Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 49.djvu/341

 vessel was lost shortly after the battle of Navarino by running foul of the Isis, and striking on the island of Carabousa. He was subjected to a court-martial, but honourably acquitted, and afterwards appointed to the Druid on the South American station; but being compelled by ill-health to resign, he returned to Killyleagh, where he died on 17 Aug. 1834, of water on the chest.

[During his residence at Wilmington, Rowan compiled a short account of his own life, which he subsequently committed to the care of his friend, T. K. Lowry, Q.C., editor of the Hamilton MSS., for publication. But Mr. Lowry's professional duties leaving him little time for literary work, the manuscript was entrusted to the Rev. W. Hamilton Drummond, and accordingly published at Dublin in 1840. The life, written in a simple and disingenuous fashion, characteristic of the author, though somewhat deficient in the matter of dates, is the basis of Thomas Macnevin's Lives and Trials of Archibald Hamilton Rowan … and other Eminent Irishmen, Dublin, 1846; of the life in Wills's Irish Nation, iii. 330–8; and of that in Webb's Compendium of Irish Biography. Other sources of information are Howell's State Trials, xxii. 1034–1190; Grattan's Life of Henry Grattan, iv. 162–7; Wolfe Tone's Autobiography; Fitzpatrick's Secret Service under Pitt, pp. 169 seq.; Curran's Life of Curran, i. 306–18; Barrington's Personal Sketches, i. 327–34; Madden's United Irishmen, passim; Beresford's Corresp. ii. 25, 29; Corresp. of Lord Cornwallis, ii. 382; Lady Morgan's Memoirs, ii. 148–51, 331; Phillips's Curran and his Contemporaries, pp. 185–200; Cloncurry's Personal Recollections, pp. 159–63; Fitzpatrick's Ireland before the Union, 4th edit. pp. 118–21; O'Reilly's Reminiscences of an Emigrant Milesian, iii. 87–93; m'Dougall's Sketches of Irish Political Characters, pp. 271–273; Lecky's Hist. of England; information kindly furnished by T. K. Lowry, esq., of Dundrum Castle, co. Dublin.] 

ROWAN, ARTHUR BLENNERHASSETT, D.D. (1800–1861), antiquarian writer, born probably in Tralee in October 1800, was only son of William Rowan, ‘formerly of Arbela, co. Kerry, and for many years provost of Tralee,’ by his cousin Letitia, daughter of Sir Barry Denny, bart., of Tralee Castle. He was educated at Dr. King's school, Ennis, and at the age of sixteen entered Trinity College, Dublin, graduating B.A. in 1821, M.A. 1827, B.D. and D.D. 1854. He was ordained in 1824, when he received the curacy of Blennerville in his native county. He held that position for thirty years. In 1840 he went on a visit to Oxford, whence he wrote some lively letters upon the tractarian movement. These he afterwards published under the signature of ‘Ignotus.’ In 1849 he made the tour of the continent, publishing the record of his travels on his return. One of the most diligent antiquaries in the south of Ireland, he projected and edited the ‘Kerry Magazine,’ a periodical which ran for two or three years, and chiefly dealt with local history and antiquities. In 1854 he was appointed rector of Kilgobbin, Clonfert, and on 31 March 1856 was promoted archdeacon of Ardfert. He died at Belmont, near Tralee, 12 Aug. 1861, and was buried in Ballyseedy churchyard. He married Alicia, daughter of Peter Thompson, esq., and had issue one son, William, now of Belmont, co. Kerry (Miscell. Genealog. et Heraldica, new ser. iii. 116).

His published works included: 1. ‘Spare Minutes of a Minister,’ poems (anon.), 12mo, 1837. 2. ‘Letters from Oxford,’ with notes by Ignotus, 8vo, Dublin, 1843. 3. ‘Romanism in the Church, illustrated by the case of the Rev. E. G. Browne,’ 8vo, London, 1847. 4. ‘Newman's Popular Fallacies considered,’ in six letters, with introduction and notes from the ‘Spectator,’ 8vo, Dublin, 1852. 5. ‘Lake Lore, or an Antiquarian Guide to some of the Ruins and Recollections of Killarney,’ 8vo, Dublin, 1853. 6. ‘First Fruits of an Early Gathered Harvest,’ edited by A. B. R., 8vo, 1854. 7. ‘Casuistry and Conscience,’ two discourses, 8vo, Dublin, 1854. 8. ‘Gleanings after Grand Tourists’ (anon.), 8vo, 1856. 9. ‘Brief Memorials of the Case and Conduct of T. C. D., A.D. 1686–1690, compiled from the College Records,’ 4to, Dublin, 1858. 10. ‘Life of the Blessed Franco, extracted and englished from a verie anciente Chronicle,’ 8vo, London, 1858. 11. ‘The Old Countess of Desmond, her identitie, her portraiture, her descente,’ &c., 4to, 1860. He left unfinished at his death a ‘History of the Earl of Strafford’ and a ‘History of Kerry.’

[Gent. Mag. 1861, ii. 565; Burke's Peerage, s.v. Denny; Memorial Pages to Archdeacon Rowan, Dublin, 1862; Brit. Mus. Cat.; Allibone's Dict. of Engl. Lit.] 

ROWAN, CHARLES (1782?–1852), chief commissioner of police, born about 1782, was fifth son of Robert Rowan (1754–1832) of Mullans, co. Antrim, and of North Lodge, Carrickfergus, by Eliza, daughter of Hill Wilson. His brother, Sir William Rowan, and his niece, Frederica Maclean Rowan, are separately noticed. Charles entered the army as an ensign in the 52nd foot in 1797, was appointed its paymaster on 8 Nov. 1798, and a lieutenant on 15 March 1799, serving with that regiment in the expedition to Ferrol in 1800. After becoming captain on 25 June 1803, he saw service in