John M. Rowan (born May 17, 1829 in

Craig County, Virginia Craig County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,892. Its county seat is New Castle. Craig County is part of the Roanoke metropolitan area. History Nestled in the mountains of S ...

), he was about sixteen years old he came to Gap Mills, Virginia to work as a clerk for Andrew Summers. He worked there for several years until the

California Gold Rush The California gold rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the U ...

in 1849. After receiving word about this new opportunity he joined in partnership with several other man and purchased a ship at

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

. The ship was provisioned for two years and then set on its journey around

Cape Horn Cape Horn (, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which is Águila Islet), Cape Horn marks the nor ...

and to California. It was here that John had a fair amount of success with his gold hunting. After his successful time in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

he returned to Gap Mills where he married Virginia Summers in 1855. On April 23, 1857, Virginia gave birth to a son,

Andrew Summers Rowan Andrew Summers Rowan (April 23, 1857 – January 10, 1943) was born in Gap Mills, Virginia (now West Virginia), the son of John M. Rowan and Virginia Summers. He was an American army officer who served in the Spanish–American War, the Philippi ...

, who was named for her father. In 1860 and 1862 he was elected to the

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

House of Delegates. He became a Democratic member of the

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

House of Delegates, serving as

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hung ...

from 1887 to 1889. In 1891 he was appointed to the newly created state board of agriculture and from 1892 to 1896 served as

West Virginia State Treasurer The West Virginia state treasurer is the state's chief financial officer. It is one of six constitutionally mandated offices. Elected statewide for a four year term, the treasurer is responsible for overseeing state operating funds, monitoring sta ...

.List of West Virginia State Treasurers
In 1904, he was a delegate to the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 18 ...

Sources

Morton, Oren F. (1980) ''History of Monroe County West Virginia''; Regional Publishing Company pgs. 397-398

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rowan, John M. 1829 births Members of the Virginia House of Delegates People of the California Gold Rush Year of death missing Speakers of the West Virginia House of Delegates Democratic Party members of the West Virginia House of Delegates People from Craig County, Virginia People from Monroe County, West Virginia State treasurers of West Virginia 19th-century Virginia politicians 19th-century members of the West Virginia Legislature