Biographical Sketch of Judge Samuel D. Cowan, St. Joseph, Buchanan 
County, MO

>From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph
Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri.
**********************************************************************

Judge Samuel D. Cowan, the present Clerk of the Circuit Court of 
Buchanan County, was born near Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky,
January 25, 1825, his ancestors being among the earliest who emi-
grated from Virginia.  His father's name was John W. Cowan, and his
mother's maiden name Fannie Dysart.  He was brought up on his father's
farm, where he lived till about twenty years of age, when he entered
the Circuit Clerk's office of Pulaski County, in which he was employed
about a year.  In 1846, he entered the volunteer service, and became
Second Lieutenant of Company H, of the Fourth Kentucky Regiment, with
which he left for Mexico in October of the same year.  He served in 
this command till the close of the war, and was in the City of Mexico
when the news reached the army that peace had been declared.  In 1848,
he returned home.  Two years after, he went to California, where he
spent four years in the gold mines of the Pacific Coast.  In 1854, he 
returned to Kentucky, and the same year emigrated to Missouri, settl-
ing on a farm in Washingtown Township, Buchanan County.  He filled the
position of Deputy under Sheriff Morgan, and afterwards under Ainsworth.
On December 24, 1860, he married Miss Bettie Langford, by whom he has
had a family of four daughters and three sons, all but one, a son, are
living.  In 1865, he crossed the plains, and the following year visit-
ed Montana, where he engaged in freighting on his own account.  Return-
ing to Missouri, he resumed the business of farming.  In November, 1874,
he was elected a member of the County Court of Buchanan County, which
position he filled acceptably during the period of two terms of two 
years each.  In 1878, he was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court of
Buchanan County for the term of four years, which position he now holds.

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