GEORGE F. COWAN, Leeson's Hist. of MT 1739-1885, Jefferson Co., MT USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. "List transcribed and organized by Ellen Rae Thiel, thieljl@aol.com All rights reserved." Copyright, 1998 by Ellen Rae Thiel. This file may be freely copied for non-profit purposes. All other rights reserved. GEORGE F. COWAN - pg 1176 From Leeson's History of Montana 1739-1885 published 1885 SURNAME FOUND IN THE BIOGRAPHY: MYERS; MANN; DINGEE; ARNOLD; OLDHAM; CARPENTER George F. Cowan, P. O. Radersburg, was born at Worthington, O., February 10, 1842, and removed with his parents to Wisconsin, settling first at Watertown, then at Berlin (in 1852), and finally at Ripon, where he finished his education at Ripon college. For some time in 1861 he served in the "Ripon Rifles." He was married August 24, 1875, his wife having been born February 10, 1842. In the spring of 1865 Mr. Cowan came to Montana, and was located nearly a year at Helena. In May of the next year he went to Uncle Ben's Gulch. Having read law, he drew up the by-laws of the gulch, and engaged in mining at that place until the first of September. His mining venture not proving successful he returned to Helena starting a short time afterward for Virginia City, but stopping at Prickly Pear, then called the "county site of Montana." Remaining until the following spring, and practicing law a little during the time, he again returned to Helena, was appointed assessor of internal revenue, and served until August of the same year. He finished his law course while serving as clerk of the district court at Radersburg, was admitted to the bar at that place in May, 1872, and has since been engaged in practice. August 6, 1877, Mr. Cowan started for the Yellowstone Park, reaching it on the 14th, and after a visit of ten days among its wonders, was ready to return. About daybreak, while yet sleeping, the party was surprised by a band of Nez Perce Indians, and all its members were captured. including Mr. and Mrs. Cowan, the latter's sister Ida and brother, Frank Carpenter, Albert Oldham (shot through the face), A. J. Arnold, William Dingee, Charles Mann, and William Myers (an employee). Mrs. Cowan first heard the Indians, and awakened her husband, who speedily dressed, went out, and found them talking with some of their party who were trying to light a fire. The Indians informed them they would be safe if they came with them. After traveling some distance toward home, the Indians suddenly formed in line immediately in front of them, and called a halt. Mr. Cowan demanded the reason, and was told the chief, Looking Glass, wanted to see and talk with him. After some parley, the whites were told they were prisoners and must move on. During the parley, at a sign form the chief, the Indians lowered their guns. Mr. Cowan rode his saddle horse beside the carriage. They soon came to heavy timber, and were ordered to leave the vehicles and mount the horses. Mrs. Cowan was allowed to retain her saddle horse. At noon they camped, and then ensured a parley in which Chief Poker Joe promised liberty to the party of whites if they would give up their guns, ammunition and horses, receiving in turn old worn out horses to make their homeward journey upon. Resistance, meant death to the whole party. Mr. Cowan had a needle gun and five rounds of ammunition, while his brother-in- law was the possessor of a shot gun and three rounds only; therefore they acceded to the terms, after the Indians had partaken of dinner - of which the captives had none. The Indians resumed their march and the little party turned their faces on the back trail. After they had gone half a mile, about 75 bucks came rushing back and told them they must return. They were taken back between two files of Indians, two of the savages going ahead out of sight over the hill. About one and a half miles from the scene of the last capture these two Indians suddenly appeared and rushed down the hill toward the captive as fast as their horses could run. When about fifteen paces away they suddenly pulled their horses upon their haunches, one of them leveled his gun at Mr. Cowan, who was ahead, and shot him through the right leg. Then shots were heard on every hand. Another Indian pointed his gun at Mr. Cowan, who dodged and rolled from his horse. His wife went to his assistance, when another Indian came up and asked him if he was shot through the breast, to which he replied no. The savage then drew a pistol and tried to shoot him in the head. Mrs. Cowan clung to her husband and tried to protect him, and while the Indian was trying to drag her away another drew a revolver and shot the prostrate man in the head, then throwing ragged stones at his head and cutting him badly. He was finally left for dead and his wife was carried away. This occurred about two o'clock in the afternoon on Friday, just two years after the day of the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Cowan, and a sad anniversary it was to them. Mr. Cowan regained consciousness as the sun was going down behind the tree tops. After being shot he had rolled down a slight declivity against a felled tree, and on recovering found himself on the opposite side of the same tree. After several vain attempts to arise he finally, in a dazed condition, drew himself to his feet by the aid of a limb. Hearing a noise, he looked around and saw an Indian on horseback in the act of drawing his gun. The fiend jumped from his horse and came toward Mr. Cowan firing, shooting him through the hip, the ball passing through the hip bone and coming out in front. Mr. Cowan fell upon his face, without losing consciousness, and lay so until dark, when he crawled into the bushes for shelter. Being consumed by thirst, he dragged himself for hours on his hands and knees in search of water. He came suddenly upon some sleeping Indians, but being in the shade of a tree, crawled carefully back about 100 yards, brushing the twigs aside, then about 100 yards at right angles, resuming his painful journey on hands and knees and continuing until midnight, when he crawled between two logs and lay there until morning. In this manner he toiled on, without food, for five days, or until the next Wednesday about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, when he was found by two of General Howard's scouts, who cared for him, gave him food, and left him where Howard would find him the next night. He had no water until the next day after he was shot, and the endurance of the man was marvelous. General Howard did not come until Thursday noon, but then took him down the Yellowstone and sent him with an escort toward Bozeman. He gave out when only a part of the journey was accomplished, and was not taken to Bozeman until he had rested for six days. when found by the scouts he learned that they had also found two of his party safe, Oldham and Myers, and when General Howard reached him he was overjoyed at the intelligence that his wife was also safe. The evening before their capture the whole party had joined in singing, "Home, Sweet Home," little knowing that a band of merciless Nez Perces was surrounding them, listening to their music, and preparing for the deed of violence of the day following. Mr. Cowan's experience was certainly remarkable, and very few would have survived a similar one.