Cousin Lynn Freeman Cowan Brings A Bit of Vaudeville into our Family Tree. Enjoy a Piece of his Music. Mattson / Pierce Line.

From the Fortress of Solitude

Pleasant Grove

Hello All,

We have a bit of vaudeville in our family tree.  Lynn Freeman Cowan was our 1st cousin, 3 times removed.  That means he was the son of our Great Great Great Aunt Margaret May Pierce.  His biography is listed below.   

Birth:	Jun. 8, 1888
Death:	Aug. 29, 1973
He was a LT COL, US ARMY during World War II He Received the WORLD WAR II LEGION OF MERIT Cousin Lynn was a composer, songwriter, pianist, actor, director and singer, educated at Iowa State College with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree. He was a member of a vaudeville team with Bill Bailey. During World War II, he was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Corps of Engineers, and he received the Legion of Merit. In Okinawa, he managed the Castle Terrace Club. In 1963, he retired to Kauai, Hawaii. Joining ASCAP in 1942, his chief musical collaborator was Alex Sullivan. His chief popular-song compositions include "Kisses", "Dream House", "Just Give Me a Week in Paris", "Secret" and "I'm in Love with You" (Information provided by Chuck Cummins) The Relationship Chart follows along with a recording of one of his most famous hits Kisses.  We need to thank Angie Mattson for discovering this gem in our family history.   Enjoy, Victor

Relationship Chart

Lynn Freeman Cowan (1888 - 1973) 

Son of our Great Great Grand Aunt Margaret May Pierce

is your 1st cousin 3x removed

Margaret May Pierce (1868 - 1933) Our Great Great Grand Aunt married John Cowan

mother of Lynn Freeman Cowan

Andrew Jackson Pierce* (1835 - 1874) Our 3rd Great Grandfather

father of Margaret May Pierce

Edwin Sherman Pierce (1862 - 1909) Our 2nd Great Grandfather

son of Andrew Jackson Pierce*

Walter Edwin Pierce (1885 - 1956) Our Great Grandfather

son of Edwin Sherman Pierce

Violet Mae Pierce (1918 - 1987) Our Grandmother

daughter of Walter Edwin Pierce. Violet married Walter Mattson

Children of Violet Pierce and Walter Mattson

Luella, Linda, John, Marvin

to Us

Below is the only online recording we have of Cousin Lynn's work.  Please sit back and enjoy "Kisses" by Lynn Cowan and Alex Sullivan.

This is the write up in the IMDb database

A few of Cousin Lynn's compositions

 

 

A mention of Cousin Lynn in The Music Trades.  1919