--------- Forwarded message ---------- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Date: Wed, 21 May 2003 22:15:12 EDT Subject: [Sc-Ir] Dr. JB Cowan and his 95 year old Grandson Hello folks, Just when you think there is nothing more to look for in a particular area of genealogy you get an e-mail.  This one came from cousin Dan and he told me he had a manuscript sent to him by a lady in Washington concerning a cadet James G. Cowan who was a student at the University of Alabama during the last days of the Confederacy.  I immediately contacted the woman and she sent me a copy of this wonderful manuscript which has never been published. It begins as follows: To my loyal, faithful, devoted and beloved wife, who for forty five years, on each recurring anniversary, has patiently endured the affliction of having some of the incidents here related repeated.  This narrative is affectionately dedicated.  Jas. G.(Gillespie) Cowan This is a most remarkable story and includes the likes of Dr. James B. Cowan, the Reverend Samuel Montgomery Cowan and his wife and the Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest.  It reads like one of Dr. Cowan's letters and it is of historical significance.  I was asked not to distribute the narrative as it was intended for family and I will respect that wish.  But it gets better. Dan also told me something else which when I first heard it I thought he was mistaken or pulling my leg.  He said he was in contact with a fellow in Nashville who works at the Tennessee State archives by the name of Jim Havron and that this fellow was a descendant of Dr. JB Cowan, Chief Surgeon to General Forrest.  I was much eleated at the prospect of finding one of Dr. Cowan's relatives, especially considering the fact he is an archiveist and just might know really good stuff on the family.  I called him on the phone and we had a nice talk and it looks like a trip to Tennessee is about ready to happen.  Some of you may remember my posts regarding Dr. Cowan's letters of 1895 to a distant relative discussing the family genealogy and saying Samuel Cowan's father came from Londonderry.  You may also remember the research trip John Giacoletti and I made to PRONI and the resulting discovery of a letter written by Robert Cowan in 1733 saying the family removed to Londonderry in the 1620's and that they originally were from Stirling, almost a word for word confirmation of Dr.Cowan's writings 170+ years later.  Well guess what?  Dr Cowan's grandson is STILL living!!  He is 95 years old and lives near Tullahoma.  Jim Havron is this gentlemans grandson!  Jim says the old man has many letters and even the Reverend Samuel M. Cowan's Bible and who knows what else in his old lock box.  I once made the statement that given the choice of being lucky or smart in genealogy always take luck.  I hereby stick by that statement. Good fortune continues and I wait eagerly for the time when I can visit my new cousin in Nashville, Mr. Jim Havron, and exchange information with him and swap stories about Ireland, Scotland, the War and and the entire cast of characters that make up who we are.  I want to sit on the front porch on a warm summer evening and toast the best Chief Surgeon who ever lived, Dr. James Benjamin Cowan, a man who worked for the best cavalry officer in the history of warfare, Lt. General Nathan Bedford Forrest. I want to live, if just for a moment, like they lived.  Regards, Robert Cowan "I rode with Forrest" "I rowed with Knox"