Joseph McCowan

Son of Elizabeth Skillington McCowan. The McCowans emigrated to the United States in 1853. They sailed on the Camillus. According to Joseph's obituary in the Deseret News he was sometimes called "Joseph Chapman" because his widowed mother married Robert Chapman in Utah. Although two of his obituaries identify Joseph as a handcart pioneer this is incorrect. Handcarts were not used until 1856. Additional research is needed to identify with some primary source the name of the pioneer company with which the McCowan family crossed the plains.