A son of William & Almira Cowden, he married first, Eunice M. Signor on October 20, 1847 in Henderson County, IL - 4 children to this union. Sons William Cowden, Willard Cowden, George H. Cowden, and daughter Eliza A. Graham.

Both William and Willard died very young. Their mother, Eunice died in 1855.

Sometime in between 1855 and 1864, I believe George W. remarried.

After George W.'s death in 1864, children of his first marriage, Eliza A. and George H. were under the legal guardianship of their uncle, James H. McDill. James McDill was the husband of Charlotte (b. Signor) McDill, Eunice's sister. (Illinois Probate records 1864-1870 vol G).

Also in the Illinois Probate records, George W.'s mother, Almira Cowden, stated she was the grandmother of his children and asked for Legal Guardianship. I believe these children were with his 2nd wife (still researching her name and the marriage date). The children named in these records are: Mary Frances Cowden, James William Cowden, Frank Sigel Cowden (Illinois Probate records 1864-1870 vol G, image 83 of 314).

I will add more information as it comes to light. Please feel free to message me if you have additional information and I will gladly update.

Heather - 3rd great-granddaughter of George W. Cowden∼On 7/4/19 with the help of Find A Grave I created a cenotaph memorial cemetery for The Soldiers' Monument of Henderson County. It is located in Oquawka, Henderson Cty, IL. Unfortunately on 8/23/19 because of an unnamed find a grave member who didn't think it should exist, this memorial has been deleted and all 200 of my memorials are now listed as unknown burials. Per FAG rules it didn't meet the criteria for being a cenotaph. So I have now created a virtual cemetery for the soldiers and on each memorial I have tried to located the actual burial and family members of the soldier.

Source: History of Mercer And Henderson Counties pgs 1410-1414.
W.W. Webster of Muscatine Iowa was selected to construct the monument that was finished in October of 1874. On the monument is inscribed , on it's four sides, 200 names of soldiers in Henderson County who fell in the field or died in the service of their country. The monument was erected by the private liberality of the people; subscriptions varied from $5 to $50. The cost was $3,300. The location is in the center of a beautiful enclosed park, planted to deciduous and evergreen trees, comprised in lots 1, 4, and 5, block 4 Swartz' addition, donated by John McKinney Sr., for many years a resident and business man of Oquawka. this handsome work is not more a monument to the glorious dead of Henderson County than to the affection, gratitude, generosity and patriotism of the happy and intelligent living.
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Listed in History of Mercer Henderson Cty on Soldiers' Monument as George W. Coroden

This Soldiers Memorial is a cenotaph for Henderson County soldiers who died in the Civil War.
His actual burial is in Watson Cem Henderson Cty, IL #71978085.

10th Regt. IL Inft. Co. E discharged for disability then later joined 84th Regt. ILL Inft. Co. K

See below for his actual grave site in IL
George Cowden

1st wife Eunice
Eunice Cowden
son George
George Cowden
daughter Eliza
Eliza Graham
son William
William Cowden
son Willard
Willard Cowden

He was remarried to a Sarah A.
Online members have her burial also at Watson Cem as Sarah Ann Evans #71997826
I did find a marriage online and it's after both their spouses died so it's possibly the correct Sarah:

Name: Sarah Ann Evans
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 27 Feb 1856
Marriage Place: Henderson, Illinois, USA
Spouse Name: George W Cowden
Spouse Gender: Male

His probate papers in Henderson Cty IL list:
his mother Almira, no widow, and children George Henry, Eliza Amelia, Mary Frances, James William, and Frank. If above Sarah is correct, she did die few months before George in 1864.

Thanks to my sister BKage #48921676 for the photographs of the monument.

A) Illinois, Databases of Illinois Veterans Index, 1775-1995
Name: George W Cowden
Rank: Sergeant
Company: E
Unit: 10th Illinois Infantry
Height: 5' 11
Hair: DARK
Eyes: GRAY
Complexion: DARK
Marital status: Married
Occupation: Farmer
Birth Date: Abt 1827
War: Civil War
War Years: 1861-1865
Service Entry Age: 34
Service Entry Date: 30 Aug 1861
Service Entry Place: Oquawka, IL
Joined By Whom: CPT COWAN
Period: 3 YRS
Muster In Date: 30 Aug 1861
Muster In Place: Cairo, IL
Remarks: DISCHARGED 7 JAN 1863 FOR DISABILITY (WOUNDED)
Residence Place: Oquawka, Henderson CO, IL
Record Source: Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls
URL: http://www.ilsos.gov/isavetera

B)Illinois, Databases of Illinois Veterans Index, 1775-1995
Name: George W Cowden
Rank: Private
Company: K
Unit: 84th Illinois Infantry
Height: 5' 11
Hair: BLACK
Eyes: GRAY
Complexion: DARK
Occupation: Farmer
Birth Date: Abt 1828
Birth Place: Trumbull CO, OH
War: Civil War
War Years: 1861-1865
Service Entry Age: 36
Service Entry Date: 5 Jan 1864
Service Entry Place: Quincy, IL
Joined By Whom: CPT WOODRUFF
Period: 3 YRS
Muster In Date: 7 Jan 1864
Muster In Place: Quincy, IL
Remarks: DIED AUG 20, 1864 AT NEW ALBANY IND OF WOUNDS
Residence Place: Olena, Henderson CO, IL
Record Source: Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls
URL: http://www.ilsos.gov/isavetera

Home in 1850: Township 9 N 5 W, Henderson, Illinois, USA
Almina Cowden 48 born 1802 Cornwall
George W Cowden 23 born 1827 OH
Eunice M Cowden 19 born 1831 NY
William Cowden 26 born born 1824 OH
James Cowden 14 born 1836 IL
Albert Cowden 12 born 1838 IL
George H Cowden 1 1849 IL

Home in 1860: Oquawka, Henderson, Illinois
George Cowden 33
Sarah A Cowden 30
George H Cowden 11
Eliza Cowden 9
Mary F Cowden 4
James W Cowden 1
Sarah S Evans 6
Richard Phelps 48

after his death his 2 youngest kids living with his mother

Home in 1870: Township 9 Range 5, Henderson, Illinois
Almira Cowden 69
Mary Cowden 12
Frank Cowden 8