James Granvel Rowland and Paulina J. Smotherman
James Granvel Rowland, the only son of Thomas Rowland and Elizabeth Smotherman, was born on 23 May 1850 in Rutherford County and died on 15 April 1920. He married Paulina Jane Smotherman, his mother's niece and his first cousin, on 21 November 1867 in Rutherford County. She was born on 4 September 1847 and died on 9 August 1933. Both James and Paulina are buried in Smotherman Cemetery in Rutherford, TN. In the 1900 census, Paulina told enumerators that she had borne 13 children, but that only 6 were still alive; we know the names of nine of her children, including three who died as infants, but the other three remain a mystery.
In the Rutherford County court minutes about 1896 (PP:307), James petitioned for custody and adoption of his grandson, Pettus Holt "Pet" Rowland. James described Pet as the son of J.G. Rowland Jr. and Tennie Rowland; James Jr. was living in Texas, according to the petition, and Tennie Rowland was hospitalized in the county psychiatric institute. James petitioned for full adoption of Pet, with the "right of inheritance which my own children are entitled to."
After James died, his widow Paulina and their surviving children, Thomas, John, Maggie (Rowland) Leathers, Mariah (Rowland) Isom, Joe Luke, and Jim divided their property in a series of transactions 98 (DB 63:311, 312, 313, 313-4, and 314). Some of their neighbors included J.T. Smotherman and W.H. Haynes, husband of James's cousin Louisa Rowland, according to the descriptions of the parcels being allocated.
James Granvel Rowland (b. 23 May 1850, Rutherford, TN - d. 15 April 1920, Rutherford, TN)
m. 21 November 1867, Rutherford, TN
Paulina Jane Smotherman (b. 4 September 1847, Rutherford, TN - d. 9 August 1933, Rutherford, TN)
Children:
i. Thomas Elbert Rowland (7 September 1868-30 Jan 1930/1) m. Mary Sudberry
ii. Andrew Hendrix Rowland "Andy" (8 January 1870-21 May 1870)
iii. Francis Marion Rowland (11 March 1871-1 August 1871)
iv. John Granvel Rowland (28 July 1872-27 April 1956); m. Tennie Sudberry; m2 Mattie Hines; m3 Ella A. Lamb
v. Margaret Rowland "Maggie" (22 September 1874-1953); m. William Leathers, J.O. Tuggle
vi. Mariah Josephine Rowland (7 January 1877-8 Jul 1859); m1. James Isom; m2 William Alexander Bumpas
vii. Mary Jane Rowland (7 February 1880-12 May 1880)
viii. Joseph Luke Rowland ("Joe Luke") (26 July 1881-4 January 1967); m. Nettie Mahan
ix. James Robert Rowland ("Jim Bob") (6 February 1886-12 Sep 1964); m Maggie E. Davis