Alfred Cowles, Sr.

Biography

Alfred Cowles, Sr. spent his long career at the heart of Chicago's commercial and journalistic life, guiding newspapers and financial concerns during a period of explosive growth. His leadership helped the city to find its voice on the national stage and to connect Midwestern industry with the wider republic.

Dedicated to the civic institutions of his day, he supported charitable causes and encouraged emerging writers and editors, leaving a legacy that was honored with burial at Oak Woods Cemetery when he died in 1889.