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LUTHER FOREST COWLING SR
There is no better person to
salute on Father’s Day 2004 than a barber who gave hundreds of young men
their first haircuts and then watched them grow into manhood and become
fathers, who brought their sons to him for their first haircut. And when
those boys reached manhood, they too brought their sons to him for their
first haircut, just as they would do. Thus, at least four generations were
represented at the December 27, 2003, celebration of the legendary Fifth
Ward barber and father figure, Luther Forest Cowling, Sr’s, long and
productive life at Paradise Mortuary Chapel, 10401 W. Montgomery, with Rev.
L. E. Gibbs officiating.
Rev. J. Stanley Williams, Pastor of Graceland BC; Rev. A. Randolph,
Associate Pastor of New First BC; Rev. Sylvester McIntosh. Associate Pastor
at Pleasant Hill BC; Deacon Charles Prince, from Shiloh MBC; Bro. Emanuel
Maxwell and Bro. Ezekiel Harrell, Jr. participated in the order of services.
Rev. Luther Cowling, Jr. delivered his father’s eulogy. Paul Guidry, Jr.,
Robert Cowling, James Walker, Sam Guidry, Eugene Walker and Sylvester
McIntosh, Jr. were active pallbearers. Jamaine Cheatham, Kirk Dawkins, Jr.,
Luther Cowling, III, Alan Smith, James Cheatham and Emanuel Maxwell were
honorary pallbearers for Luther, who was born on March 16, 1918 in
Jefferson, Texas. He was the fifth of nine children born to Sam and Esther
Wright Cowling.
Luther, who was a true living historian, often regaled his customers about
his Jefferson, his birth city, that also was the county seat of Marion
County, which is at the junction of U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 49, on
Big Cypress Creek and Caddo Lake in the south central portion of the county.
The town was named for Thomas Jefferson, when Allen Urquhart and Daniel
Alley founded it in the early 1840s. In the late 1830s Urquhart, who
immigrated to Texas from North Carolina, received a deed right on a bend in
the creek; he laid out a town site there around 1842. At about the same time
Alley obtained a 586-acre parcel adjacent to Urquhart's survey and laid out
additional streets that became known as Alley's Addition. In contrast to
most other town planners of the time, who arranged their plans around a
central square, Urquhart laid out the town along Big Cypress Creek.
Even more unusual, was that the town was layed out with its streets running
at right angles to the bayou. Alley's streets, on the other hand, followed
the points of the compass. The intersection of the two plans gave the town
its distinctive V-shaped layout. As the westernmost outpost for navigation
on the Red River, Jefferson quickly developed into an important riverport.
The first steamboat, the Llama, reached Jefferson in late 1843 or early
1844. A post office was established in 1846, and the town was incorporated
in March 20, 1848, though because of various delays a city charter was not
adopted until 1850. In the same year the town adopted the aldermanic form of
city government. In 1846 Jefferson became the county seat of Cass County,
upon that county's separation from Bowie County, and served as such until
Linden became county seat in 1852.
A Methodist church was organized in 1844, followed by the Presbyterian
Church between 1846 and 1850 and the Baptist church in 1855. The first
newspaper, the Jefferson Democrat, was printed in 1847, and the following
year the Jimplecute, the town's longest-running and most influential paper,
made its appearance. Years later, newspapers would become an important part
of Luther’s life, insofar as he loved to read and was known to
intellectualize on just about every topic known to mankind, especially the
Bible, which he started reading as a teenager. In fact, he started his
Christian walk, as a teenager, when he united with Judea Baptist Church
under the leadership of Rev. Will Bolden. He graduated from Jefferson High
School, and went on to attend Bishop College in Marshall, Texas.
On March 17, 1939, he moved to Houston-- at age 21-- where he united with
Mt. Ararat Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Kemp. In the 1940's
he united with Pleasant Hill Baptist Church under the leadership of the
founding pastor, Rev. L. H. Simpson, where he remained a faithful member
until his health failed. Luther worked various jobs over the years,
including Weingarten as a part-time busboy. He became a licensed Barber in
September 1947 and, while working in Ray Boykin’s' Barber Shop, in 1951, he
met and fell in love with Helen Larece Walker, whom he affectionately called
"Baby Doll". They were united in holy matrimony on January 11, 1953. To this
union three children were born. Luther spent his entire barber career in the
5th Ward area where he has serviced multiple generations of families.
He was well known for his in-depth political knowledge, as well as his
profound willingness to enlighten others who were not so well versed in that
arena. Luther was appointed Community Representative by members of the
Houston City Council, and received a certificate award for his service from
the Mayor of Houston. Luther led a full and happy Christian life and
attended church faithfully until his health failed. He was ready to go home,
after he lost his beloved “Baby Doll,” who finished her course before he
did. He also was preceded in death by his parents Sam and Esther Cowling,
Brothers: Sam Irving, Louis Charles, and Thomas; Sisters: Mrs. Birdie
Franklin and Ella Grace Lang; and grandchild, Christian Elaina Dawkins.
On the evening of Saturday, December 20,2003 at 10:15 P.M., our Heavenly
Father called him from labor to reward. He left to cherish his memory, three
children: Esther Cheatham (James, deceased), Luther Jr. (Jannet), and Yvonne
(Kirk, Sr.); a brother: Rev. Orbie Cowling (Velma); 2 sisters: Ruby Guidry
(Paul), and Johnnie Gipson; sisters-in-law: Hanna Cowling, Victoria Cowling,
and Bessie Craft, 10 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, 1 Honorary
grandson, Emanuel Maxwell and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and
friends
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