPH⁵ COWARD, b. 1801, Rutherford County, NC; d. 1875, Rutherford County, NC; m. AMELIA MARGARET MCBRAYER, ABT  1821; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                  ii.       WINNIFRED "WINNY" COWARD, b. January 22, 1804, Rutherford County, NC; d. ABT  1846, Rutherford County, NC; m. WLLIAM MILLS, March 22, 1823, Rutherford County, NC; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                 iii.       OLIVER COWARD, b. October 23, 1804, Rutherford County, NC; d. Aft. 1860, Cherokee County, GA; m. SARAH "SALLIE" GREEN, ABT  1830; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                 iv.       BENJAMIN DAVID COWARD, b. October 14, 1807, Rutherford County, NC; d. November 16, 1882, Pickens County, GA; m. KATHERINE BAILEY; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

More About BENJAMIN DAVID COWARD:

    Burial: Long Swamp Baptist Church, Marble Hill, Pickens Co., GA

                  v.       MARTHA COWARD, b. July 5, 1812, Rutherford County, NC; d. Unknown.

                 vi.       HULDE COWARD, b. December 31, 1816, Rutherford County, NC; d. Unknown.

                vii.       NANCY JANE COWARD, b. April 24, 1816, Rutherford County, NC; d. April 8, 1859, Cherokee County, GA; m. ASHLEY J. LYON, ABT  1834; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

More About NANCY JANE COWARD:

    Burial: Sharp Mountain Baptist Church, Cherokee Co., GA

               viii.       PETER CRAWFORD COWARD, b. November 12, 1817, Rutherford County, NC; d. January 22, 1890, Cherokee County, GA; m. OLIVE W. CLIFTON, December 19, 1838, Rutherford County, NC; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

More About PETER CRAWFORD COWARD:

    Burial: Philadelphia Baptist Church, Jasper, Pickens Co., GA

                  ix.       STEPHEN D. COWARD, b. March 14, 1819, Rutherford County, NC; d. May 24, 1903, Nelson, Pickens Co. or Cherokee Co., GA; m. (1) SOPHIA HOLBERT, ABT  1839; b. January 10, 1816, Rutherford County, NC; d. November 12, 1870, Nelson, Pickens Co., GA; m. (2) ELIZA CARPENTER OR JAMES, September 10, 1872, Pickens Co., GA; b. ABT  1833, SC⁴; d. Unknown.

More About STEPHEN D. COWARD:

    Burial: Bethlehem Bapt.

                   x.       WILSON R. COWARD, b. August 30, 1821, Rutherford County, NC; d. June 19, 1886, Cherokee County, GA; m. MARY POLLY BAILEY, January 2, 1844, Ball Ground, Cherokee Co., GA; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

More About WILSON R. COWARD:

    Burial: Bathesda Baptist Cem., Nelson, Pickens Co., GA

                  xi.       WILLIAM HARVEY COWARD, b. December 25, 1822, Rutherford County, NC; d. April 1, 1862, Rock Island, Illinois; m. SUSANNAH BAILEY, February 2, 1845, Ball Ground, Cherokee Co., GA; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

More About WILLIAM HARVEY COWARD:

    Burial: Confederate Cem., Rock Island, Illinois

5.  BENJAMIN⁴ COWARD (JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹) was born ABT  1774 in Rutherford County, NC, and died 1850.  He married ELIZABETH LAUGHTER ABT  1807.  She was born 1797, and died Bet. 1850 - 1860.

Children of BENJAMIN COWARD and ELIZABETH LAUGHTER are:

                   i.       MILLY⁵ COWARD, b. 1808⁵; d. Aft. 1860.

                  ii.       SARAH COWARD, b. 1810⁵.

                 iii.       LEWIS COWARD, b. ABT  1811; d. Bef. 1850.

10.            iv.       CYNTHIA COWARD, b. ABT  1812; d. May 16, 1884.

                  v.       RACHEL COWARD, b. ABT  1815; d. Bet. 1850 - 1860.

                 vi.       WINNY COWARD, b. 1816⁵; d. Aft. 1860.

Notes for WINNY COWARD:

    listed as insane in 1860 Polk County census

                vii.       MELZER COWARD, b. 1825⁶; d. Aft. 1860.

               viii.       STEPHEN COWARD, b. ABT  1825; d. Bef. 1850.

                  ix.       ELIZABETH COWARD, b. 1826⁷; d. Aft. 1860.

Notes for ELIZABETH COWARD:

listed as insane in 1860 Polk County census

6.  JONATHAN⁴ COWARD, SR. (JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹) was born ABT  1774.  He married MARTHA HUDSON ABT  1793, daughter of GEORGE HUDSON and LUCRETIA WEAVER.  She was born 1782 in Buncome, NC, and died 1853.

Children of JONATHAN COWARD and MARTHA HUDSON are:

                   i.       NANCY⁵ COWARD, b. 1800, Buncome, NC; d. 1867.

                  ii.       BETSY COWARD, b. 1801, Buncome, NC; d. Unknown.

                 iii.       JAMES COWARD, b. 1801; d. Aft. 1880.

                 iv.       JANE (JENNY) COWARD, b. 1803, Buncome, NC; d. Aft. 1870.

                  v.       MARTHA COWARD, b. 1805, Buncome, NC; d. Aft. 1880, GA.

                 vi.       JONATHAN COWARD, JR., b. April 10, 1807, Buncome, NC; d. 1885.

11.           vii.       ELIHUE COWARD, b. 1809.

               viii.       MARY POLLY COWARD, b. 1811, Haywood Co., NC; d. Unknown.

                  ix.       HUDSON COWARD, b. 1814, Haywood Co., NC; d. 1872.

                   x.       BENJAMIN COWARD, b. January 30, 1816, Haywood Co., NC; d. May 22, 1896.

                  xi.       NATHAN COWARD, b. June 12, 1818, Chaney Fork, Haywood Co., NC; d. February 22, 1909.

7.  JAMES⁴ COWARD, JR. (JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹) was born ABT  1785 in Rutherford County, NC, and died Aft. 1870.  He married MARY WORLEY November 8, 1812, daughter of SILAS WORLEY and JULIA LANKFORD.  She was born 1792 in Cumberland, VA, and died Bef. 1870.

Children of JAMES COWARD and MARY WORLEY are:

                   i.       WILLIAM⁵ COWARD, b. 1815, Rutherford County, NC.

                  ii.       ARTILLA COWARD, b. 1815, Rutherford County, NC; d. 1881.

                 iii.       EMELINE COWARD, b. Bet. 1816 - 1820, Rutherford County, NC.

                 iv.       HARVEY COWARD, b. 1822, Rutherford County, NC; d. Aft. 1860.

                  v.       MARY ANN COWARD, b. 1824, Rutherford County, NC.

                 vi.       MAZILLA COWARD, b. 1829, Rutherford County, NC; d. Bef. 1860.

8.  STEPHEN⁴ COWARD (JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹) was born July 20, 1789 in NC⁸, and died December 12, 1868.  He married AMELIA "MILLIE" ROGERS November 29, 1815 in Rutherford County, NC⁹.  She was born 1795 in NC¹⁰, and died Bet. 1847 - 1895.

Notes for STEPHEN COWARD:

1850 census Polk District, Rutherford Co., NC:  
Stephen Coward, age 60
Milly, age 55 F
Martha, age 24 F
Peter, age 22 M
Martin, age 19 M
Sarah, age 16 F
Elizabeth, age 15 F (this is Diana)
John, age 12 M
David, age 28 M

1860 census Polk Co., NC, p. 83, household 606,577:
Stephen Coward, age 70, farmer, $2000, $537, NC
Milly, age 65 F, SC
Martha M, age 33 F
David Rogers, age 91 M
Susan Searsy, age 26 F, B (black)
John Searsy, age 2 M, B
Davis Coward, age 9 M
Milly Ferguson, age 75 F

Children of STEPHEN COWARD and AMELIA ROGERS are:

                   i.       THOMAS⁵ COWARD, b. 1816; d. 1864; m. ELIZA ANN INGLISH, Unknown; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

12.             ii.       LEWIS COWARD, b. December 15, 1817; d. April 16, 1888, Polk County, NC.

                 iii.       SUSAN COWARD, b. 1818; d. Unknown; m. JESSE TALIAFERRO LEWIS, Unknown; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                 iv.       DAVIS SCOTT COWARD, b. 1820; d. 1852; m. AMANDA LOTT, Unknown; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                  v.       JONATHAN COWARD, b. 1822; d. 1879; m. FRANCES REBECCA WOMACK, Unknown; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                 vi.       MARY M. COWARD, b. 1823; d. Unknown; m. SAMUEL WALDROP, November 19, 1840, Rutherford County, NC¹¹; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

13.           vii.       CYNTHIA E. COWARD, b. February 1824, NC; d. September 27, 1903, Brights Mill, Hamblen Co., TN.

               viii.       MARTHA "MATT" COWARD, b. 1826; d. Unknown.

                  ix.       PETER COWARD, b. 1828; d. 1904; m. ELIZA ANN RUSSELL, Unknown; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                   x.       MARTIN C. COWARD, b. 1831.

                  xi.       SARAH ANN COWARD, b. 1834; d. Unknown; m. JOSEPH C. WALDROP, Unknown; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

14.            xii.       ELIA DIANAH COWARD, b. 1835, Rutherford County, NC; d. February 1, 1905, Polk Co., NC.

                xiii.       JOHN D. COWARD, b. 1838; d. Unknown; m. ELFRIDA L. EGERTON, ABT  1860¹²; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

Notes for JOHN D. COWARD:

1860 census Polk Co., NC, p. 83 (next door to father Stephen), household 607,578:
John Coward, age 22 M, farmer, $0, $100, NC
Elfrida, age 21 F, NC  

                xiv.       UNNAMED, b. ABT  1829; d. Bef. 1870.

9.  REBECCA⁴ COWARD (JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹) was born ABT  1792 in Rutherford County, NC.  She married OBADIAH WORLEY June 13, 1821 in Rutherford County, NC¹³.  He was born 1775 in Rutherford County, NC, and died 1832.

Children of REBECCA COWARD and OBADIAH WORLEY are:

                   i.       SILAS⁵ WORLEY, b. 1822.

                  ii.       JOHN WORLEY, b. 1824.

                 iii.       MILLY WORLEY, b. 1825.

Generation No. 5

10.  CYNTHIA⁵ COWARD (BENJAMIN⁴, JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹) was born ABT  1812, and died May 16, 1884.  She married WILLIAM M. WILSON October 31, 1837, son of ABRAHAM WILSON.  He was born 1808 in NC, and died December 11, 1894 in Rockmart, Polk Co., GA ??.

Children of CYNTHIA COWARD and WILLIAM WILSON are:

                   i.       HENRY J.⁶ WILSON, b. 1839; d. Unknown; m. DELPHA WEAVER, Unknown; b. November 9, 1859, Polk County, NC; d. Unknown.

                  ii.       EMILY WILSON, b. 1843; d. Unknown; m. JOHN WESLEY EARLEY, Unknown; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                 iii.       CYNTHIA ARCILLA WILSON, b. October 1844; d. 1906, Polk County, NC.

                 iv.       ELBERT W. WILSON, b. March 8, 1846; d. August 29, 1912, Polk County, NC; m. MARY E. BYARS, Unknown; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                  v.       BENJAMIN TAYLOR WILSON, b. March 26, 1848; d. March 23, 1903; m. DELPHIA BYARS, February 6, 1868, NC; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

                 vi.       ALVIN L. WILSON, b. 1851; d. Unknown; m. TENNESSEE EVELYN COLLINS, Unknown; b. 1856, Polk County, NC; d. October 13, 1936, Morganton, Burke Co., NC.

                vii.       COLUMBUS OLIVER WILSON, b. January 15, 1853; d. June 20, 1913, Polk County, NC; m. MARY EFFLER, Unknown; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

11.  ELIHUE⁵ COWARD (JONATHAN⁴, JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹) was born 1809.  He married SARAH JANE CHASTAIN ABT  1828. 

Children of ELIHUE COWARD and SARAH CHASTAIN are:

                   i.       WILLIAM HUDSON "HUT"⁶ COWARD, b. Unknown.

                  ii.       GEORGE COWARD, b. Unknown.

                 iii.       ELIZABETH COWARD, b. Unknown.

                 iv.       RACHEL COWARD, b. Unknown.

                  v.       JASON V. COWARD, b. Unknown.

                 vi.       EDWARD "NED" COWARD, b. Unknown.

                vii.       JOHN A. COWARD, b. Unknown.

               viii.       ELISHA MARION "ELIHU" COWARD, b. Unknown.

                  ix.       MARTHA COWARD, b. Unknown.

16.              x.       MARY MODENA COWARD, b. November 14, 1852; d. July 10, 1904, Hayden, Routt, CO.

12.  LEWIS⁵ COWARD (STEPHEN⁴, JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹) was born December 15, 1817, and died April 16, 1888 in Polk County, NC.  He married OZELLA "ZILLA" BRADLEY December 10, 1842.  She was born April 13, 1817¹⁴, and died August 14, 1912 in Polk County, NC.

Notes for LEWIS COWARD:

Big Level Baptist Cemetery can be reached from Rutherfordton, NC by going west on highway NC108 and when you get to the Polk County line take the second road to the right that you come to. There are signs at the intersection pointing the way to Big Level and Cooper’s Gap churches. Big Level will be about five miles on the right side of the road.

More About LEWIS COWARD:

    Burial: Big Level Baptist Cem., Polk Co., NC¹⁵

More About OZELLA "ZILLA" BRADLEY:

    Burial: Big Level Baptist Cem., Polk Co., NC

Children of LEWIS COWARD and OZELLA BRADLEY are:

                   i.       WILLIAM W.⁶ COWARD, b. ABT  1844¹⁶.

17.             ii.       THOMAS JONES COWARD, b. July 1, 1845, Rutherford County, NC; d. June 29, 1914, Strawn, TX.

                 iii.       RHODY A. COWARD, b. ABT  1847.

                 iv.       DAVID TAYLOR COWARD, b. ABT  1849¹⁶.

                  v.       SARAH COWARD, b. ABT  1850¹⁶.

                 vi.       MARTHA C. "MOLLIE" COWARD, b. ABT  1852.

                vii.       ELLEN COWARD, b. ABT  1855¹⁶.

               viii.       TOLIVER LEWIS COWARD, b. ABT  1857¹⁶.

                  ix.       STEPHEN COWARD, b. ABT  February 1860¹⁶.

                   x.       CALVIN COWARD, b. Unknown.

                  xi.    D. J. COWARD, b. Unknown.

                 xii.       WILKIE COWARD, b. Unknown.

13.  CYNTHIA E.⁵ COWARD²⁸ (STEPHEN⁴, JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹) was born February 1824 in NC, and died September 27, 1903 in Brights Mill, Hamblen Co., TN.  She married WILLIAM JAY BLANTON January 24, 1844 in Rutherford County, NC¹⁷, son of JAMES BLANTON and MARY JAY.  He was born ABT  1823 in NC, and died October 10, 1864 in Elmira, Chemung Co., NY.

Notes for CYNTHIA E. COWARD:

Information about the Blanton family and their descendants comes from the wonderful research of Carolyn Lambert of Springfield, IL, CARR2009@aol.com.  Thanks, Carolyn!

More About CYNTHIA E. COWARD:

    Burial: Cedar Creek Cem., Hamblen Co., TN

Notes for WILLIAM JAY BLANTON:

    William Jay Blanton died while in a Union prison.

1860 census Polk Co., NC, p. 83 (four doors from Cynthia's father Stephen Coward), household 610,581:
Wm. Blanton, age 37 M, farmer, $100, $105, NC
Cynthia E., age 35 F
Mary E., age 15 F
Johnathan E., age 13 M
Martha J., age 11 F
Sarah A., age 9 F
Susannah, age 7 F
Ellen, age 5 F
James S., age 3 M

1870 census Grainger Co., TN, p. 24 (1st Civil District, Morristown PO), household 162,168:
Blenton, Cynthia, age 45 F, keeping house, NC
--, Mary E., age 25 F, at home, NC
--, Edward, age 23 M, NC
--, Martha J., age 21 F, NC
--, Sarah A., age 19 F, NC
--, Susan, age 17 F, NC
--, Ellen, age 15 F, NC
--, James, age 13 M, NC
--, Joseph, age 9 M, NC
--, Thomas, age 7 M, NC
Jackson, Diana, age 34 F, NC
--, Louisa A., age 15 F, NC
--, Louesa, age 8 F, NC
--, Mary J., age 6 F, NC

More About WILLIAM JAY BLANTON:

    Burial: Elmira National Cem., Elmira, New York

Children of CYNTHIA COWARD and WILLIAM BLANTON are:

                   i.       MARY E.⁶ BLANTON, b. February 1845, Rutherford Co., NC; d. November 8, 1903, Hamblen Co., TN; m. JOHN RICHARD YARBOROUGH, November 14, 1872, Hamblen County, TN; b. May 1851, TN; d. December 21, 1927, Brights Mill, Hamblen Co., TN.

                  ii.       JOHNATHAN EDWARD BLANTON, b. January 1848, Rutherford Co., NC; d. Bet. 1900 - 1910, Hamblen Co., TN.

                 iii.       MARTHA J. BLANTON, b. ABT  1849, Rutherford Co., NC.

18.            iv.       SARAH ANN BLANTON, b. May 12, 1851, Rutherford Co., NC; d. Unknown, Collin Co., TX.

                  v.       SUSAN BLANTON, b. ABT  1853, Rutherford Co., NC; d. Unknown.

19.            vi.       ELLEN EDNA BLANTON, b. June 5, 1855, Rutherford Co., NC; d. December 5, 1928, Giles Co., TN.

20.           vii.       JAMES STEPHEN BLANTON, b. October 10, 1857, Rutherford Co., NC; d. July 24, 1929, Hamblen Co., TN.

               viii.       JOSEPH L. BLANTON, b. May 1860, Polk Co., NC.

                  ix.       THOMAS BLANTON, b. ABT  1863, Polk Co., NC; d. Unknown; m. SARAH JENKINS, August 1884, Hamblen County, TN; b. Unknown; d. Unknown.

14.  ELIA DIANAH⁵ COWARD (STEPHEN⁴, JAMES³, JOHN², JOHN¹)