27 Jul 2000:  Mrs. Barbara Smith, widow of the late Roy Lester Smith, sent me copies of some of Roy's work.  Roy is a direct descendent of my ggg-uncle, Isham Gwin, brother of my gg-grandpa, William Gwin, both of Cahaba, AL.  Our common ancestors are Isham and William's parents, John and Jane Walker Gwin.  Among that work is a 16-page typewritten transcription containing excerpts from the diary of the Rev. (C. J. L.?) Cotten--some 58 entries, many of which contain references to my Gwin ancestors.  In a Jan 1997 letter to Barbara Ward, Roy said the diary copies were sent to him by the Cawhaba Project where the original manuscripts of the diary are on file.  For an alphabetical listing of the over eighty individuals referenced, there, click here.

Thursday, 6 Apr 1849:  Cotten's church elected brethren Guinn and Bassett as Trustees to handle borrowing the $700 or $800 dollars necessary for the completion of the new building.  [Question: What are the given names of these two?  Is the Guinn William, or is he his father, John?  Since two of John's daughters married Basset brothers during this time, this Basset almost has to be one of the children of John James Louis Basset and Mary Miles Basset.  Then is he William?  Louis?]

Thursday, 26 Apr 1849:  "The people in Selma have some jealousy of the R.Road from this place [Cahaba] to Marion....The brethren seem to feel much interest in the prosperity of the church--that is those present; but alas! so few come out.  Two bro. Guinns, bro. Ulmer, and bro. Francis are class leaders."  [Question: What are the given names of these two?  Are they father and son--i.e., John and William?  Or are they two blood brothers, William and...whom?  Isom?  Thomas?  Charley?  Most like the father and William.]

Thursday, 17 May 1849:  "This evening I married two couples--a Mr. Turner to Mrs. Rowark and Bro. McKnight to Miss Louisa Guinn, both the brides being daughters of bro. Guinn, after which I went to the church and expounded the 15th Psalm."  [NOTE:  Mrs. McKnight's given name was unknown to me until today--Louisa!  Hooray!  Also, this is the first and so far the only indication known to me that John Gwin had a daughter who had married a Rowark!  Could she have been another daughter heretofore unknown to me?  Following is a list of John Gwin's children known to me, including this new daughter as child number eight, if indeed this possibility is correct.  The only other possibilities seem to be that either Sarah or Mary Ann were married THREE times--once to Rowark, once to Turner, and finally to a Basset brother.]  [NOTE::  Now I see in other notes of Roy L. Smith that Mary Ann Gwin was really two people--Mary Gwin and Ann Gwin!)  Roy's records show: Mary Gwin; m1. 27 Dec 1838 in Dallas Co., AL, to Drury H. Roarck (Rowark?); m2. 17 May 1849 in Cahaba, AL, to Mr. Turner and Ann Gwin m. 19 Jan 1843 Joseph Lavalett Basset

4.1--William Gwin  m. 12 May 1842 to Rosam Carlisle Jones Wilson
4.2--Isham Gwin m. Mary Burdine Wilson
4.3--Thomas Gwin
4.4--Chesley (aka Chess, Charley) Gwin; m1.  22 Mar 1850, Fannie Bell, many ch.; m2. Widow Blevins
4.5--Sarah Gwin; m. Louis Basset; ; 2 children
4.6--Mary Ann Gwin m. Joseph Lavalett Basset
4.7--Louisa Gwin m. Thur., 17 May 1849 by Rev.  C.J.L. Cotten to a Bro. McKnight
4.8--Unknown daughter Gwin m1. a Mr. Rowark; m2. Thur., 17 May 1849 by Rev.  C.J.L. Cotten to a Mr. Turner

Saturday, 30 Jun 1849:  "...Came back home this evening and went in bathing with bro. Bassett and bro. Wm. Guinn. " [Question: Is the Bassett William?  Louis?  Another?]

Sabbath,5 Aug 1849:  "Preached this morning according to appointment from Col [Colossians?]--on the responsibilities and __ties [duties?] of masters.  Had a large congregation.  One (Col. Walker) [Question:  relative of John Gwin's wife, Jane Walker?  Could be, as there's no reason more than one family could not  have made the move from east TN to AL.  Any Colonels in her line?] up and complimented the sermon very highly.  So far as I know, they were generally well pleased, through there had been some curiosity to know what I would say.  Preached this evening to the cold. people [Reader, can you figure out the abbreviation?] from I Cor 13 chap.  Bro. Guinn [Cotten spells their name this way consistently throughout] held class meeting with them this morning as I did not wish them to be present at the church.  [Why not? Because of the sermon topic, of course!]  Had cold. people this evening.  At night I preached from Mat. __ 28-30."