John Cowan (South Australian politician)

Sir John Cowan (6 December 1866 – 8 March 1953) was a South Australian politician who served as a member of the South Australian Legislative Council from 1910 to 1944.

For other uses, see John Cowan (disambiguation).

The Honourable Sir John Cowan MLC
Member for the Southern District
Member of the South Australian Legislative Council
In office 2 April 1910 – 29 February 1944
Personal details
Born	6 December 1866 Port Gawler, South Australia
Died	8 March 1953 (age 87) Murray Bridge, South Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal and Country League
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Jones
Relations	Thomas Cowan (father) James Cowan (uncle) John Lancelot Cowan (son) Darcy R.W. Cowan (first cousin)
Children	2 sons, 3 daughters
Residence	Glen Lossie, Murray Bridge South Australia
Alma mater	Whinham College
Occupation	pastoralist, parliamentarian

Early life

Cowan who was born at Port Gawler, South Australia, was the third son of Thomas Cowan, a farmer, and his wife Mary Jane, née Armstrong. He was educated at Whinham College in North Adelaide. After completion of his schooling, he managed a property owned by his father at Milang, South Australia. In 1881, Cowan purchased land near Murray Bridge, South Australia which he would develop and retain until his death. In 1892, Cowan married Elizabeth Jones with whom he had two sons and three daughters.[1][2]

Political career

Cowan served as a councillor on the District Council of Mobilong from 1892 to 1912 including the role of chairman from 1896 to 1912. He was elected to the Legislative Council district of the Southern District on 2 April 1910 and held this seat until his retirement on 29 February 1944. Cowan served as the Minister of Agriculture, the Assistant Minister of Repatriation and the Minister of Town Planning in the government led by Henry Barwell and as the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Immigration, the Minister of Repatriation, and the Minister of Irrigation in the government led by Richard Layton Butler. He also served as the Government Whip in the Legislative Council for a period of 20 years and as a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works from 12 July 1934 to 31 May 1944. His contribution to public life was recognised with the conferral of the prefix ‘Honourable’ on 7 August 1930 and a Knight Bachelor on 1 January 1944.[2][3][4]

See also

• Australian knights and dames

References

1. South Australian Births – Index of Registrations 1842-1906, South Australian Genealogy & Heraldry Society Inc. page 606.
2. ’Death of Sir John Cowan’, The Advertiser (Adelaide), Monday 9 March 1953, page 2, retrieved 19/09/2012.
3. Parliament of South Australia. Statistical Record of the Legislature 1836–2007; Compiled in the Offices of the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the Legislative Council (PDF). pp. 26, 30, 124, 146, 188 & 210. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
4. ‘New Year Honors: John Cowan MLC knighted’, The Advertiser, Saturday 1 January 1944, page 5, , retrieved 22/09/2012.

Further reading

• H. T. Burgess (editor), (1909), The Cyclopedia of South Australia, Volume 2, The Cyclopedia Company, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, pages 907–908.
• Coxon, H., Playford, J. and Reid, R.; (1985), Biographical Register of the South Australian Parliament 1857 -1957, Wakefield Press, Netley, page 51. (ISBN 0 9492682 4 0)
• McGill, Maryanne, 'Cowan, Sir John (1866–1953)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, , accessed 17 September 2012.

External links

• ‘Hon Sir John Cowan’ at Former Member of Parliament Details, , retrieved 17/09/2012.