David
J. Rowan
(1845-1876)
David
J. Rowan was born on July 12, 1845 in Somerset County, PA, the son of James
and Catherine (Harbaugh) Rowan. He is one of several brothers to serve
in the Civil War, and one of many of our cousins to be killed in a
railroad accident.
David was raised in Stewart Twp. in nearby Fayette County, PA. After the war broke out, he enlisted on Aug. 13, 1862 in the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry, “for the suppression of the Rebellion.” Little is known of his service, and he was discharged from his regiment on Aug. 24, 1865.
About 9 months after he returned home, David took the marital plunge. On June 3, 1866, he wed Sarah ‘Catharine’ Johnson (1846-1924), daughter of William and Betsy (Long) Johnson, of Saltlick Twp., Fayette County. David’s cousin, Elijah Harbaugh, a justice of the peace, performed the ceremony, and Catharine's brothers Alexander and William Johnson witnessed the marriage.
They had 3 children – Elmer W. Rowan (born 1868), Emma A. Byrer (born 1871) and Mary A. Rowan (born 1875).
Of Catharine's given names, she later wrote: “…not liking the name Sarah I have dropped it and have never used it in any way….” Years later, an examination of her family Bible by a notary public showed that it had been purchased by Nathan Long in 1829, “and the page upon which the births are written is yellow and shows much handling, part of the birth record is written in German.”
The Johnsons resided in Wharton Twp., Fayette County, where David worked as a laborer for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
Tragedy struck the family a year after their youngest child was born. On June 29, 1876, David was killed by a passing train, at Ohiopyle, Fayette County. The History of Fayette and Greene Counties goes into great detail about his gruesome death:
He and another man were watchmen on several miles of track, and at one time, because of the illness of his companion, he was on duty day and night for a week. He became greatly fatigued and worn out from loss of sleep, and while sitting on the track eating his lunch, fell over in a sleeping stupor and was killed by an express train.
An inquest was held, with a number of local men viewing the mangled condition of his corpse. They reached the conclusion that he:
…came to his death on the night of the 30th day of May A.D. 1876 at about 10:55 o’clock P.M. one mile west of Falls City, near Jim Run water tank in said Co. by being struck by a Locomotive upon the right back part of the head breaking the skull, whilst sitting (probably asleep) upon the Railroad track.
A
rare photograph of an approaching locomotive near a railroad bridge in sleepy
Ohiopyle
David was buried in the Indian Creek Baptist Cemetery in Mill Run, PA, near his brothers, parents and step-grandmother, Martha (Minerd) Harbaugh.
In the years after his death, Catharine resided at 86 Connellsville Street in Uniontown, PA, where as of 1890 she drew his Civil War pension of $8 per month. Witnesses in support of her claim wrote that “she has not any property or any income whatever except her daily labour.” At one point, the government must have questioned her spelling of her name. In reply, demonstrating her knowledge of penmanship, she wrote:
The proper spelling of my name is Catharine Rowan and I always intend so to write it. And when it appears as Rowon it is caused by hasty writing and neglecting to properly shape the letters….
Catharine died on Feb. 4, 1924. Her burial site is unknown.
Daughter Emma married Frederick Byrer (born 1860), who is profiled in the History of Fayette and Greene Counties. The segment reads:
When a boy he became familiar with all phases of farm life, and as he became older took entire charge of his father’s land, which he still farms. In 1895 he erected a large and handsome house on the crest of the hill on Derrick avenue, and there makes his home. He is a successful farmer, and an enterprising, energetic member of the community. He is a strong Republican, and with his wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.
Copyright © 2001 Mark A. Miner