Melissa Ann Ginn Cowan, widowed mother, and several of Jesse's brothers and sisters came to Texas in 1885, first to Smith County and eventually to Basin Springs in Grayson County. I am not sure when Jesse left Alabama.  Jesse's first
wife was Georgia Ann Perrin from Eden, St. Clair County, Alabama. They married February 2,1874.

CHILDREN OF JESSE COWAN & GEORGIA ANN PERRIN

Edgar F. Cowan
b May 1876
buried Bokchito, Oklahoma

Sallie Louella Cowan
b August 1877
m Jessie Calvin Harman
buried Fairview Cemetery, Cooke Co., Texas

William 'Bill' Cowan
b April 1879
m Cora Miller, Basin Springs
Cora Miller Cowan buried at Basin Springs with Miller Family
William 'Bill' Cowan believed to be buried at Littlefield, Lamb Co., Texas

Charles 'Charley' David Cowan
b 10 June 1881
m Elsie Carolyn Dennard, Sadler
buried Fairview Cemetery, Denison, Texas

George Perrin Cowan
d 1881
buried Fairview Cemetery, Denison, Texas


CHILD OF JESSE COWAN & 2nd wife

Leona Elizabeth Cowan
7 Dec 1892 - 8 January 1979
b Oakwood Cemetery, Whitesboro, Texas
m John L. Buchanan
Children: Calvin Buchanan, buried at Oakwood Cemetery, Whitesboro, Texas; Infant Buchanan, b&d 1909 & Oakwood Cemetery Whitesboro, Texas; Letha Bell Buchanan, m Roy Bert Harris.

Leona Cowan Buchanan was the sister of Viola Cowan, who married Frank N. Miller of Basin Springs. Viola and Frank
Miller are buried in Littlefield Cemetery in Lamb Co., Texas.


Oct. 2007 additions:   
"Records I have recently found showed that Mrs. Buchanan listed her mother as Alice McDill, and her place of birth as Sherman, Texas. With this, I was able to find a marriage record at the library in Sherman, for a marriage license for J.C. Cowen and Miss Alice McDill obtained in Grayson County on 12 February 1889 signed by J.P. Austin, Clerk. The marriage ceremony was performed by J.B. Nicholson, M.G. on 13 February 1889.
        
Jesse Cowan was listed as widowed in the 1900 census, and was living with his married daughter Sally Harman in the Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory along with his son Charley (Charles David Cowan, who married Elsie Dennard of
Basin Springs) and Leona who was about 8 years old at the time.
        
Leona's sister, Viola Cowan, was living with her cousin Leona "Loney" Downs Cook and William Elijah "Lige" Cook in Wise County, Texas in the 1900 census. Viola was listed in the census as born in December 1893 in Indian Territory.  Family stories say Viola was raised by Loney Downs Cook, making me wonder if Alice McDill Cowan may have died while she was an infant. The Cooks had had two children who died in infancy, and raised Viola Cowan as their own. Loney Downs Cook was a sister of Jennie Downs who is buried at the Canaan-Everheart Cemetery.
        
Based on census records, I think Alice McDill was a daughter of General Taylor McDill (his actual name, not a military title) and Adelia Ann Nichols, who were from the same area of St. Clair County in Alabama from whence the Cowan family had come.
        
Tabe McDill, also buried at Oakwood Cemetery, Whitesboro, Texas and John Taylor McDill, buried at Collinsville Cemetery; they may be half-brothers of Alice McDill Cowan."