John Woods COWAN / Margaret Wilson MCDOWELL

INDEX

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John W. Cowan came to Texas in 1847, settling first in Washington County, and moving to Bell County in 1855.

from "The History of Bell County"

"The Independent Blues" begins in 1859.
This company of Militia men was organized on March 29,1859 under the leadership of John Henry Brown, then residing in Belton. Included among the members who were Bell County residents were William H. & James D. Bell, John W. Cowan, & John Mcdowell.
On April 1,1859, the "Independent Blues" received as a loan from the State of Texas (on the bond of Major John Henry Brown, Lieutenant Robert M. White, Dr. Jno. W. Embree, and Oliver H. Bigham, for their safe return), forty Colt's Navy Revolvers, which were distributed to the members of the company. Otherwise, the members of the company furnished their own outfits, which included provisions, guns, ammunition and camp equipage, and they served without pay.
These Rangers went out in squads, usually of six men each and remained in the field about eight days each. The service lasted from March 29 to May 17, 1859. At Pidcocke Ranch, on the upper Cow House in Coryell County, they kept an extra supply of guns and ammunition, and two squads--one going out, the other coming in--usually camped together there one night. Not always did the same men form the personnel of a particular squad: some fell out, others came in, according to their engagements at home. They ranged over the western portion of Bell and Coryell Counties and all over the counties of Lampasas, Hamilton, Brown and Comanche, including the present county of Mills.


1870 Bell County, Texas Census: family 229
J.W. Cowan, age 56, born South Carolina, parents of US birth, real estate valued $1200, personal $800.
wife, Margaret, age 51 born Ireland, parents of foreign birth.
children:
Robert, 19, farmer
John W. 13, cannot read or write,
Sarah, 11, attended school 5 months this year
Nancy, about 8, born in Texas
Barton Nargra, age 40, blacksmith, born Denmark (boarder or hired hand, maybe)
Neighbors: Lewis Mize, Sam Shelton

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...From A Memorial and History of McLennan, Falls, Bell and Coryell Counties. Published 1893
James W. Cowan, a farmer of Bell County was born near Atlanta, Georgia, the son of Woods and Margaret Mc Dowell Cowan, natives of South Carolina and of Irish Descent. The parents subsequently removed to Georgia, and later to Texas. The mother was a daughter of William McDowell, who came to Bell County, Texas in 1846, where he died in 1862. The parents reared a family of 10 children.
James W. Cowan came with his parents to TX in 1847, first settling in Washington, County where the father bought and improved a farm. In 1855 the family came to Bell County, where they were among the pioneer settlers. The Indians at that time were troublesome, and as soon as old enough, James W. joined a company of Minute Men, in which he continued until the breaking out of the late war. Many horses were stolen by the Indians and one family were massacred within eight miles of their home. In 1861 he enlisted in Bradford's Company. Garland's regiment, Sixth Texas Infantry, and went into the Army at Victoria, Texas. After being drilled they were sent to the battle of Arkansas Post, where the regiment was captured and carried to Camp Butler, Illinois and three months later to Petersburg, Virginia and exchanged. The regiment then remained in the army in Virginia under General Sid Johnston. Mr. Cowan participated in all the battles of the Virginia campaign, but was never captured or wounded. The company started with about eighty men, and returned with only seven. Some having died with sickness but many were killed. Mr. Cowan returned home in 1865, and the following year began work for himself, having only one pair of ponies to begin. He first farmed on rented land two years, and then bought 100 acres of his present farm, to which he has since added from time to time until he now owns 513 acres, 150 acres of which is cultivated. His farm is located 7 miles from Belton on Nolan Creek where he has two large two-story frame residences and other out buildings making it one of the most pleasant homes in the county.
Mr. Cowan was married in 1866 to Miss Mary Hood, who was born March 15, 1848, a daughter of J.C.S. Hood and Mary Ware Hood, natives of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Cowan have had twelve children. Politically, Mr. Cowan affiliates with the Democratic Party and religiously he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church, also seven of their children.

From.. Mrs. James Washington Cowan's Confederate Pension

1870 Bell County Texas Census, family #212
J.W. Cowan, age 29, farmer. Value of real estate $500, personal $400.
Wife, Mary, age 20
and child John C. age 1
Neighbors: Matthew Trousdale, Perkins

James W. Cowan's headstone reads that he was in Company F, Pat Cleburne's Division. The inscription is "His many virtures form the noblest memorial to his memory"

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Died very young. No dates.

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We are not sure if this is the correct Margaret Cowan who married James D. McCrea as listed in the marriage records of Bell County.

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R. J. was a truck farmer.

Obituary:
from "Notes on Bell County, Texas" by Michael Wayne and Nancy Graff Kelsey.

R.J. Cowan, one of Bell county's highly respected and older citizens, died on March 5, 1919, at his home, of cerebral meningitis, at the age of sixty-eight. He had resided in Bell county for sixty-three years. The greater portion of his life was spent on the farm west of Belton, he having moved to Belton only about two years ago. He was born in Washington county December 20, 1851 and at the age of five he moved to Bell county with his parents. He was converted at the age of eighteen and was a member of the Presbyterian church. Surviving him were, his wife, Mrs. Sarah Cowan, and three children, Mrs. J.C. Dillard, and Mrs. J.G. Cowan of Belton and Mrs. S.C. Bigham of Nolanville. Two step sons C.E. Cornelison of Sparta and J.E. Cornelison of Mineral Wells and three sisters Mrs. Mary Thompson, Mrs. Griffin and Nannie Mitchell of Nolanville. He was buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

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Belton Newspaper Obituary:
ACCIDENTLY KILLS HIMSELF: Mr. John Cowan, aged about 53, died Monday at the home of his brother, Mr. Robert Cowan in Nolan Valley from the effect of the accidental discharge of a shotgun. The unfortunate man started out of the house with his shotgun when it slipped from his hand and was discharged. The shot entered the left leg, severing the main artery and he bled to death before the flow could be stanched. Dr. Griffith was summoned from Nolanville and later Judge Shipp and Dr. Hudson viewed the body.

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