COWIE, James 1840-1923

COWIE, STEPHEN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 3/7/2015 at 07:52:53

James Cowie Grundy Pioneer Died Monday

Came To Grundy Co. 54 Years Ago--Owned One Farm All Of That Time

Funeral Held Wednesday

Retired from Farm Thirteen Years Ago When He Moved to Grundy Center

James Cowie died at his home in this city at ten o'clock Monday evening. Old age was largely the cause of his death. He became confined to his home about nine months ago and failed gradually until the end came.

Funeral services at which Rev. Woodall of the Methodist church officiated were held at the home of Mrs. Robert Brown this afternoon. Interment was made in the Grundy Center cemetery.

Mr. Cowie was born in Scotland eighty-three years ago. In 1865 he came to this country and located in Ogle county, Illinois, where he resided until 1870 when he came to Grundy county. At that time he purchased a farm in Colfax township which he owned up to the time of his death. Mr. Cowie lived on this farm continually until thirteen years ago when he moved to Grundy Center.

Mr. Cowie was married in Illinois fifty-seven years ago. His wife, who is eighty years old, survives him. Other surviving relatives are his daughters, Mrs. Robert and Mrs. Will Brown, and sons Albert and Edward. One brother, John, living in Cedar Falls, and one sister, Miss Anne Cowie, of this city, survive. There are seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

During the many years that Mr. Cowie resided in this county he established a reputation for thrift, integrity and good citizenship that gave him rank among our best people in this community.

Mr. Cowie's obituary will be published in the next paper.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 13 December 1923, pg 1

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Obituary of James Cowie

James Cowie was born near Montrose, Kineardinshire, Scotland, May 11th, 1840, and died in Grundy Center, Iowa, Dec. 10th, 1923, aged 83 years, 6 months and 29 days.

In the summer of 1865 he came to the United States, settling near Pecatonica, Winnebago county, Illinois. Here he was united in marriage to Miss Susan Stephen, Feb. 14th, 1867.

The family moved to Grundy county, Iowa, in the autumn of 1870 and settled on a farm in Colfax township, where the deceased lived until 1910, when the elderly couple moved to Grundy Center, which has been their home since that time. The homestead still remains in the possession of the family.

Besides the widow, two sons, Albert S. and Edmond A., and two daughters, Mrs. Libbie Brown and Mrs. Lenna Brown, survive. Another son died in infancy in 1871. Other survivors are a sister, Miss Ann Cowie, of Grundy Center, and a brother, John Cowie, of Cedar Falls, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Very early in life the deceased became a member of the Presbyterian church in Scotland. On coming to Grundy county he transferred his membership to the Methodist church of Grundy Center. He has been an upright and worthy member of the Church of Christ all his life.

During a long and trying illness he endured with great patience and passed away in quietness and peace, as he had live. Modest, unpretentious in manner, firm in his convictions, favoring the right as he understood it, giving aid and assistance to every good cause, James Cowie was a citizen esteemed by all.

Honest and upright in his dealings, kind and considerate with every one, a kind friend, a good neighbor, a loving husband and father, a faithful follower of God has been called to his eternal reward.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 20 December 1923, pg 1