Stephen D. Cowart

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GACHEROK/2008-11/1227...

From: "Elaine Russell" <erussell6346@charter.net> Subject: Re: [GACHEROK] Stephen D. Cowart Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:40:19 -0500

Stephen D. Cowart (Mar 14, 1819 - May 24, 1903) was the son of Peter C. Cowart (Nov 13, 1771-Dec 1848). Peter was married to Nancy Dimsdale (Nov 17, 1780-bef 1840) on Jan 15, 1801 in Rutherford Co., NC. I believe (but have not proved) that Zachary Dimsdale was her father and think her mother may have been Winifred (maiden name unknown). Margaret ( 1808-1880) and Hiram Dimsdale (1799-1871) are buried at the Bethesda Baptist Church Cemetary in Pickens Co., GA as are all others mentioned here. Stephen D. Cowart was married to Sophia Holbert on Sep 1, 1839. I believe that Hiram was married to a niece of Sophia. So the Dimsdales come through both sides. The Cowarts came from North Carolina and the Dimsdale from South Carolina. All ended up in Cherokee and Pickens Counties, Georgia.

MEMORIAL PHOTOS 3 FLOWERS 6 Stephen was married to Sophia Holbert, September 1, 1839 in Rutherford County, North Carolina, USA.

They had six childern. Charity H. Cowart Born September 22, 1840, Lewis Ervin Cowart Born July 20, 1847, Mary E. Cowart Born July 8, 1850, Benjamin H. Cowart Born December 10,1852, Louisa Olive Cowart Born April 2, 1855,Hesterann Sophia Cowart Born December 18, 1858.

Then he married Eliza James on September 18, 1872.

The following information was sent to me from Find A Graver MC .

Cowarts and Holberts, kinsmen and others converged from far counties at Nelson's Bethesda Church cemetery Sunday, May 24,2009 to honor a long-dead ancestor as a Confederate veteran. Stephen D. Cowart departed this life May 24, 1903. Nothing on his simple headstone indicates Cowart served with the Confederacy.

Research by Cowart's great-great-granddaughter, Elaine Russell of Alcoa, Tennessee places Cowart as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Cherokee Legion. Russell said the Legion was a Georgia State Guard unit organized midway through the war to defend North Georgia when Union invaders came knocking in 1863. Stephen Cowart enlisted with the Legion at age 44 for six month's service, she said.

Originally from North Carolina, Stephen married Sophia Holbert in Rutherford County of that state before they ventured into Georgia at about the time of the Cherokee Removal, Russell indicated. When the Civil War came, Cowart joined a Georgia unit. Upon his death in 1903, Cowart was buried in Georgia ground, surrounded by Holberts (his wife's people) near the center of Bethesda Cemetery.

Russell placed the footstone that now marks Cowart's grave as that of a Confederate veteran. The United Daughters of the Confederacy (Russell is a member at Maryville, Tennessee) conducted the Sunday ceremony that honored Cowart. The observance occurred on the anniversary of his death and the day before national observance of Memorial Day.

Begun as Decoration Day, the South's day to flower the graves of its Civil War dead, the remembrance was adopted by the North, moved to a different date and renamed Memorial Day. That holiday was never observed in the South, Russell explained to hearers beside Cowart's grave site, until World War I casualties, shared by North and South, reunited the regions in national sorrow.

"Memorial Day is not about divisions," Russell said. "It is about reconciliation, about coming together to honor those who gave their all."

Presiding during the ceremony to honor Cowart, Shirley Hall, president of the Captain W. Y. C. Hannum Chapter, Number 1881 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, quoted Confederate General Robert E. Lee: "There is one glory and honor above all others––the glory of duty well done and the honor of integrity to principle."

Stephen Cowart had 8 children with wife Sophia, UDC Historian Elaine Russell told those assembled near his grave. His forefathers fought in the American Revolution, she said. He probably saw himself defending his family, their home and freedom when he threw in with the Confederacy.

"In simple obedience to duty as they understood it, these men sacrificed all, endured all, dared all," Hall said. And like most Americans, Confederate veterans like Cowart faced changes to their world as best they could. They coped with life as it came to them, lived it out and passed from the scene.

Some century later came kinsmen with a stone, with wreaths and flags and cameras. In a peaceful churchyard between rain showers, they raised hymns and prayers to honor a soldier defeated in war but not in life.

"All is well. Safely rest. God is nigh," spoke Linda Underwood, another great-great-granddaughter, in benediction.

(Pickens County Progress 5/27/2009)

Family Members Parents Photo Peter Crawford Coward 1771–1848

Photo Nancy Dimsdale Coward 1780–1840

Spouses Photo Sophia Josephine Holbert Cowart 1818–1870 (m. 1839)

Photo Eliza James Cowart 1831–1916 (m. 1872)

Siblings Robert Joseph Cowart 1796–1873

Marie Coward 1801 – unknown

Winifred Cowart Mills 1804–1846

Photo Oliver Cowart 1805–1860

Photo Benjamin David Cowart 1807–1882

Martha Melvinia Cowart 1812–1875

Hulda Coward 1813 – unknown

Photo Nancy Jane Coward Lyon 1816–1859

Photo Peter Crawford Cowart 1817–1890

Photo Wilson R Cowart 1821–1886

Photo William Harvey Cowart 1823–1864

Children Photo Lewis Ervin Cowart 1847–1924

Photo Mary E. Cowart 1850–1941

Photo Benjamin H Cowart 1852 – unknown

Photo Louisa Olive Cowart Worley 1855–1927

Photo Hester Ann Sophia Cowart Low 1858–1922

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14575479/stephen-d.-cowart