THE
BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY
OF
AMERICA
COWAN, Frank, author, was born in Greens-
burg, Pa., Dec. 11, 1844 ; son of Edgar and Lu-
cetta (Oliver) Cowan ; and grandson of James
Brison and Elizabeth (Isett) Oliver. He entered
Jefferson college but was not graduated. His
father, who was U.S. senator, gave him the clerk-
ship of the senate committee on patents in 1862,
and he was admitted to the bar in 1865. He was
a secretary to President Johnson, 1866-69 ; was
graduated in medicine at Georgetown, D.C., in
1869 ; and practised in Green bmg. Pa., until
1872, when he established Frank Cowans Paper
whicli he edited and published for three yeax-s.
In 1878 he was district attorney of his count}'.
He made a journey around the world in 1880-81,
visiting Corea before travellers there were pro-
tected by treaty acts with any civilized nation,
and the information he thus gained was sent to
the U.S. government. He secured on this tour
a valuable ethnological collection. He made a
second tour of the world in 1884-85, and after-
wai'd lectured on his travels. He published many
works, the more important of which include :
Curious Facts in the History of Insects (1865) ;
Zomara ; a Romance of Spain (lS7'd) ; Sortfhwest-
ern Pennsylvan'ia in Song and Story (1878) ; An
American §tory-Book (1881) ; Fanstina ; a Fan-
tasia of Autumn in the Heart of the Appalachia
(1888); Poetic Works (3 vols.. 1892) : A Dictionary
of the Proverbs and Proverbial Phrai^es of the
English Language Relating to the Sea (1894) ;
Jane Jansen ; a Story of a Woman's Heritage in
the Heart of the Appalachia (1895).
COWEN, Benjamin Rush, soldier, was born in Sloorfield. Ohio, Aug. 15, 1831 ; son of Benjamin Sprague and Anne (Wood) Cowen ; grandson of Josiah Cowen, a Revolutionary soldier ; great-grandson of Ebenezer Sprague of Johns- town. R.I., a deputy in the general assembly, 1775-79 ; and a descendant of John Cowen of Edinburgh, Scotland, who came to Scituate.
Mass. , in 1656. He was educated at St. Clairsville
classical institute, studied medicine, was editor
of the Belmord Chronicle, 1848-57 ; delegate to
the Republican national conventions of 1856 and
1868, and chief clerk of the Ohio assembly, 1860-
63. He jouied the volunteer army in April,
1861, was paymaster, U.S.A., 1861-65, and adju-
tant-general of Ohio, 1864-68. He was made
brigadier-general of volunteers by brevet March
13, 1865. and was inspector of military prisons.
He was a delegate to the Union loyalists' national
convention of 1866, assistant secretary of the
interior under Secretaries Delano and Cliaiidler,
1871-77, and clerk of the U.S. circuit and district
courts of the southern district of Ohio from
1884.
COWEN, Benjamin Sprague, representative, was born in Washington count}'. N.Y.. Sej>t. 27. 1793 ; son of Joseph (a Revolutionary soldier) and Phoebe (Sprague) Cowen, and brother of Judge Esek Cowen (1787-1844). He was a teacher, a soldier in the war of 1812. and a medical student and practitioner. He removed to Mooi-field. Ohio, in 1820, and was admitted to the bar in 1829. He became editor of the Belmont Chronicle. St. Clairs- ville. Ohio, in 1839. and was succeeded as editor in 1848 by his son, Benjamin Rush Cowen. He was a delegate to the Wliig national convention of 1839: a representative in the 27th congress. 1841-43; in the Ohio legislature. 1845-46: and president judge of the court of common pleas, 1847-52. In congress, on the expulsion of Joshua R. Giddings. he succeeded him as cliairman of the commitee on claims. He opposed the exten- sion of slavery, favored the tariff of 1842. and supported Van Buren for the presidency in 1848. During the civil war he .served on the commission to examine and report upon political prisoners. He was married in 1820 to Anne (1794-1865), daughter of David Wood of Washington county, N.Y., and their son, Daniel Duane Tompkins
