I live in Littleton, Massachusetts. My father, Richard Thomas Cowley, is from Red Oak, Iowa. His mother was Mabel Cowley who died last fall at the age of 97. His father,Hilton Thomas Cowley, died in 1962.
My father only has one brother who has no children.
My father was told by his father, my Great Grandfather, that the name Cowley originated on the Isle-of-Man. He was further told that three brothers immigrated to the USA from the Isle-of-Man. That one of them joined Brigham Young's religious group which made the journey to Utah by covered wagon. He was also told one of the brothers settled in the south and pronounced the name differently, (Kooley). My grandfather did not know what happened to the third brother which he assumed was his ancestor.
My Great Grandfather was the only male that had children. My Grandfather was the only male that had children. My Grandfather had 4 sisters, Gladys, Marie and Reba died in Iowa with no surviving children. The other sister, Florence, went to California as a young woman looking for a job. She became a dental hygenis, had no children and is deceased.
My father, Richard, served in the navy for 7 years and met a large number of Cowleys from Utah and Idaho. These Cowley shipmates told him one of the surviving males who accompanied Brigham Young was a Cowley.
I have one brother (by blood-full), Thomas Hilton Cowley who has 3 sons, David, Mathew and Jacob. My father adopted my mother's 1st 2 sons, Micheal and Benjamin (my half brothers).
I hope this information hepls someone. My father has been dictating to me about the family. He may remember more later.