DR
COWAN
Weekly Stockton Democrat
September 11 1859
DEATH of DR. W.D. COWAN -- The
news of the death of Dr. Wm. D.
COWAN, of his body having been found in the mountains, is terrible to
his many friends and relatives. The long time he was a citizen of
Stockton, as physician of the Insane Asylum, gave each successive year
additional proof of his uprightness as a man, his integrity of purpose,
and his sensitive nature in all that would effect him as an honorable
gentleman. The details of his unfortunate death we copy from the
Mariposa Star of Tuesday, 6th inst.:
Dr. Wm. COWAN left Mariposa on
Friday afternoon August 26th for the
South Fork of the Merced, in company with Charles SMITHERS, intending
to spend a few days at Clark�s Ranch. Friday night he stopped at a
ranch on the head waters of the Chowchilla, and proceeded as far as
Hussey's Mill on Saturday, where, feeling unwell he stopped to rest for
the night. On the following day SMITHERS returned to Mariposa and the
Doctor proceeded alone on the "Kyle trail" for the South Fork. About 4
miles from Clark�s he was met by a party who were returning from
Walker�s River. He was then on foot and said his horse had given out.
Shortly after they found his
horse on the trail, and a short
distance from the place they found his coat, and some papers scattered
about the trail. They also remarked that there was something strange in
his appearance, but not being personally acquainted with him, thought
no more of it till they arrived in town on Monday evening, when their
report caused some uneasiness, and Mathew HARRIS was dispatched in
search of him on Wednesday. Accompanied by Mr. CLARK, the search was
carried on until Saturday last when the body was discovered about 30
feet from the trail, a mile and a half from CLARK's. From appearances
it was supposed that he had been dead several days.
Dr. C. was an old resident of
California having come to this State
in 1849. At that time he was mining at Murphy's Camp whence he
afterwards removed to Stockton where he practiced his profession and
gained an enviable reputation for medical skill. He came to this county
[Mariposa] in the spring of 1858 and for the past year has had charge
of our County Hospital.
He was universally respected by
his friends and acquaintances as a man of honesty and integrity.
Since writing the above, we have
seen Justice LOVEJOY, who in the
absence of the Coroner, held an inquest on the body. The verdict of the
Jury was Death from some unknown cause. His remains were interred
near the spot where he died.
---------------------------
DR COWAN-The San Andreas Independent
San Andreas, Calaveras County, CA
Saturday, 10 September 1859
THE SAN JOAQUIN ‘Republican’ says: Dr. Wm. D. COWAN, formerly one of the
physicians of the Insane Asylum, was found a few days since a few miles
from Mariposa, quite dead. He was partially stripped of his clothing. The
alarm was first given in Mariposa by the return of his horse without a
rider to that city. Dr. COWAN leaves a family who are now at the East.
transcribed by Dee S
MARIPOSA
HISTORICAL EVENTS
MARIPOSA COUNTY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY MAIN PAGE
CALIFORNIA