BIO: A. W. COWDER, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 465 & 466.
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  A. W. COWDER, a prominent farmer and enterprising citizen of Bradford 
township, Clearfield county, Pa., has resided on his present farm of 250 acres 
since 1851, and was born in 1850 in Bradford township, a son of John and Sarah 
Cowder.  His parents came from Lancaster county, in 1841, and settled in 
Bradford township, on a farm near Bigler.  Ten years later they sold it and 
bought 400 acres.  This they farmed a number of years, when they sold all but 
250 acres, which is now owned by their son, A. W., subject of this record.  Both 
parents are now deceased, their deaths having occurred on the farm, one in 1882, 
the other in 1893.
  A. W. Cowder was reared on his present farm and attended the local schools of 
Bradford township.  After leaving school he began working on his father's farm 
and lumbering and has since followed farming on the home place.  Mr. Cowder was 
married in 1873 to Elmira Wilson, a daughter of John Wilson of Bradford 
township, and they immediately began housekeeping on the old homestead.  Seven 
children were born of this union:  Ralph, Agnes, Anna, Oscar (died aged seven 
years), Wilson (died aged three years), Alvie, and Fanny.  Ralph and Fanny are 
now deceased.  Mrs. Cowder died March 9, 1890, aged 38 years, and in the fall of 
1892 Mr. Cowder formed a second union with Lizzie A. Shirey of Bradford 
township.  The religious connection of the family is with the United Brethren 
church of Shiloh, of which Mr. Cowder has been a trustee since the church was 
built in 1886.  Mr. Cowder served ten years as a school director of Bradford 
township, and is a man of public spirit and enterprise, and is ever ready to 
give his assistance to those measures which tend toward the advancement of the 
community in which he lives.