Denison (TX) Press
Saturday, August 21, 1937
pp. 1-4 

Denison 61-50-35 Years Ago
by Dulce Murray

August 21, 1875: Died At His Residence on Owning Street, This city, Friday Evening August 20th, After A Lingering Illness, Dr. L. S. Owings, Aged 55 years.

Dr. Owings was born in Roan county, East Tennessee, September 6th 1820.  An elder brother Samuel E. Owings came to Texas before the Texas war for independence and was one of the first to take up arms to resist Mexican invasion.  L.S. Owings, who was then boy of sixteen, ran away from home to join his brother and enlisted under the Lone Star flag immediately on his arrival on Texas soil.  His brother, Samuel served under the immortal Crockett and with him perished in the Alabama massacre.  L. S. Owings remained with the army until the close of the war, being present at the memorable battle of San Jacinto.  He was elected a member of the Legislature from Karnes county in1855 and as recognized as one of the most influential members of that body.
He removed to New Mexico in June 1859; was unanimously elected provisional governor of the new Territory of Arizona in 1860.  On the breaking out of the Civil war he returned to Texas and rendered valuable service to the Confederacy.  He was in New Orleans on the day of the surrender to the Federal authorities, but with a few others, succeeded in making is way at night to the Confederate lines.  The close of the war found him in San Antonio broken in health and the accumulations of years gone in the crash. 
His clear judgment had shown him years before the M-K-T railroad was projected that there would, one day, be a great commercial metropolis on the boundary of Texas and the Indian territory, and when this great trunk line was completed to Red river, it found him at Sherman awaiting the advent.
He was one of the first to cast his fortunes with Denison, and he never lost confidence in her growth and prosperity.  He did as much, if not more, than any private citizen for the welfare of Denison.
When in the spring of 1873, Denison as incorporated by act of the legislature he was appointed mayor, but resigned in May of the same year because of ill health, but during his brief official career, many important public measures were inaugurated.  To him our citizens owe the conception of our magnificent public school building, the pride of the city.