Looking for John Cowan

I am on quest to identify my great grandfather. All I know is his name was JOHN COWAN and he was a Mining Engineer plus a few other interesting facts...

My grandfather Frank (Cowan) Sutton was born in O'okiep, in the British Cape Colony (South Africa) in 1876. O'okiep was the site of the biggest copper mine in the world. Franks mother Sarah Eleanor Sutton gave birth without marrying Franks father but he was baptised in the local church with Sarah's sister and her father as witnesses. Frank is recorded on the baptism certificate as Frank Cowan, son of John Cowan, Mining Engineer.

He was always known as Frank Sutton and this is the only name we knew until I discovered the baptism record several years ago.

I have now found a photograph of a well known Australian identity Sir John Cowan and although he can't possibly be Franks father he bares a stricking resemblance. Sir John was the son of James Cowan of Belfast.

As my leads are few and far between I am prepared to follow the slightest clue at this point, and the photograph is so stunningly like my grandfather I am quite excited to think I now have a lead.

I am looking for anything that might lead me to our John Cowan, Mining Engineer working in O'okiep, Namaqualand in 1875/6.

My great grandmother Sarah Eleanor Sutton was born in 1856 so I am guessing John Cowan would have been a similar age but have nothing else to go on.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Judy Carroll

Preston Beach, Western Australia