James Alexander Cowan

James Alexander Cowan (October 27, 1901 – September 9, 1978) was a Canadian writer and a public relations consultant.

James Alexander Cowan was born in Shakespeare, Ontario, Canada on October 27, 1901, to Rev. Hugh Cowan and Jean Eloise Wood.

He attended the University of Toronto.

Cowan married Grace Fenwick Williams, daughter of Frederick George Hilary Williams and granddaughter of Charles Frederick Williams.

James A. Cowan was one of the founding members of The Goblin magazine in 1921.

He also was its first Editor-in-Chief.

The magazine became the highest selling magazine in Canada during its publication.

With its success, other writers came and contributed to the magazine including Stephen Leacock, Gregory Clark, Nunnaly Johnson, Bruce Hutchison, and Leslie McFarlane, father of The Hardy Boys.

The Goblin eventually ceased publication after its Volume 9 no. 9 issue and was continued by The New Goblin.

Cowan also worked as a feature writer and editor at the Toronto Star in his early 20s.

He then wrote feature articles for Maclean's magazine, a newsweekly news magazine, reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events.

In Maclean's, he wrote commentaries.

One notable commentary was about the issue of the Canadian National Cinema.

He also contributed to The Canadian Magazine.

After Maclean's magazine, he then later wrote satires for Esquire.

The wedding took place on January 12, 1924, at Ernest Hemingway's Cedarville Mansions in Toronto.

Hemingway also served as Cowan's best man and the host of the wedding.

Hemingway is noted to be one of Cowan's close friends at Toronto Star.

Hemingway gave Cowan a copy of his first published book entitled Three Stories and Ten Poems.

The gift by Hemingway was a first edition from a printing of 300.

It includes a signature by Ernest Hemingway and Hemingway's personal inscription for Cowan; the inscription reads as follows:

""This book is the property of James Cowan—he is not responsible for it—nor did he buy it.

It was presented to him by the author.""

- Ernest Hemingway

Cowan's copy of the book is sufficiently valuable to be currently priced at a hundred twenty-five thousand US dollars.

Cowan juggled many jobs before ending as a writer and a public relations consultant.

During the World War I, he paid his way by stevedoring, and guarding a World War I arms plant.

He also was an advance man for a vaudeville troupe called The Dumbbells who toured Canada and the United States.

In 1930, he opened the first public relations firm, Editorial Services Limited, in the country.

As a press relations specialist, he was involved in Brewer's Warehousing, International Nickel, Revenue Properties, Steeprock Iron Mines' and Canada Steamship Lines' press relations in Canada.

He also served as an advisor to politicians and political parties in Canada, and to United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1935 to 1939.

Cowan served as the Director for Press Relations for Rank Films of Great Britain where he also assisted British actors Alec Guinness, Laurence Olivier, John Mills, Deborah Kerr, Trevor Howard, Jean Simmons, Stewart Granger, Basil Rathbone, Michael Redgrave and Leslie Howard.

In a featured section of the Marketing Magazine written by Dean Walker, Cowan was named as the phantom Canadian of Press Relations.

Cowan was, as one writer described him, the "acknowledged master mind of the public-relations business" at age 44.

At age 60, another article headlined that he was the "Dean of Canada's PR Men."

In 1941, Cowan married Grace Jolliffe but they were divorced in 1963.

Some time before the Attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Cowan was approached by the Japanese government to produce a North American newspaper for them.

However, he turned the offer down.

Cowan was one of the most notable public relations specialists in Canada.

In 1963, he married Mary Welsman, daughter of Frank Welsman.