Tressa, what do you know about these men aside from the dates and states you post? Have you found them in all possible census records? Are these men you *think* are your direct male ancestral line, or only suspect? Whom did they marry, where, and when? Where were they born, where did they die, and where are they buried? What records have you already consulted, and where was that research done?
Is this your father's listing in the Social Security Death Index? WILLIAM
COWAN, 11 Jun 1898 - Feb 1984. Last residence: Brownwood,
Brown Co. TX 76801. Last benefit: Brownwood,
Brown Co. TX 76801. SSN# 450-26-9959, issued
Texas? If so, there are a couple of things you can do with this record. Go to
http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi and find your father's record, and then add a Postem with your contact information. This will help any cousins who are out-of-touch and looking for your family to find you. Next, click on the SS-5 letter link, and print out a request to the Social Security Administration requesting a copy of his SSN application. Enclose a check, and mail.
Finally, are you a member of the
COWAN list? That's where you will find most of the Southern US
COWAN researchers.
http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/surname/c/cowan.html for more information.