Josephine Fleming's only brother, James G. Cowan.

     By now, you've been introduced to a couple of Josephine's siblings. There are still two more to go, One is the oldest sister Maldonetta, who we will get to in a later post. The other is the only male sibling Josephine and her sisters had.  James G. Cowan was his name, also named after an uncle. I have found him to be a very remarkable man for a few reasons.  His service to his family, country, and his community to name a few.  

     James G. Cowan was born in 1840 in Eufaula, Alabama. His Father, Dr. William Cowan was one of the founders of Eufaula only it was known as Irwinton at the time. His mother, Anna Silva Pugh Cowan, was the sister to Senator James L. Pugh. James is the third child born to the Cowans. He had two older sisters, Maldonetta and Josephine. He also had two younger sisters, Rosa and Willie. There were also three other sisters born between he and sister Rosa. They were Mary, Ann, and Emily, but they all died either as young children or as babies or even at birth. So, James was not only the middle child, he was the only son to Dr. Cowan. 

     James was extraordinarily smart and brave. He must have possessed a passion for leadership and service. So, when it was time to go off to college there was only place he had in mind. The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

 Below: This is what his West Point Cadet Uniform would have looked like his day.

     Did you know that the United States Military Academy was founded in 1802?  Guess who it was founded by? Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.

Below: A senic view of it's earliest days around the time it was founded.

Below: This is what a drill looks like for a cadet around the time when James attended West Point.

 Below: If you were graduating from West Point around the time James G. Cowan did, this is what your class photo would have looked like.

     After James graduated from West Point, he join the Confederate Army. He served and fought in the Civil War as an officer until it ended. After the war he returned to Eufaula long enough to say hello, pack, and leave for law school. When James completed law school he moved to Abbeville, Alabama to begin practicing law. 

     Through my research I've learned that in addition to his law practice in Abbeville, James was the editor of the local newspaper from 1869 to sometime in the 1870's.  James never did marry. He served his community with humility and grace until he died. 

     James died on March 4, 1906 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Below: I found this obituary written about him in the Montgomery Advertiser:

     James G. Cowan, who practiced law at Abbeville, in Henry County, many years, died at Tuscaloosa a few days ago.   He was over sixty years old and served in the Confederate Army.  Among lawyers he ranked high, but was of such shrinking modesty that he never made the reputation a man of his intellect could have easily made by any sort of energy.  He was a nephew of Senator James L. Pugh and has many relatives in the state.  He never married.

     James was 66 years old at the time of his passing. Still young by today's standards. I can't help but like this guy.  Who wouldn't? Here is a man so intelligent, graduates from the prestigious West Point Academy, serves and fights in the Civil War, goes to law school, becomes a lawyer, who is bright, intelligent, and far above average and yet, is so humble, modest, and gentle that he is perfectly contented to settle into a small community where he quietly goes about his life.  This is conducive to his upbringing.  As I've pointed out in previous posts on this blog, the children of Dr. William and Anna Cowan were all remarkable individuals. Yes, they had money, but were not ridiculously wealthy and they put more value into the practice of their faith, family, and community.  The place of his burial is unknown to me at this time. I plan to check into some cemeteries in and around Abbeville to see if he's buried there.

     Now comes the part where I have to admit that I almost made a mistake of confusing two cousins with the same name. The headstone below is that of James G. Cowan. I know this had to be the source of much confusion for any genealogists eager to fill in the empty slot of their ancestor. The headstone below is not the same James G. Cowan I am writing this blog about. This James was HIS cousin.  The one below was the son of Dr. Daniel Cowan, who was the brother to Dr. William Cowan, James' Father. Remember, this James, who this blog is about, was born in 1840 and the one below was born in 1846. Still strange to me, they both served in during in the Civil War. This means that the one below was only 15 years old at the start of the war. As you can see below, this head stone says he is a Confederate Veteran. While searching for more information, I stumbled upon yet another James G. Cowan. Yes, related to the same family. Another brother of Dr. William Cowan thought it would be a dandy idea to name his last son, James G. The "G" is for Good Lord... Now I have a headache.  

     Well, I would feel terrible if I didn't mention what I did learn about the James G. Cowan who lies beneath this headstone. I learned he was Editor the Union Springs Herald for years and years. He also was a publisher of several smaller periodicals and specialty publications too. He was the recipient of what you see in the photo above.  That is the distinguished Southern Cross of Honor.

This is how Wikipedia defines the Southern Cross.

The Southern Cross of Honor was a military decoration meant to honor the officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates for their valor in the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. It was formally approved by the Congress of the Confederate States on October 13, 1862, and was originally intended to be on par with the Union Army's Medal of Honor.

The design for the face of the medal consists of a cross with a Confederate battle flag surrounded with a laurel wreath, with the inscription "The Southern Cross of Honor." On the back of the medal is the motto of the Confederate States of America, "Deo Vindice" ([With] God [As Our] Vindicator), and the dates 1861 1865.

      Well now that you're good and confused, I will conclude this post about James Cowan, the brother to Josephine Fleming. He was a humble servant to his community, a brother, cousin, son, and probably someone everyone could call a good friend. 

     As I have said before in previous posts, you may never know what impact you've made on this world. But after you're gone many may know you for more than what your money could buy.  It is what is in the heart and the good it did as well as the impression left on the people you were surrounded by. Integrity, humility, and goodness cannot be bought.  They are a product of a life lived that puts others before themselves, a giving and open heart, and living in grace through faith in God.

     My next post will be about the last of Josephine's siblings, Maldonetta Cowan Buford.