Bio: Cowen Family History (Part 2)
Contact: Marsha Hosfeld 
Email: Shashie50@aol.com

Cowen Family History

Theodore Arthur Cowen, Sr. was born 28 January 1885 in Abbotsford, Clark County, Wisconsin, the son of Frank and Mary (Doernenburg) Cowen.  His grandmother, Wilhelmina “Minna” Doernenburg, was a midwife and surely was there to help with the delivery.  His mother, Mary, had purchased lot 15 in Block “A” in Abbotsford in 1884 (on Second Street, today) and this is likely the location of the home where he was born.  The same facts no doubt apply to his brother, Frederick Frank Cowen, who was born 26 January 1887.  The family lived happily in their Abbotsford home until it was destroyed by fire.  The exact date is not known, but it took place before the birth of Archibald “Archie” Cowen, 4 July 1894.  Ted attended school in Abbotsford and remembered the first 13 years of his life as a happy time.  On 27 February 1898, his sister Minnie was born.  His mother developed puerperal septicemia (blood poisoning) and on 9 March, he was called home from school to say goodbye to her.  As they talked, she asked him to take care of his brother Fred, knowing that the two youngest would be cared for by her parents.  Her death changed everything in his life, as his father began drinking “to drown his sorrows” and left his two sons to fend for themselves.

Ted’s autobiographical stories, which he wrote in the 1970’s

NOTE: My grandfather wrote several remembrances of his youth.  In some, he covered the same period of time and I have very lightly edited the pieces, trying to keep it in his own words as much as possible, but also trying to avoid repetition.  My father clarified some things that he remembered from talking to his father, and a few changes or additions were made in grammar and spelling.

Ted lived with several area families, working at a variety of jobs, until he was old enough to start working for the Soo Line Railroad.  He began as a Call Boy and worked as a Lidgerwood Operator, Fireman, Brakeman, and Baggage Man. 

On 30 March 1910, Ted married Mary Elizabeth “Elsie” Schwermer at St. Louis Catholic Church in Dorchester, Clark County, Wisconsin.  Elsie, whose father had a farm east of Dorchester, was working at a hotel when they met.  I assume this was in Abbotsford, perhaps the Tennant Hotel or the Thompson Hotel.  The 1910 Census finds the newlyweds living on Second Street in the village of Abbotsford, perhaps renting a room from the George H. Schilling family, just one house away from Ted’s Doernenburg grandparents.

Ted and Elsie were living in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, when their first two children were born: Gertrude Marie “Trudy” in 1911, and Norbert Edward in 1913.  By the 1920 Census, the family was in Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois.  A daughter, Elizabeth “Betty” or “Liz” (1920), and a son, Theodore, Jr. (1922), were born there.

After working for the railroad for 50 years, Ted worked as a police officer for two years, and then took a job behind the counter at a neighborhood laundry and dry cleaner for 14 years.

He passed away 22 October 1980 at age 95 in North Aurora, Illinois.  At the time he was within 70 miles of where his father was born, but we do not think he was aware of that fact.  Ted is buried at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, beside his wife Elsie, who passed away 22 May 1979 at age 89.

I am one of their 16 grandchildren, and remember them as a kind and gentle couple, very loving to us and caring toward each other.  It has meant so much to me to gather the details of their lives, and I am grateful to have this site to post this information.

Related Links:

Wucherpfenning, Elisabeth Frederika

Wucherpfenning, Emilie Henrietta

Wucherpfenning, Ferdinand Fredrick

Wucherpfenning, Gustav August

Cowen Family (History) 

Cowen Family (Timeline)

Doernenburg Family (History)

Doernenburg Family (Timeline)