McCOWAN BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri
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McCOWAN, William M. - b: 1828 near Evansville, IN
source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - 
page: 524
residence: Windsor Twp

William M. McCowan was born on a farm near Evansville, Indiana, in 1828, and 
died in Henry County, Missouri, in 1875. He was the son of James McCowan, who 
was a native of Kentucky, and a soldier of the War of 1812. James McCowan 
moved from Kentucky to Indiana and became an honored resident of the 
southwestern part of the State, founding a permanent home near the city of 
Evansville. When news of the great gold strike on Sutter's Mill Race on the slopes 
of the Sierras in California reached Indiana, Mr. McCowan was one of the first 
adventurous spirits to undertake the long and dangerous trip to the Pacific Coast 
in search of fortune. He remained in California until 1854, was successful in his 
quest of the yellow metal, and returned home. He then located near Windsor in 
Henry County, Missouri, and purchased a large tract of land near Calhoun, in 
Windsor township, which he developed into an important live stock ranch. He was 
owner of 600 acres of land and became widely known as a successful breeder of 
race horses and was also an extensive raiser and breeder of cattle for the 
markets. During the Civil War, Mr. McCowan was a captain of Missouri Home 
Guards and served until 1863. He followed agricultural pursuits until his death 
and was a prominent and influential citizen of Henry County during his residence 
here. William McCowan was twice married, his first wife being Mattie Huston, 
who bore him three children: Cincinnatus, a farmer in South Dakota; Major 
Thomas B. McCowan, a surgeon of the American Army Hospital Corps, stationed at 
El Paso, Texas, as district surgeon, a service in which he has been engaged for 
the past eighteen years; William H., Deepwater, Missouri, engaged in the furniture 
and undertaking business. The second marriage of William M. McCowan occurred in 
October, 1874, with Miss Fannie C. Page, who was born in Logan County, Kentucky, 
in August, 1848, the daughter of Thomas and Isabella (Catlett) Page, both natives 
of Virginia. Thomas Page was the son of James Page, a soldier of the Revolution. 
One child was born of this second marriage, Miss May McCowan. When eleven 
years of age, May McCowan removed with her widowed mother to Oakland, 
California, and there she received a high school education. She graduated from 
Oakland high school in 1895. Miss McCowan has studied at the Warrensburg 
Normal School, specializing in history. She and her mother returned to Windsor, 
Missouri, in 1895 and she began her successful teaching career. Miss McCowan 
first taught in her old home district school in 1900, this school being at that 
time the oldest school house in Henry County. In 1902 she was selected to teach 
the primary department of the Windsor public schools and in 1906 she became 
teacher of English and algebra in the Windsor high school. She next taught near 
Warrensburg, Missouri, and in 1908 became principal of the schools at Shawnee 
Mound, Henry county. In 1910 she returned to Windsor and taught English and 
mathematics in the local high school for the ensuing three years. Her next 
position was as teacher at Rodelia high school in 1913. Since 1913 Miss McCowan 
has been teacher of history in the Windsor high school. Miss McCowan is a 
member of the Henry County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution 
and takes a keen and absorbing interest in the affairs of this chapter, of which 
she is the local official historian. In her work as historian she has gathered and 
published considerable history of Windsor and vicinity and Henry County which is 
considered as authentic, reliable and written in an entertaining and readable 
vein. She is a member of the Baptist Church, and is affiliated fraternally with 
the Order of Eastern Star, of which order she is a past matron and is now serving 
as chaplain of the order.

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