Cowan
Source: Rushville Daily Republican Sat
15 Aug 1914 p 5
Seventy people from Ohio and Indiana
attended the first annual reunion of the Cowan family which was held here
yesterday in the city park. It was the first attempt to bring members of the
family together and because of its success, it will be made an annual event.
Credit for the reunion is due Mrs. HS Carney and Mrs. Alfred Looney of this
city, who made all of the arrangements. A big dinner was served at noon. Of the
70 people present, 21 were from Ohio, sixteen from Crawfordsville and the
remainder from Rush County. From Warren Ohio came Mr. and Mrs. Albert Cowan,
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cowan, CW Allen, John Bliss, Charles Beck and son Curtis,
Bruce Cowan, Miss Julia Sellers, Mrs. Anna Mulford and Mrs. Sam Irons and
daughter, Mariam; from Crawfordsville: Mr. and Mrs. John Cowan, Mr. and Mrs. LS
Cowan, CO Hill, Charles Harshbarger, RE Schleppy, Peter S. Cowan, Mrs. Sarah D.
Cowan, Miss Grace Cowan, Merle Cowan, Grover Harshbarger, Walter H. Cowan, Mrs.
Carrie Endine, Mrs. Bessie Brown, Miss Jane Cowan and Miss Ruth Cowan; from
Treaty, Ohio: Mrs. Al Hunt, Mr. and Mrs. CH Lyons of Knightstown; Mr. and Mrs.
LB Brooks and son John of Indianapolis; and the remainder from Rush County: Mr.
and Mrs. HS Carney and daughter, Miss Zora, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Looney and son,
Don, Mr. and Mrs. TJ Downey, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Titsworth and sons, Russell
and Harold, Mrs. Laura D> Brooks, Mr. and Mrs. Will Brooks and children,
William Harriet and Jane, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Carney and children, Dwight,
Florence and Harrison and Mr. and Mrs. DC Norris and children, Thelma, Freda
and Harry.
*****
Source: Waynetown Despatch, 25 ug 1916 p 1
The annual reunion of the Cowan family relatives was held at Lebanon, Ohio recently and was attended by about 20 of the relative from this county. The following account of the reunion in full is taken from the Western Star, Lebanon, Ohio: In the fall of 1800, James Cowan with Mary, his wife and their five children journeyed from their home in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia seeking a new home in the Miami Valley. They purchased Section 17 and located their cabin about the site of the present home of their great grandson, Harry Cowan. The families have scattered – three communities, Crawfordsville and Rushville, Indiana besides Lebanon being each of the home of a goodly number of the Cowan Club. Two years ago a gathering of those relatives was planned at Rushville last year it was held at Crawfordsville where a permanent organization was effected, and on last Thursday Aug 10 the descendants of James Cowan met at the Maple Farm Hotel, Lebanon for their third reunion. Invitations had been sent to all families that could be located from New York to California and from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Many who could not be present sent their regrets but 75 happy faces assembled round the tables loaded with a typical Cowan dinner. The business session in the afternoon was called to order by President Walter H. Cowan of Crawfordsville. Miss Julia Sellers gave a most interesting paper on family history. Miss Sellers had spared no time nor trouble in looking up the different branches of the family and had arranged a valuable outline which was present and was a center of interest during the day. Mrs. Harry Cowan gave a short talk on some old papers found in the Cowan homestead, a will, and deed, dating back to about the middle of the 18th Century which leaves small reason to doubt that their ancestors stopped in New Jersey when they came over from Ireland. The inventory and appraisement of James Cowan’s personal effects dated sept 5, 1829 created much interest both in articles and value. It was decided at this meeting to return to Rushville for the reunion in 1917 and the following officers were elected to serve the coming year: President, HE Cowan, Lebanon; VP Merle Cowan, Crawfordsville; Sec and Treas, Mrs. Alfred Looney, Rushville, Miss Julian Sellers was continued as Historian. A grand social time was enjoyed all during the day and the relatives feel that a stronger tie united them because of these pleasant occasions.