Genealogical Keynotes[]
Vita[]
- Born: c. 1796
- Married:
- Died:
- Burial:
Ancestry[]
William Cowan is the son of William COWAN and Jane Walker.
Spouse(s)[]
unknown
Child List[]
Andrew (William2, William1) b: 25 Jun 1812 in TN d: 28 Nov 1884 in AR (m. Matilda Driskell)
Family History[]
Alternative Interpretation[]
Extremely little is known of this William Cowan.
What is known is primarily from the 1960s and 1970s correspondence with Miss Jessie Lee Cowan, as well as articles she wrote for Cowan Clan United, etc.
Her correspondence and writings contended that William Cowan and Jane Walker had three children not listed by Rev. Fleming in Cowans of County Down: William, Polly, and Anne.
Miss Jessie Lee Cowan's line of descent from this William Cowan are as follows:
- William Cowan (m. Jane Walker)
- William Cowan (William1)
- Andrew Cowan (William2, William1)
- Thomas Miles Cowan (Andrew3, William2, William1)
- James Euwell Cowan (Thomas Miles4, Andrew3, William2, William1)
- Jessie Lee Cowan (James Euwell5, Thomas Miles4, Andrew3, William2, William1)
- Jessie Lee Cowan (James Euwell5, Thomas Miles4, Andrew3, William2, William1)
- James Euwell Cowan (Thomas Miles4, Andrew3, William2, William1)
- Thomas Miles Cowan (Andrew3, William2, William1)
- Andrew Cowan (William2, William1)
- William Cowan (William1)
Additionally, the 1906 letter from Andrew Finis Cowan (Andrew2, William1) to Miss Columbia Cowan stated that his father had brothers named David and William:
- "I have kept trace [sic] of all my father's brother's and sisters except David and William."
He starts the letter by stating:
- "You are right about my father's name being Andrew Cowan."
The original of this letter is in possession of James Freeman, Camas, WA. (A scanned digital copy of this letter was submitted by Margie Cowan with applications for First Families of Tennesse for William Cowan and John [Alexander] Cowan. Interested researchers can obtain a copy either from the McClung library, Knoxville, TN or from Margie Cowan.)
Further lending credence to Miss Jessie Lee Cowan's claim of descent from William Cowan (William1) is that the 1870 census shows both her grandfather, Thomas Miles Cowan (Andrew3, William2, William1) and great-grandfather, Andrew Cowan (William2, William1), are living next door to Robert Cowan’s (William1) children: Marvel Volero Cowan and Laura (Cowan) McGarrah.
1870 census, AR, Benton Co., White River Township, Cross Hollows, M593_47, 09/05/1870, p. 3, l. 04-29.
| Res | Family | Last Name | First Name | Age | Sex | Race | Occupation | Born |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 16 | COWAN | Marvel | 40 | M | W | Blacksmith | TN |
| Mary | 47 | F | W | Keeping House | MO | |||
| Malda | 14 | F | W | AR | ||||
| Robert | 13 | M | W | AR | ||||
| Siralda | 11 | F | W | AR | ||||
| Helen | 04 | F | W | AR | ||||
| Rosalie | 02 | F | W | AR | ||||
| David | 6/12 | M | W | AR | ||||
| 17 | 17 | COWAN | Andrew | 53 | M | W | Farmer | TN |
| Margaret | 31 | F | W | Housekeeping | AR | |||
| Mary | 17 | F | W | At home | IA | |||
| Martha | 15 | F | W | IA | ||||
| William | 12 | M | W | MO | ||||
| Julietta | 08 | F | W | MO | ||||
| Laura | 02 | F | W | AR | ||||
| 18 | 18 | COWAN | Miles | 30 | M | W | Farmer | IA |
| Adeline | 27 | F | W | Keeping House | IN | |||
| William | 07 | M | W | MO | ||||
| James | 06 | M | W | IA | ||||
| Mary | 03 | F | W | AR | ||||
| David | 01 | M | W | AR | ||||
| 19 | 19 | McGARRAH | George | 47 | M | W | Merchant | AR |
| Laura | 46 | F | W | Keeping house | TN | |||
| Abraham | 17 | M | W | AR | ||||
| Margaret | 15 | F | W | AR | ||||
| Elias | 18 | M | W | AR |
Descendants from this line who are pursuing Cowan research are:
Lori Smith
Gloria Jamison
Terry Smith
BENTON Co., AR researchers ... please help fill in the relevant details of this William Cowan and his descendants!
Records[]
From Miss Jessie Lee Cowan's correspondence re her ancestry:
- Andrew (William2, William1) went to St Louis at the age of 15 and at the age of eighteen he began driving a stage coach possibly through this area.
- In 1835, he married Matilda Driskell of St. Louis. From there, he went to Iowa and Unionville, Missouri (near the Iowa line). He moved back and forth from Missouri to Iowa until Matilda's death in 1865.
- In Sept, 1865, he was living in Jefferson County, IA. After that, he moved to Benton County with four or five young children and settled near Robert Cowan of Lowell.
Census records verifying Miss Jessie Lee Cowan's statements about her great-grandfather, Andrew Cowan:
- 1840 IA census, Jefferson Co., p. 144; next door to Miles Driskell.
- 1850 IA census, Wapello Co., District 13, M432_189; 11/09/1850, p. 152; …age 36, b. AL
- 1860 MO census, Putnam Co., Union Township, Unionville; M653_641; 08/25/1860; p. 122; V… son James & Cynthis are next door. (b. TN, 48)
- 1870 AR census, Benton Co, White River Township; Cross Hollows PO; M593_47; 09/05/1870; p. 3;
- 1880 AR census, Madison Co., Piney Township; ED100, T9_50; 06/11/1880; p. 21;
References[]
- 1906 letter written by Andrew Finis Cowan (Andrew2, William1) to Miss Columbia Cowan (John Alexander4, Campbell Gilmer3, John [Alexander]2, William1)
- Columbia Cowan, the recipient of the letter, was living in Pierce City, MO.
- At the time the letter was written, Andrew was 77 years old (b. December 1829) and was living in Indian Territory (later Oklahoma).
- AFC's father, Andrew (William1), was 90 when he died in 1872 in Bradley Co., Tn.
- AFC's three eldest aunts and uncles died at relatively young ages either before Andrew Finis Cowan was born or shortly thereafter:
- Eleanor (William1) (d. 1831),
- John [Alexander] Cowan (William1) (d. 1821), and
- Samuel Cowan (William1) (d. 1828).
- Many of the remaining aunts and uncles remained in Tennessee in neighboring counties to McMinn and Bradley Co., TN.
- Thus, it is likely he interacted with them and/or their children (his first cousins), was aware of correspondence between the families, and/or that the families visited each other.
- Therefore, he likely knew first-hand at least the names of aunts and uncles (living or dead), cousins and some details of their lives, as well as information about his grandparents (William Cowan and Jane Walker).
- Columbia Cowan, the recipient of the letter, was living in Pierce City, MO.
The original of this letter is in possession of James Freeman, Camas, WA. (A scanned digital copy of this letter was submitted by Margie Cowan with applications for First Families of Tennesse for William Cowan and John [Alexander] Cowan ( William1). Interested researchers can obtain a copy either from the McClung library, Knoxville, TN or from Margie Cowan.)
Research Needs[]
- If you are a COWAN male, the Cowan DNA Project needs you to help establish links between the various Cowan branches. Click the link and sign up!
Researchers of this line ... please provide other documentation such as Bible records, old letters, wills, etc. for further verification of this line and it's decendants. (Many thanks!)
Page Needs[]
Links[]
- Wigton Walkers
- Walker Home
- Virgina County Boundary Changes
- Smoky Mountain Photos
- Finley & Gillespie Research
- Cowan Clan United
- Cowan DNA Project
- If you are a COWAN male, the Cowan DNA Project needs you to help establish links between the various Cowan branches. Click the link and sign up!
Utilities
Definitions[]
Common Acronyms and Definitions
Genealogical Definitions