Cossar family from Lasswade/Borthwick

[sandir03]

Hi,
I’m trying to find some information on the Cossar family.

What I have so far :
1.   Archibald Cossar – b. abt 1770 in Lasswade, Edinburgh, Scotland
        Occupation: Gentlemans servant to Mr Hepburn at Middleton
        Married: 8 Oct 1790 in Saint Cuthberts, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland 
        and 16 Oct 1790 in Borthwick, Midlothian, Scotland.

        Spouse: Henrietta Johnston – b. abt 1770 in Borthwick, Midlothian, Scotland
        Her parents possibly: John Johnston and Betty Orr

2.    Archibald and Henrietta had the following 6 children:
        a.   Ann Cossar – b. 12 Feb 1791 in Borthwick, Midlothian, Scotland. d. 29 Apr 1836 in Stobo Castle, Peebles, Scotland
        b.   Jean Cossar – b. 18 Mar 1793 in Borthwick, Midlothian, Scotland
        c.   Thomas Cossar – b. 05 May 1796 in Borthwick, Midlothian, Scotland. d. 09 Jul 1859 in Regent Terrace Lane, St. Andrew, Edinburgh, Scotland 
        d.   Henrietta Cossar – b. Dec 1798 in Temple, Midlothian, Scotland
        e.   John Cossar – b. Jun/Jul 1801 in Temple, Midlothian, Scotland
        f.   Robert Cossar – b. Sep 1803 in Temple, Midlothian, Scotland


If anyone could please help me with information about Archibald Cossar and his parents and any siblings.

Likewise, information on Henrietta Johnston and her parents and any siblings.

Thanking you in advance,
Sandi

[MonicaL]

Hi Sandi

Henrietta's father's name certainly looks to be John https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XY9P-BB7  Given the two dates that show, this first one likely to be banns (although would father be named on that for the bride?).

What is the source for your estimated birth years and places for both Archibald and Henrietta?

For example, just looking at the names of Archibald and Henrietta's children to see whether they may have followed any form of Scottish naming pattern (see  http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scottish/ScottishNamingPatterns.html for example. Not always followed or in strict order, but can provide clues).

There is for example a Thomas Cossar and a Jean Bennet in Dalkeith and Inveresk in the right period as possibilities.

For Henrietta, again with possible clues on children's names, I like the look of this one to start with https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTTJ-TJW

Monica

[sandir03]

Hi Monica,
   Thanks very much for your input. I do like you reference of John Johnston and Ann Amos being Henrietta's parents. Still need to investigate Archibald and his family.

   This is the information (“sources”) I have collected so far:
1.   Not sure where I picked up the Birth dates and places for Archibald and Henrietta – obviously they are incorrect. Need to find this out. Maybe I picked up some info from Mundia?

2.   Marriage of Archibald and Henrietta – I have copies of both marriages from SP but they are too big to attach.

        https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XY9P-BB4

        https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT1J-T4F
 
       
3.   Archibald and Henrietta had the following 6 children:
        a.   Ann Cossar – b. 12 Feb 1791 in Borthwick, Midlothian, Scotland. d. 29 Apr 1836 in Stobo Castle, Peebles, Scotland
             Birth - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTPS-XBZ
             Marriage to Peter McCarter - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XY95-3J4
              Peter was a butler - at Stobo Castle ?

        b.   Jean Cossar – b. 18 Mar 1793 in Borthwick, Midlothian, Scotland
              Birth – https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTPS-42P

        c.   Thomas Cossar – b. 05 May 1796 in Borthwick, Midlothian, Scotland. d. 09 Jul 1859 in Regent Terrace Lane, St. Andrew, Edinburgh, Scotland 
              Birth - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTPS-W7F

        d.   Henrietta Cossar – b. Dec 1798 in Temple, Midlothian, Scotland
              Birth - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTTV-39T

        e.   John Cossar – b. Jun/Jul 1801 in Temple, Midlothian, Scotland
              Birth - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTTJ-Y2P

        f.   Robert Cossar – b. Sep 1803 in Temple, Midlothian, Scotland
             Birth - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XY45-YF3

   My father is a Plews from Glasgow (we all live in Australia) and he has Cossars in his family who I have traced back (hopefully correctly) to this Archibald and Henrietta.

   I recently discovered that a member of my step-in-law family, a William Cossar was from Loanhead and I’ve been wondering if these Cossar families are somehow linked way back.

   Regards,
   Sandi

[sandir03]

Hi Monica,
         I've translated the 2 marriage sources below - to the best of my ability. Dots represent something I can't seem to translate.

Translation:

28/                  Register of Marriages in 1790
--------------------------   October 8th   --------------------------------
Cofsar     Archibald Gentlemen’s Servant in ............ Row, and
   Henrietta Johnston residenter there, daughter of
   John Johnston, Wright in the Parish of Borth-
   wick, gave up their names for Proclamation   
   of Banns Matrimonial



Translation: for 1791

Archibald Cossar servant to Mr Hepburn at Middleton was married
To Henrietta Johnston and produced a certificate of their marriage
dated at Edinburgh October 16th 1790. Signed by William Robertson ........

Regards,
     Sandi

[MonicaL]

You have done well Sandi gathering together all that info 

Regarding the marriage entries, the Edinburgh area parish entries are particularly good - compared to others which are very sparse in terms of info (or missing/destroyed over the years). Does look that the first entry was for the marriage banns and the next the actual marriage date. Common for brides to return to their family parish at the time of their marriage for the actual, as you have here with the marriage in Borthwick, where Henrietta's family lived (with the reference to John Johnston, a wright in Borthwick from the Banns entry).

From the location of their children's births, Archibald and Henrietta lived in Borthwick for a few years and then moved to Temple. An interesting post here on Temple Village, with lots of info as background www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=366809.0 (ah, see you have found it and posted there, great  .

Monica

[Hibee]

Hi Sandi

I have a John Crosser, who was a shepherd at Morebattle Tofts, Roxburghshire.  His daughter, Jean married in 1774, and was living in Temple in 1776.  Her married name was Hinmars.

Hibee

[sandir03]

Thanks to you both re the Scottish family naming conventions.

I tried it in both SP and family search for Archibald's parents (possibly being a Thomas and Jean) and came up empty handed.

May need some more help with this search or suggestions for Archibald and his family please.

It seems that the Cossar's came mostly from the Temple, Lasswade, Borthwick areas. Prior to this does anyone know if they maybe came from England or Ireland - with a name change? Does the name Cossar/Cosser mean something? Derivation of Crofter maybe??

There is mention of Henrietta's father, John Johnston, being a Wright - what is this?

BTW - this is the link I found thanks to Monica for Henrietta's birth and parents - her name entered as "Hendreta" -            https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTTJ-TJW


Regards,
     Sandi

[MonicaL]

Hi Sandi

John Johnston's occupation of wright = carpenter, joiner (see for example here www.scotsfamily.com/occupations.htm ).

Regarding Archibald and possible parents Thomas and Jean Bennet, these are some possible children for this couple:

Thomas 1761 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XY9G-CCM
Jean 1763 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTRK-MMB
David 1765 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTRV-X4J

Cannot see a marriage/banns for this couple nor any more children showing I think from my searches.

Sandi, the big thing to remember in this period before the start of official registration in Scotland from 1855, is that only about a third of births and marriages were recorded in the (Church of Scotland/presbyterian) parish registers. On top of that, many of the old parish registers have been lost or destroyed over the years.

You may not find conclusive proof of Archibald's birth or christening, unfortunately. When this happens, it can help to go sideways to try and find some possibilities.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Cossar is quite a rare name...likely why there is a one name study on that surname 

See www.one-name.org/profiles/cossar.html

Monica