Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/20

 COWEN

COWLES

Cowen (19?G-1884), was a lawyer, lieutenant- colonel of volunteers in the civil war, and judge of common i)leas in 1865. Benjamin S. Cowen died in St. Clairsville, Ohio, Sept. 27, 1809.

COWEN, Esek, jurist, was born in Rhode Island, Feb. 24, 1787: son of Josepli and Phcebe (Sprague) Cowen. He was a brother of Benjamin Sprague Cowen. His first American ancestor, John Cowen, came from Scotland and settled in Scituate, Mass., in iGoG. His father removed his family to Saratoga county, X.Y., in 1790, and to Hartford. Washington county, in 1794. Esek taught school and studied law. He was admitted to tlie bar in 1810 and practised for a time at Northumberland, removing to Saratoga, N.Y., in 1812. He was a reiwrter for the New York court of errors, 1823-28; judge of the 4th circuit, 1828-36, and a justice of the supreme court. 1836—44. He acquired a wide reputation by reason of the character and importance of his judicial rulings. He was one of the founders of the first temjierance society in the United States, the meeting taking place at Northumberland, Saratoga coiinty, N.Y., in 1812. He prepared Civil Jurisdiction of Jtistices of the Peace of Xero York (2 vols., IMi) ; Xeii} York Reports, 1S23-28 (9 vols.. 1824-30) ; Digested Index oflieports (1831) ; and PhiUipps on Evidence (5 vols., 1850), which he edited. He died in Albany, N.Y., Feb. 11, 1844.

COWEN, John K., representative, was born at Millersburg, Holmes county, Ohio, Oct. 28, 1844. He was graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1866; studied in the law school of the University of Michigan, 1867-68; was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1868 and began the practice of his profession at Mansfield, Ohio. In February, 1872, he removed to Baltimore, Md., where he became general counsel for tlie Balti- more & Ohio railroad, and in 1898 was the receiver of the company. He was a Democratic repre- sentative from the 4th district of Maryland in the 54tli congress, 180."',-97.

COWHERD, William Strother, representa- tive, was born in Jackson county, Mo., Sept. 1, 1860; son of Charles J. and Emilie (Strother) Cowherd, and grandson of Francis K. Cowherd. He was graduated from Missouri state university, in arts in 1881, and in law in 1882, and jiractised in Kansas City, Mo. He was prosecuting attor- ney of Jackson county, 1885-89, and mayor of Kansas City, 1892-93, and a Democratic repre- sentative from Missouri in the 55tli and 58th congresses, 1897-100.1.

COWLES, Augustus Woodruff, educator, was \jorn in Reading, X.Y., July 12, 1819. He was graduated at Union college in 1841, and from Union theological seminary. New York city, in 1846. He was ordained to the Presby terian mini.stry Feb. 10. 1847, and was pastor at

Briwkjwrt, N.Y., 1847-56, when he was elected president of the Eimira female coUege, the first college chartered expre.ssly for the collegiate education of women, with a course of study equivalent to that pursued by men. He received the degree of D.D. from Ingham university in 1858, and that of LL.D. from Hamilton in 1887. He was an artist of considerable repute and in- troduced the special study of art criticism as a part of a regular college curriculum.

COWLES, Edward Pitkin, jurist, was born in Canaan, Conn., in January, 1815. He was graduated at Yale in 1836 and was admitted to the bar in 1839. He practised law in Hudson, N.Y., in partnership with his brother, David S. Cowles, afterward colonel of the 128th N.Y. volunteers, who was killed at Port Hudson, Miss.,. ^ in 1863. He removed to New York city in 1853 ^

and was appointed a justice of the supreme court by Governor Clarke, and at the close of his term was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Justice Morris, deceased. After the close of his second judicial term he practised law in New York city. He died in Chicago, 111., Dec. 2, 18V4.

COWLES, Edwin, journalist, was born in Austinburg, Ohio, Sept. 18, 1825; son of Dr. E. \V. Cowles, and a descendant of one of three Cowles brothers, who settled in New England in 1635, and of the Rev. Tliomas Hooker, the pioneer of Wethersfield, Conn. He learned the printers' craft and carried on the bu.siness in Cleveland, Ohio, 1844-53. In 1853 he became one of the firm of Medill, Cowles & Co., pub- lishers of the Forest City Democrat. He changed the name of the paper to the Leader upon the departure of his partners to Chicago in 1855. In his ofl^ce the initiator}- plan for the organization of the Republican party of Ohio was made in 1855. He was an early abolitionist and an earnest reformer. He held the office of jxistmaster of Cleveland, 1861-66, and continued as editor and proprietor of the Leader until the formation of a stock company in 1866, of which he was made business manager, subsequently becoming editor- in-chief, lie was vigorously denounced through- out the north in 1861 for an article in his paper entitled ' Now is the Time to Abolish Slavery,"' and President Lincoln was petitioned to remove him from the iX)st-ofiice. He died in Cleveland, Ohio, March 4, 1890.

COWLES, William Henry Harrison, repre sentative. was born at Ilanqitonville, N.C.. April 22, 1840; son of Josiali and Nancy Caroline- (Carson) Cowles. His grandfather, Andrew Carson, was captain of jtartisan rangers during the Revolutionary war and the brotlier of Lindsay Carson, the father of " Kit " C.irson, the famous explorer, scout and pioneer. He attended the common sciiools and academies of Surry, after-