BIOGRAPHIES:  William J. COWAN, Menomonie, Dunn County, WI

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WILLIAM J. COWAN, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Menomonie, was born in 
Princeton, Ill. in 1840. His father, William Cowan, was a native of 
Kentucky, but was brought up in Ohio. He was a pioneer in the fullest sense
of the term. During the exciting times of the Black Hawk War, he was 
located at Ft. Crawford, where, with Mr. Ephraim Tainter, the father of Mr.
Andrew Tainter, he was engaged in furnishing supplies to the army. He 
settled in Princeton, Ill. in the Winter of 1834-35. He now lives in 
Kansas. Mr. Cowan's mother was formerly Miss Emeline Kirby, born in Rome, 
N.Y. She died in Kansas in 1876. W. J. Cowan was born in 1838 and was 
brought up in Northern Illinois, and has resided in different counties in 
that part of the State. He was at one time Deputy Sheriff of Bureau County 
and at another time acting Sheriff of DuPage County. He came to Menomonie 
in 1871, and engaged with Knapp, Stout & Co., with whom he remained three 
years. Was afterwards engaged with other firms in different capacities; was
appointed Deputy Sheriff in 1876. Was elected to the office of Clerk of the
Circuit court in 1878, and again in 1880. Lost his first wife in Illinois. 
His present wife was Miss Jennie Chapman, daughter of David Chapman. She 
was born in the State of New York. He has two children by his first wife, 
Carrie and William.


-- From "History of Northern Wisconsin, An Account of Its Settlement, Growth,
Development and Resources; an Extensive Sketch of its Counties, Cities, 
Towns and Villages." Volume 1.  Chicago: the Western Historical Company, 
A.T. Andreas, Proprietor, 1881, page 284