Katherine Mayo Cowan (January 10, 1883 – December 5, 1975) was the first woman mayor in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, and as of 2021, the only woman to serve as mayor of
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States.
With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...
.
Early life
Katherine Elizabeth Mayo was born on January 10, 1883, the daughter of William E. Mayo and Mary Agnes Mayo.
Career
In 1921, Cowan's husband James was elected mayor. When he died in office, she was appointed to fill his term.
["Mrs. Cowan Named Mayor to Succeed Her Late Husband''" Wilmington Morning Star'', September 19, 1924] She was a member of the local chapter of the
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...
and was the local representative to the 1925 national convention.
Cowan ran to be mayor for a second term, although spent no money on her campaign, and did not actively campaign for office. Cowan lost the election. According to an account in 1929, "Mrs. Cowan served during the closing months of 1924 and until June 1925 when she yielded the reins of office….to Mr. Walter H. Blair, elected in May 1925."
By 1930, Cowan lived in
Charlotte
Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
, and was a saleslady at a dry goods store.
In the 1930s, Cowan was active in
Democratic politics in
Washington, DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
. By the late 1930s, Cowan was a supervisor with the
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
.
Personal life
Katherine Cowan married James Hill Cowan in 1904. They eloped after a brief engagement. At the time, the newspaper reported "The bride is a young woman of striking personality and charming manner."
By 1920, the Cowans lived on 214 Nun Street, James was the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce. He and Katherine had five children, aged 14 years old to five months old.
[1920 Census, Wilmington NC]
She died on December 5, 1975, at the age of 92, and is buried in
Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington.
See also
*
List of first women mayors in the United States
After Kansas granted women the right to vote in municipal elections in February 1887, Susanna Madora Salter was elected mayor of Argonia, Kansas on April 4, 1887, and became the first female mayor in the United States. Salter had been nominated wi ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cowan, Katherine
Mayors of places in North Carolina
People from Wilmington, North Carolina
Women mayors of places in North Carolina
North Carolina Democrats
1883 births
1975 deaths
20th-century American politicians
20th-century American women politicians