JAMES COWAN - NEW ZEALAND HISTORIAN 1870-1943

In the first 40 years of the twentieth century James Cowan was one of New Zealand's most widely read non-fiction writers. He wrote over 30 books and hundreds of articles for newspapers and magazines, mainly about New Zealand's ancient and recent past, its resources and scenic attractions. Although little read today, during his lifetime his writing did much to shape the way New Zealanders perceived their history.
He was born at East Tamaki on 14 April 1870. His father, William Andrew Cowan, had emigrated to New Zealand from Ireland in time to fight as a soldier in the Waikato war, and in 1866 married Elizabeth Jane Qualtrough, his second wife. The family was living with Elizabeth's parents at Pakuranga when James was born, and a few months later moved south to a block of land near Kihikihi, where Cowan and his brothers spent their childhood.
The farm was part of land confiscated from Maori who had fought against the Crown during the 1860s, and was close to the Puniu River border of the King Country. The wars and the fear of further fighting still dominated local life when James was young. The family lived within sight of a military blockhouse garrisoned by armed constabulary, and the local settler militia drilled regularly. The farm included part of the famous battlefield of Orakau. Cowan's lifelong fascination with Maori and colonial history grew out of his childhood experiences in this environment.
http://qualtrough.org/articles/articles-nz/james-cowan.html

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