McCOWAN, John - poor farm - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

  Coroner Myers was called to Attica last Monday to hold an inquest over the body of John McCowan, an old and well known character about town who had died very suddenly as a result of a month’s dissipation and exposure. The Ledger says that the deceased had been a resident of Attica all his life, being 74 years of age. Some years ago he became involved in a quarrel with a man named Wm. Pettice on Main Street and used a knife on the latter with vicious effect that he never fully recovered from the wound. For this offense McCowan received a heavy fine. For years after he did odd jobs around in town, chiefly sawing wood, but his health was not such that he could perform any kind of manual labor and his enforced idleness often drove him to imbibing a little too freely. A few years ago his wife died at the county poor farm from the effects of an operation and since that time McCowan had been gradually going down both in health and habits. He finally became a constant charge on the township and as a last resort was sent to the poor farm where he remained until last election. He came home to vote and next day became intoxicated and it is said has remained in that condition ever since. He has been in the habit of sleeping in Sheridan’s barn for the past month and his food has been such as he could pick up here and there among those who knew him. Sunday night he slept in the barn as usual and on waking started to walk out but was only able to walk a few rods before he fell and expired. He had suffered for a long time with asthma and there is no doubt but what the intense cold of the blizzard Sunday night so thoroughly chilled his weakened and emaciated body s to cause death. The coroner’s verdict was in accordance with the above facts. – s

Source: Friday, December 9, 1898 Covington Republican

  John McCown, who, until last fall, had been an inmate of the county poor farm, died at Attica Monday morning, from exposure. -s