Person:Robert Cowan (35)

Research Notes

• Note: This Robert did not use the initial S. The Goodspeed's History shows only Robert Cowan as does his tombstone. Robert S is Robert Shelby, son of George Rutledge Cowan.
• Springfield, Mo. Newspaper Abstracts 1897: Friday morning, April 30, 1897 Page 3 Robert Cowan, farmer of Dadeville committed suicide.
• A note in the Greenfield Vedette 1897 May 13, 1897 notes a Bill for inquest in the case of Robert Cowan is rejected by the court (Coroner reports are no longer available)

Robert Cowan and brothers

Robert Cowan and family

Robert Cowan's farm in Dade County, north of Dadeville, Missouri

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Robert S Cowan, in Find A Grave
   [Includes headstone photo], last accessed Nov 2016.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Biographical Sketch of Robert Cowan, in Goodspeed Publishing Company, and Dade County Historical Society. History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri: from the earliest time to the present, including a department devoted to the preservation of sundry personal, business, professional, and private records; besides a valuable fund of notes, original observations, etc., etc. (Chicago [Illinois]: Goodspeed, 1889)
   801-802.

   Robert Cowan, farmer and stock-raiser, residing three miles northeast of Dadeville, Mo., was born in Sullivan County, East Tenn., in 1827, and is the son of William R. and Nancy (Sursong) Cowan. ...
   
   ... Robert Cowan was the second child in order of birth. He left home at the age of seventeen, and in 1848 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. McConnel, who was born in Washington County, Va., about 1828, and died in Dade County, Mo., in 1850, leaving one child, William R. In 1851 Mr. Cowan married his second wife, Miss Margaret E. Haley, who was born in Brunswick County, Va., in 1831, and is the daughter of Meredith and Dorothy L. Haley. ...
   
   ... To Mr. Cowan’s second marriage were born six children, all living- ...
   
   ... In 1862 Mr. Cowan entered the army, in Company I, Sixteenth Regiment Missouri Cavalry, and served about three years. He was elected county judge of Dade Couty at one time, and affiliated with the Republican party until 1884, since which time he has been a Democrat. Mrs. Cowan is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. ...
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   [Note: full transcript available.]

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Dade, Missouri, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication M593)
   1 Jul 1870.

   Greenfield, Page 11, Family 70, Lines 5-12, NARA microfilm publication M593, FHL microfilm 552272

4. ↑ Cedar County Republican (Cedar County, Missouri)
   19 Apr 1897.

   Robert Cowan, an old and respected citizen of near Dadeville, was found dead hanging in his barn Monday morning. His son (John) became mentally unbalanced while attending US court at Springfield a few weeks ago. This worried the father so much that is supposed become unbalancedand committed suicide

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Greenfield Advocate (Greenfield, Missouri)
   5, 19 Apr 1897.

   Suicide News came to our city last Monday of the suicide of Robt Cowan near Dadeville. It appears that Mr. Cowan, who was some 70 years of age, had for some time been subject to slight attacks of mental aberration and it was at one of these flighty periods unquestionably, when the act was committed. One of his sons became slightly deranged a short time since and while he was not violent, Mr. Cowan thought that he needed looking after a litt and was that night sleeping with his son that he might better look after his welfare. Sometime in the night he became mentally deranged and going to the barn, hanged himself.
   
   Mr. Cowan was an old citizen of this county and was highly respected. He entered the army in 1862 to Company of the 16th Regiment, Missouri Cavalry, and served 3 years, a portion of which time he was First Lieutenant. He served this county as County Judge one term some years ago.
   
   The funeral service took place at his late residence 3 miles NE of Dadeville and was attended by a large converse of people.

6.   Greenfield Vedette (Greenfield, Missouri)
   3, 29 Apr 1897.

   Suicide Robert Cowan of near Dadeville Hangs himself with a Plow.
   Last Monday morning about daylight the body of Robt Cowan, a farmer, was found swinging by a plowline from a crossbeam in his barn, 4 miles from Dadeville.
   
   A corner's Jury ws impaneled Monday afternoon before Justice Lafood and returned a verdict to the effect that deceased came to his death from suicide by hanging. The evidence before the jury showed that his mind was deranged.
   
   It was thought that the deceased rose from his bed about 3 o'clock Monday morning and still in his night clothes went to the barn 100 yards distant and made a running noose in the plowline and jumped from a ladder falling a distance of about 4 foot and dislocating his neck. The funeral services were held at Dadeville on Tuesday.
   
   Mr. Cowan was 75 years old and an old settler in this county. He was a soldier in the same company with Capt. J. H. Howard of this city.