Could this possibly be the same John D. Owen who married Martha B Fanning, 9 Nov 1847 in Talbot County, GA? This, is just guessing, but could he also be the same one who shows up in the 1860 census as a huge plantation owner in Talbot County, in the same district as your Owen was in the 1850 census, owning at least 30 slaves. If so, he owned approx 17 in the 1850 census. The age and location fits. However, there is no mention of Martha in this 1860 census and neither show up again that I can find, on later censuses. There was a John Owen who joined the confederacy in Meriwether Co, real close by to the Flint District where he lived in Talbot Co. He joined in Sep 1861 and died in Jan 1862 in Petersburg Va. It is entirely postulization that these are the same people, however it may be a place to look. Possibly he lost Martha prior to 1860, then died in the war. It is sometimes very hard to trace, especially, those large plantation owners, after the war.