The Cowan House

In 1858, this house was built by Elizabeth Sutton and her spouse. Only 10 years later, Elizabeth was a widow in Darlington Township, and the house was sold on the 23rd of May 1868 to Susan Cowan, wife of William Frederick Cowan of Oshawa, for $2200, which is approximately $46,000 in today’s money.

William Frederick Cowan and his brother John were born in Ulster, Ireland, and arrived in Toronto in 1841 with their parents and siblings. Their father died within a month of typhoid fever, therefore as the oldest sons in the family, they quickly finished their schooling and began working in the retail business. In 1856, the brothers opened a dry goods store in Toronto, and then another in Port Perry. In 1862, another store was opened by William on King Street West in Oshawa, and he was later joined by John in 1866. Together, the two brothers opened the commercial Cowan Block on the south side of King Street, west of Simcoe. In 1867, John became the manager of Oshawa Manufacturing farm implements, bought out the owner’s partner, and sold the shares back to the owner of Oshawa Manufacturing just five years later.

In 1872/73, John and William founded the Ontario Malleable Iron Company, with John as the president, and William as the vice-president. The Cowans were also in the banking industry, associated with T.N. and W.H. Gibbs in the establishment of Ontario Loan and Savings Co in 1873, and the Western Bank in 1874. William was president of Standard Bank in 1879, when Ontario Loan and Savings Co and Western Bank collapsed, along with Gibbs’ fortune. The two institutions fell under the Cowan’s control, and eventually merged with Standard Bank.

In 1902, William, J.D. Storie, and H.T. Carswell organized the Oshawa Steam and Gas' Fitting Company, renamed Fittings Ltd. in 1910. Through Fittings and their earlier industrial and financial endeavors, the Cowans amassed quite the fortune, yet remained committed to the wellbeing of Oshawa. They served as trustees for various agencies throughout the town, including but not limited to the children’s shelter, Oshawa General Hospital, Board of Education and the Public Library. John was elected mayor in 1887, and William was on town council for two years and was mayo from 1889 to 1894.

John died unmarried, on April 8th 1915, William died on October 28th, 1918, leaving behind his wife and children.