William GOWDY (John³, William², Unknown¹) was born before 1775 in Pennsylvania. William died before 3 Sep 1828 in Clark County, Ohio. He married Isabella FLEMING about 1790. She was born before 1775 in Pennsylvania. Isabella probably died between 1840 and 1850 and is probably buried in Greenmount Cemetery, Springfield, Clark County, Ohio with son Andrew and wife Elizabeth.

1. Anna GOWDY, born 29 Apr 1791 in Kentucky. She married James TANNYHILL. According to Hon. Mahlon M. Gowdy Anna and her husband “resided at Springfield, OH. She had children, some of whom lived at Clifton, OH.” The 1820 census of Champaign Co, OH lists this family with 3 males under age 5 and 2 females under age 5 with parents both age 20-45. James TANNEHILL is also listed on the Champaign Co, OH tax rolls for the years 1820-37. No information has been learned of their descendants.
2. John GOWDY, born 23 Jan 1793, died 12 Oct 1864.
3. Elizabeth GOWDY, born 25 Jan 1795 in Kentucky. She married William PATTEN 30 Mar 1815 in Greene Co, OH.The publication Early Clark Co, Ohio Families, Mrs John T. Adkins said the children of Elizabeth and William were Jane, Isabella, Thomas and William. She also stated Elizabeth died 4 Oct 1827. According to Hon. Mahlon M. Gowdy “Betsey Goudy probably died young and unmarried.”
4. Amelia GOWDY, born 17 Nov 1797. Mahlon M. Gowdy said that Amelia died 24 Sep 1825 and that she was married to William PATTEN. It is quite probable that some of the facts regarding the daughters, Elizabeth and Amelia, were confused in Mahlon’s book. He further stated that Amelia “had a son living in Cottonwood Falls, KS about 1870.” Further research is needed to determine the accuracy of the statements regarding Elizabeth and Amelia.
5. Andrew GOUDY, born 4 Oct 1799, died 2 Apr 1877.
6. Robert Scott GOWDY, born 22 Jan 1802, died 15 Aug 1880.
7. Thomas Bigger GOWDY, born 31 Dec 1803, died 6 Feb 1885.
8. Mary GOWDY, born 6 Apr 1806 in Ohio. She married Alexander KIRKPATRICK 19 Mar 1829 in Clark Co, OH. Mahlon M. Gowdy said “Mary Goudy probably died young, as she was not remembered by family connections.” Research did find Mary and her husband Alexander KIRKPATRICK listed as heirs in her father’s estate.
9. Fleming S GOWDY, born 22 Oct 1808, died before 1 Nov 1837.
10. William GOWDY, born 4 Jan 1813, died 19 May 1876.

No record of William’s and Isabella’s marriage has been found. They probably married about 1790 in either Pennsylvania or Kentucky.

Hon. Mahlon M. Gowdy said Isabella FLEMING was “a descendant of an ancient Scotch (sic) family of good repute and much honored in the old country.” Additional research has not determined Isabella’s parents but because of Scottish naming customs, it is possible her father was Robert FLEMING of Franklin Co, PA. The Cumberland Valley Presbyterian Church records list a christening on 9 May 1771 for an Isabella, daughter of Robert FLEMING. Isabella was over the age of 45 in the 1820 Federal Census of Clark Co, OH, which made her birth before 1775. Isabella is probably the elderly woman enumerated with the Thomas Bigger GOWDY family in both the 1830 and 1840 Clark Co, OH census. Isabella probably died between 1840 and 1850 as she is not found in the 1850 census. Her place of birth was learned from 1880 Illinois census data given by her sons Thomas Bigger GOWDY and Robert Scott GOWDY. She is probably buried in the Andrew Gowdy family plot in Greenmount Cemetery, Springfield, Clark Co, OH. Among the burials listed for Lot 33 is an entry for Isabella Gowdy with no date.

No record of William’s birth has been located and his date of birth is based on the 1820 Federal Census information (over the age of 45), plus the assumption he was at least 25 to 30 years of age when he married in about 1790. No earlier census information or church records can be found that would aid in determining his date of birth. Like Isabella, William’s place of birth was determined from the 1880 Illinois census information given by his sons Thomas Bigger GOWDY and Robert Scott GOWDY. He was probably born in York Co, PA.

DAR Patriot Index records indicate William was born about 1752 which is probably incorrect as his father was born in 1736 and William’s first child was born in 1791. His birth probably occurred about 1760.

William died before the Sep 1828 court term, when an Inventory Appraisal of Estate and Sale Bill was filed in Clark Co, OH for the estate by administrators, Thomas GOWDY and James BULL. Buyers of estate items were Robert GOWDY, John GOWDY, Thomas GOWDY, Andrew GOWDY, Isabella GOWDY, Fleming GOWDY, and James TANNEYHILL.

William, along with his father, was found in the Fayette Co, KY tax records for the years 1790, 1791 and 1792.

He was also found in Ohio tax records as follows:

Several Greene Co, OH tax entries were crossed through and later listed on “List of lands transmitted from Hamilton Co to Greene Co in 1818”:

The History of Greene Co, OH [1804] “…On their arrival at Mr A’s home in Kentucky, they were met by William GOWDY, who lived near Alpha, who had been delegated, with a 4 horse team, to bring Mr A’s household goods, books, etc…Mr GOWDY was a young married man at this time, while his father’s family lived near. In his father’s family were 2 daughters, Nancy and Ann. To the latter, a young man by the name of James Bull had been, for some time, paying his respects…” and "Mr Hugh Andrew, now living in Xenia, emigrated to this township from Fayette County, Kentucky, in 1804…The way over which he traveled with a 4 horse team, in company with William GOWDY…was wild and rough; no road nor trails.”

R S Dills in his 1881 book titled History of Greene County, Ohio said “William Gowdy was hired to bring Hugh Andrew and Rev Robert Armstrong from Fayette Co, KY to Ohio in 1804 .” Also "...Mr. Armstrong was brought to Greene Co for ministering to congregation ...On their arrival at Mr. A's home in Kentucky, they were met by William Gowdy, who lived near Alpha, who had been delegated, with a 4-horse team, to bring Mr. A's household goods, books, etc...Mr Gowdy was a young married man at this time, while his father's family lived near. In his father's family were two daughters, Nancy and Ann. To the latter a young man by the name of James BULL had been courting...”