Owen Township

    At the December term, 1846, of the County Board, a new township was ordered to be laid off from the north side of Skelton Township, and to be known as Owen Township. In addition to its present territory it embraced the townships of Lane and Pigeon, and was at that time one of the largest in the county. The elections were ordered to be held at Taylorsville, a town since named Selvin. James Ashby was appointed Inspector. The township was reduced to its present limits in 1859, by the organization of Lane Township out of land until that time belonging to Owen. It was named in honor of Robert Dale Owen, a man well known in more States than one. Its size is exactly twenty-four sections or square miles.

    Among the first substantial settlers in this township the Gentry family occupies an important place. Among the first was William Gentry, who came in 1821, and Matthew Gentry in 1822, both from North Carolina. They located on land not far from the village of Folsomville, and were for years prominent in county affairs. The first purchase of land in the township was in 1820, when William Erwin became the owner of eighty acres in Section 33. Before that time David McNeely, Gentry Hodges and Thomas Larkin were citizens of the township. Benjamin Leslie came in 1822 and James Ashby in 1823. Ashby was for several years one of the leading men in the county and was for awhile on the County Board. Timothy Ford, Jonathan Floyd, John Shelton, John Leslie, Bluford Bethell, Armor Reed, Isham Kelly, Austin Kelly, William Blackford, John Sturn, John King, John B. Ford and Cloud Bethel were also early settlers in this township.