James B. McCown

Full Name: James B. McCown
Other surnames: McCowan
Date of birth: February 11, 1808
Date of death: July 6, 1852

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
H Harrison Feb 16, 1846 - Dec 13, 1847 1st (1) (2)     Unknown / Harrison   Harrison, Panola, Upshur

(1) James B. McCown served in the 1st and 2nd Legislatures; J.B. McCown served in the 6th Legislature. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(2) Election returns for Harrison County show 447 votes for James McCown for represenatative. Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Texas), 1/7/1846, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).

Terms of Service top

House District Harrison
Feb 16, 1846 - Dec 13, 1847
Legislatures: 1st (1) (2)  
Home City/County: Unknown / Harrison
Counties in district: Harrison, Panola, Upshur

(1) James B. McCown served in the 1st and 2nd Legislatures; J.B. McCown served in the 6th Legislature. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(2) Election returns for Harrison County show 447 votes for James McCown for represenatative. Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Texas), 1/7/1846, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).

Biographical Information top

Biographical Sketches

  • Biographical notes, Relatives: James McCown (1808-1852) and Jerome B. McCown (1821-1887) - brothers. "Upon the death of their father, James was appointed guardian for his brother Jerome." "James, his mother, his brother Sampson, and brothers Alexander and Jerome and their families moved as a group to Texas from Tuscaloosa, Alabama in November 1841 . . . Jerome was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in the Second Legislature in 1847. He was also elected to the Sixth Legislature in 1855." Message board post, Wedemeyer by Nancy Wedemeyer. RootsWeb.com Internet genealogical service.
  • Biographical sketch included in the "Guide to the McCowan Family Papers, 1848-circa 1866." "He [James McCown] also served in the first Texas State Legislature." Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library at the Alamo, San Antonio, Texas. Texas Archival Resources Online, 2010.

Military Service Notes

  • Quartermaster, Texas Regiment of Volunteers, Somerville Expedition 1842. James McCown, birth date 2/11/1808 in Tennessee; death date 7/6/1852 in Texas; burial in Marshall Cemetery, Marshall, Harrison County. Includes portrait, biographical sketch. Find a Grave.

Other Resources

  • "In 1839, W. W. Shepperd sold the town of Montgomery, Texas to James McCown for $8,000.00." The Early History of Montgomery, Texas, 2011.
  • Mentioned in "McCown Family History: McCowns Montgomery and Harrison Co, Texas." James served a single term in the Texas Legislature. His brother, Jerome, served two terms. Google Groups.
  • Included on list of "Texas Whigs Named in Newspapers and Identified From the Census of 1850," in "The Whig Party of Texas in the Elections of 1848 and 1852," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 73, Number 1, pp. 30-33, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
  • Mentioned in discussion of Harrison County religious life and denominations, pp. 102-103. A Southern Community in Crisis: Harrison County, Texas, 1850-1880, 1983.

Committee Information top

1st R.S. - 1846
Internal Improvements  
Land Office  

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.