Thomas Cowan (South Australian politician)

Thomas Cowan (5 December 1839 – 14 September 1890) served one term as a member of the South Australian House of Assembly for the Electoral district of Yatala.

Cowan who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland (now Northern Ireland), was the eldest son of John Cowan, a ploughman and shepherd, and his wife Margaret, née Lammey. Cowan, his parents and four younger siblings immigrated to South Australia, arriving in Adelaide on 3 August 1852.

The family initially settled in North Adelaide where Cowan assisted his father with a horse-drawn taxi business operating between North Adelaide and Adelaide. His father later purchased property at Two Wells (39 km north of Adelaide) where Cowan assisted with the operation of several businesses including a farm, a tavern and a post office. Cowan later started farming in the Two Wells area.

Cowan served on the District Council of Port Gawler as a councillor from 1868 to 1872 and as the chairman from 1873 to 1875.

In 1875, Cowan nominated and was elected to the Electoral district of Yatala. However, the result was ruled invalid when his nomination papers were declared informal. However, he was subsequently elected along with Wentworth Cavenagh in a re-election triggered by the resignation of one of the sitting members, the Hon. Lavington Glyde. Cowan did not re-stand for election in 1878.

During the 1880s, Cowan encountered business difficulties and was on the verge of becoming insolvent. Cowan considered re-standing for the Electoral district of Yalata when a vacancy was created in July 1890 by the death of James Cowan, his younger brother who was the one of the two current sitting members. Cowan nominated but later stood down for medical reasons. The vacancy was subsequently filled by Richard Butler who had unsuccessfully stood for the seat earlier in 1890.

Cowan died on 14 September 1890 at Milang, pre-deceased by his wife which died in June 1890 and survived by five sons including John who would also serve as a South Australian parliamentarian, and one daughter.