BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 500-501.


FRANK M. COWEN is a son of one of the most distinguished lawyers who has 
ever practiced at the Belmont county bar. Judge D. D. T. Cowen, his father, 
was a son of Benjamin Sprague Cowen, a noted jurist and statesman, of the 
same county. Judge Cowen's father and mother were natives of Washington 
county, N. Y., whence they removed to Ohio in 1825, settling in Harrison 
county, where Judge Cowen was born January 20, 1826. A few years later his 
family removed to St. Clairsville, Ohio, where his early education was 
acquired in the public school and at Brooks institute, of that place, his 
father being one of the founders of the latter institution. His classical 
training was received under the tutelage of Doctor McBane, of Cadiz, Ohio; 
later he studied medicine and surgery with his uncle, Dr. Sylvanus Wood, of 
Cadiz, and Dr. John Alexander, of St. Clairsville. He did not study 
medicine with the intention of practicing it, however, but with the idea of 
gaining a broader and more comprehensive education, and as preparatory to 
the practice of law. His chosen profession was the law, and under the wise 
guidance of his eminent father, and his father's partner, Hugh J. Jewett, 
afterward president of the Erie railroad, he was fitted for the bar, being 
admitted to the bar by the supreme court of Ohio, January 20, 1847. After 
his admission to the legal ranks, Judge Cowen began to practice at St. 
Clairsville, and soon attained a high standing at the bar of Belmont 
county, which, since its organization, has been in high repute on account 
of the great number of exceptionably able men who have practiced there. 
Notable among which are such men as William Kennon, Sr.; William Kennon, 
Jr.; John M. Goodenow, Ex-Governor Wilson Shannon, W. B. Hubbard, Carlo C. 
Carrol, Benjamin S. Cowen, Hugh J. Jewett, and many others of marked 
ability. In time Judge Cowen came to be the recognized leader of this 
association of leaders, and practiced in all of the courts of that section 
and in the supreme court of Ohio. Soon after the commencement of 
hostilities between the North and South he was commissioned lieutenant 
colonel of the Fifty-second regiment of Ohio volunteer infantry, of which 
Daniel McCook was colonel. That officer being assigned to the command of a 
brigade, the command of the regiment devolved upon Colonel Cowen. He 
participated in all of the engagements in which his regiment was involved, 
until the sad news of his wife's failing health forced him to resign his 
commission and return to her to whom he owed his first allegiance. 
Tendering his resignation he was honorably discharged in February, 1863. On 
his return home he was made chairman of the military committee of Belmont 
county, of which Judge William Kennon, Judge Kelley and Benjamin S. Cowen 
were members. Mr. Cowen was the prosecuting attorney of Belmont county from 
1852 to 1858, he also served as clerk and mayor of St. Clairsville, and was 
a member of the board of education and the board of school examiners from 
1854 to 1862, at which time he resigned to enter the army. Judge John Okey 
resigning as common pleas judge, Colonel Cowen was made his successor, 
serving the remainder of the term. Judge Cowen's superior abilities were 
recognized by his selection as a delegate to the constitutional convention 
of 1873, receiving a majority of 2,300 votes in a county about evenly 
divided politically. Judge Cowen was twice married, his first wife being 
Hannah Frances Martin, and his second espousal being to Anna Martin, her 
sister. He was the father of twelve children. From its organization he was 
the president of the First National bank of St. Clairsville. April, 1884, 
this distinguished man passed away to his eternal rest, his death causing a 
sorely felt vacancy in the county. Frank M. Cowen was born February 4, 
1855, in Belmont county, and his boyhood days were passed in St. 
Clairsyille, where he attended the common schools until he was fourteen 
years of age, at which time he went to live with an uncle, Gen. B. R. 
Cowen, of Cincinnati, Ohio. That gentleman receiving the appointment of 
assistant secretary of the interior, Mr. Cowen was given a first-class 
clerkship in the, Pension bureau, at Washington city, which office
he filled acceptably until he resigned for the purpose of
attending college. He entered the Ohio Wesleyan university at
Delaware, Ohio. After leaving college, Mr. Cowen returned to St.
Clairsville, and on the completion of the study of law, and 
his admission to the bar, entered into a partnership with his father. He 
remained there until the opening of the Flushing bank in 1884; he then 
removed to Flushing with his family, haying accepted the position of 
cashier of that institution. He was united in marriage to Miss Kate Meyer, 
daughter of Henry and Katherine Meyer. Their marriage has been crowned by 
the birth of one child, a bright little girl, who was born May 30, 1881. 
Mr. and Mrs. Cowen are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church of 
Flushing. Mr. Cowen is a member of the town council, president of the 
Gallaher tool manufacturing company, and secretary of the Building and Loan 
association of Flushing, and in those as well as in his position of cashier 
of the bank, he holds the confidence and esteem of the community at large, 
being a financier of much ability. This building and loan association, 
organized by the efforts of Mr. Cowen and other gentlemen in the spring of 
'88, by limiting its dividends to a low rate, and by a system of rebating 
excessive earnings to its borrowers originated by Mr. Cowen, certainly is 
one of the most liberal and equitable institutions of that character in the 
state, and its beneficial results are already felt and appreciated in that 
comm unity. While living at St. Clairsville, he was town clerk and 
secretary of their building association, and he was also honored by his 
associates with the position of captain of the St. Clairsville Light 
Guards, which company in a competitive drill at Marietta, in the summer 
1878, re- ceived the second prize for proficiency in drill; their captain 
afterward received a letter from the late lamented General Cooke, of the 
United States army, a judge at that drill, congratulating him and his 
command for their admirable discipline and exhibition, and speaking in high 
terms of the Ohio National Guard in general.