Two brothers, George Franklin Cowden and W. H. Cowden, came to Palo Pinto County with their families and settled at an early date.  G. F. Cowden married Elizabeth Whitesides and they had 9 children, five of them boys.

Their son, Walter Cowden, now 84, is living at Midland.  He was born in this county December 17, 1872, and lived here until his father moved to Midland County and there he married Eva Clarendia Holcombe, a native of Comanche County, on March 17, 1897.  Mrs. Cowden passed away in 1945.  They are members of the Baptist Church.

Mr. Cowden's older sister spoke of putting him on the trundle bed and pushing the bed under the big bed when Indians came to the home in the early days.  He said he was born in a log cabin with a dirt floor and that he had looked for the place later but had been unable to find it.

The Walter Cowdens' daughter Bessye, married Jess C. Ward, District Court Reporter and when he was at Palo Pinto in his official capacity, Mrs. Ward often accompanied him.  He died June 16, 1947 in Odessa, while making his home on their ranch near there.  Mrs. Ward is now living in Odessa and their children are Cowden Clark, Jess Clark Ward, Jr. and Moizelle Ward Oliver.  Their grandchildren are Gloria Hope Ward, Cowden Clark Ward, Jr., Eva Karen Louise Ward, Jess Clark Ward III, Cecelia Ward, McDonald Oliver III and Denise Oliver.