Cowan Surname

The Cowan surname is Scottish in origin. Our family comes from the far southeast of Scotland, in the "borderlands" near England. This theory is supported by oral tradition, DNA evidence and surviving records.

Most of the information on this page comes from the research of Terry Cowan and his recently published book, A Cowan History.

Paul Cowan may have been our earliest known Cowan ancestor. He is presumed to have been the father of the below two sons. Paul was a resident of Edington in Scotland in 1562 and 1565 ⁶.

He married name unknown.

He probably had the following known children:

1	James Cowan
2	George Cowan was born circa 1565 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland 6. He died after 1590.

James Cowan was born circa 1555 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland ⁶. He died after 1592 in Scotland.

James was probably the son of Paul Cowan, above. James was a resident of Edington 1592 ⁶. Based on naming patterns, James was probably the father of the following children, but they could have also been his nephews.

He may have had the following children:

1	David Cowan
2	William Cowan was born circa 1585 6. He died circa 1634 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland 6. He married Christeane Awmound.
3	Thomas Cowan was born circa 1600 6. He died after 1655 6.

David Cowan was born circa 1580 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland ⁶. He died before 1655 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland ⁶.

David was a prominent resident and tenant of Edington. He often participated in property and legal transactions involving other residents of Edington. He died sometime between 1644 and 1655.

They had the following children:

1	James Cowan was born circa 1605 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland 6. He died after 1645. He married Jonet Chalmers on May 27, 1640 in Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland 6. They may have had the following children: James Cowan (c. 1635-) Thomas Cowan md. Marie Russell Margaret Cowan (c. 1646-) md. David Hume
2	George Cowan was born in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland. He died after 1665 6.
3	William was born in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland. He married name unknown. He had the following known children: Paul Cowan (c. 1631-aft. 1703) William Cowan (c. 1637-aft. 1703) md. Kathryn Eyman Alexander Cowan (c. 1640-aft. 1703) James Cowan (1648-1711) David Cowan (c. 1650-1702) md. Janet Gillies
4	David Cowan was born in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland.
5	Andrew Cowan
6	Margaret Cowan was born in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland. She married Robert Wilkie on May 17, 1648 6.

Andrew Cowan was born circa 1621 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland ⁶. He died after 1668.

Andrew was a resident of Edington. In 1645, he witnessed a citation against his brother George.

They had the following children:

1	David Cowan
2	John Cowan was born on October 20, 1661 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland 6. He died after 1694.
3	Grace Cowan was born on December 14, 1662 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland 6.
4	William Cowan was born on December 6, 1668 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland 6.

David Cowan was born on February 2, 1664/5 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland ⁶. He died circa 1730 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania ⁶.

David was a resident of Edington, where he married and raised a family. Unfortunately, marriage records (and thus the name of his wife) have not survived. David was still in Edington in 1693 and 1695. Sometime during the late 1690s, he probably moved away from Edington. The family's place of residence over the next 20 years is questionable; they were probably living elsewhere in Scotland, or possibly in England or Ireland.

In 1719 or 1720, David left Great Britain and moved to the American colonies. He and his family probably arrived at the port of Philadelpia and soon settled in the Pequea Valley in what is now Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. David remained there until his death in about 1730.

They had the following children:

1	John Cowan
2	Henry Cowan was born circa 1690 in Scotland 6. He died circa 1760 in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He married name unknown. He may have had the following children: George Cowan (c. 1717-bef. 1775) Stephen Cowan (c. 1721-) John Cowan (c. 1723-1789) md. Margaret Thompson Henry Cowan (c. 1730-1768) md. Mary Byers There is no direct proof that Henry was the son of David, but the connection is probable. Henry was a resident of Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; where he lived near his brothers. He is last found in records in 1760.
3	David Cowan was born on June 4, 1693 in Edington, Chirnside, Berwickshire, Scotland 6. He died in September 1757 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He married Mary Fleming circa 1726 6. They had the following children: Henry Cowan (c. 1729-1760) Ann Cowan (c. 1730-1763) md. William Finley David Cowan (c. 1731-1785) md. Hannah Graham Susanna Cowan (c. 1732-) md. David Kirkpatrick Elizabeth Cowan (c. 1734-aft. 1790) md. William Boyd Mary Cowan (c. 1737-aft. 1821) md. Hugh Jenkins William Cowan (1742-1814) md. Sarah Robert Cowan (c. 1743-c. 1760) James Cowan (c. 1746-1774) John Cowan (1748-1823) md. Mary Craig Margaret Cowan (c. 1749-aft. 1770)
4	James Cowan was born on May 19, 1695 in Edington, Chirnside, Berwickshire, Scotland 6. No further record. He probably died young, or did not accompany his family to America.
5	William Cowan was born in 1701 in Scotland 6. He died in 1789 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. He married Susannah Fleming on June 7, 1732 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 6. They had the following children: Mary Cowan (c. 1734-aft. 1801) md. William Blair George Cowan (1738-c. 1816) md. Mary Porter William Cowan (1741-1806) md. Ann Jenkins Susannah Cowan (1744-1829) md. 1st Thomas Cowan md. 2nd Philip Connell Joseph Cowan (1747-c. 1787) Benjamin Cowan (1749-1828) md. Ann Henley Sims Jane Cowan (1751-aft. 1789) md. ??? Byars Isaac Cowan (bef. 1755-1809) md. Sarah Stewart Sarah Cowan (aft. 1755-aft. 1797) md. Daniel Jackson

John Cowan was born on December 1, 1686 in Edington, Chirnside Parish, Berwickshire, Scotland ⁶. He died in 1760 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania ⁶. He is buried in the St. John's Pequea Episcopal Cemetery, West Caln Twp., Chester Co., Pennsylvania.

As a youth, John apparently left Edington, Scotland and lived elsewhere in Great Britain with his family. In 1719 or 1720, he immigrated to the American colonies with his family. The family quickly settled in the Pequea Valley of what is now Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He had probably married shortly before or after his emigration and began to raise a family. In the first decade or so of marriage, they may have lived in the household of his father David.

John owned some 441 acres of land in Lancaster County. He was a prominent citizen, frequently appearing in early court records as a juror or commissioner. He was also one of the founding members of the St. John's Pequea Church in 1729. For the rest of the his life, he remained a member of the church, often serving as warden or vestryman.

John wrote his will on May 16, 1758 in which he devised his estate to his wife, children, and also some to the church. He died in early 1760.

Various online resources have indicated that her last name was Parke, the daughter of John Parke Sr. In reality, that Elizabeth Parke married someone else. Elizabeth's maiden name remains unknown.

After the death of John in 1760, Elizabeth resided with her son Thomas and his family in Lancaster County. In late 1774 or early 1775, she moved to West Caln Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, to live with her daughter Margaret and family. She wrote her will in 1775 and died there in 1777.

They had the following children:

1	Jane Cowan was born circa 1721 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. She died after 1775 possibly in Caernarvon Twp., Berks Co., Pennsylvania 6. She married Francis Morgan circa 1739 in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. They had the following children: Abigail Morgan (1740-1808) md. Thomas Parry Elizabeth Morgan (1742-1826) md. Edward Hughes William Morgan (1744-1814) md. Sarah Morgan David Morgan (1748-1812) md. Rebecca Jenkins John Morgan (1752-) James Morgan (1755-) Thomas Morgan (1757-) Rachel Morgan (1759-1817) md. John DeHaven
2	Margaret Cowan was born circa 1722 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. She died in 1805 in West Caln Twp., Chester Co., Pennsylvania 6. She married Thomas Dawson circa 1740 6. They had the following children: David Dawson (c. 1741-1780) Elizabeth Dawson (c. 1743-aft. 1807) William Dawson (c. 1745-1806) Rachel Dawson (c. 1747-1790s) md. William Thomson Thomas Dawson (c. 1751-1770s) Margaret Dawson (c. 1755-1823) Mary Dawson (c. 1759-1845) md. John McConnell Ann Dawson (c. 1761-aft. 1807) md. Robert Patton Jane Dawson (1767-1846)
3	John Cowan was born circa 1725 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He died in 1789 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. He married first Catherine Skiles circa 1747 6. They had the following children: Thomas Cowan (1748-1817) md. Mary Barkley John Cowan (1757-1827) md. Jane Young He married second Elizabeth Deacon sometime between 1758 and 1766 6. They had the following children: William Cowan (c. 1765-1839) md. Jane Steele David Cowan (1767-1836) md. Rebecca Dobbins He married third Mary Dickey circa 1777 6. They had the following child: Moses Cowan (1782-bef. 1802)
4	Rachel Cowan was born circa 1729 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. She died before 1758 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania.
5	Henry Cowan
6	William Cowan was born circa 1734 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He died in 1789 in Bethsalem, Oglethorpe Co., Georgia 6. He married Sarah Stewart on December 23, 1759 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. They had the following children: James Cowan (c. 1761-1829) md. Rachel McDowell George Cowan (1763-1855) md. Marjorie Scott Thomas Cowan (c. 1768-1808) md. Polly Easley Lydia Cowan (c. 1770-) md. Thomas Pogue Sarah Cowan (1770-1852) md. Robert Simpson William Cowan (c. 1771-aft. 1830) md. Nancy Hall Joseph W. Cowan (c. 1772-c. 1832) md. Mary Wilson Stewart Cowan (1774-1851) md. Mary A. Stewart Isaac Cowan (c. 1775-1824) md. 1st. Sarah Stewart md. 2nd. Ann Scott Mary Cowan (1779-1852) md. John Crockett Moses Cowan (1787-1834) md. Elizabeth Malone
7	Thomas Cowan was born circa 1735 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He died in 1770 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He married Susannah Cowan on December 17, 1760 in Lancaster, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. They had the following children: John Cowan (1762-1771) George Cowan (1764-1799) Ann Cowan (c. 1766-1829) md. Nathaniel Rutter William Cowan (1770-1816) md. Mary Rutter
8	Elizabeth Cowan was born before 1737 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. She died sometime between 1758 and 1775.
9	Catharine Cowan was born circa 1737 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. She died sometime between 1763 and 1775.
10	Abigail Cowan was born in 1741 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. She died on October 2, 1818 in Sadsbury Twp., Chester Co., Pennsylvania 6. She married John Fleming circa 1757 6. They had the following children: John Fleming (1761-1832) md. Mary Slaymaker James Fleming (c. 1766-) md. Rebecca Ogilbie David Fleming (1769-1815) md. Tabitha Matlick Joseph Fleming (1775-1816) Rachel Fleming (1778-1803) md. William Parke

Henry Cowan was born circa 1731 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania ⁶. He died in 1800 in Rowan Co., North Carolina ⁶. He was probably buried in the Third Creek Presbyterian Cemetery, Rowan Co., North Carolina.

Henry and his wife settled on family land in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Sometime prior to 1758, he had purchased 26.75 acres from his father. Then at his father's death in 1760, he inherited 1/2 interest in an additional 122 acres. It was on this land where they lived and all their children were probably born.

In June 1785, Henry sold his land in Pennsylvania and moved with his family to Rowan County, North Carolina. In October 1785, he purchased 419 acres on the north side of Fourth Creek in Rowan County. He purchased an additional 122 acres in 1794. Henry wrote his will on November 11, 1799, in which he devised his estate to his children and wife. He died in 1800.

They had the following children:

1	Robert Cowan was born circa 1756 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He died in 1833 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. He married Elizabeth Campbell on July 24, 1792 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. They had the following children: Nathan Cowan (1790s-1844) md. Ruhannah Brigg John Cowan (1790s-aft. 1830) md. Sarah Robinson Emily Cowan (c. 1798-) md. John Anderson Audley Cowan (c. 1800-) Elizabeth Cowan (1801-1865) md. Alexander McBroom Rebecca Cowan (1806-1882) md. Aaron Varner Cowan Robert Varner Cowan (1809-1853) md. Nancy Kepley
2	Aaron Cowan was born circa 1758 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He died in 1801 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6.
3	George Cowan was born circa 1760 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He died in 1802 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6.
4	Elizabeth Cowan was born circa 1762 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. She died after 1815 6. She married William Erwin circa 1780. They had the following children: Jane Erwin (c. 1784-aft. 1815) Agnes Benton Erwin (1785-1871) md. Jacob Coldiron John Erwin (c. 1788-) Elizabeth Erwin (1790s-aft. 1815) Sallie Erwin (1790s-aft. 1815) Joseph Erwin (1790s-)
5	Samuel Cowan was born circa 1763 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He died after 1815 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. He married Rachel Lewis before 1799 6. They had the following children: Lamyra Cowan (1799-c. 1833) md. Samuel Huie Lavinia Cowan (c. 1805-1844) md. Benjamin Huie Aaron Varner Cowan (1808-1850) md. Rebecca Cowan [above] Richard Osborn Cowan (1815-1870s) md. Elizabeth L. Irvin
6	Isaac Cowan
7	John Cowan was born circa 1768 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He died on May 11, 1827 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. He married name unknown. He had the following children: Matilda Cowan (1807-1879) md. Silas Phifer Ruhanna Cowan (1812-1858) md. William Cowan
8	David Cowan was born circa 1768 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He died in 1802 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. He married Nancy Bowman on November 11, 1793 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. They had the following children: Mary B. Cowan (1794-1852) md. Charles Swan Abel Armstrong Cowan (1790s-bef. 1836) md. Margaret M. McConnaughey William Cowan (1801-1843) md. Ruhanna Cowan Henry Cowan (c. 1802-bef. 1836) md. Elizabeth Rex
9	James Cowan was born in 1769 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. He died on April 16, 1819 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. He married Mary Hall circa 1792 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. They had the following children: Zillah Cowan (1793-1851) Lewis W. Cowan (1795-1834) Elvira Cowan (1799-1812) Abigail Cowan (1805-1866) md. Maxwell Jane V. Cowan (1807-1879) md. Benjamin Phifer Henry A. Cowan (1811-1812)
10	Sarah Cowan was born on April 7, 1772 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. She died on April 10, 1852 in Loray, Iredell Co., North Carolina 6. She married Jacob Lewis on October 22, 1802 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6. They had the following children: Richard F. Lewis (bet. 1803-1810-) Hannah Melinda Lewis (1805-1857) md. Levi Nelson Alexander Jane Clarissa Lewis (1806-1851) md. Leander Morrison David Calvin Lewis (1810s-) James M. Lewis (1810s-)
11	Rachel Cowan was born circa 1775 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 6. She married Elisha Campbell on January 17, 1803 in Rowan Co., North Carolina 6.

Isaac Cowan was born circa 1764 in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania ⁶ or circa 1770-1775 in Pennsylvania ¹. He died before May 1848 in Nicholas County, Kentucky ^1,6.

Until recently, we had no evidence of Isaac's parentage. Thanks though to the research of Terry Cowan, we have filled in this gap of the family tree. Various circumstantial evidence indicates that Isaac was the son of Henry and Jane Cowan. Isaac was raised with his family in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In 1785, he moved with his family to Rowan County, North Carolina. It was probably there, or in the vicinity, that Isaac was married to Jane Hall during the early 1790s. Within a few years, they moved out west. By 1795, they had settled in the part of Bourbon County, Kentucky that is now Nicholas County. They remained there for the duration of their lives. Isaac wrote his will on February 6, 1847, and it was proven in May 1848. The inventory of his estate was filed in July 1848 and the final settlement of his estate was in November 1849.

Jane was probably the daughter of William and Elizabeth Hall of Iredell County, North Carolina. In their joint will of 1801, "Jean Cowan" is named as one of their daughters. Many researchers and online family trees have claimed that their daughter Jane/Jean was born in 1762 and died in 1843 and was married to John Cowan - this is not true. She is being confused with Jane Young (1762-1843), who married John Cowan, a cousin of Isaac Cowan. The only logical possibility is that William and Elizabeth's daughter Jane/Jean was married to Isaac Cowan. To add to this theory, James Hall (another child of William and Elizabeth) also settled in Nicholas County, Kentucky, where Isaac and Jane Cowan lived.

1	Barnabas Caleb Varner Cowan was born circa 1794 in Kentucky. He died in 1837 in Ralls Co., Missouri 1. He married Margaret Ledford on January 18, 1825 6 or January 18, 1826 in Bath Co., Kentucky 1. She was born on October 10, 1808 in Montgomery Co., Kentucky and died on May 6, 1888 in Lewis, Henry Co., Missouri. She is buried in the Salem Cemetery, Center Twp., Ralls Co., Missouri. They had the following children: John Caleb Cowan (1826-1902) md. Mary Shaver Laura B. Cowan (1828-) md. Edward Owens Jane Cowan (1829-1922) md. Abram Liter Sitha Ann Cowan (1831-1872) md. John Neale Dowell Isaac H. Cowan (1834-) Elizabeth Cowan (1836-1888) md. Abraham Seeley Nancy M. Cowan (c. 1838-c. 1865) md. Clabourn Clark Barnabus and his family apparently moved west from Kentucky to Missouri in 1829 or 1830. After his early death, his widow remarried to Abraham Seeley.
2	Elizabeth* Cowan was born on May 15, 1795 in Bourbon (now Nicholas) Co., Kentucky 1,6. She died on November 19, 1879 in Fleming Co., Kentucky 1,6. She is buried in the Parks Cemetery, Nicholas Co., Kentucky. She married Moses Ferguson Glenn on June 15, 1824 in Bourbon Co., Kentucky 1,6. He is buried in the Parks Cemetery, Nicholas Co., Kentucky. They had the following children: Sarah Jane Glenn (1826-1896) md. William Ewing Robert Parks Glenn (1826-1904) Nancy Ann Glenn (1827-1889) Thomas Jefferson Glenn (1829-1898) John Henry Glenn (1831-1901) Archibald Milton Glenn (1833-1867) Moses Andrew Glenn (1834-1923) John James Martin Van Buren Glenn (1835-1863) md. Millie Radford James Monroe Glenn (1837-1886) md. Jayne Amanda Clymer *Elizabeth is usually listed online with the middle initial P., and some online researchers have even proposed that her middle name was Parks, but I can find no contemporary evidence showing her with any middle initial or name.
3	Amos Sharp Cowan was born on May 30, 1797 1,3,6 in Bourbon (now Nicholas) Co., Kentucky. He died on February 23, 1875 1,3,6 in Boone Co., Indiana. He is buried in the Cox Cemetery, Jefferson Twp., Boone Co., Indiana. He married first Rebecca A. Rose on September 14, 1826 in Fleming Co., Kentucky 1,6. She was born on October 22, 1804 in Fleming Co., Kentucky 1 and died on January 4, 1844 in Boone Co., Indiana 1. She is buried in the Cox Cemetery, Jefferson Twp., Boone Co., Indiana. They had the following children: Jane Elizabeth Cowan (1827-1909) md. Edward R. Young Jonathan Hickson Cowan (1829-1864) md. Mary M. Courtney Edward A. Cowan (1830-1911) Isaac Newton Cowan (1832-1864) md. Susan Cowan Francis Marion Cowan (1834-1870) md. Susan Gapen William Glenn Cowan (1836-1928) md. Harriett Payne Martha Ann Cowan (1838-1880) md. John Dicks Amos Sharp Cowan (1840-1918) md. Joanna L. Francis Oliver Cowan (1840-) Mary Caroline Cowan (1843-1923) md. Jacob F. Mount He married second Sarah Green on May 13, 1845 in Boone Co., Indiana 7.
4	Sytha Ann Cowan was born circa in 1800 in Nicholas Co., Kentucky 5. She died sometime between 1850-1860 in Boone Co., Indiana. She married Samuel Dinsmore on October 21, 1822 in Nicholas Co., Kentucky 1. He was born on April 9, 1797 in Kentucky or Pennsylvania and died after 1870. They had the following children: Isaac Newton Dinsmore (1824-1864) md. Marie Ann Caldwell Catherine J. Dinsmore (c. 1827-1850s) md. John N. Dills Elizabeth Mary Dinsmore (c. 1830-aft. 1850) Sarah Rachel Dinsmore (1833-1919) md. James Correll Rutledge Martha E. Dinsmore (c. 1838-aft. 1850) James W. Dinsmore (c. 1842-aft. 1850) Sytha and her husband continued living in Nicholas County, Kentucky; they likely lived with Sytha's parents. In May 1834, her father sold her husband 200 acres of land in Nicholas County. In August 1848, Sytha and her husband sold their land in Kentucky and moved to Boone County, Indiana, where several of her relatives were living.
5	Rachel Lavina Cowan
6	Nancy Melinda Cowan was born on February 25, 1806 in Nicholas Co., Kentucky 1,6. She died on April 20, 1885 in Indiana 1,6. She is buried in the Remington Cemetery, Remington, Jasper Co., Indiana. She married Andrew Dunlap Patton was born on March 22, 1831 in Nicholas Co., Kentucky 1,6. He is buried in the Remington Cemetery, Remington, Jasper Co., Indiana. They had the following children: John R. Patton (1835-1841) David Henry Patton (1837-1914) md. Clara Barton Joseph Patton (1839-) Jane Patton (1841-1930) md. William A. Patton Martha A. Patton (1843-1922) md. Joseph Lee Logan Luther Patton (1846-)
7	John Henry Cowan was born on October 10, 1812 in Nicholas Co., Kentucky 1,6. He died on May 29, 1891 in Fleming Co., Kentucky 1,6. He is buried in the Flemingsburg Cemetery, Flemingsburg, Fleming Co., Kentucky. He married Elizabeth Harper on May 11, 1837 in Fleming Co., Kentucky 1. She is buried in the Flemingsburg Cemetery, Flemingsburg, Fleming Co., Kentucky. They had the following children: Margaret Jane Cowan (1838-1921) md. George R. Kirk William H. Cowan (1839-1908) md. Alice Moore James Varner Cowan (1841-1920) md. Henrietta Hughes Robert H. Cowan (1843-1897) Elizabeth Rachel Cowan (1845-1928) md. John Parsons Sarah Jane Cowan (1848-1926) md. John Fulton Emma Todd Cowan (1851-1893) md. F. M. Hurst John Henry Cowan (1853-1939) md. Pamimie Perry Runyon Charles Cowan (1856-1900)

Rachel Lavina Cowan was born on February 25, 1801 ^1,4 or on about February 26, 1801 ³ in Nicholas Co., Kentucky. She died on January 10, 1877 ^1,3,4 in Jefferson Twp., Boone Co., Indiana. She is buried in the Cox Cemetery, Jefferson Twp., Boone Co., Indiana.

Father: Isaac Cowan
Mother: Jane Hall

Rachel sometimes went by her middle name, Lavina. After their marriage, she and her husband only lived in Nicholas County, Kentucky for a few years. In 1829 or 1830, they moved to Boone County, Indiana. There, they settled on a farm in Jefferson Township near the village of Dover. In her father's will of 1847, Rachel was left $150.00.

For information on their children, see his page.

1. Information from Barbara Cowan at bcowan@kih.net
2. Kentucky marriages to 1850, Ancestry.com
3. Tombstone inscriptions, Cox Cemetery, Boone Co., Indiana
4. Harden, Samuel. Early Life and Times in Boone County, Indiana. Harden & Spahr, Lebanon, IN, 1887.
5. Assorted US Federal Census records.
6. Cowan, Terry. A Cowan History. No Waste Publishing, Fenton, MO, 2012.
7. Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941, Ancestry.com