Document. Romance of Cowan's Gap

Along that portion of the Tuscarora range of mountains which forms the western boundary of Franklin County there is a depression, about four miles north of Loudon, which for the past 120 years has been known as "Cowans Gap," and in all probability this name will cling to it for all time to come. Why or when this gap was so named few, if any, residing in the vicinity or traveling over its roads know or care to learn, and "thereby hangs a tale." "'Tis an o'er true tale." "And I'll tell you the tale as 'twas told to me."

The road up to and through the gap leads from the old Mount Pleasant iron works in Path Valley, for some years back known as Richmond Furnace, to a beautiful little valley known as Allan's Valley, through which runs a fine stream of water known as Aughwick Creek, once famous for its trout and pickerel, and a pretty nook, about a half mile above the gap was for a number of years the favorite spot for several of our townsmen, who in their younger days delighted in being followers of Isaac Walton, although the name given to their camp, "Wild Dog Camp," was hardly in keeping with the beauty of the spot. Fine meadows border the stream and fertile fields skirt the foot of the mountains bounding it on either side, and almost entirely isolated from the rest of the world, it offered a fine field for the sportsman and the angler.

With this beautiful valley, in itself I have little or nothing to do, although that portion into which Cowan's Gap opens was the climax of my romance and the beginning of a life of the most stern reality, as it was here that the hero and heroine of my romance lived for many years in the midst of an almost unbroken solitude and knew or learned but little of the places from which they had come and which would know them no more forever.

For many years prior to the rebellion, prominent eastern shippers were desirous of securing a shorter route from the east to the west than that offered by the Pennsylvania railroad. This, they knew, could only be secured by the construction of a railroad running from some point west of Harrisburg-Chambersburg being the most prominent point considered-along and parallel with the southern boundary of Pennsylvania. This route would shorten the distance between New York and Pittsburgh about 80 miles. The mountain ranges west of Chambersburg were. the serious obstacles standing in the way. They bad heard of Cowans's Gap and that it offered a possible crossing of the Tuscarora range, but knew nothing definite of this possibility. No survey had been made, up to that time, and the cost of such a survey, without some definite data of the gap, had deterred them from making it. (Subsequent surveys fixed the elevation of the gap at 1200 feet above tidewater and 550 above Path Valley.)

In the summer of 1860 several gentlemen of New York, interested in the shorter route, united in requesting the late William Seibert, Esq., to secure the company of some other gentlemen who were acquainted with the country and drive to a place known as Cowan's Gap and look over the approaches to it with a view of giving an opinion as to its being an available crossing for a railroad. Mr. Seibert selected as his companions for the trip Messrs. John M. McDowell, Captain James M. Brown and ex-Sheriff William McGrath, and on a July morning they drove to Fort Loudon, thence four miles north to Richmond Furnace, a short distance beyond which they found the main road leading to the gap. The ascent was so gradual that the arrival at their destination was a surprise.

After giving their horses the necessary attention and refreshing themselves, three of the party started out to explore the land, leaving Mr. McDowell to care for the team. The explorers soon found themselves in a beautiful little valley, watered by a fine stream and containing a large proportion of cultivated land. They also discovered a two-story log dwelling in an advanced stage of dilapidation, but having a shed attachment in a fairly good condition. On exploring the building they found in the attachment a bed much the worse for the wear, occupied by a toothless, wrinkled specimen of womanhood, attended by a similar specimen, apparently but a few years the junior of the occupant of the bed. After a brief conversation, during which they learned the name of the old lady, they went out and brought in Mr. McDowell ^[1], that he, too, might see the old lady and hear her history.

After their return to the old building one of the gentlemen approached the bed and asked the occupant who she was and how she came to live up among the mountains, almost alone and cut off from the rest of the world? After some hesitancy she gave him the following account of herself, which on the day following their return home he gave to me:

I was the daughter of a merchant who was in business in the city of Boston during the Revolutionary war, I was born in 1757. My father prosperous in his business and well to do for that age, and I was educated accordingly. While the British soldiers occupied Boston one of their number, John Cowan, fell in love with me, and the love was returned. My father refused his permission to receive my lover's attentions. We met, however, as lovers will, and vowed eternal fealty to one another. The war closed and my lover, in company with the other British soldiers returned to England^[2]. After his discharge he returned to Boston and renewed his attentions, but with no better success on the part of my father. We were married, however, and I left my father's house, preferring a husband and an unknown future to a good home. We decided to go to a new part of the country and make ourselves a nome, and came to a place in Southern Pennsylvania, located a few miles from Chambersburg, and now known as Culbertson's Row. Here we built a house and remained for two years. Hearing glowing accounts of the celebrated Blue Grass regions of Kentucky, we determined to go there. Disposing of all our property, except such articles as were necessary for so long a trip, we procured a two-horse wagon, such as were used in those days, loaded but few necessary articles and started on our long journey to Kentucky. The first day we reached a small village, west of Chambersburg known as Campbellstown, now St. Thomas. The second day, after passing through the village of Loudon, our wagon broke down and we were at a loss to decide what was best to be done. There was no shop for repairs nearer than Campbellstown, seven miles distant. While in this quandary an Indian chief came along who, seeing our condition, offered to assist us, which he did. We then concluded that a journey, such as we had planned, was not to be undertaken with our outfit. The chief offered to sell us a tract of land "up the Valley" and escort us to it. We accepted his offer and he brought us to this place. The location pleased us and we purchased the land, after some dickering, unloaded our goods, settled down, and here I am yet. I am now 102 years old."

The old lady died about two years after at the age of 104 years. This is the story told by the old lady and as it was related to me a few hours after the party had returned home.

Some years after the occunence a party of gentlemen from Harrisburg and Chambersburg made Path Valley a favorite location for holding their annual camps. On one occasion, while camping near, Richmond Furnace; a party was organized to tramp to Cowan's Gap and explore the neighborhood. Being one of the party and having this story of the old lady in my mind, the first place I proposed to visit was the historic old house. We found it was unoccupied but in a dilapidated condition. Exploration proved the first part of the gentleman's story. There was the dilapidated old building with the shed attachment, but no one near to tell us anything of its history.

A few years after, while encamped at Richmond Furnace, a, second party was organized to revisit the Gap. Upon arrival we found that only a few charred logs were all that remained of the historic old bUilding. We learned from a neighbor that a few years before a report reached the residents of the Gap that a family of colored people was about to occupy the old building...[T]he matter was settled by burning the building.

During the camp of 1891 a third party was organized to visit the Gap. On our arrival we found some changes. A neat frame cottage had been erected almost opposite the site of the old building and was occupied by Mr. Sylvester Jones, who had charge of the surrounding land and buildings. We found Mr. Jones and while seated upon the tongue of an old wagon we learned that the property over which he had charge belonged to a Mr. Dull, of Harrisburg. ^[3]During the interview I referred to the old lady and her story. He had known her for some years prior to her death and corroborated the story I have just told you.

Footnotes

1. ↑ The fact that Maurer highlights McDowell in this way suggests that it was McDowell who related the story to Maurer. The 1878 newspaper article describing this story Document. Burning of the Old Cowan House indicates that the person who related the story was then 80 years of age, and the last member of the party still alive.
2. ↑ The Revolution ended in 1783. Samuel Cowan took out a land warrant for the Cowan's Gap property in 1785. Tax records, however, indicate the family was in the area by 1781.
3. ↑ according to some sources, the Cowan's left the Cowan's gap property by 1870. The property was acquired by commercial interests who used it as a source of timber to support the nearby iron furnace. Possibly the timber was used to make charcoal for fuel. In anycase, the property is said to have been clear cut several times, at about 20 year intervals, before being acquired for a CCC camp sometime during the 1930's.