Main Street Cowan Pa, with the Cowan Grist Mill visible. The town was originally named "Guldy's Mill", for an earlier mill building on this site. Later it was renamed Farmersville, and finally in 1886 when the village opened it's first post office, it was officially named Cowan.
From Union County Pennsylvania, A Celebration of History by Charles McCool Snyder, 1976:
Cowan Mill, 1909
Cowan's origins centered around a gristmill, the shell of which still stands on Rapid Run about 100 yards from its confluence with Buffalo Creek. The first mill was built by Adam Wagoner, and found its patronage for many miles around by people coming on horseback through the trackless wilderness about the rude bridle paths. It burned about 1812 and was rebuilt by Jacob Baker, but it was again destroyed by fire. Jacob Rengler, Bakers Son-In-Law, constructed the third mill on the site and after a few years sold it to Daniel D. Guldin of Berks County. It remained in Guldy's hands until mi-century, though only the timely intervention of a plucky bucket brigade saved it from a threatened conflagration in 1844. In time a hamlet grew up adjacent to the intersection.
S.L. Shoemaker opened a general store in 1848, but he sold it to Martin Rudy, who also operated Guldy's Mill.... The mill changed hands several time in the twentieth century, but the milling business ended when it was gutted by fire February 12th 1942. [In 2022, the Mill has reopened as the Old Mill Creamery]
John Hildebrand had a chair shop on another corner, cooper and carpenter shops stood nearby.
First known as Guldy's Mill, Farmersville later caught on as the villages name, but with the coming of the post office in 1886, the name was changed to Cowan in honor of United States Senator Edgar Cowan of Westmoreland County.
The career of George W. Himmelreich exemplifies the opportunities afforded to a village businessman in the nineteenth century. At 22, but with several hundred dollars to invest, Himmelreich became a junior partner to Martin Rudy in Cowan's General Store. Ten years later, in 1866, he bought out Rudy and subsequently opened a store in Forest Hill and Mazeppa. Himmelreich was also a founder and director of the Mifflinburg bank.
General Store and Post Office, owned in 1848 by Samuel Shoemaker. In this 1910 photo, the sign reads Messina, Heiser, & Co
Much the came might be said of the Mussina brothers, William and Henry, who came to Cowan from Aaronsburg by way of Mt Caramel in 1873. They rebuilt the store property in 1882 and ere reported by the local press to be "as happy as birds taken out of an old cage and put in a nice new one." The store burned in 1902, but the brothers promptly rebuilt and added a lumber and shingle business to their enterprises.
August 1, 1902
Wetzel's Trading Post, Cowan Pa, about 1948
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Today, the Old Mill at Cowan is the Old Mill Creamery
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SCHOOLS
The Cowan School House, Cowan Pa
The second school built in Cowan was constructed of brick in 1837. It was located near the towns covered bridge, over Buffalo Creek, and just east of the first school, which was of log construction.
Cowan's later primary and grammar schools were located on Church road, just south of town. In 1887, the Grammar School was constructed in front of the Primary school. The Grammar School closed in 1918, due to declining population. In 1953, the entire school property was purchased by Trinity Lutheran Church
Dec 18 1857, Lewisburg Journal
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Covered Bridge
Proposal for the Covered Bridge at Farmersville [Cowan]
May 16th 1873
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Reish Distillery
Left:Joel Reish, grandson of the Reish Distillery Founder Daniel Reish, holds and account book. Joel and his brother James ran the distillery from 1873 to the beginning of prohibition in 1920.Cling Reish is pictured second from the right in this photo.
Other Reish Distillery Locations included:
Northeast of the Forest Hill Cemetery on Rapid Run c.1814-1865
White Deer Mills along White Deer Creek 1866-1880
In 1887, Bennuival Reish, son of Daniel, purchased the Forest House, an Inn and Tavern at the food of the Fourteen Mile Narrows.
Reish's Distillery "One half mile west of Cowan" Destroyed by fire
June 8 1897
July 1897
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March 1865
Post Office Moved from Farmersville [Cowan] to Reish's Mill. Mail intended for Farmersville sent to Forest Hill.
W.H. Lohr
Leather Manufacturer & Dealer
November 1 1888
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Lightening struck the farm of Samuel Showalter, near Cowan, burning crops and the barn
Fire occurred August 11th 1905
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GEORGE W. HIMMELREICH. SHORT SKETCH OF A RESPECTED CITIZEN OF COWAN.
Our subject has reached the age of 62 years, was born February 8, 1834, in Limestone township, Union county, Pa. Peter Himmelreich was the father of eleven children
Mary married Wm. Nogel ;
Sarah married Simon Smith :
James C. married Jane Cornelius ;
Margaret ;
George W. (our subject) married -Elizabeth Slear;
John;
Ann Caroline married Jacob Rengler:
Samuel II. married -Mary A. Rockey
and Wm. D.:
Peter Wesley married Nellie Eeitmeyer ;
and Thompson Linn married Lucy Drake.
When George W. was six weeks old his parents moved to Kelly township, and there he grew to manhood, received a limited education (as poor boys only could expect to receive at that time.) When sixteen years old he became a clerk in the store of Lewis Spotts. at Kelly X Roads, at three dollars per month for one year, and six dollars per mouth for next eight months during which he remained.
His parents moving to Buffalo township, he entered the store of Martin Rudy, (now Mussina, Leiser S: Co. i Cowan. Pa. His services were appreciated and each year brought an increase of salary. After attaining his majority he continued saving and at twenty two years of age. with two hundred and forty dollars, which sum it was agreed should pay the interest ou his half share of the store, he accepted the offer of partnership made by his employer the firm becoming Rudy & Himmelieich.
The firm was successful for ten years, when on September 20, 1800, Mr. Himmelreich began a career of his own and built the store he now occupies. Success crowning his efforts he decided to branch out. and in the spring of 1ST5 bought the old Smith business stand at Forest Hill, Pa., which he placed in charge of his employee J. M. Cromley. Still not being satisfied, in the spring 1881 he bought the store of Leonard Boyer. Boyertown. Pa., ( now Mazeppa) and placed it in charge of a former clerk J. L. Bitting, thus uniting the three stores In one excellent system.
He continued in this way till spring 18S7 he disposed of the branch stores, the Forest Hill store was sold to J. M. Cromley and the Mazeppa store to J. L. Bitting and bought the mansion farm of Abram Mensch of which he takes a great deal of pride. So he is at present post master at Cowan, Pa., merchant and farmer. In June 1872 a number of gentlemen established the Mifflinburg bank at that place and Mr. Himmelreich was elected one of the directors, and his connection proved so valuable that he has ever since continued in office and is at the present time the bank's vice president. He was married, Nov. 10, 1864, to Miss Elizabeth Slear and blessed with five children.
Mary Elizabeth married Mr. Strunk, of Mifflinbarg,
Laura Verila married to James Ander on stationed at Vicksburg, Pa.,
Margaret E. (so far as the writer knows is to be had yet:)
Willie died when 1 year old ;
Sarah Catharine married to Rev. Bruce Birch, Boiling Springs, Pa.
Mr. Himmelreich is a close observer, does not grasp at conclusions and sticks very close to business and spends his evenings and Sundays at home with his family, that is, when there is nothing going on at church, when he says, "come, let us go too and worship the Lord."' He is a member of the Lutheran church, Cowan,a faithful member in good standing, first in regular attendance, good worker and liberal giver in fact he is one of its strongest pillars. He is an active worker in the Sunday School and for many years has been its superintendent and takes a great part in Young Peoples C. E. Society of which he worked hard for its organization.
He is a good citizen, kind neighbor and good to the poor. The latch string of his door is on the outside, and if any person is about his home at meal time he is not turned away empty. This familiar talk "Dinner for six" can be frequently heard. His only sport he indulges in is to take a trip up Rapid Run occasionally fishing for speckled beauties for which the Himmelreieh's are noted for being expert fishers.
Politically he is a Prohibition Democrat. It would be well to consider him among others for the nomination of County Treasurer which office he could fill with satisfaction to all.
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READ MORE:
Find 1867 article in the Lewisburg Journal on the History Of Cowan, by S.G. Frey
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