R. S. Cowie Biography


	This biography appears on pages 481-482 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				R. S. COWIE. 

	R. S. Cowie is the owner of eight hundred and twenty acres of 
hand located on section 8, La Prairie township, Spink county, and has 
for over a decade carried on agricultural pursuits in South Dakota, 
where he arrived on the 22d of April, 1883. He was born near Verona, 
Wisconsin, on the 18th of October, 1869, a son of Robert Sterling and 
Mary Jane (Holmes) Cowie, the former of whom died in 1878, when but 
thirty-two years of age. He was born in Massachusetts. His widow 
survives and makes her home in Stratford, South Dakota. 

	R. S. Cowie came to this state in 1883 with his mother and her 
second husband, George Baker, who took up a homestead and began its 
improvement. He died in October, 1911, and is buried in the Oakwood 
cemetery, Rondel township, Brown county. He was a veteran of the Civil 
war and served his country in the times of peace by an upright, 
industrious life. R. S. Cowie was taken to York county, Nebraska, when 
he was but eight months old and there acquired his early education, 
although he continued to attend school for a few years after the 
removal of the family to this state. He put aside his text-books at the 
age of twenty and devoted his time entirely to farming. While still 
attending school be had assisted his stepfather in the work of the farm 
during the summers and had acquainted himself with effective methods of 
agriculture. 

	Within a short time after he had left school his mother helped 
him to buy one hundred and sixty acres of land and he began farming for 
himself. His well timed labors and his progressive methods have brought 
him good returns and as he has saved his money he has been able to 
purchase additional land until his farm property now aggregates eight 
hundred and twenty acres. He does general farming, raising about sixty 
horses, twenty-five cattle and a considerable number of hogs, in 
addition to the field crops best adapted to the soil and climate. 

	Mr. Cowie was married in the Gann Valley church, on the 8th of 
July, 1902, to Miss Ina Powell, a daughter of A. R. and M. L. (Dwyer) 
Powell, pioneer farmers of Jerauld county, South Dakota. Both are now 
residents of Brentford, this state. Her paternal grandfather came to 
this country from England, but her father was born in the state of New 
York. Mr. and Mrs. Cowie have four sons, namely: Ansel, nine years of 
age; Glenn, seven years old; Reed, five; and Ancel, three. The father 
is a republican in his political belief and has served as chairman of 
the town board in addition to holding other local offices. Fraternally 
he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the 
Ancient Order of United Workmen. He has won more than usual success as 
a farmer, but in so doing has not forgotten the public welfare, being 
at all times ready to give of his time and means to worthy causes.