The Civil War had devastated the area around Richmond, where they lived, so M.M hearing about the wonderful opportunities in Florida decided to move his family there.
In 1893, with a loan against the house in Richmond of $29.42 (probably $25.00 plus interest), M.M. Owen brought his wife, Lena, daughter Ruth, and sons, Martin, Roy and Harry by train to Grandin, FL.
M.M. Owen served as depot agent in Grandin for a small railway line that linked Tallahassee and points west to the thriving town of Palatka. Palatka enfjoyed the benefit of not only 3 railroads, but also the benefit of large river boats that ran from Jacksonville to Deland.
The town of Grandin had a school house, drug store, several churches and a boarding house. The area around Grandin was little lmore thatn a wilderness, with lakes, swamps and large stands of virgin pine and hardwoods. Several large orange groves were in the area including the one owned by the Watkins family of Putnam Hall (Culpepper Watkins,Jr &/or Preston Watkins)
It was here in Grandin, that the 3 brothers, Martin , Roy and Harry spent many hours at the depot watching their father work and it was here they learned the skill of telegraphy. Ruth who was 7 years old when the family moved to Florida, began training as a teacher and she and the 3 boys attended the one room school house at Grandin where they were taught by William Tell Watkins (the future husband of Ruth). W.T. Watkins also taught the boys to hunt and fish the "Florida Way"
In 1898 the south experienced a devastating freeze. the cold wave swept in from Canada and remained long enough to wipe out most of the large citrus groves, as well as all other tropical growth, down as far as the middle of the state. The citrus industry in Putnam County was hit very hard and in Towns like Grandin, McMeekin, Crescent City and others, business came to a halt.
M.M Owen moved with his family to Dade City where he began work as an agent for the Seaboard Railroad. HE remained a depot agent for the Seaboard until his retirement in late 1929.
About 1904 M.M. Owen and family moved to Manatee. W.T. and Ruth Watkins (now married) moved with them.
Around 1913 M.M and Lena moved to Hawthorne where M.M served as depot agent for the Seaboard. He built a one story frame house on the edge of town next to a small lake.
In 1920, M.M and wife,Lena moved to Knights where h bought an old house with 5 acres of land.
In 1924 M.M decided to go to Washington and New England to visit his sisters, Helen and Mamie. He took his granddaughter, Lena with him. Lena had to get special permission to miss the last 2 weeks of school.
Henry T. Owen joined the Confederate Army as a Captain on April 23, 1861, age 30, in Burkeville, VA in company C, 18th Regiment of Virginia Infantry. During the course of his military service, he was court martialed several times, but always returned to active duty. No explanation is given for the actions. Following the war, he served as a clerk in the Second Auditor's Office in Richmond. While he was a clerk, he devoted his spare time to investigating the Land Office records for genealogical information, and compiled preliminary maps showing plats of land grants in Prince Edward County.
James W. Martin, his wife Elizabeth Weisiger and their children were living with his parents, James and Elizabeth Martin in 1850. In 1860 they were still living there but the elder Elizabeth Martin had died. The elder James was listed as 79 years old in the 1860 census.
1850 Census: Chesterfield Co., VA Manchester
836/872 James Martin 70 M W (no occupation listed) $4368 VA
Elizabeth 60 F W VA
Amanda 21 F W VA
873 James W. Martin 35 M W (no occupation listed) VA
Elizabeth 27 F W VA
Bettie 3 F W VA
Mary 6/12 F W VA
1860 Census: Chesterfield Co., VA Manchester, Northern Dist. 20 July 1860
448/448 Jas Martin 79 M W Farmer $11000 $2200 VA
JW 45 M W Farmer
E 30 F W
Bettie 10 F W
Mary F. 8 F W
Lena 6 F W
Jas 5 M W
Ruth 1 F W
1850 Census: North Carolina, Montgomery Co., Mt Gilead
22 July 1850
1/1 Calvin W. Wooley 31 M W Farmer $1750 NC
Ann 35 F W
Mary F 9 F W
Preston H. 4 M W
Kezia T. 3 F W
Sarah E. 1 F W
1860 Census: North Carolina, Montgomery Co., Mt Gilead
23 Aug. 1860
992 C. W. Wooley 41 M W Farmer $3400 $17800 NC
Ann 44 F
Mary F. 19 F
Preston H. 15 M
Kizia T. 13 F
Sarah E. 10 F
Edmund D. 8 M
Annalia A. 5 F
Calvin G. 3 M
P. H. Scovill 26 M Minister & Teacher $500
Murdock Thomas 26 M Student $600p451
66 Martha L. Wooley 66 F W Widow & Farmer $2000 $3500 NC
Absolum 40 M Manager of Farm 75 75
Laris (?) 34 F
John 17 M
William R. Bobe 9 M
Mary F. Bobe 8 M68 Robert Wooley 32 M W Farmer
Elizabeth 23 F
Martha 14 F
Eldra 2 M(Note: Believe Martha may be Calvin's mother, Absolum & Robert, his brothers. Laris(?) is probably Absolum's wife, her second marriage and the Bobe children hers by her first marriage.)
1870 Census: North Carolina, Montgomery Co., Pee Dee Township, PO Swift Island. 19 July 1870
p449
8 Wooley, CW 51 M W Farmer $1250 $500 NC
Anny 53 F Keeping house
Edmond 19 M at home
Anny 16 F "
Calvin 13 M "
Wilson, Burit 20 M W School Teacher
Marion 18 F at home
Wooley, Whitson 23 M B farm laborer
Sarah 30 F keeping house
Susannah 57 F domestic servant
William 15 M field laborer
Ema 10 F at home
Livingston, Ralph 26 M hired laborer
1800 Census for Anson County,NC
pg 203
males females slaves
James Watkins 20110 10000 03