Freestone County, Texas
Biographies 




Biography of Jesse A. McGowan
  (June 19, 1841-Jul. 10, 1917, buried Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon, Donley Co.,
     Texas)


Source - A Memorial and Biographical History of Hill County, Texas
Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892

page 16

Jesse A. McGowan was born in White county, Tennessee, June 19, 1841, and, 
although he learned the tannery business in his youth and followed this 
calling for some time after he began life for himself, he is now a successful
tiller of the soil and owns an excellent fame of 260 acres in Hill county, of 
which ninety-five acres are under cultivation and well improved with good 
buildings, etc.  His parents, Samuel and Sarah (Markham) McGowan, were born in
Tennessee, and died in 1851 and 1869 respectively, the latter being 45 years of
age at the time of her death.  Upon the opening of the Civil War Jesse A. 
McGowan abandoned the tannery business to enlist in the Confederate service, and 
for one year was in Captain Hubbard's independent company, after which he joined
a Mississippi regiment commanded by Colonel Perrin, with which he remained until 
the close of the war, being Sergeant of his company.  He was in the bloody battle
of Shiloh, besides many engagements of less importance, but after a time his 
company was detached to do scouting duty for the brigade and still later he
was detailed to make saddles for the Confederate army.  At the close of the 
war he returned home and was united in marriage September 29, 1865, to Miss 
Deoliece Rosamond who was born in 1849, her father being Samuel Rosamond.  Mr.
Gowan became a resident of the Lone Star State in 1865 and during his residence 
in Henderson county he superintended a large tannery.  He next went to Johnson
county, from there to McLennan county, remained two years, then moved to 
Freestone county.  His wife died in 1869, at the age of twenty, leaving him with 
one daughter to care for: Lillie D., who is still at home with her father.  He
remained in Freestone county until 1876.  Miss Lou Williams became Mr. McGowan's
second wife in 1876.  In the same year, first located in Hill county, on a 
portion of the farm on which he now resides, which then consisted of 160 acres; 
after, purchased 100 acres.  His second wife died in 1886, leaving four children:
Katie L., Walter R., Jesse A. and Henry B.  The mother of these children was the
daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Roarks) Williams, the former of whom died many 
years ago, and the latter in 1887.  Mr. McGowan and three of his children are
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he is a devoted Christian, taking 
great interest in church work and striving with all his power to bring others 
into the fold.  He is one of the substantial men of this county and his career 
may well be emulated by the youth of today.