Sarah Goodnight McGowan, through family history, was said to have been 1/2 Cherokee Indian. I have heard from many cousins over the years that had the same story passed down in their family, so I tend to believe this is a correct statement. Sarah is my 3rd Great Grandmother and I am very proud of my Native American heritage. Her daughter, Mary Parthena "Polly" (Stockton) Grant was my 2nd Great Grandmother. My Great Grandmother was Mary Polly's daughter, Martha Rowena (Grant) Smith. Her daughter Mary Olive "Ollie" (Smith) Sims was my wonderful grandmother who I loved dearly, and my awesome mother was Hester Hazel (Sims) Fallwell. My name is Mary Ellen (Fallwell) Henderson.

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Much about Sarah and her Native American heritage is a mystery to many. Back in December of 2000, I received an email from Helen Hewitt, an avid researcher of the Stockton line, who has since deceased. She was a direct descendant of the Stocktons & McGowans. Here is the letter from the email that she wrote to me:

"Hi Cousin Mary (Fallwell), I go back a long way on family searching. Some years ago, a Vera Simmons did a lot on the Stockton family -- she was an excellent researcher and really started to put the backbone of our Stockton line together. We became friends and often talked on the phone. She stated that Sarah "Goodnight" McGowan was a beautiful woman and did have a dusky skin -- which was part of her Indian heritage. Vera knew relatives who knew Sarah and her descendants. Vera told me several times that Sarah was 1/2 Indian but was not Cherokee but might have been Chickasaw but I never saw proof of either. But, the Cherokee did not live in KY and the Chickasaw lived in western TN. Vera Simmons and Frances Stockton Brown were the ones who did the research on the Stockton Cemetery in Dade Co., MO. Frances died about 15 years ago and Vera, about 12 years ago. Together, they were responsible for a lot of good information. The Goodnight connection does get interesting -- The Goodnight family were very early into KY and were in the vicinity. In fact, it has been stated that the first male white child born in KY was Isaac Goodnight. A Veda Jones researched this family for many years and did publish a book on them. She suffered a stroke in 1995 which left her debilitated. We corresponded for several years before her stroke and puzzled over this Sarah "Goodnight" McGowan.

There are several possibilities, none proven to date. A Goodnight woman was kidnapped by Indians in the 1780s in KY and was gone for 20 years before she was returned to her people. Those records stated she had one male child with her when she returned. In a letter from Veda dated 4 Nov 1994 she stated "I have a number of sources you listed but not nearly all. I do have one bit of information on Elizabeth Goodnight, (the one we thought was the mother of Sarah McGowan -- "The Goodnight Girl") If you remember Elizabeth was the daughter of George & Catherine Goodnight who were killed by the raid on Ruddell's station Jun 1780 in KY. The children were carried off to Detroit. All except Elizabeth were returned when the treaty was signed between the U.S. and Britain 4 or 5 years later. She did not escape from the Indians for 20 years with her Indian son. In the Draper manuscritas this notation, re: Captives taken by Indians in the raid on Ruddell's Station Jun 1780 "Elizabeth Goodnight with Shawnanoes (Shawnee) at Ft. Wayne" (Indiana). Now, we know which tribe of Indians it was with Capt. Bird at the attack on Ruddell's Station. ... One thing that does not fit is the birth date given for Sarah (1793). If Elizabeth did not escape from the Indians for 20 years after her capture with her 9 year old son, where was Sarah? Of course, dates given by people years after the event occurred can be off by several years."

All is very interesting but certainly not conclusive. Veda also points out that Isaac Goodnight was not the first white child born in KY. We do not have proof of Sarah being David McGowan's daughter but David was living in Wayne Co., KY at the time of Sarah's marriage. David McGowan was not part Indian -- he was the son of John and Rebecca Hammond McGowan who were first found in Augusta Co., VA c. 1748 and in Pittsylvania Co., VA by 1767. John McGowan wrote his will in Jefferson Co., TN 1793 and it was proven 1796. John's youngest son, Andrew was living in Jefferson Co., TN but after his father's death moved on to Franklin Co., TN where he died in 1815. I do not know who David McGowan's wife was.

John and Rebecca (Hammond) McGowan's children:

MARGARET b. 4 Dec 1744 m. David Cox ...d. 1811 Grayson Co., VA
JOHN b. 25 Feb 1746 did grow to adulthood but not mentioned in father's will
SAMUEL b. 21 Dec 1748 m. Elizabeth Manerval d. 1835 Logan Co., KY
DAVID b. 30 Nov 1750 d. by 1816 Wayne Co., KY
ANN b. 29 Mar 1753 d. after 1820 m. William Wann
ELIZABETH b. 21 Aug 1755 nothing more
ANDREW b. 15 Oct 1757 m. 1786 VA, m. Betsy Hammons d. 1815 Franklin Co., TN

Hope I haven't overwhelmed you with all this data and if you have any questions, please ask.

Helen Hewitt"

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The date of Sarah's death is unknown. She was last found on the 1860 Polk Township, Dade County, Missouri Census (taken July 11th) living with her daughter Lydia McLain (age 32) along with Lydia's husband, Jesse (age 50), and their children: Margaret 12, America 10, Henry 8, John 5. and Laura 2. Also listed with them is Sarah Stockton born in Virginia, age 76. This should have been listed as age 67 as she was listed on the 1850 Census with her husband, Daniel, as being 57 years of age, born in Virginia. This was the 1850 District 25, Dade County, Missouri Census taken on October 21st.

When the 1870 Census was taken, Lydia had moved to Benton Township, Douglas County, Missouri, and her mother, Sarah Stockton, was not living with her. Sarah Stockton was not found anywhere else on the 1870 Census or any census taken thereafter, so it is presumed she died sometime after July 11, 1860 (date of census record) and before 1870.