The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-13
One of the Oldest Newspaper Men in the South
SUCCUMBED TO LAGRIPPE
For a Score of Years He Was Editor in-chlef of the Chattanooga 1Imes-FuneraI Takes Place This Afternoon.

Chattanooga, April 12.-Col John E. MacGowan the veteran editor-in-chief of the Chattanooga Times, and one of the oldest and best known newspaper men in the south, died this afternoon about o'clock at his home on Missionary Ridge, this city.
 Colonel MacGowans health began to fail about two months ago and an at tack of la grippe brought on compli- cation of diseases which caused his death. Only yesterday he was brought back from Thomasville, Ga, with the hope that his life might be prolonged by the climate to which he was so well accustomed. But he began sinking Saturday night and con- tinued to grow worse until the above mentioned hour. when he passed away surrounded by the immediate members of his family.
 Veteran Newspaper Man.
 Colonel MacGowan has been a man who has been actively engaged in southern journalism from the early reconstruction days. He was born on a farm in Smith township, Columbia (now Mahoning) county, Ohio, September 30, 1881. After
  attended Mount Union and Hiram col leges, but left these before graduation. He then studied law and taught school. He practlced law in Iowa and then in Ohio. At the breaking out of the war he responded to the call for volunteers and joined Company B, Twenty-first Ohio. He became lieutenant in this regiment, but retired from 1t at the expiration of l. of Q TT ra-An r. ed the service as captain of the Eleventh Ohio, served in the Kentucky and Ten nessee campaigns, was promoted to be major of the First United States Artil- lery, then to lieutenant colonel, and final ly became colonel of the command and was mustered out of the service March 3l, having previously received brevet briyadter generals commission. He then located in Chattanooga and has since re- sidpd here continuously.
 Began Newspaper Work In 1872.
 His newspaper career began in 1872 after he had served the city of Chattanooga in several public capacities. He became as- sociate editor of the Chattanooga Times and subsequently, was attached to the Chattanooga Dispatch and the Knoxville Tribune.
 In 1878, Colonel MacGowan returned to the Times, accepting service with Adolph S. Ochs, who is still the proprietor or the paper and from that time up to two months ago, when his health began to fail. he was constantly in the harness as editor -in-chief. He was forceful writer. man who possessed wonderful knowl- edge of public men and affairs, and his work has made its impression not only upon Chattanooga, but upon the whole South, the interests of which he always defended and was ever ready to pro- mote He was the contemporary of those southern editors whose work since the war has done so much to regenerate the south.
 Colonel MacGowan was married to Miss Maria M Johnson of Stark county, Ohio, October 30 1855. She died several years ago. The surviving children of this union are Miss Alice MacGowan, and Mrs. Grace MacGowan Cooke. both of whom are prominent in the literary world.
 The funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon at o'clock.