William S. Cowles

William Sheffield Cowles was born on August 1, 1846, in Farmington, Connecticut, to Elizabeth (née Sheffield) and Thomas Cowles. He attended public schools in Farmington during his early education.

In July 1863, Cowles was appointed as an acting midshipman at the United States Naval Academy. He completed his training and graduated in June 1867. Subsequently, he was commissioned as an ensign in 1869. His military career progressed with promotions to lieutenant in 1871 and lieutenant commander in 1892. He was commissioned as a commander on June 5, 1898.

Cowles’s service included a variety of roles across different periods. In 1884, he served on the Isthmus of Panama. Between 1891 and 1892, he served as a naval aide and was in charge of the naval militia. From 1893 to 1897, he was assigned as a naval attache at the United States embassy in London. During the Spanish–American War, from 1897 to 1898, he commanded the USS Fern and the gunboat USS Topeka. He also served as a naval aide to President William McKinley.

From 1903 to 1905, Cowles commanded the battleship USS Missouri. During this period, he was involved in incidents such as a collision with the USS Illinois and an explosion aboard the Missouri, which resulted in the deaths of thirty-three men; he was cleared of responsibility in both cases. After September 30, 1899, he briefly served as assistant chief of the Bureau of Navigation and also acted as naval aide to Theodore Roosevelt. Cowles was promoted to captain on November 2, 1902.

In 1906, Cowles held the position of chief of the board of equipment and was a member of the board of construction. He was promoted to the rank of rear admiral on April 23, 1908. In July 1908, he represented the United States Navy at the Quebec Tercentenary. Later that year, he served as Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Fleet. He retired from active service on August 1, 1908, when he was in command of the USS New Hampshire. Until 1910, he continued as the chief of the bureau of equipment of the U.S. Navy.

Throughout his career, Cowles participated in various official duties. On December 2, 1908, he submitted a report, authored by Lieutenant George C. Sweet, recommending the purchase of aircraft suitable for scouting and observation missions from naval ships to the Secretary of the Navy. In 1911, Cowles served as an official representative at the coronation of King George V.

During World War I, Cowles contributed to local defense efforts by helping form the Farmington Home Guard and was assigned to the Connecticut River Patrol. He served on the personal staff of General Lucien F. Burpee and was chairman of the naval and military committee of the Connecticut State Council of Defense. Additionally, Cowles was a member of the Farmington borough council. In 1914, he served as naval aide to Connecticut Governor Marcus H. Holcomb. He was elected as a Republican and served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1917 to 1919.

In his personal life, Cowles married Mary Thurman, the eldest daughter of Ohio politician Allen G. Thurman, on February 18, 1873. The marriage ended in divorce in November 1889, and they had no children. On November 25, 1895, Cowles married Anna "Bamie" Roosevelt, the daughter of philanthropist Theodore Roosevelt Sr. and Martha Stewart "Mittie" Bulloch, who was the elder sister of President Theodore Roosevelt Jr. William and Bamie Cowles had one son, William Jr., who was a Connecticut State Representative and Mayor of Farmington. William Sheffield Cowles and Bamie Roosevelt Cowles are buried at Riverside Cemetery in Farmington, Connecticut.

In 1911, Cowles moved back permanently to Farmington. He was a member of the Congregational Church, actively participated in Sunday school, and was a member of several clubs, including the University Club of New York, the New York Yacht Club, the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, the Metropolitan Club, and the Tennis and Racquet Club.

William Sheffield Cowles died of a heart ailment on May 1, 1923, at his residence in Farmington. His remains were interred at Farmington Cemetery.