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{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Lawrence Cowan

| name = Lawrence Oscar Cowan

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Lawrence Oscar Cowan.jpg

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| office = Member of the [[19th Arizona Territorial Legislature]]

| district =

| term_start =

| term_start = 1897

| term_end =

| predecessor =

| term = 1897

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| birth_date = {{birth date|1858|09|15}}

| successor =

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| birth_place = [[Due West, South Carolina]]

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| birth_date = {{birth date|1858|09|18}}

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| death_date = {{death date and age|1933|07|20|1858|09|15}}

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| birth_place = [[Due West, South Carolina]]~~, US~~

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| death_place = [[Tucson]], [[Arizona]]

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| death_date = {{death date and age|1933|07|20|1858|09|15}}

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| nationality =

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| death_place = [[Tucson]], Arizona~~, US~~

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| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]

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| nationality =

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| relations =

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| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]

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| children =

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| alma_mater = [[Erskine College]]

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| residence =

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| occupation =

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| alma_mater = [[Erskine College]]

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| profession = Politician, Businessman

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| profession = Politician, Businessman

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'''Lawrence Oscar Cowan''' (September 18, 1858{{r|mc1}}{{spaced ndash}}July 20, 1933) was ~~an American~~ judge, state legislator, city official, businessman, and miner in the [[Arizona ~~Territory~~]] and [[Arizona|state]] in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

'''Lawrence Oscar "L. O." Cowan''' (September 18, 1858{{r|mc1}}{{spaced ndash}}July 20, 1933{{r|ads1}}) was a judge, state legislator, city official, businessman, and miner in the [[Arizona territory]] and [[Arizona|state]] in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

==Background==

Cowan was born in [[Due West, South Carolina]], the son of planter and merchant Captain John Cowan. He attended the local public schools and graduated from [[Erskine College]] before studying law in the state of [[Georgia (US state)|Georgia]]. He was admitted to practice before the [[Supreme Court of Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia Supreme Court]] in 1882 and then moved to Arizona the same year, settling in [[Kingman, Arizona|Kingman]].~~{{r|wh1}}~~

Cowan was born in [[Due West, South Carolina|Due West]], [[South Carolina]], the son of planter and merchant Captain John Cowan. He attended the local public schools and graduated from [[Erskine College]] before studying law in the state of [[Georgia (US state)|Georgia]]. He was admitted to practice before the [[Supreme Court of Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia Supreme Court]] in 1882 and then moved to Arizona the same year, settling in [[Kingman, Arizona|Kingman]].

==Kingman and first term in Legislature==

There he continued to practice law, and had interests in cattle ranching and mining. He moved to [[San Diego, California]], for a brief time before returning to Kingman and being elected a [[Probate Judge]], serving in that position for four years{{r|wh1}} and simultaneously he was the superintendent of county schools.{{r|mc1|ads1}} He served as the clerk of the District Court of Mohave County for four years,{{r|mc1}} and clerk of the Board of Supervisors.{{r|wh1}} In 1895 he was elected Mohave [[County Recorder]] and in 1897 elected to the upper house of the [[19th Arizona Territorial Legislature]] from Mohave County.{{r|wh1}}

There he continued to practice law, and had interests in cattle ranching and mining. He moved to [[San Diego, California]] for a brief time before returning to Kingman and being elected a [[Probate Judge]], serving in that position for four years{{r|wh1}} and simultaneously he was the superintendent of county schools.{{r|mc1|ads1}} He served as the clerk of the District Court of Mohave County for four years{{r|mc1}}, and clerk of the Board of Supervisors.{{r|wh1}} In 1895 he was elected Mohave [[County Recorder]] and in 1897 elected to the upper house of the [[19th Arizona Territorial Legislature]] from Mohave County.{{r|wh1}}

Near the end of the session, tensions grew between the House of Representatives and Governor [[Benjamin Joseph Franklin]], a [[gold Democrat]] in a predominately [[free silver]] territory, leading Cowan to sponsor a resolution declaring "the best interests of the territory demanded an immediate change in the office of governor." The resolution was opposed in the Council which proclaimed it "has implicit confidence in the integrity and ability of our present governor."{{r|wag}}

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===Cowan Bill===

Acting upon a recommendation by Governor [[Alexander Oswald Brodie|Brodie]],{{r|wn1}} he introduced what came to be known as the Cowan Bill which raised significant revenue for Arizona.{{r|wh1}} Under the original laws of the territory, the territorial secretary, who approved and recorded articles of incorporation for companies incorporating in the territory, was entitled to keep the fees charged as part of his salary. The secretary at the time, [[Isaac T. Stoddard]] was receiving an estimated $40,000 per year (about ${{Inflation|US|40000|1901|fmt=c|r=-4}} per year in present-day terms{{Inflation-fn|US}}) in fees, and he had built a side business that assisted foreign businesses to incorporate under Arizona law. His earnings were harshly criticized.{{r|ceml1}} The bill made incorporation fees revenue to the territory treasury. The Cowan ~~Bill~~ passed in the state assembly 13 to 5,{{r|ads2}} despite Stoddard's active opposition.{{r|wn1}} By 1905, Arizona was receiving over $50,000 per year in incorporation fees.{{r|wn1}}

Acting upon a recommendation by Governor [[Alexander Oswald Brodie|Brodie]],{{r|wn1}} he introduced what came to be known as the Cowan Bill which raised significant revenue for Arizona.{{r|wh1}} Under the original laws of the territory, the territorial secretary, who approved and recorded articles of incorporation for companies incorporating in the territory, was entitled to keep the fees charged as part of his salary. The secretary at the time, [[Isaac T. Stoddard]] was receiving an estimated $40,000 per year (about ${{Inflation|US|40000|1901|fmt=c|r=-4}} per year in present-day terms{{Inflation-fn|US}}) in fees, and he had built a side business that assisted foreign businesses to incorporate under Arizona law. His earnings were harshly criticized.{{r|ceml1}} The bill made incorporation fees revenue to the territory treasury. The Cowan bill passed in the state assembly 13 to 5,{{r|ads2}} despite Stoddard's active opposition.{{r|wn1}} By 1905, Arizona was receiving over $50,000 per year in incorporation fees.{{r|wn1}}

==Later life==

Cowan was the ~~Tucson~~ city recorder for twenty-two years beginning in 1910, which at the time made him also the city clerk and a city police court judge.{{r|mc1|ads1}}

Cowan was the Tuscon city recorder for twenty-two years beginning in 1910, which at the time made him also the city clerk and a city police court judge.{{r|mc1|ads1}}

==Personal==

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He lost part of his thumb when closing the [[Breechloader|breech]] of his gun on it while attempting to shoot a large cat.{{r|k}}

He was also a partner with [[US Senator]] [[Marcus A. Smith]] in a [[Sonora, Mexico]], copper mine.{{r|mc1}} The pair were awarded possession of the mining claim by the [[Supreme Court of Mexico]] in 1904, after losing cases in lower courts, and regained the claim from three Mexican [[land claim|claim jumper]]s.{{r|asb1}}

He was also a partner with [[US Senator]] [[Marcus A. Smith]] in a [[Sonora, Mexico]] copper mine.{{r|mc1}} The pair were awarded possession of the mining claim by the [[Supreme Court of Mexico]] in 1904, after losing cases in lower courts, and regained the claim from three Mexican [[land claim|claim jumper]]s.{{r|asb1}}

Cohen died July 20, 1933, in ~~Tucson~~{{r|ads1}} and was buried at Evergreen Memorial Park.

Cohen died July 20, 1933 in Tuscon{{r|ads1}} and was buried at Evergreen Memorial Park.{{r|fg1}}

==References==

{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=wh1>{{cite book |editor1-last=Conners |editor1-first=Jo |title=Who's who in Arizona |volume=I |~~work~~=Arizona Daily Star|location=Tucson |year=1913 | oclc = 8862523 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LxFQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA417}}</ref>

<ref name=wh1>{{cite book |editor1-last=Conners |editor1-first=Jo |title=Who's who in Arizona |volume=Vol I |publisher=Arizona Daily Star|location=Tucson |year=1913 | oclc = 8862523 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LxFQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA417}}</ref>

<ref name=mc1>{{Cite book | last = McClintock | first = James H. |authorlink=James H. McClintock | title = Arizona, Prehistoric, Aboriginal, Pioneer, Modern: The Nation's Youngest Commonwealth Within a Land of Ancient Culture |volume=III| publisher=S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. | year =1916 | location = Chicago | oclc = 5398889 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nBQ1AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA334}}</ref>

<ref name=mc1>{{Cite book | last = McClintock | first = James H. |authorlink=James H. McClintock | title = Arizona, Prehistoric, Aboriginal, Pioneer, Modern: The Nation's Youngest Commonwealth Within a Land of Ancient Culture |volume=Volume III| publisher=S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. | year = 1916 | location = Chicago | oclc = 5398889 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nBQ1AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA334}}</ref>

<ref name="ads1">{{cite news |title=Pioneer Judge Taken By Death |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26123394/arizona_daily_star/ |accessdate=December 10, 2018 |work=Arizona Daily Star |date=July 21, 1933 |location=Tucson, Arizona |page=1|via=[[newspapers.com]]}} {{free_access}}</ref>

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<ref name="ads2">{{cite news |title=Reaching the End Last Days of Session-Cowan's Bill Passed in House |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26182834/arizona_daily_star/|accessdate=December 12, 2018 |work=Arizona Daily Star |date=March 3, 1902 |location=Tucson, Arizona |page=1|via=[[newspapers.com]]}} {{free_access}}</ref>

<ref name="asb1">{{cite news |title=M.A. Smith and L.O. Cowan Win Mexican ~~Mining~~ Suit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26125332/arizona_silver_belt/ |accessdate=December 11, 2018 |work=Arizona Silver Belt |date=June 30, 1904 |location=Globe, Arizona |page=6|via=[[newspapers.com]]}} {{free_access}}</ref>

<ref name="asb1">{{cite news |title=M.A. Smith and L.O. Cowan Win Mexican Minig Suit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26125332/arizona_silver_belt/ |accessdate=December 11, 2018 |work=Arizona Silver Belt |date=June 30, 1904 |location=Globe, Arizona |page=6|via=[[newspapers.com]]}} {{free_access}}</ref>

<ref name="asb2">{{cite news |title=Married.|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26182172/arizona_silver_belt// |accessdate=December 12, 2018 |work=Arizona Silver Belt |date=January 6, 1884 |location=Globe, Arizona |page=3|via=[[newspapers.com]]}} {{free_access}}</ref>

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<ref name = ceml1>{{cite news|title=The Wickenburgh Herald claims that Issace Stoddard, territorial secretary, has struck a bonanza|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14747336/the_copper_era_and_morenci_leader/|accessdate=29 October 2017|work=The Copper Era and Morenci Leader|date=March 27, 1902|page=2|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{free access}}</ref>

<ref name="fg1">{{cite web |title=Lawrence Oscar Cowan |url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35572799/lawrence-oscar-cowan |website=findagrave.com |accessdate=December 13, 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="k">{{citation|author=Dan W. Messersmith|title=Kingman|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YDK1Vnc1HroC&pg=PA105|year=2010|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-7930-6|pages=105–}}</ref>

<ref name=wag>{{cite book |last = Wagoner |first = Jay J. |title = Arizona Territory ~~1863–1912~~: A Political history |publisher = University of Arizona Press |location = Tucson |year = 1970 |isbn = 0-8165-0176-9 |pages = ~~[https://archive.org/details/arizonaterritory00wago/page/330~~ 330–1~~] |url-access = registration |url = https://archive.org/details/arizonaterritory00wago/page/330~~ }}</ref>

<ref name=wag>{{cite book |last=Wagoner |first= Jay J. |title = Arizona Territory 1863-1912: A Political history |publisher = University of Arizona Press |location = Tucson |year = 1970 |isbn=0-8165-0176-9 |pages=330–1}}</ref>

}}

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*{{cite book |last=Goff |first=John S. |title=Arizona Territorial Officials Volume VI: Members of the Legislature A–L |publisher=Black Mountain Press|location=Cave Creek, Arizona |year=1996 | oclc = 36714908}}

[[Category:1858 births]]

[[Category:1933 deaths]]

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[[Category:Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers]]

[[Category:Arizona Territory judges]]

[[Category:Arizona Democrats]]