Vaughan P. Cowell (1897-1957) son of Lee and Lettie Church Cowell, was born at the farm home. He attended the grades at college school of the State Normal School; three years at Valley City High School and completed high school and two years of college at the State Normal School. He played basketball with the famous Valley City Normal School championship team of 1916 with Clarence Carlson, AI Personius, Neal Tracy, Bert Weston, Hurley Codding and others. Vaughan married Grace Forbes June 17, 1917, daughter of Dr. Charles G. and Beulah De Cou Forbes, pioneers at Washburn, North Dakota. There were five daughters in the Forbes family and when the oldest daughter was ready for college, Mrs. Forbes and her daughters came to Valley City for the winter months. Grace and Vaughan were classmates in grade school, college and Sunday School.
Vaughan and Grace lived on the farm at Cooperstown, North Dakota from June 1917 to 1923 when Vaughan took a position with the Northwest Audit Co. of Fargo where they lived for nine years. Recovering from a near fatal accident in 1932, he purchased the farm near Valley City where they lived until his death.
Four children were born to the Cowells: Lucetta Jane (Mrs. Elliott Dock), Patricia Vaughan (Mrs. Sathe Kasner), Lee Forbes Cowell and Nancy De Cou (Mrs. Donald Christiansen).
Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan Cowell were active in their community as members of the Congregational Church where Mrs. Cowell taught Sunday School and worked in the Guild. She also helped with Camp Fire Girls, Girl Scouts and P.T.A. She was a member of Eastern Star, Community Club and the Home Economics committee of the Winter Show and of the Barnes County Welfare Board. One of her hobbies resulted in a collection of one hundred fifty dolls from all parts of the world.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 50