Joseph Rowan

Joseph Charles Rowan (September 8, 1870 – August 3, 1930) was an American lawyer, banker, and Democratic politician who served one term as a U.S. Representative from New York from 1919 to 1921. Over the course of his career he combined an active legal practice with involvement in banking and other business interests, and he participated in the legislative process during a significant period in American history following World War I.

Rowan was born in New York City on September 8, 1870. He was educated in the city’s public schools, reflecting the urban milieu in which he would spend his entire professional life. Pursuing a legal career, he enrolled at Columbia Law School, from which he graduated in 1891. The following year, in 1892, he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in New York City, establishing himself in private practice at a time when the city was rapidly expanding as a national center of commerce and finance.

In addition to his legal work, Rowan became involved in banking and other business enterprises. He served as a trustee of the West Side Savings Bank, a position that placed him in the midst of New York’s growing financial sector and gave him experience in the management of financial institutions. His professional activities in law and banking helped to build the reputation and connections that later supported his entry into elective politics. In 1905 he married Cora Cook, the daughter of Dr. Stephen Cook, who was the chief surgeon of the New York City Police Department, thereby linking Rowan to another prominent public-service family in the city.

A member of the Democratic Party and an ally of the Tammany Hall organization that dominated New York City politics in the early twentieth century, Rowan entered national politics during a period of substantial political and social change. In 1918 he ran successfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating the incumbent, Walter M. Chandler. His victory reflected both his personal standing in the community and the strength of Democratic and Tammany support in his district.

Rowan served in the Sixty-sixth Congress from March 4, 1919, to March 4, 1921, representing New York in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his single term, he participated in the democratic process and contributed to the legislative work of Congress at a time when the nation was adjusting to the aftermath of World War I and addressing domestic issues associated with demobilization and economic transition. As a Representative, he sought to represent the interests of his New York constituents within the broader national debates of the period. He chose not to be a candidate for renomination in 1920, thus concluding his congressional service after one term in office.

After leaving Congress in March 1921, Rowan resumed the practice of law in New York City. He continued his professional activities in the legal and business communities, drawing on his experience in both private practice and public office. His post-congressional years were spent largely in the city where he had been born, educated, and had built his career, maintaining his engagement with the civic and professional life of New York.

Joseph Rowan died in New York City on August 3, 1930. He was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, one of the city’s major burial grounds and the resting place of many of New York’s political, business, and cultural figures.