Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Cowin, Thomas G. 1842 - 1900 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 21, 2006, 9:59 pm Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908) THOMAS G. COWIN (1842-1900). Among the pioneer settlers of Little Rock township and Nobles county was Thomas G. Cowin, who drove through with a covered wagon from Milwaukee, Wis., in 1872 and home-steaded in Little Rock township. Mr. Cowin was born on the Isle of Man Sept. 18, 1842, and came to the United States in 1867. He was a miner by occupation and from the date of his arrival in America until he came to Nobles county he followed that occupation, working in the mines of Superior, Wis., in Colorado and in California. Upon his arrival in Nobles county he took as a homestead the east half of the northeast quarter of section 18, securing his final papers July 29, 1884. Upon this he built a sod shanty, ill which he lived several years, and engaged in farming until his death, which occurred Sept. 11, 1900. On Aug. 6, 1878, Mr. Cowin purchased the west half of the northeast quarter of section 18, Little Rock township. Mr. Cowin's first naturalization papers were taken out at Central City, Colo., April 1, 1872. His second papers were issued at Worthington, Minn., in 1878, at the March term of court. Henry Nelson and H. K. Neynes were witnesses to the last named papers. Mr. Cowin was married in Milwaukee, Wis., on Sept. 4, 1873, to Miss Annie May," who was born Feb. 21, 1852, and who died July 25, 1895. To them were born the following children: Annie May, born July 29, 1874, died Oct. 15, 1892; Jessie Mandena (Mrs. Joseph H. Skillicorn), of Wadena, Minn., born Nov. 18, 1875; Joseph T., of Little Rock township, born Dec. 8, 1878; Lilly Kaye Elizabeth, of Little Rock township, born Dec. 26, 1882; Everett Garett, born July 12, 1892. Joseph T. Cowin, who farms the original homestead, was born on the farm where he has spent his entire life on Dec. 8, 1878. He worked for his father until the latter's death in 1900, and since that date has engaged in farming for himself. He is unmarried. During the last three years he has held the office of clerk of school district No. 13, the school in which he received his education. He is secretary of the Little Rock Township Farmers' Telephone line. Additional Comments: Extracted from: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY MINNESOTA BY ARTHUR P. ROSE NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA PUBLISHERS 1908 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/nobles/bios/cowin95gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 2.9 Kb