Sacramento Valley Biographies

ZACHARY TAYLOR COWART

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta, August 2009.

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

          A prominent man of Willows and of Glenn county, and one who has
won the popularity and esteem which he enjoys to an exceptional degree, is
Zachary Taylor Cowart, well-known throughout this section of country as a
contractor and builder. A native of Mississippi, he was born in Leake
county, May 3, 1859, a son of George and Jane (Davis) Cowart, the former of
whom was a native of either Georgia or Louisianna. He was a well educated
man and a physician and surgeon of no little note. Upon the breaking out of
the Civil War, he entered the ranks of those who fought for state rights,
and during the service died a victim of the yellow fever. He left four sons
and a daughter, the names of the sons being as follows: Elias, James,
William and Zachary T. In 1869 Mrs. Cowart brought her family to California,
locating at Dixon, Solano county, where, in 1872, she married Peter J.
Siepel. Since the decease of her second husband she has made her home in
Napa, Cal.

        A child of but ten years when he came to California Mr. Cowart has
spent practically his entire life in the confines of his adopted state. He
was reared and educated in the neighborhood of their first location, and on
growing into manhood he sought to earn his livelihood in agricultural
pursuits, following the same in Colusa, Solano, and Yolo counties.
Subsequently he took up the carpenter's trade and gave to its study the
close application which speaks in the excellent work which he has turned out
throughout Glenn county, having a splendid knowledge of both drafting and
architecture. In 1883 he began as a contractor and builder in Willows, since
which time he has built about twenty-five residences, which include the best
in the town, and many throughout the entire county. Among the public
buildings of Willows which he has erected may be mentioned the high school,
the Odd Fellow's hall, and the building for the Sacramento Valley
Transportation Company. In 1892 he put up the hotel building known by his
own name and which he conducted until 1894, after which he rented it for
several years, and still later he utilized it for a rooming house. During
1905 and '06 he built up Fouts Springs, of Colusa county.

       The marriage of Mr. Cowart united him with Emma Duncan, a native of
St. Louis, Mo. Her father, John Duncan, was an early settler in Monterey,
Cal., afterward removing to Woodland, Yolo county, where his death occurred.
To Mr. and Mrs. Cowart were born four children, of whom George C. is a
newsdealer of Willows; and James William is at home, while two died in
infancy. Mr. Cowart has been very popular in the public life of Willows and
is now acting as city trustee, also as trustee of Willow's grammar school.
For three years he served as deputy sheriff under Sheriff H. C. Stanton.
Politically he is a Democrat. Fraternally he is a Knight Templar Mason;
member and past grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and is a
charter member and director of the Woodmen of the World.

"History of the State of California and Biographical Record of the
Sacramento Valley, Cal.," J. M. Guinn, The Chapman Publishing Company,
Chicago, 1906, Pages 990-991.