Samuel Lewis McGowin (1805-1892) lived in the Old Sparta neighborhood of Conecuh County, Alabama. At the time of the 1860 Census, Samuel and his wife, Martha (1807-1892), had eleven children living in the household. The couple had at least six sons who served in Co. D, 16th Alabama Infantry: Alex (1835-1914), Samuel (1836-1862), Joseph (1839-1862), Anthony Lewis (1840-1864), Jacob Thomas (1842-1890), and John Charnic (1843-1862). Four of the six died in in the war.