Dade County, Missouri Biographies-Robert COWAN

History Of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade And Barton Counties, 
Missouri, 1889.  Published by Goodspeed.  Pgs. 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.  The father was born in Sullivan County, Tenn., about 
1790, was of Irish descent, and a farmer by occupation.  He died
in his native county about 1868. The mother was born in Washington
County, Va., near 1800, and died in Sullivan County, Tenn., in 
1878.  They were the parents of eleven children, eight sons and 
three daughters, six now living.  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.  Her parents came to
Dade County, Mo., in 1838, and were among the pioneer settlers
of that county.  Here the father died in 1856.  He was a native
Virginian.  The mother also died in Dade County in 1863.  She 
was also a native of Virginia, born in the year 1800, and was of
Irish descent.  To Mr. Cowan's second marriage were born six 
children, all living-Mary V., Anna L., wife of Thomas Davidson; 
James M., now in California; John A.; Dorothy, wife of W.R.Dye,
in Dade County, Mo.; and Ella, wife of Solomon Wilson, and now
residing in Aurora, Mo.  Mr. Cowan moved to Cedar County, Mo.,
in 1844, and soon after settled in St. Clair, where he resided
three years.  He then moved to his present property, which 
consists of a fine farm of 320 acres, with about 180 under 
cultivation.  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.  Their son, John A. Cowan, was born in Dade
County, Mo., in 1858 and in 1882 married Miss Nora Dinwiddie, 
who was born in Dade County, Mo., in 1865, and is the daughter
of Nathan and Almina (Morris) Dinwiddie, both deceased, the 
mother dying in Dade County about 1875, and the father in the 
same county in 1888.  Both were natives of the State of Missouri.
To John Cowan and wife were born two children.  Mr. and Mrs. 
Cowan reside on the old homestead with the elder Mr. Cowan, but
he is also the owner of 240 acres of his own.  He is a Democrat
in politics, and his wife is a member of the Christian Church.

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