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Tapestry
Source
From Terry Cowan to the CowanShortList, September 2011
Related
- Pequea Creek Cowans
Places to See
Here are some suggested Cowan stops for the Pequea Creek area:
1. St. John’s Episcopal Church and Cemetery in Compass. The remaining Cowan family graves are in the far back on the cemetery, along the stone fence. There are 5 in a row, from left to right: Olevia (Cowan) Flemming, William Cowan, Mary Cowan, George Cowan and Susan Cowan. The open area to the right and front of these graves are no doubt the resting places for the multitude of other early Cowans whose graves are unmarked. Davis Clemson, wife Rebecca Cowan Clemson, and children are buried outside the old family section. The present church is the 3rd one, built about 1840 or so. The box pews from the 2nd church were removed in the 1920s, I think. But still, it is nice to see, if there is someone there to let you in. St. John’s is right in Compass, on the Chester/Lancaster County line—you can’t miss it.
| 2. The Cowan farms. The acreage of John, David and William Cowan adjoined, forming a 900+ acre family block. Henry Cowan’s farm was just to the south, but he never purchased it, so its exact location cannot be determined. This farmland is about 6 miles northwest of St. John’s Church. Follow the Old Philadelphia Pike between St. John’s and Intercourse (Hwy. No. 34). About midway between these 2 communities is a road heading north—Lesal Drive. Turn here. At about ¾ mile, Lesal Drive tees [turns?] into Red Well Drive. Turn RIGHT here. The road goes east for 300-400 ft. then makes a sharp dogleg left. After turning, stop and look around. The land on the right side of the road is the old John Cowan farm. There is an extensive Amish farmstead to the east, in the center of this tract. John Cowan’s old stone house was still standing as late as 1884. I’ve wondered if it might be inside the current large frame Amish house. Next time I’m up there, I plan to stop and ask the owners. William Cowan’s place was also on the right of Red Well Drive, but south of John’s, starting about where the bend in the road is. David’s acreage was east of John’s and had more frontage on Peter’s Pike. Follow Red Well Drive north until it intersects with Peter’s Pike. Turn right here, and you will be going along the front of John’s place, and actual slicing through the NE corner of David’s.
The adjacent map (left abve) shows the location of the 18th Century Cowan Land Warrants of Salisbury Township, Lancaster Co PA. Click on image for greater detail. Below is an image of a modern Amish farmstead which now occupies the location where John Cowan settled along the western edge of Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, PA, sometime before 1722.
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| 3. Christ Episcopal Cemetery. In 1819, a new Episcopal parish was formed much nearer the Cowan farms. Many of the remaining family members in the area went to this church after that date (but not all.) The old church building burned, so all that is left is the cemetery, but the view from the top of the site is one of the prettiest in the Amish county. It is less than a mile east of the center of Intercourse, on the north side of the Old Philadelphia Pike (Hwy. No. 34.) Drive slow and you’ll see it wedged between Amish dairies. Our family’s graves are on the right side, front row, as you are walking up the hill. They are very dim and hard to read, all dating from the 1830s and 1840s. They include Ann Cowan Rutter and husband Nathaniel Rutter, and 3 or 4 of the children of William Cowan and wife Mary Rutter Cowan (who are buried at St. John’s.) There may be a few more.
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4. The White Horse Tavern. The tavern has been in business in the same building since 1740. It is on Old Philadelphia Pike midway between the Cowan farms and St. John’s Church. Stop in there and have a Juengling on draft. You won’t be the first Cowan to do so.
5. Dawson Cemetery. This one is a stretch. The family of Margaret Cowan Dawson (c.1720-1807) is buried in this now-lost family cemetery. It is on Bonsall School Road, near Neal Road, about 3 ½ miles southeast of St. John’s. It is known as the old Saalbach Farm, now owned by the Brandywine Conservancy. There are a couple of old structures on the site, one dating to 1730s, that were probably the homes at one time of our Cowan-Dawson kin. The cemetery is supposedly lost, but then, I don’t know how well anyone has really looked for it.
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