Early Life
William Owsley was born March 24, 1782 in Virginia. He was the third of thirteen children born to William and Catherine (Bolin) Owsley. In 1783, his family relocated to Lincoln County, Kentucky, settling between the settlements of Crab Orchard and Stanford. Owsley was dedicated to his studies in the public schools of the area, and obtained a better education than most of his peers. On March 30, 1802, he was appointed adjutant of the 26th Regiment of the Kentucky Militia.
For a time, Owsley taught at a country school, and in 1803, he married Elizabeth Gill, one of his students. Gill was almost seventeen; Owsley was twenty-one. The couple had six children. During his time as a teacher, Owsley also studied surveying and eventually became a deputy surveyor. Later, he served as a deputy sheriff under his father, who was High Sheriff of Lincoln County. While in this capacity, he attracted the attention of John Boyle, who offered Owsley the use of his library. Owsley availed himself of this opportunity, and read law with Boyle. In 1809, Owsley opened a legal practice in Garrard County.
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