|
|
Source
Biographical Directory of the Tennessee General Assembly, VOLUME I, 1796 - 1861, edited by ROBERT M. McBride and Dan M. Robinson (reprinted in 1975 by The Tennessee State Library And Archives and the Tennessee Historical Commission), p. 167.
Transcript
- Cowan, Andrew (1782 - 1840)
HOUSE, 14th and 15th General Assemblies, 1821-25; representing Blount and Monroe counties. Born in 1782, place and exact date not indicated; son of William and Jane (Walker) Cowan. Extent of schooling not determined. Twice married; nothing found to show name of first wife, date and place of their marriage or date of her death; the five children by this marriage were-
- Alfred,
- Albina,
- James Harry,
- Margaret, and
- Letitia Cowan;
second marriage in Blount County September 25, 1816, to Esther F. Houston, daughter of Samuel and Nancy (Gillespy) Houston; nine children by this marriage-
- Samuel Houston,
- Nancy Gillespy,
- Jane W.,
- William Baker,
- Isabella Ann,
- Matthew Leonidas,
- Andrew F.[1] Gillespie, and
- Martha Serena Cowan.
Subject described as early settler and farmer living on Nine Mile Creek, Blount County. Delegate, 1822, to anti-slavery convention in Blount County. In War of 1812; enlisted December 1, 1812, as private in Captain William Walker's Company, East Tennessee Mounted Volunteers, commanded by Colonel T. H. Benton, enlistment dates February 10, 1813, and October 12, 1813. Ruling elder and trustee in Pine Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church, then in Blount County but later in Loudon County. Died in Blount County September 22, 1840; place of burial not named.
Commentary
This biographical sketch differs in several respects from what is otherwise known/believed about Andrew Cowan. Details of marriages, child list, residence and date of death differ, sometimes radically. This may indicate that his data has been confused with that of another Andrew Cowan. Confirming information is needed.
The following commentary is provided by Margie Cowan:
It is highly likely the source’s information "merged" two Andrew Cowans into one biographical entry — Andrew Cowan (1782 - 1872) m. Esther F “Hetty” Houston and Andrew Cowan (1772 - 1840) m. Jane Woods. His parents were Robert Cowan of Jefferson Co., TN and Susannah Woods.
Both Andrew Cowans lived in Blount Co.
One Andrew Cowan (1772 - 1840) died 22 Sept 1840 in Blount Co., TN and was the father of the five children listed, (See Cindy Stamps note below.(
but, the Andrew Cowan (1782 - 1872) who married Ester F. "Hettie" Houston clearly died in 1872 in Bradley Co., TN.
As descendants of Andrew Cowan (m. Hettie Houston) have not referenced him being in the TN Gen. Assembly, this fact likely refers to the “other” Andrew Cowan died 22 Sept 1840 (verified by the Obituary below).
- Andrew (m. Hetty Houston) was the 1840 Blount Co. census enumerator … he has a very distinctive handwriting on those census pages
- Andrew's pension application indicates he was alive past 1840.
- Andrew left Blount Co, TN sometime in the 1840s and moved to Bradley Co — is in the 1850, 1860, and 1870 Bradley Co., census
- Andrew's tombstone at the Flint Springs Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Flint Springs, Bradley Co., TN clearly shows he died in 1872.
- Andrew's grave is beside his wife, Hetty (Houston) Cowan's grave.
- Also buried near Andrew and Hetty at Flint Springs Cumberland Church Cemetery are:
- Their daughter, Nancy Gillespy COWAN
- Their grandson, Joseph Leonidas Cowan (son of William Baker Cowan and Melinda Eufamia Cobb.)
- Their granddaughter, Martha Adeline "Addie" Norwood (daughter of Pulaski Wallace Norwood and Isabella Ann Norwood.
- Their granddaughter, Artie A. Cowan (daughter of William Baker Cowan and Melinda Eufamia Cobb.)
- Their greatgrandaughter, Lorena Morelock (daughter of Houston L Morelock and Artie A. Cowan)
In 1856, Andrew wrote Rosanna (Gillespie) Cowan, his sister-in-law, a letter from Cleveland, Bradley Co., TN ... clearly, he was still alive at that point.
As to the children mentioned in the bio:
- Carl Brown claims there was another child … Alfred Cowan … but I haven’t been able to prove it. As Andrew was 13 years older than Hetty, it is possible (but not proven) that Hetty could have been his second wife. If he was married prior to Hetty, he could have had one or more children by his "first wife" as claimed by Carl Brown. If Andrew was married prior to Hetty, then his marriage to Margaret Fisher would be his third marriage??
Carl Brown's website has Hetty Houston [incorrectly] as daughter of James Houston and Phoebe McClung. (Perhaps, therein lies the potential error. Need to check to see if James Houston and Phoebe McClung had a daughter named Hetty ... and whether she possibly married an Andrew Cowan, who might be the Andrew Cowan that died in 1840????) His website shows Alfred in the 1850 Census, Missouri, Dade, District 25 with wife Jane Cowen (45 TN), Houston (22 TN), Hetty (20 TN), Andrew (17 TN), James (13 TN), Alvina (10 TN), Nancy (8 MO), Mary (5 MO).
Per part of posting by [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/COWAN/2003-07/1058366586
Cindy Stamps]:
From: Cindy Stamps < cstamps@swbell.net>
Subject: [COWAN-L] Blount Co. Cowans
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 09:43:30 -0500
10 Sep 1840 -- Andrew Cowan of Blount County, 68 years of age, makes last will; Son Alfred gets land which father seized as a possessor, two Negroes; daughter Albina Hughes; grandsons Andrew Woods Cowan, Hutson Gillespie Cowan, Andrew McClung; son James Harry Cowan; daughters Margaret McClung, Letitia Grayham; witness: Andrew Cowan Jr., James McConnell.
- Albina/Alvena Cowan m. _______ HUGHES
- Margaret Cowan m. Patrick McCLUNG in _______, TN 30 May 1821
- Letitia/Luticia/Lutia Cowan m. George GRAHAM in Blount Co., TN 11 Sep 1828
- Alfred Cowan m. (i) Margaret Ann Cowan abt. 1824 in Franklin Co., Tenn., daughter of JAMES COWAN and MARY MONTGOMERY. He married (2) Jane Cook on March 02, 1826 in Blount Co., Tenn.
UPDATE … 01 May 2023 … by Margie Cowan
Thanks to Newspapers.com and the availability of online images, I think the mystery of the two Andrews is finally resolved.
Part of the confusion by the author of the biographical entry is likely because both Andrew Cowans were born in 1782 and both lived in Blount Co at the same time. … one dies 22 Sep 1840 in Blount Co. The other dies in Bradley Co., TN in 1872 at the age of 90.
The Hiwassee Patriot (24 Nov 1840) obituary refers to Andrew Cowan (1782 - 1840) and is the father of the children named in the Blount Co. will.
The obituary verifies that he lived on Nine Mile Creek, served in the Tennessee State Legislature, and verifies his death in Blount Co. in 1840
- OBITUARY
- Died, Sept 22, 1840, at his residence on Nine Mile Creek, Blount County, Tennessee, Andrew Cowan, Esq., universally respected by the community in which he lived.
- Mr. Cowan had a long course of conduct eminently exemplary, carried fully and the purest principles of Evangelical piety in the various duties of public, social, and domestic life. In the Legislature of the State, those who were his associates in that responsible station can testify to his unbending integrity in the pursuit of the public good. As a citizen he was the friend of justice and the disinterested and untiring advocate of the oppressed, the persecuted and the distressed. With regard to his domestic relations his home was the dwelling of peace. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and in that relation adorned his profession by a highly consistent deportment. He viewed the actions of his this life in their bearing for the life to come and the purifying influence of this principle was visible in his whole character. The closing scene of his useful life was eminently peaceful and triumphant. When his heart and flesh were failing, his views of the sufficiency, the glorious, ample sufficiency, of the stoning blood of Jesus, were clear and satisfactory. His faith and hope were in full and vigorous exercise. His last conversations were, by Divine favor, perfectly lucid and rational and evince glorious anticipations beyond the grave and hopes fully charged with pure and immortal joys.
This Andrew Cowan’s will is in ‘’’Blount Co. Will Book 1, p. 19-20’’’ … dated ‘’’10 September 1840.’’’
The official date of the 1840 census is 01 June 1840.
Andrew Cowan (1772 - 1840) is, presumably, the 60-70 year old male found in the 1840 Blount Co, TN census in the home of Alfred M Cowan, his son. (Andrew’s wife, Jane Woods, died in 1838).
The Andrew Cowan (1782 - 1872) m. Hetty Houston is found in the 1840 Blount Co., TN census.
|
|
