City: Fayetteville
COWAN, William Guy, hardware merchant; born Shelbyville, Tenn., Feb. 16, 1872; son of Oliver and Sallie (Bryson) COWAN; father’s occupation, hardware merchant, retired; educated at Dickson Academy, Shelbyville, Tenn.; married Myra MCGUIRE Nov. 20, 1901; member Knights of Pythias; Democrat; formerly served in State Militia for two years; quit school and worked in store at the age of fifteen; became a traveling salesman, hardware, in 1894; traveled for a Nashville firm until 1897; when he associated himself with Simmons Hardware Co., of St. Louis; in 1908 resigned from the employ of Simmons Hardware Co., to become president and take charge of the retail business of Cohen, Hobbs & Sloan Co., Incorporated, Fayetteville, Tenn.; is director in 1st Nat. Bank, Fayetteville, Tenn.; is also director in Elks’ Cotton Mill of Fayetteville, also interested in other local enterprises; Elder in Southern Presbyterian church.
