John James Cowan was the youngest child of Charles COWAN MP and his wife the exemplary Catharine MENZIES. His older brother, who married a papermaker's daughter, took a more direct interest in the manufacturing end of the business and established himself in Valleyfield, Penicuik, where his interests turned to horticultural collections. John James on the other hand, with his wife Sophy, was drawn to the arts. In 1893 John James commissioned James McNeill Whistler (11 July 1834 - 17 July 1903), to paint his portrait. Cowan sat for Whistler's "Arrangement in Grey and Green: Portrait of J. J. Cowan" in Paris in May 1893. During the sittings Sophie Cowan read to them from Stevenson's Treasure Island, published a decade earlier. Although Whistler accepted a cheque for 600 guineas, the portrait never came into the possession of the Cowan family. It remained incomplete, even though Cowan posed at intervals for ten years. Cowan recorded his more than sixty sittings in his memoir "John J. Cowan, From 1846 to 1932" published in Edinburgh in 1933. After the death of Whistler's wife Beatrix in 1896, the artist declared himself 'greatly touched' by 'the warm friendship' expressed to him in Cowan's letters.

John James and Sophy COWAN built up a collection of mainly modern British and European art. They owned a number of Whistler works including
At the Piano (which DC Thomson, the Dundee publisher, was keen to buy)
The Thames in Ice,
Variations in Pink and Grey: Chelsea,
Nocturne: Grey and Gold - Chelsea Snow,
Nocturne: Black and Gold - Rag Shop, Chelsea,
Nocturne: Blue and Gold - St Mark's, Venice,
The Angry Sea,
White and Grey: La Cour de l'hôtel, Dieppe,
Chelsea Shop,
Alice Butt(2),
The Little Nurse
Brown and Gold: The Curé's Little Class
Brown and Gold: Lillie 'In our Alley!'
The Bridesmaid
[and the following drawings:]
Nude with parasol,
A nude study,
[and these watercolours:]
Amsterdam in Winter,
Moreby Hall
Red and brown - Hoxton
Note in green - The Garden Laundry
Rose and Pink - the Mother's sleep
Rose and Silver: Portrait of Mrs Whibley

[The Whistler-Cowan correspondence is being published by Glasgow University:
Centre for Whistler Studies, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ
Tel: 0141 330 5631 Fax: 0141-330 8602 Email: enquiries@whistler.gla.ac.uk
see their website at: www.whistler.arts.gla.ac.uk ]


1881 Census: Dwelling:Hailes House Census Place:Colinton, Edinburgh, Scotland
Source:FHL Film 0223985 GRO Volume 677 EnumDist 5 Page 10
.............................Marr.Age.Sex.Birthplace
John Jas. COWAN..M....34....M...England.Rel:Head.Occ:Paper Maker
Sophie M. COWAN.M....33....F...Canada......................................Rel:Wife
Charles H. COWAN.........8....M..Edinburgh, Scotland.Rel:Son.Occ:Scholar
Allister G. COWAN..........7....M..Edinburgh, Scotland.Rel:Son.Occ:Scholar
Francis COWAN..............5....M..Edinburgh, Scotland.Rel:Son.Occ:Scholar
Marion COWAN...............4...F...India............................................Rel:Daur
Kathleen M. COWAN.......3...F...Colinton, Edin., Scotland.Rel:Daur
Helen C. COWAN............2...F...Colinton, Edin., Scotland.Rel:Daur
Sophia M. COWAN.........7m.F...Colinton, Edin., Scotland.Rel:.Daur
Charlotte SEYFFERT.U.37..F...Prussia.............................Rel:Visitor.Occ:Governess
Agnes WIGHT..........U...30..F...Bolton, Haddington, Scotland. Rel:Serv Occ:Cook
Anne MACKENZIE...U....31..F...Foddarty, Ross&Crom., Scot.Rel:Serv. Occ:Laundress
Catherine MACKENZIE.U.28.F..Alvie, Elgin, Scotland........Rel:Serv Occ:Tablemaid
Catherine WOOD...U....24....F..Jedburgh, Roxburgh, Scotland.Rel:Serv.Occ:Housemaid
Elizabeth SCOTLAND.U.18..F...Kincardine, Clack., Scotland.Rel:Serv.Occ:Kitchenmaid
Elizabeth BLACK.....U....20...F...East Linton, Haddington, Scotland.Rel:Serv.Occ:Nurse
Mary TURNBULL.....U.....21..F...Melrose, Roxburgh, Scotland.Rel:Serv.Occ:Nurse

Could this have been the John Cowan who was Master of the Merchant Company (of Edinburgh) in 1901 & 1902

• Married: 18 AUG 1869

1. Charles Harold COWAN b: 9 OCT 1872 in Edinburgh,Scotland
2. Alexander "Allister" Gillespie COWAN b: 25 OCT 1873 in Edinburgh,Scotland
3. Francis COWAN b: 24 OCT 1875 in Edinburgh,Scotland
4. Marion COWAN b: 1877 in India
5. Katharine Margaret COWAN b: 4 APR 1878 in Colinton (Midlothian) Scotland
6. Helen Cicely COWAN b: 1879 in Colinton (Midlothian) Scotland
7. Sophia Marjorie COWAN b: 3 SEP 1880 in Colinton (Midlothian) Scotland
8. John Colquhoun COWAN b: 1882
9. Duncan COWAN b: 1884
10. Laura Patricia COWAN b: 1887
11. Ian Colquhoun COWAN b: 1889