Obituary - David Cowman
One of the earliest settlers of Fulton County passes away.
DAVID COWMAN died at his home in this place, Monday morning, April 25th, 1898,
aged 82 years, 6 months, and 11 days, after a brief illness from pneumonia. The
funeral service was held at 10 a.m., Wednesday in the M. E. Church, Rev. Richard
Haney of Monmouth, assisted by Rev. Welsh and Rev. White of this place,
officiating. It was one of the largest funerals ever held in London, and it was
a long procession that followed the remains to their last resting place in the
cemetery at Midway.
David Cowman was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, Oct. 14th, 1815. In 1832,
he with his parents settled in Ohio. There was that he was married, Sept. 19,
1835, to Miss Catherine Combs. They came to Illinois in 1838, settling that same
year on a part of the farm east of town which he owned at the time of his death.
To them were born 11 children, seven of whom, together with a large number of
grandchildren and great grand children, still survive. The living children are:
Eliza Ann wife of Henry P. Mosher; Mary, wife of John Combs; Mandy Ellen, wife
of Cyrus Betterton; Lydia Jane, wife of James Thurman; General L. Cowman, John
L. Cowman, and Frances N. Cowman. The mother of these children died May 30,
1890. On Sept. 10th, 1891, Mr. Cowman was again married, this time to Rebecca A.
Welch [the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index lists a David Cowman marrying a A.
A. Welch in Fulton County on September 10, 1891], who survives him.
Uncle Davey Cowman, as the deceased was familiarly styled, was a man of sterling
integrity and great force of character. He was a strong man in every sense of
the word and has been a part of the history of the settlement and development of
this section of country. He has been an active member of the Methodist church
for nearly sixty years, a man of unwavering faith, and a power for good in the
community. His has been a long life of active service, and he has passed to his
rest and reward. The portrait of the deceased shown in this article is from a
photograph taken a number of years ago, and is a splendid likeness as many of
our older readers remember him.
Contributed by Todd Walter, extracted from an 1898 London Times, London Mills, IL.
