Husband: John Merrill COWAN
Birthdate: 12 Oct. 1862
Birthplace: Redwood City, CA.
Death date: 6 Sept. 1934
Place of death: Seattle, King Co., OR.
Burial: Port Townsend, Jefferson Co., OR.
Father: John COWAN
Mother: Margaret LYNETTE

Marriage date: 19 Oct. 1887
Marriage place: Smith River, Douglas Co., OR.

Wife: Mary Emily MOSHER
Birthdate: 12 Feb. 1867
Birthplace: Roseburg, Douglas Co., OR.
Death date: 8 June 1948
Place of death: Portland, Multnomah Co., OR.
Burial: Portownsend, Jefferson Co., OR.
Father: LaFayette MOSHER
Mother: Winifred LANE

CHILDREN

Child No. 1: Stephen Forest COWAN
Sex: M
Birthdate: 7 Sept. 1888
Birthplace: Douglas Co., OR.
Death date: 18 Feb. 1911
Place of death: At Sea, near Neah Bay, WA.
Burial: Pacific Ocean
Marriage date:
Marriage place:
Spouse's name: Never Married

Child No. 2: Shirley Francis COWAN
Sex: M
Birthdate: 16 May 1890
Birthplace: Douglas Co., OR
Death date: 1950
Place of death: unknown
Burial: unkown
Marriage date: bef. 1910
Marriage place: (WA.)?
Spouse's name: Frances Vera BUCKNER

Child No. 3: Joseph Kenneth COWAN
Sex: M.
Birthdate: 28 Feb. 1892
Birthplace: Douglas Co., OR.
Death date: May 1956
Place of death: Clallam Co., WA.
Burial: WA.
Marriage date: Bef. 1914
Marriage place: WA.
Spouse's name: Helma NELSON

Child No. 4: Beatrice Mary COWAN
Sex: F
Birthdate: 22 Sept. 1893
Birthplace: Heceta Head Lighthouse, Lane Co., OR.
Death date: 27 Sept. 1986
Place of death: Portland Multnomah Co., OR.
Burial: OR.
Marriage date:
Marriage place:
Spouse's name: Never Married

Child No. 5: Charles Theron COWAN
Sex: M
Birthdate: 3 Aug. 1895
Birthplace: Coquilla Lighthouse, Bandon, Coos Co., OR.
Death date: June 1958
Place of death: CA.
Marriage date: unknown
Burial: unknown
Marriage place: WA.
Spouse's name: Rilla WILLIAMS

Child No. 6: Vincent DePaul COWAN
Sex: F
Birthdate: 8 April 1897
Birthplace: Coquilla Lighthouse, Bandon, Coos Co., OR.
Death date: 17 Feb. 1961
Place of death: unknown
Burial: unknown
Marriage date: unknown
Marriage place: WA.
Spouse's name: Edwin LAMB

Child No. 7: Alvah Gregory COWAN
Sex: M
Birthdate: 2 June 1899
Birthplace: Coquilla Lighthouse, Bandon, Coos Co., OR.
Death date: 1 June 1989
Place of death: Mt. Angel, Marion Co., OR.
Burial: Woodburn, Marion Co., OR- St. Lukes Catholic Cemetery
Marriage date: 30 Aug. 1922
Marriage place: Woodburn, Marion Co., OR- St. Lukes Catholic Church
Spouse's name: Helen Clara WAGEMAN

Child No. 8: Winifred Rachael COWAN
Sex: F
Birthdate: 20 April 1904
Birthplace: Port Angels, WA.
Death date: 13 Dec. 1986
Place of death: Oregon City, Clackamas Co., OR
Burial: unknown- cremated
Marriage date: unknown
Marriage place: unknown
Spouse's name: Bernie FULLINGTON
 

Documentation:
* John Merrill COWAN occupation was a Lighthouse Keeper for 39 years. He began his career on March 3, 1893 at the Heceta Head Lighthouse, in Hecta Head, OR. He helped build the lighthouse, and served there as a keeper. He transferred to the Coquilla Lighthouse, also known as the Bandon Lighthouse, located in Bandon, OR., in 1894. On May 16, 1900 he transferred to the Cape Flattery Lighouse, on Tatoosh Island, which is located 7 miles off shore from Neah Bay, WA. His wife and family went with him. There was no school for the children, so durring the school season, the Cowan children stayed in Portland, OR with their Aunt, Winifred Mosher, who was a school Teacher. During the Summer and holidays, they would spend with their parents on Tatoosh Island. John retired from the Lighthouse service on Oct. 12, 1932.
* To read more on John Merrill Cowan, go to my website at: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~bowers/light/

Sources:
* My documentation consists of Census Records,
* Church Records,
* Marriage Records,
* Bible Records,
* Death Records,
* Family Photographs,
* Copy of the Cape Flattery Lighthouse Logs, from 1896-1932,
* photos aquired from the Coast Guard Musuem,
* Port Angelas Musuem,
* Newspaper Articles, etc.