Lilburn OWENS, one of the pioneers of Greene County, after whom the town of Owensburg was named, died last Saturday at Owensburg at the advanced age of nearly ninety years. He established the first blacksmith shop in that town and for more than forty years worked at that trade. It is recorded that "on the first Monday in August, 1842, Lilbern OWENS commenced work on his blacksmith shop in this town. At the same time he got out timber for a dwelling and a stable. As soon as the dwelling was finished the family moved in, and this was the beginning of Owensburg. Thirty or forty men from near and far, who were wanting a blacksmith shop nearer than Springville, turned out and helped put up the buildings—done all in one day." In March 1848, the place had taken on the appearance of a village and the county surveyor was employed to lay off a number of lots. It was the intention to call the town Owensville but it was found that there was already one postoffice by that name in this State and so the name Owensburg was adopted instead. Mr. Owens was noted for his great energy and his industrious habits—always hard at work at something. After he gave up blacksmithing he became a farmer, and on the farm he was also known for his tireless energy. He was united in marriage three times and by each wife he had a large number of children, being the father of about eighteen or twenty altogether. His first wife was Elizabeth OWEN, a sister of Mrs. Isabel HERT, of this place; and he was an uncle of Mrs. James STALCUP; the second was Mary McDOWELL; and the third was Mary MITCHELL. He was an estimable citizen, possessed of many manly qualities, and had long been a member of the Baptist church. The funeral services were held Sunday from the M. E. church at Owensburg and the remains were laid to rest in the cemetery at that place.
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CEMETERIES OF EASTERN GREENE COUNTY, INDIANA, 1994, G.C.H.S, OWENSBURG CEMETERY, Section 27-T6N-R4W, Page 127: Lilbern OWENS, 5 Feb 1818—1 Dec 1905; Elizabeth OWENS, w/o L, 1 Apr 1855; Mary OWENS, w/o Lilbern, 1 Mar 1867, 28yr 4mo9da; Lowery OWENS, s/o L & E, 22 July 1855.