As part of the next edition (whenever that may be) of the book on my OWENS family, I decided to include some info on the genealogy of OWEN(S) who were well known for one reason or another, just because it was interesting to me (and to some others). So I've been researching this for a number of years. Let me know if:
1. You know something about the ancestry of any of these people.
2. You'd like to know what I know about someone.
3. You have other people to suggest. What constitutes famous? Well, not owning a local business, or having shaken hands with Elvis. Preferably something large numbers of people might have heard of. Or, perhaps, people who have done something interesting or had something named after them, even if they themselves no one has ever heard of (like Leilani, Mary, Richard below).
In some cases I will look into people who are not named OWENS, if they have strong OWENS influence in their family (like Ginger & Dolly).
Here are the people I am researching: (Updated 21 Aug 2001)
Col. Abraham OWEN (Owensboro, Owen Co. KY, etc.)
Alvis Edgar OWENS [Buck OWENS] (Country western singer)
Arnold Malcolm OWEN [Mickey OWEN] (baseball player)
Charles Councilman OWENS (Owens Boat Co.)
Commodore Perry OWENS (frontier sheriff)
Dana Elaine OWENS (rap singer Queen Latifah)
Doie Hensley OWENS [Tex OWENS] (Country western singer, "Cattle Call")
Gary OWENS (radio/TV personality, Laugh-In)
Harry OWENS (Band leader, The Royal Hawaiians, "Sweet Leilani")
James Cleveland OWENS [Jesse OWENS] (track star)
Leilani OWENS ("Sweet Leilani", academy award song)
Loren Everett OWENS [Steve OWENS] (football Heisman trophy 1969)
Marcia OWEN (aka Sally STANFORD, madam and mayor)
Maribel VINSON [Maribel OWEN] (Figure skating champion and coach)
Mark James OWENS (African naturalist, author, "Cry of the Kalahari")
Mary S. OWENS (Abraham Lincoln's other Mary)
Michael Joseph OWENS (Owens-Corning, Owens-Illinois, Libbey-Owens, etc.)
Otis Otho OWENS (Owens & Minor Corp. - medical supplies)
Richard Henry OWENS (postmaster, Owens, VA)
Capt. Richard Lemmon OWINGS (Owens Valley CA, Owens Lake, etc.)
Robert OWEN (Social reformer, New Harmony IN)
Theodor B. OWENS [Teddy OWENS] (in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas")
Thomas Jefferson Vance OWEN (possible founder of Chicago)
William A. OWENS (East Texas historian, folklorist, "This Stubborn Soil")
Virginia Katherine McMATH (movie star Ginger ROGERS,
daughter of Lela Emogen OWENS)
Dolly Rebecca PARTON [Dolly PARTON] (country singer, movie star,
daughter of Avielee Caroline OWENS)
Bessie SMITH (blues singer, daughter of Laura OWEN)
Above: Harry Owens (descendant of Nathaniel Owens), leader of the world-famous Royal Hawaiians (1930's - 50's), composer of the 1937 Academy Award song, "Sweet Leilani"; and (Sweet) Leilani Owens [Leilani Dobric]. (photo ca 1937)