Eugene Owens (1915 - 1957)

Born 28 Sep 1915 in Boyle, Kentucky, United States

Ancestors

Died 3 Dec 1957 at age 42 in Lebanon, Marion, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

Eugene Owens is a part of US Black heritage.

Eugene Owens was a Kentuckian.

Descendant of Pompey Lee (bef.1791-bef.1860) and Nelly Lee (bef.1791-bef.1850), who were enslaved in Lincoln and Boyle Counties, Kentucky.

Eugene, child of Emma Andrews, was born on 28 September 1915 in Boyle, Kentucky, United States.^[1] He is the son of Joseph Owens and Emina Andrews.

1920 In the 1920 census Eugean (age 3 years, 5 months) was the son of Joe Owens in Boyle, Kentucky, United States.^[2]

Mother's Death When Eugene was about 6, his mother, Emma, daughter of Henry Andrews & Bettie Marshall, died in 1923 in Boyle, Kentucky, United States. She was laid to rest nearby in the Wilsonville Chapel AME Church Cemetery. ^[3]Emma was mentioned on a memorial in Wilsonville Chapel AME Church Cemetery, Wilsonville, Boyle County, Kentucky, United States with a death date of 10 November 1923.^[4]

1930 In the 1930 census Eugene (age 13) was the grandchild of Green Owens in District 3, Boyle, Kentucky, United States.^[5]

Birth of Daughter 1935 When Eugene was 18, he had a daughter, Jeanette Owens, born 23 May 1935. Jeanette's mother was Irene Frye. Jeanette Turner (Owens) (age 18), daughter of Eugene Owens & Irene Turner, married William Segar (age 18) on 6 September 1952 in Lancaster, Garrard, Kentucky, United States.^[6][7]

Death of Brother James 1937 When Eugene was 20, his brother James Thomas Owens, son of Joe Owens & Emma Andrews, died (age 25) on 18 June 1937 in Boyle, Kentucky, United States. He was born 8 May 1912 and was single. James died in an accident at work in a garage, of burns. His brother was laid to red in the Wilsonville Chapel AME Church Cemetery ^{[8] [9]}

Birth of Daughter 1938 Glenna, child of Irene Frye, was born on 4 April 1938 in Boyle, Kentucky, United States. No father is listed, but the father may be Eugene Owens.^[10]

WWII HIs death certificate mentions he served in WWII. Records are needed.

1940 In the 1940 census Eugene (age 25) was the single grandson of Henry Andrews in Magisterial District 2, Boyle, Kentucky, United States.^[11]

This is three years after his brother Jame's tragic death in 1937, Eugene is living with his paternal grandparents. Not far away is brother Robert is living with his First Cousin Once Removed, or his grandmother, Nellie J Lee's sister Evangeline's son. It is unknown at present where his father, Joe Owens, was in 1940. Joe is found in 1950, (age 56) living as a "house maid" in a white household in Fayette, KY.

Marriage and Children

From the 1950 census, it can be deduced that he married or had a liaison with Helen Owen before 1942, when his daughter Eloise was born.

1950 In the 1950 census Eugene (age 34), Carpenter, was the married son-in-law of West Brown and Malinda Brown, in Lebanon, Marion, Kentucky, United States. He is married to Helen Owen (age 27) and this his children are Eloise (age 8), Betty Lous (age 7), Mary Helen (age 3). Also living in the household was his sister in law Beulah Brown (age 17, single) and a nephew, Jackland M Slading (age 1.)^[12]

Seven years later he was fatally shot at close range in this household with a shotgun by his wife.

Death and Burial

Eugene, son of Joseph Owens & Emma Andrews, died (age 41) on 3 December 1957 in Lebanon, Marion, Kentucky, United States. His parents were Joseph Owens and Emma Andrews. He died in the Mary Immaculate Infirmary, Lebanon, one day after an abdominal close range gunshot wound. received at his mother-in-laws house. He was buried in the Wilsonville Chapel AME Church Cemetery, KY. The informant was Ella Louise Owens.^[13]

His wife was later acquitted on the charges of manslaughter.
A notice in The Courier Journal of Louisville, KY on Feb 12, 1958 read as follows:
"Slayer of Husband Freed
Special to the Courier Journal
Lebanon, Ky., Feb 11 -- Mrs Helen Brown Owens, 39, Lebanon, was acquitted by a jury in Marion Circuit Court here on Tuesday on a charge of mansalguther in the fatal shooting of her husband Eugene Owens, 40, on Dec 3. .^[14]

He was laid to rest in the Wilsonville Chapel AME Church Cemetery. ^[15]

Notes

Find marriage certificate.

He had children with Irene (Frye) Turner (abt.1917-bef.2007)

1. Jeanette (Owens) Segar
2. Glenna J Frye (1938-aft.1939)

They do not appear to have been married. Irene, in 1939, married John Turner, b. 1913 of Cincinnati, son of John and Minnie Turner. The wedding took place in the Christian Church, in Danville

Acknowledgements

Mike Denis, author of African American Genealogies of Boyle County, his work makes my work possible. ^[16]

Naomi Van Tol USBH Team member, for looking up the news article on the acquittal of his wife.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "Kentucky, Vital Record Indexes, 1911-1999"
   citing Birth, Boyle, Kentucky, United States, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort
   FamilySearch Record: QKHJ-13RS (accessed 14 December 2023)
   Eugene Owens born on 28 Sep 1915, child of Emma Anders, in Boyle, Kentucky, United States.
2. ↑ 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920"
   citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Line: 4; Digital film/folder number: 004965936; FHL microfilm: 1820558; Image number: 875; Sheet number: 4; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01936-7
   FamilySearch Record: MH26-ZKL (accessed 14 December 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RXC-79M
   Eugean Owens (3 years 5 months), single son, in household of Joe Owens (25) in Boyle, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky.
3. ↑ Death: "Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1967"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 004183594; FHL microfilm: 1912694; Image number: 1219; Packet letter: C; Indexing batch: I08566-8
   FamilySearch Record: N96D-WX2 (accessed 14 December 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9TF-JTXQ
   Emma Owens death 1923, daughter of Henry Andrews & Bettie Marshall, in Boyle, Kentucky, United States.
4. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (no image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #121987653 (accessed 14 December 2023)
   Memorial page for Emma Andrews Owens (5 Jan 1892-10 Nov 1923), citing Wilsonville Chapel AME Church Cemetery, Wilsonville, Boyle County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by Barry Sanborn (contributor 48282362).
5. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
   citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T626; Line: 100; Digital film/folder number: 004950736; FHL microfilm: 2340470; Image number: 102; Sheet number: 4; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03758-7
   FamilySearch Record: XMDR-7JX (accessed 14 December 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RH3-3GS
   Eugene Owens (13), single grandchild, in household of Green Owens (87) in District 3, Boyle, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky.
6. ↑ Marriage: "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954"
   citing Marriage, Lancaster, Garrard, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 1,842,957
   FamilySearch Record: Q2DZ-WJN9 (accessed 19 December 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C91S-W7SJ-T Image number 00562
   Jeanette Turner (18) marriage to William Segar (18) on 6 Sep 1952 in Lancaster, Garrard, Kentucky, United States.
7. ↑ Death: "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007"
   citing Digital film/folder number: DI0001099
   FamilySearch Record: 6KQG-QSTK (accessed 19 December 2023)
   Jeanette Turner Segar death 6 Oct 2006 (born 23 May 1935).
8. ↑ Death: "Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1967"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 004180372; FHL microfilm: 1913335; Image number: 2035; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: I08503-5
   FamilySearch Record: N98L-4RK (accessed 14 December 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9YK-CWW6
   James Thomas Owens death 18 Jun 1937 (age 25), son of Joe Owens & Emma Andrews, husband of , [1937], in Boyle, Kentucky, United States.
9. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (no image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #121988076 (accessed 14 December 2023)
   Memorial page for James Thomas Owens (8 May 1912-18 Jun 1937), citing Wilsonville Chapel AME Church Cemetery, Wilsonville, Boyle County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by Barry Sanborn (contributor 48282362).
10. ↑ Birth: "Kentucky, Vital Record Indexes, 1911-1999"
    citing Birth, Boyle, Kentucky, United States, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort
    FamilySearch Record: QKHL-FQYV (accessed 19 December 2023)
    Glenna J Frye born on 4 Apr 1938, child of Irene Frye, in Boyle, Kentucky, United States.
11. ↑ 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
    citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 80; Digital film/folder number: 005460590; Image number: 115; Sheet number: 8; Sheet letter: A
    FamilySearch Record: K7R9-K2D (accessed 14 December 2023)
    FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L9M1-S4YZ
    Eugene Owens (25), single grandson, in household of Henry Anheros (71) in Magisterial District 2, Boyle, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky.
12. ↑ 1950 Census: "United States 1950 Census"
    citing Page: 20; Line: 9; Digital film/folder number: 109023029; Image number: 21
    FamilySearch Record: 6F7D-536Z (accessed 14 December 2023)
    FamilySearch Image: 3QHJ-5QHW-B9ZQ-X
    Eugene Owen (34), married son-in-law, Carpenter, in household of West Brown (65) in Lebanon, Marion, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky.
13. ↑ Death: "Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1967"
    citing Digital film/folder number: 007552610; FHL microfilm: 001709312; Image number: 2572
    FamilySearch Record: QVJ5-K1RQ (accessed 18 December 2023)
    FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89DL-49QQ-G
    Eugene Owens death 3 Dec 1957 (age 41), son of Joseph Owens & Emma Andrews, in Lebanon, Marion, Kentucky, United States.
14. ↑ 1958 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
    The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Wed, Feb 12, 1958, page 4
    Newspapers Clip: 137016408 (accessed 18 December 2023)
15. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #25895710 (accessed 14 December 2023)
    Memorial page for Eugene Owens (18 Sep 1915-3 Dec 1957), citing Wilsonville Chapel AME Church Cemetery, Wilsonville, Boyle County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by Mike Denis (contributor 46927231).
16. ↑ African American Genealogies of Boyle County, KY: Mike Denis, African American Genealogies of Boyle County, KY
    PDF, Pulbished online
    African American Genealogies of Boyle County, (accessed 10 December 2023)