Katherine Mayo Cowan
Katherine Mayo Cowan (1883 - 1975) was the first woman mayor in North Carolina, and as of 2021, the only woman to serve as mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina. Early life. Katherine Elizabeth Mayo was born in 1883. She was the daughter of William E. Mayo and Mary Agnes Mayo. Career. In 1921, James Cowan was elected mayor. He died in office.  His wife, Katherine, was appointed to fill his term. Mayor Cowan was a member of the local chapter of the League of Women Voters and was the local representative to the 1925 national convention. According to  an account in 1929, "Mrs. Cowan served during the closing months of 1924 and until June 1925 when she yielded the reins of office….to Mr. Walter H. Blair, elected in May 1925." Mrs.Cowan ran to be mayor for a second term. She spent no money on her campaign, and did not actively campaign for office. Cowan lost the election. By 1930, Cowan lived in Charlotte, and was a saleslady at a dry goods store. In the 1930s, Cowan was active in Democratic politics in Washington DC. By the late 1930s, Cowan was a supervisor with the Works Progress Administration . Personal life. Katherine married James Hill Cowan in 1904. They married after a brief engagement, and it was an elopement. At the time, the newspaper reported "The bride is a young woman of striking personality and charming manner." By 1920, the Cowans lived on 214 Nun Street, James was the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce. He and Katherine had five children, aged 14 years old to five months old.