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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
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Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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History of the Great Lakes
Illustrated, In Two Volumes, Vol. II
Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1899

          Page 47
                       
                   JOHN BESWICK COWLE, a prominent and highly 
                esteemed citizen of Cleveland and a pioneer of
                Cuyahoga county, was born in Bolton, Lancashire,
                England, September 16, 1826.  He is the son of
                Daniel, a native of Kirk Andreas, Isle of Man,
                and his wife, Alice (Beswick) Cowle, a native of
                Bolton, Lancashire, England.
                   In the reform movement in England, in 1838,
                Daniel Cowle joined the party of Chartists, who
                were endeavoring to correct English politics, and
                being fearless and outspoken he was compelled, in
                1839, to leave his country and family, and find 
                refuge in the United States.  The Chartist party
                took its name from the people's charter, a docu-
                ment in which the scheme of reform was embodied
                and which provided for annual parliaments, uni-
                versal suffrage, vote by ballot, abolition of
                property, qualification for membership in the
                House of Commons, payment of members and equal
                electoral districts.  Upon reaching this country
                Mr. Cowle landed at Fairport.  His father and
                sisters owning a farm, he located at Concord,
                Lake Co., Ohio, remaining there until the summer
                of 1840, when Mr. Cowle removed to Cleveland,
                his family following in the fall.  The father
                opened a marine blacksmith shop on the corner of
                Detroit and Center streets, and there continued
                in business until his death, in 1855, which was
                caused by cholera.
                   John B. Cowle, with his mother and three sis-
                ters, took passage at Liverpool for New York, and
                after a voyage of six weeks and four days landed
                in New York.  While on board ship Catherine, one
                of the sisters, sickened and died and was buried
                at sea.  Leaving New York they went by way of 
                canal to Buffalo, this trip taking seven days of
                their time.  Thence to Fairport, a journey of 
                two and a half days.  On their arrival at Concord,
                to which they had journeyed, they found that the
                father, who had previously preceeded them to this
                country and to Ohio, had gone back to New York.
                Upon his learning that his wife and family were
                in Ohio, returned to that State, where he found
                them.  John B. Cowle received a limited education
                in the government grammar schools before leaving
                his native country.  At the age of fourteen years
                he entered the employ of the Cuyahoga Steam Fur-
                nace Company, to learn the molder's trade, serving
                an apprenticeship of seven years, and was with
                that firm fifteen years.  In 1855 he purchased
                from Mr. William McClellan a three-eighths interest
                in a machine shop located on Elm street, which
                proved to be a successful venture.  The firm was
                known as McClellan & Co., and was changed successively
                to McClellan, Sanderson & Co., and after to Cowle,
                Cartwright & Co., and was generally known as the
                Globe Iron Works.