Dear Nancy Baron,

I know this is four years later, but I have recently been working on the Rowzee family, and although I can’t tell you much about Mary Barren, I can tell you something about Catherine Rowzee. This is what I have in my current tree on Catherine:

1 Catherine Conrad b: Abt. 1819 in ,IN d: aft 1900
.+James Rowzee b: Abt. 1805 in ,VA m: November 08, 1849 in ,Harrison, IN d: Bef. 1869 in ?
....2 Christina E. Rowzee b: Abt. 1851 in ,Harrison, IN d: January 18, 1918 in Abbott, AR
........+John William Seth Smith b: March 25, 1830 in ,VA m: May 31, 1867 in ,Harrison, IN
....2 Emily C. Rowzee b: Abt. 1853 in ,IN
....2 Florence E. Rowzee b: Abt. 1856 in ,IN
........+Philip Spencer Dooley b: Abt. 1846 in ,IN m: September 17, 1873 in ,Harrison, IN
....2 David Henry Rowzee b: Abt. May 1858 in Heth, Harrison, IN d: Aft. 1930
........+Sarah Anna Kandie b: Abt. 1862 in ,IN m: May 29, 1884 in ,Harrison, IN d: Bef. 1920
....2 Rosa A. Rowzee b: Abt. August 1863 in ,Harrison, IN
........+Joseph W. Hess b: Abt. April 1855 in ,IN m: January 29, 1880 in ,Harrison, IN
*2nd Husband of Catherine Conrad:
.+Jacob R. Kistler m: March 21, 1869 in ,Harrison, IN

Catherine also appears in the 1880 census, Harrison Co. IN, as Catherine Kistler, with son David Romzee (sic), daughter Rosa Hess and son-in-law Joseph Hess. There are some inconsistencies between the 1880 and 1900 censuses, but I am pretty sure that these two Catherines are the same person. She apparently took back the name Rowzee by the 1900 census, as all of her natural children were by James Rowzee. You will find that the household in the 1900 Jefferson Co. KY census just prior to the family you noted is Joseph and Rosa Hess and family.

Catherine is shown as having had five children, four of whom are still living in 1900. Although Catherine is listed as Mary Barren’s mother, it does not appear that Mary could have been Catherine’s natural child. From your postings, I suspect that Mary is the child of Jacob Kistler by a previous marriage, and Catherine’s step-daughter.

(Note: I found a Jacob Kistler in the 1860 census for Harrison Co. IN, and a daughter Mary is listed, but as age 16, or considerably older than the Mary Barren in the 1900 census. I could not find any of these people in the 1870 census.)