John Yates Cowden and Elizabeth Jane Deavours had eight children, one of whom was Sylvester Monroe Cowden, born September 10, 1846. He was nicknamed “Pick”.   He married Elizabeth Samantha Dodson, “Betsy”.

Pick and “Betsy” settled about twelve miles from Tuscaloosa on 655 acres of land acquired from his father-in-law.  They lived in a log house until about 1886 when he built the Cowden home, which stands today on the old Byler Road (Old Highway 43).

Cowden home, which stands today on the old Byler Road (Old Highway 43)
Cowden home, Byler Road (Old Highway 43)
Cowden home, which stands today on the old Byler Road (Old Highway 43)
Cowden home, old Byler Road (Old Highway 43)

The Samantha Community was named after Elizabeth Samantha Dodson Cowden.  She was the first postmistress in this area so the name was applied to the community.   The post office was moved several times in a line of progression from the first one at the Cowden Place to the present one about eight miles further north.

Credit:  Nell Oswalt Naugher

William Yates Cowden and Sylvester Monroe “Pick” Cowden “Pick” Cowden, as he was called, was a farmer-merchant in north Tuscaloosa County, Ala.. He was married on December 17, 1868 to Elizabeth Samantha Dodson ( December 11, 1852 – October 12, 1930), the daughter of William Rufus and Annie Palmer Dodson.
“Pick” Cowden was postmaster of the first post office, established in the 1880’s, and he named it “Samantha” after his wife. Although relocated several times since, it still carries the name Samantha today. S. M. “Pick” Cowden died October 8, 1897 at the age of 51.

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