Date of birth: 1810/05/31
Date of death: 1898/06/10
Spouse: Pierce, Lewis - M 1808/03/08 - ----/--/-- to ----/--/-- -
Email from Dorothy L. Doll, August 5, 2024 - Henry Doll - thedolls@earthlink.net
Dear Mr. Bristow,
Your account of the families in Clinton County is a great service to those
yearning to know of their Clinton County kin, and the photos are priceless.
Having studied the Cowans in great depth, I’m inclined to write and let you
know there is an error, all in the interest of truth, lest the error become
gospel down through the ages, I hope you will agree with the following and
correct it, please:
I read with interest, you note regarding the parents of Rachel Cowan, who
married Lewis Pierce. Jack Ferguson, believed she was the d/o David Cowan and
Mary Campbell.
From my research, she was NOT David's child.
Rachel appears with her husband, Lewis Pierce in the 1850 U.S. Census, Clinton
Co KY. In the same census, appears as HOH, Mary Cowan ,wife of deceased David
Cowan. Her daughters, Rebecca and RACHEL Cowan are living in her household.
Therefore, there were two Rachel Cowan women, and Rachel Cowan, who m. Lewis
Pierce is not the daughter of David and Mary Cowan.
The exact birthdate of Rachel Cowan who m. Lewis Pierce is not known for sure,
and it ranges from 1808 to 1818. Even her Census records perpetuate the errors
in her DOB.
As to whose daughter is Rachel Cowan Pierce, there are some interesting
facts, that are worth a note:
There were two Cowan enclaves.
“Cowan Country” on Smith Creek that held the original grants of the early
generation of Cowan men. There was also a Cowan enclave near the KY/TN border
west of Huntersville, (and south of the Cowan Cemetery), where Spring Creek’s
confluence with TN’s Wolf River is situated.
In the 1850 U.S. Census Clinton Co KY, with in the borderland Cowan enclave
lived Andrew “Martin” Cowan, JR, b. 1791 s/o Andrew “Martin” Cowan, SR b.
<1765 VA; Margaret Cowan (wife of Wm. G. Cowan, and their son James Van Buren
Cowan. Next was Lewis and RACHEL Cowan Pierce.
I believe the Pierce Family’s proximity to Margaret Long Cowan,
wife of Wm. G. Cowan (s/o David Cowan) has contributed to the long held belief
that Rachel Cowan Pearce was David’s daughter, but she is not, as I noted.
Andrew “Martin” Cowan, JR, apparently had several children,
according to Jack Ferguson, pg. 132 Vol. I. Jack only number’s most of these
children, listing only two that he knew as Eliza Jane, and David C. b. 1836.
How he knew this was not stated. ( We also owe Jack a debt of gratitude for
his contribution the Clinton Co families).
I believe that Rachel Cowan Pierce was one of the unknown children of Andrew
“Martin” Cowan, Jr. b. 1791.. and my ancestor James C. Cowan b. 1819 is too
While I do not demean the good intentions of those who erected
Rachel’s tombstone that denotes her birthdate as 1808, it is critical to point
out that such stones are not always correct, but likely based on what was
believed at the time.
Another classic example of such an error is the Single Stone
Cemetery monument for the Cummings Family in Dale Hollow State Park. My
ancestor, John Robinson Cummings is noted as born in 1774. In truth he was
born in 1794 in Orange Co NC. All those buried in that mass grave were brought
up from graves that are now under Dale Hollow Lake. Eighty acres of that park
was John Cumming’s property at one time.
I will be publishing a non-profit book on the Cowans, and would
like permission to use your pictures of Smith Creek and the land around it in
the book, as these pictures best depict the grand lands of Cowan Country, and
would be a boon to those whom yearn to know about “down home”, a term my
migrant grandmother used often, for she often yearned for there.
I also have explored Issac Van Buren Cowan, born to unknown parents in Clinton
Co. KY on 12 Nov 1835. His father killed before 1841, caused his migration to
Illinois. Issac’s lament for his origins followed him all the days of his
life. Records of Clinton Co KY note he was a grandson of Andrew Cowan. The
Parmeleys were noted on these records. Any info that aids this family’s
research is welcome.
If someone can produce proof that my assumptions are wrong, I will happily
concede in the interest of truth.
Thank you,
Dorothy L. Doll, descendant of James C. Cowan b. 1819, and Samuel Cowan his
son
Duane Bristow (duane@kyphilom.com)
Please send comments.
Last revised 2024/08/06.