RUTH BALDWIN (COWAN) NASH, 1901-1993

Ruth Cowan, the only daughter of William Henry and Ida (Baldwin) Cowan, was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 15, probably in 1901. Although the family was not Catholic, IBC, a former teacher, placed RBCN in St. Mary's Academy, a convent school. RBCN attended the school until the death of her father, a mining prospector, in 1911; she and her mother then moved to Florida to establish a homestead. After a few years they returned to Salt Lake City, and RBCN re-enrolled in St. Mary's. After she completed the 7th and 8th grades, they moved to San Antonio, TX., where RBCN boarded in the Ursuline Academy; she never lived with her mother again. She later worked in the book section of a department store while attending St. Michael's (1916), and then transferred to public school.

While attending Main Avenue High School (1917-1919), RBCN was invited by Elva Cunningham, president of the San Antonio Parent Teachers Association, to live with the Cunningham family (Elva, husband John, three sons, and Elva's sister, Mary Carter). The Cunninghams became a second family. After completing high school in two years, RBCN attended the University of Texas at Austin (1919-1923), working her way through with a variety of jobs. While there she added the middle name "Barbara," but later changed it to "Baldwin" to please her mother.

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