Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Cowing, John C 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 2:31 am

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

JOHN C. COWING was born at Lisbon, N. H., June 6, 1833, a son of David and 
Polly (Jessemen) Cowing. His father, who was born at Lisbon February 6, 1795, 
became a minister in the Free Will Baptist Church. He was married at Sugar 
Hill, Grafton County, N. H., in 1814, to Polly Jessemen, who was born June 24, 
1795. They both died at Elk Grove, Cook County, Ill., his death occurring 
September 17, 1848, while his wife passed away March 3, 1850. They had come, 
with their family, to Illinois in 1844, arriving in Chicago on the 9th of 
November, and settled first at Half Day, on the Desplaines River, in Lake 
County, Ill, but shortly afterward removed to Chicago. 

After the decease of his mother, our subject made his home in Richmond, 
McHenry County, Ill., for a short time, but during the same year (1850) went 
to Twelve Mile Grove, Will County, Ill., and thence to Rockford in 1852. He 
was married in Beloit, Wis., December 29, 1853, to Elizabeth Bradshaw, of 
Rockford, Ill., who was born in Derry Township, Columbia County, Pa., January 
31, 1834, and died on their farm at West Peotone, Will County, Ill., September 
22, 1896. In 1854 he settled in the township of Wilton, Will County, but sold 
his property there and settled on section 19, Peotone Township, in February, 
1855. He still resides there and is the oldest permanent settler in the town. 
His first purchase in the township was eighty acres. By subsequent purchases 
he became the owner of three hundred and twenty acres, but of this he has sold 
a large part, and now has a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He is an 
active Republican. He has filled some township and local offices, including 
those of constable, commissioner of highways and school director. An active 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he is steward and a trustee of his 
congregation, and has the honor of having organized the first Sunday-school in 
his district. For some years he has been practically retired, having given the 
management of his farm (on which he still resides) to his youngest son. 

The lady whom Mr. Cowing married was a lineal descendant of Judge Bradshaw, 
who sat on the bench at the trial of Charles II. Her father, George Bradshaw, 
in early life engaged in teaching school, but later cultivated a farm. On 
coming west he made his home in Rockford, Ill., for some time, but finally 
removed to Lee County, this state, where he died. One of his sons, B. H. 
Bradshaw, was a power in the Republican party and an active man in public 
affairs, serving several terms as a member of the Illinois legislature and 
holding other offices of trust and honor. 

The family of Mr. and Mrs. Cowing comprised the following sons and daughters: 
Mary Luella, who was born in Wilton Township, September 29, 1854, and died in 
Peotone, Ill., July 6, 1885; Albert H., who was born in Peotone, May 29, 1857, 
being the oldest surviving male child born in the township of Peotone; George 
J., born in Peotone, March 25, 1859; John F., who was born in Peotone, 
February 12, 1869, and died in Ann Arbor, Mich., February 5, 1884, while a 
student in the law department of the State University; Addie M., who was born 
in Peotone, April 4, 1866, and who resides with her father; Herbert H., who 
was born in Peotone, January 9, 1869, and died September 29 of the same year; 
Arthur B., who was born January 10, 1871, and is now preparing for the 
profession of law; and James R., who was born in Peotone, May 25, 1873, and 
now has charge of the home farm.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

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