Officer Down Memorial Page

Deputy James M. Rowan was/is my great grandfather and is buried in the Gold Rush Cemetery in Skagway, Alaska. He was shot in the line of duty just three hours after his son, my grandfather, was born, on January 31, 1898. On July 4, 2010, I, along with my husband, Deputy Marshal Marc Otte, Chief Judge H. Russel Holland and members of the Skagway community honored and celebrated his service by giving him a proper grave marker that would reflect his contributions and his sacrifice. I encourage anyone who goes on a cruise to Alaska, to visit his grave and honor his service. Skagway is a wonderful town, but much too much emphasis is on Soapy Smith and his criminal activity during the Gold Rush era. I hope that more people will go to Skagway, with a purpose to ask about Marshal Rowan. Because of my efforts to locate information about my grandfather, his memory was restored and distant family members were able to have closure about what happened to their relative from Rogersville, TN. I hope to continue my journey of recognizing Marshal Rowan and invite any and all who might be interested in helping me honor his memory.

Renee N. Rowan
Great Granddaughter
January 4, 2012

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