William James Cowan 1874 - 1942
Christmas of 1888. William is in front
According to the Early Wesleyan Methodist Baptismal Register, Township of Tuckersmith, Entries Mainly 1840 - 1873: William James Cowan was born on February 5th, 1874 at Hullett to William and Margaret Cowan who resided at Hullett Township and he was baptized in the Christian faith at the Canadian Presbyterian Church of Seaforth five weeks later on March 14th, 1874 (vol. 3, p.426). Another record (Huron County Record, Tuckersmith Township, p. 426 copied to the internet) states that he was born Aug. 31, 1872 at Hullet County and that his residence was at Hullet County. It also states that he was baptized at Seaforth on March 14th, 1874 by the Reverend Charles Lavell. The baptisms of the other children born at Seaforth are not recorded in the Wesleyan Methodist Baptismal Register of that time.
William was their eldest child and was named after his father and was called Jim. Jim married Inger Akre, a widowed Norwegian from Highlandville, Iowa in the year that his mother died. Jim and Inga were married on April 10th, 1891. They lived at Owego for about eight years and then, in the spring of 1898, began a farm south at Anselm. By 1906 or earlier they moved to Buffalo and by 1909 they had moved again - - this time near Enderlin. At Buffala, Jim eventually had two farms, operated a livery stable; and was becoming rather prosperous. By about 1923 they moved to Minneapolis for a while and then in 1924 they moved to Granville where Jim again went into farming and raising horses. Jim had a stroke in 1932 and for the next ten years was cared for at the State Hospital at Rochester, Minnesota until his death on May 5, 1942.
For a full story of the lives and children of Jim and Inga, click on
File 06 Wm James and Inga.pdf and File 08 Akre.pdf
These files are about 50 pages each and may take a few minutes to
download. You will need Acrobat Reader to read these files. It's free
and can be downloaded from the internet. Simply search "Acrobat reader download".
Also access the file File 07 Wm James Famly Tree.pdf, a two page family tree
and record that visually shows the family relationships.
It's sideways so you will need to print it out to read it.
Jim and Inga had eleven children and they are:
1. Mae, 1891 - 1973;
2. William (Willie), 1893 -1913;
3. Robert (called Bud or Oliver), 1895 - 1964;
4. Lloyd, 1897 - 1980;
5. Melbourn (Tip), 1899 - 1959;
6. Margaret (called Maggie or Jane), 1900 - 1948,
7. Harriet (Hattie), 1902 - 1992;
8. Martin (Marty), 1904 - 1961,
9. Walter (twin), 1907 - 1977;
10 Wallace (twin), 1907- 2003, and
11. Pearl, 1909 - 1969.
Further information / stories about the children and their families are found under the separate story of Jim and Inga. In the photo below, Grandpa Jim is shown standing behind the hay wagon.
William was their eldest child and was named after his father and was called Jim. Jim married Inger Akre, a widowed Norwegian from Highlandville, Iowa in the year that his mother died. Jim and Inga were married on April 10th, 1891. They lived at Owego for about eight years and then, in the spring of 1898, began a farm south at Anselm. By 1906 or earlier they moved to Buffalo and by 1909 they had moved again - - this time near Enderlin. At Buffala, Jim eventually had two farms, operated a livery stable; and was becoming rather prosperous. By about 1923 they moved to Minneapolis for a while and then in 1924 they moved to Granville where Jim again went into farming and raising horses. Jim had a stroke in 1932 and for the next ten years was cared for at the State Hospital at Rochester, Minnesota until his death on May 5, 1942.
For a full story of the lives and children of Jim and Inga, click on
File 06 Wm James and Inga.pdf and File 08 Akre.pdf
These files are about 50 pages each and may take a few minutes to
download. You will need Acrobat Reader to read these files. It's free
and can be downloaded from the internet. Simply search "Acrobat reader download".
Also access the file File 07 Wm James Famly Tree.pdf, a two page family tree
and record that visually shows the family relationships.
It's sideways so you will need to print it out to read it.
Jim and Inga had eleven children and they are:
1. Mae, 1891 - 1973;
2. William (Willie), 1893 -1913;
3. Robert (called Bud or Oliver), 1895 - 1964;
4. Lloyd, 1897 - 1980;
5. Melbourn (Tip), 1899 - 1959;
6. Margaret (called Maggie or Jane), 1900 - 1948,
7. Harriet (Hattie), 1902 - 1992;
8. Martin (Marty), 1904 - 1961,
9. Walter (twin), 1907 - 1977;
10 Wallace (twin), 1907- 2003, and
11. Pearl, 1909 - 1969.
Further information / stories about the children and their families are found under the separate story of Jim and Inga. In the photo below, Grandpa Jim is shown standing behind the hay wagon.