My Genealogy Hound

H. D. McCowan, superintendent of the Eagle Ginning & Cotton Pickery, Little Rock, was born in that city on February 15, 1858, and is a son of Gabriel McCowan, a native of Edinburgh, Scotland. The father was a prominent Mason who had attained the thirty-third degree, and was an associate of Gen. Albert Pike, Albert Mackey and Judge E. H. English. He came to America in 1849, and located at Little Rock where he established himself in business and resided until the year 1871, when his death occurred. He was engaged in the wholesale dry-goods business, and also operated the first tannery ever erected in Arkansas, in partnership with Mr. Alex George, now deceased also. He was also a director and stock holder in various other enterprises in Little Rock and was one of its most widely known and influential business men. The elder McCowan was married to Miss Elizabeth Mandel, a native of Hanover, Germany, their nuptials taking place at the city of Port Gibson, Miss. Five children were born to this union of whom four are yet living, as is also the mother who resides with her son, the principal of this sketch. H. D. McCowan was reared during the greater part of his earlier life in New York City, and received his education at Eastman’s business college in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. While living in New York City he was employed by one of the leading varnish firms, and that, coupled with his commercial training received at Poughkeepsie, made him thoroughly efficient to enter into business on his own account. After leaving college he came to Little Rock, and for the first four years of his arrival was cashier of the Arkansas Gazette. He afterward went into the machinery business with Messrs. R. L. Cobb & Co., and remained with that firm until they went out of existence, and for the past five years has been employed by the present firm, whose business has been greatly enlarged and prospered under his able and efficient management. The entire establishment is in Mr. McCowan’s charge, and his entire time is devoted to the large volume of business that they command. In secret societies he is a member of Lonoke Lodge No. 8, Knights of Pythias, and also belongs to the order of American Firemen and is vice-president of the Council. Mr. McCowan belongs to and is secretary of the Pat Cleburne Fire Company No. 1, and has been connected with the Little Rock department for nineteen years. He was married on December 7, 1881, to Miss Ida Lewis, a niece of S. Navra, a prominent merchant of Little Rock. Three children have been born to this marriage, of whom two are yet living: Clifford and a baby boy.