Hi Foxie,

Thanks for the quick return post. In regards to your question about these Rowe's being the first settler in the area. I do not think that is the case. James Jackson Rowe was born in Ohio and came to Illinois in the late 1850's, most likely. He was not in the 1850 census because he and his brother, Morris B. Rowe, my great grandfather, were enroute to California from Ohio in search of gold. In the 1860 census he was listed as JJ Roe, physician, living with Madison and Sarah Head in Avon, Il. Five weeks after that census he married Mary Cutler in Avon, Illinois. James Jackson was one of 11 children of Jesse Bascom and Sarah Morris Rowe of Ohio. He was a brother to my great grandfather, Morris B. Rowe. Most of the family moved from Ohio to the Blue Springs, Missouri area in the late 1860's. Jesse Bascom bought over a section of land and divided it up among his children in April of 1869. He gave 80 acres to James Jackson and 2 lots in Kansas City for him to come to Missouri from Illinois. James was evidently already settled in the Avon and Abingdon area and they did not move. James and Mary had 4 children: Daniel Leonard, Lena V., James Jesse, and Mary. James Jesse also became a doctor and surgeon. So, I do not know when the first settlers came to Knox Co. but the earliest in our line was the late 1850's. So this Rowe you mentioned would not be in our direct line. This is probably more than you ever wanted to know, but I can get long winded when it comes to this family history. It is amazing how much info can be found and dug up when a person stays at it long enough. Again, Thanks for your site. Dan