[John C. Cowin was born in Warrensville, Ohio, on the 11th day of January, 1846. At an early age his father, a farmer of very limited means, died, and he was brought to face the world for himself in the encounter for daily existence. His first employment was upon a farm, the meagre income from which was set aside for the procurement of a better education than was afforded in the neighboring district school. He entered Hiram Electic Institute, of which James A. Garfield, afterwards the Chief Magistrate

of the nation, was president, and was the recipient of many kindnesses at his hands in the struggle for an education on limited means. On the breaking out of the war Mr. Cowin enlisted as a private in the Twenty-third Ohio Infantry, and participated in numerous engagements, among the more notable being those of Carnifax Ferry, the second battle of Bull Run, South Mountain and Antietam. When the war had terminated he had risen to a captaincy. He returned to Ohio, taking a law course in the Ohio State and Union Law College, at Cleveland, Ohio, at the same time entering the law office of Backus & Estep. On graduating and receiving his diploma, in the spring of 1867, he moved West, reaching Omaha in April of that year, and here he has since remained. He was elected to the office of District Attorney in the fall of 1868. Two years later he was re-elected. It said (sic)

of his official service that he was the most effective Prosecuting Attorney the district ever had, being a terror to criminals and offenders against the law. On retiring from the Prosecutor's office Mr. Cowin's friends brought him forward in 1876 as a candidate for the Republican nomination for Congress, Nebraska at that time having but one member in the national House of Representatives. After a vigorous canvass, in which the then dominant railroad power was pitted against him, Mr. Cowin was barely defeated in his party convention. He had incurred the hostility of the railroads because of his vigorous and successful conduct of a suit against the Union Pacific Railroad, to which the Treasurer of Douglas and other counties were parties, the point at issue being the taxability by the State and municipalities of the lands granted by the Government, and which involved many

hundreds of thousands of dollars. The case was taken to the Supreme Court at Washington, and decided in Mr. Cowin's favor, a triumph of which he is still justly proud. In the campaign of 1882 Mr. Cowin was again brought forward by his hosts of admiring friends as a Republican candidate for United States Senator. When the Legislature was convened and balloting for Senator began, an intense strife developed. Mr. Cowin led all other candidates in the party caucus, and during two weeks of balloting was within one or two votes of the requisite number, but as is usual in such intense strife, a combination was made against the strongest candidate, which resulted in a compromise, and General Manderson was chosen. Mr. Cowin has been remarkably successful in his profession, ranking among the very foremost members of the bar of Nebraska. He is of a genial, kindly nature, a man of fine intellectual attainments, great oratorical powers and distinguished presence. He commands the respect and confidence of the people in a marked degree, and should ambition move him to it, may yet enjoy high political distinction. Mr. Cowin was married in 1870 to Ella L. Benton, of Cleveland, and enjoys the domestic bliss of a charming family.]

Brigadier-General Myers, Jas. M. Woolworth, James Megeath, Thomas Davis, Dr. Gilbert C. Monell, Major J. W. Paddock, and Augustus Kountze. The floor managers were: J. F. Coffman, George Wallace, Reuben Wood, A. S. Patrick, and George M. Lloyd. The "Old Settlers' Association," however, had only a brief existence, expiring some time in 1868. The following is an incomplete list of well-known old settlers, with the

dates upon which they first stepped upon Nebraska soil, those marked thus [*] having died: William D. Brown,* June 3, 1850; Enos Lowe,* June 25, 1853; H. D. Johnson, October, 1853; A. D. Jones, November, 1853; C. H. Downs, April 23, 1854; Addison R. Gilmore,* May 24,

1854; William P. Snowden, July 11, 1854; O. B. Selden,* September 23, 1854; J. W. Paddock, September 24, 1854; William Gray, September, 1854; O. D. Richardson, September, 1854; John Withnell, October, 1854; S. E. Rogers, October, 1854; A. J. Poppleton, October 13, 1854; Loren Miller, October 19, 1854 ; George L. Miller, October 19, 1854; Jas. G. Megeath, November, 1854; Lyman Richardson, January, 1855; E. Estabrook, June 23, 1855; John Davis, March 16, 1855; John Evans, March, 1855; H. H. Visscher, April 3,

1855 David Richards, April, 1855; R. N. Withnell, May 2, 1855; Edwin Patrick, May 7, 1855; E. H. Warner, May 10, 1855; John Logan, July 9, 1855; O. P. Ingalls, September 7, 1855; John P. McPherson, October 25, 1855; Rev. Reuben Gaylord,* December 25, 1855; Moses

     [William J. Connell, a resident of Omaha since April 10, 1867, is of Scotch descent. He was born July 10, 1846, at Cowansville, Province of Quebec, about thirty miles from the northern boundary of Vermont. His father, Rev. Daniel Connell, was a Congregational minister. Mr. Connell is a self-made man. Arriving in Omaha at the age of twenty-one, he began his struggle for fame and fortune. Willing to work at anything to earn a livelihood, he gladly accepted a position in the employ of Tootle & Maul, a dry

goods firm. The routine work of a clerkship proved too limited a space for the ambitious young man, and determining to seek a wider and more intellectual field, he decided to enter the legal profession. Beginning his studies in the office of B. E. B. Kennedy, he continued them in that of Col. C. S. Chase, and concluded his prelimiinary legal training under the tuition of Hon. J. M. Woolworth. In 1870 he was admitted to the bar, and at once beginning active practice soon had a large clientage. In 1872 the Republicans elected him to the important office of District Attorney for the Third Judicial District, which then comprised ten counties, including Douglas and Lancaster. So efficiently did he perform his duties that he was rewarded with a re-election in 1874. During these

four years he made a record which established for him a reputation as an able lawyer. Retiring from his office he devoted himself to civil practice, in which he proved as capable as he had been in the prosecution of criminal cases. Mr. Connell was appointed City Attorney in April, 1883, and held the office for four years, serving through the administration of Mayor Boyd. Mr. Connell saved the city hundreds of thousands of dollars by his successful defense of suits for damages and by his sound legal advice on important questions. He was mainly instrumental in devising a charter for the city under which all the public improvements that have wrought such a wonderful change in this city became possible. During all these years he has been an active and honorable politician, a public

spirited and liberal man, and has accumulated a handsome fortune. At the same time he has advanced steadily in his profession, until he is now ranked among the foremost members of the bar of this city and State. His reputation is that of a persistent fighter, whether in the practice of his profession, or as the leader of a political faction, or as the champion of any cause in which be may be interested. As a parliamentarian he has few equals. Mr. Connell was married on the 24th of September, 1872, at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, to Miss Mattie Chadwick, and five children have been born to them -- Helen, Ralph S., Karl A., Marion and Hazel. His home, "Hillcrest," occupies a beautiful and commanding location on St. Mary's avenue. -- A. S.]