Person:David Cowan (11)

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Source

Source:Fleming, 1971

Notes

From Fleming, 1971:28 et seq, who noted "[[the following] narrative written by David Cowan in 1869, accompanied with the explanatory comments by Mrs. James P. Cowan and Mrs. Anna W. Cowan, were placed in the hands of John K. Fleming by the Reverend Howard McKnight Wilson, D.D., 114 Boddington Road, Staunton, Virginia." This is presumably the document that Fleming elsewhere refers to as "A Cowan Sketch" by David Cowan of Rush COunty Indiana.

The history of the Cowan family is remarkable. They are descendants of the Protestants of Ireland or the Scotch-Irish who emigrated to America in an early day and settled in Pennsylvania and so far as is known to the writer were farmers. David Cowan, grand-father of the writer, died in Pennsylvania the 11th of March, 1786. The widow with six children emigrated to Bourbon County, Kentucky about 1788 or 1789. Hugh Cowan, the oldest son of the family, married Rachel Breckenridge, the daughter of Alexander Breckenrdige of Bourbon County, Kentucky near Paris which family was from Virginia and removed to Kentucky about 1791. There is a real authenticated tradition that this family of Breckenridges was descended from the Scotch Presbyterians or Old Psalm Singers.

This Cowan family resided in Bourbon and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky until October, 1835, then removed to Rush County Indiana. Hugh and Rachel Cowan, the heads of this family have their last resting place in the New Zion Cemetery, Decatur, Indiana (now Springfield United Presbyterian Church).

Lovisa Cowan, wife of the present writer, David Cowan was the daughter of Robert Stewart of Harrison County, Kentucky. This family of Stewarts could trace their history back to Scotland.

(Signed)David Cowan, May 20, 1869.

Following is an explanatory paragraph by Mrs. Anna W. Cowan:

David Cowan the writer of the preceding history died at the home of his daughter Mrs. William Hutchinson of Franklin, Ohio, July 23, 1887. He was buried in Richland Cemetery. The following bit of history was furnished by Mrs. James P. Cowan of Indianapolis, Indiana. She was the wife of Reverend James P. Cowan who was a son of Hugh Breckenridge Cowan.

David Cowan, born January 7, 1784, a brother of Hugh Cowan who married Rachel Breckenridge moved from Kentucky to Springfield, Ohio about the time his brother Hugh moved to Rush County, Indiana. This David Cowan was the father of three sons and two daughters, namely David, James and Hugh Cowan and Mrs. Bird and Mrs. Stewart. These women died in Springfield, Ohio many years ago. David Cowan, Sr., the father of the family, also died in Springfield, about 1859 or 1860. David Cowan, son of the above moved to Bloomington, Illinois and died there. James Cowan died at Springfield, Ohio. His son James Cowan married a Miss Anderson near Cedarville, Ohio, then Clifton, Ohio, then with his family moved to California. He only lived a short time after reaching California. When a College girl I visited in his home in Ohio. Hugh Cowan (David Senior's son died in 1899 or 1900 at Springfield, Ohio).

(Signed)Mrs. Anna W. Cowan, Indianpolis, Indiana January 30, 1919.