DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the marker tells it — and some stories, friends, are bigger than the stone that holds them. Thomas Deye Owings came into this world on March 7, 1776, at Cockeysville, a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland — born to John Cockey and Colegate Dye Owings, a family that already knew something about building things that last. Colonial tobacco planters, partners in the Bourbon Iron Furnace in Kentucky — these were people who dealt in fire and land and the long game.
In 1795, Thomas left his wife and young son behind in Maryland and headed to Kentucky with his brother-in-law, Benedict Van Pradelles, to oversee the furnace operations and other landholdings. He was a man who moved toward the work, not away from it. Around 1800, after the death of his first wife, Thomas wed Mary Nicholas — daughter of Kentucky governor George Nicholas.
By 1810, he was the sole owner of the Bourbon Iron Works and had fingers in other businesses besides. Now here's where the story starts to hum. To get his products to market, Owings built something he called the Iron Road — stretching from Owingsville, the Bath County seat he founded, all the way to Lexington.
He'd been commissioned a colonel in the War of 1812 and led the 28th U.S. Infantry Regiment. And if that weren't enough, he supplied cannonballs and grapeshot for U.S. troops at the Battle of New Orleans.
The man wasn't watching history unfold — he was helping forge it, literally. His former home in Owingsville is now a Kentucky landmark. You'd think a man like that, with all he'd built, might have settled into his years with some ease.
But Texas called. When the revolution came, Thomas Deye Owings threw himself behind it — not as a soldier, but as something just as essential. He financed several companies of soldiers in support of the Texas Revolution.
In early 1836, he sent men to Texas. Approximately eighty of them, including his own son Robert, were massacred at Goliad in March of that year. Sit with that a moment.
Owings arrived in Texas with fifteen hundred more men — the day after Texas won the Battle of San Jacinto. One day. The echoes of that timing are something the marker lets you feel without spelling out, and so will I.
After the revolution, Owings settled in the Brenham area. He died in October 1853 and was buried beside one of his sons at the Old Masonic Cemetery. His daughter Eliza was later buried there as well.
The marker says it plainly: although he never served as a soldier in the revolution, Owings is remembered as a Texas patriot for his support and his family's sacrifice. Sometimes the measure of a man isn't what he carried into battle — it's what he gave, and what he lost, so the fight could go on.
What the marker says
Thomas Deye Owings was born to John Cockey and Colegate Dye Owings on March 7, 1776 at Cockeysville, a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland. The family had met with success as colonial tobacco planters and as partners in the Bourbon Iron Furnace in Kentucky. In 1795, Thomas left his wife and young son in Maryland to go to Kentucky with his brother-in-law, Benedict Van Pradelles, and oversee the furnace operations and other landholdings. Circa 1800, after his first wife’s death, Thomas wed Mary Nicholas, daughter of Kentucky governor George Nicholas. By 1810, Thomas was sole owner of the Bourbon iron Works and involved in other businesses. To ship his products, he built the “Iron Road” from Owingsville, the Bath County seat he founded, to Lexington. Commissioned a colonel in the War of 1812, he led the 28th U.S. Infantry Regiment. He also supplied cannonballs and grapeshot for U.S. troops at the Battle of New Orleans. His former home in Owingsville is now a Kentucky landmark. In support of the Texas Revolution, Owings financed several companies of soldiers. Of the men he sent to Texas in early 1836, approximately 80 of them, including his own son Robert, were massacred at Goliad in March of that year. Owings arrived with 1,500 more men the day after Texas won the Battle of San Jacinto. After the revolution, Owings settled in the Brenham area. He died in October 1853 and was buried beside one of his sons at the Old Masonic Cemetery. His daughter Eliza was later buried here as well. Although he never served as a solder in the revolution, Owings is remembered as a Texas patriot for his support and family sacrifice. (2006)