Cowart of Emanuel and Burke Counties

Folks Huxford of Wiregrass of Georgia has traced the Cowart/Coward families back to 1690. He began with John Coward who was born in Wells, Somerset, England ca 1690, a son of Sir William Coward, who came to America with his father. They resided in the Albemarle Sound area of North Carolina (then part of the colony of Virginia), but later became Chowan County, then in 1722 was Bertie County. Sir William Cowart died 5 April 1705. John Cowart married Elizabeth Wimberly (LWT dated 1733, probated 28 March 1737 in Chowan Co.) and had four children, viz: William, John, Edward and Benjamin. William married Ann Allday, a daughter of Thomas Allday. Edward Cowart had a son, James Robert Cowart who married Sarah Moore. James Robert, Zachariah and Nathaniel Cowart all received land grants in Screven County (now Emanuel) in 1799. Edwards children were reportedly: Zachariah and Nathaniel Cowart.

The problem was to discover who the parents were of Silvia (or Sinia) Cowart and her sister, Martha Cowart, both of whom married William Abraham Proctor.

Zachariah Cowart, Revolutionary War Soldier was born 1775 in South Carolina and married Elizabeth Delane. The 1820 Georgia Census lists a Zachariah Cowart residing in Burke and Screven Counties. The Burke County records did not survive, and so we go to Screven County in record-searching. Except for locating the widower, Abraham Proctor, age 80, illiterate and a pauper on the 1850 Burke County Census, a husband of both Silvia and Martha Cowart, this trail came to a dead end. The 1820 Burke County Census appears to have our Zachariah Cowart, born 1755-1775. Two sons were born 1804/1810, one son 1810/1820 and four daughters between 1810/1820. This fits exactly what we know of three of the children, viz: Silvia or Sinia, Martha and Augustus Miles Cowart. Zachariah resided in Emanuel Co. in 1850.

A number of Proctors and Cowarts were found to be members of the Scull Creek Baptist Church (Bulloch Co.) in 1818. These were" Savell Cowart, Sarah Cowart, Killy Cowart, Sarah Cowart, Ann Proctor , Eliza Proctor, Emila Proctor, Martha Proctor, Sinia Cowart, Sarah Proctor, Patience Cowart, Lydia Cowart, William Proctor, Jonas Proctor, Cullen Cowart, Stephen Cowart, Custis Cowart and Matilda Proctor.

Probable Children of Zachariah Cowart:

I. Silvia Cowart, born ca 1804, died 1825, married ca 1824, William Abraham Proctor (1804-1871) of Emanuel County.

II. Martha Cowart, born 1805 in Emanuel County married William Abraham Proctor (1804-1871)after her sister's death.

III. Augustus Miles Cowart was born 28 December 1805 in Emanuel County; listed on 1830-1870 Census Records. He married Mary Parrish, born 25 May 1809, a daughter of Hezekiah Parrish. Augustus drew in the 1827 Land Lottery, receiving Land Lot 29, District 22, Section 1, and located near Fifteen Mile Creek. He is said to be buried in the old Cowart Cemetery near Twin City, Georgia where two of his daughters are buried (marked graves). He resided in Emanuel Co. in 1850.

Issue:

Elizabeth Ann Cowart, born 11 April 1830, died 18 October 1887, married John M. Rountree on 7 October 1847.
Augustus Lewis Cowart, born 15 June 1832 in Emanuel County, died 29 August 1910, married Nancy Ann Barwick on 22 February 1855, buried in the Bethel Church Cemetery. Resident of District 59, 1880 Emanuel Co. Census. Issue: George M. Cowart, born 1864; Nancy Cowart, born 1867; Lott W. Cowart (son), born 1871; Savannah Cowart, born 1873; Annie O. Cowart, born 1876; Fair Leigh Cowart (son), born 1879.
Mary Jane Cowart, born 13 July 1834, married Matthew L. Brown.
Miriam L. Cowart, born 18 October 1836, married Robert Hendrix.
Oliver Cowart, born 13 March 1839.
Joseph Cowart, born 1839.
Zachariah Cowart, born 26 October 1845, died 15 June 1915, married Mary "Mollie" Overstreet (born 1848) on 30 November 1865. Resided in 59th District of Emanuel Co., 1880 Census. Issue: Charles L. Cowart, born 1867; Mary L. Cowart, born 1870; Carrie L. Cowart, born 1873; John M. Cowart, born 1877; and Minnie L. Cowart, born 1878.
Hezekiah Parrish Cowart, born 11 February 1845, died 1928, married Nancy Daniels (born 1845)on 1 6 April 1870. Residents of District 59, Emanuel Co., 1880 Census. Issue: Ida Cowart, born 1872; Ada Cowart, born 1874; Augustus Cowart, born 1875; Mollie Cowart, born 1877; and Sarah Cowart, born 1878.
Nancy Cowart, born 26 March 1848, married Elder William J. Brown.
Eleazer L. Cowart, born 13 November 1850, died 20 May 1915, married (1) Fannie Allen (2) Laura Raben.

Zachariah Cowart probably also had:

James J. Cowart, born 1817 in Georgia, married Emily Ann (born 1831). Their issue:

Daniel C. Cowart, born 1839 Emanuel Co.
Martha Cowart, born 1841 Emanuel Co.
Mary (Polly) Ann Cowart, born 1843 Emanuel Co.
John Cowart, born 1845 Emanuel Co.
Sophrony Cowart, born 1849 Emanuel Co.
Jonas Isma Cowart, born 1851 Emanuel Co., died 8/28/1898 Emanuel Co. Jonas married Gincy Ann Rountree of Emanuel Co. and left her the plantation of 549 acres in Emanuel Co. bounded by lands of Henry Donaldson on West by Allen Willisms and N. A. Parish South by W. A. Parrish East by N. W. Turner. He named his children, James Sidney and Madie Blanch Cowart. Issue: James Sidney Cowart 12/4/1882 Emanuel Co.-1/ 1/18/1930; Oskar Foy Cowart 3/18/1885 Emanuel Co.-10/24/1966; Alva Lenard Cowart 8/8/1887 Tampa, Florida-3/30/1947; Leory Cowart born 4/10/1892; Claude Melton Cowart 3/8/1895-7/7/1963.
Mariann I. P. Cowart, born 1859 Emanuel Co.