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I am looking for the parents of --or anything else about-- James Giles, believed to have been born in England in about 1797. There is some discussion in the family about whether he was from Devon, Somerset or possibly Kent, but we don't have any idea what town or parish it might have been.

He is known to have been in Newfoundland by 1827: He married Mary Ann Willey on 30 May 1827 in Burin, Newfoundland. Mary Ann seems to have been born about 1807 in Burin, but that's all we know of her.

They are thought to have been one of the original "planter" families on Sound Island in Placentia Bay. Their first child was born there in 1828, but it is thought that James may have been there as early as 1820.

James and Mary Ann had 11 known children, all born on Sound Island: Amelia, 1828; Hannah, 1829; Thomas, 1831 m. Elizabeth?; Susannah, 1832 m. Edmund Reid; Harriet, 1835 m. John Rodway; James C., 1838; Joseph Henry, 1840 m. Charlotte Anna Brinston; Mary Willey, 1844 m. Thomas Beck; Eliza Ann, 1845 m. Henry Beck; Francis, 1847; and Sophia, 1850 m. William Eddy.

I'd be grateful for anything anyone can tell me about the origins of James Giles and Mary Ann Willey -- or even any place to look for them!

Thanks.

Gene-ee-us

Hi,
We are looking for any and all Coubroughs and Cowbroughs, including all variants. The earliest records found are from the early 17th century, when it seems to have been confined to Campsie, Strathblane, and Falkirk parishes in Stirlingshire, Scotland. Almost all of those found, living or not, seem to belong to one of four branches:

1. James Cowbrough and Jean Muir, m. Campsie, about 1784, then to Eastwood parish, Renfrewshire, in about 1790. James was a wright, who seems to have been particularly skilled at building calico printing factories. Eight kids, the first 3 in Campsie, the rest in Eastwood: James, 1785; Malcolm, 1787; John, 1789; William, 1791; Robert, 1795; Mathew, 1805; Barbara, 1808; William, 1810. Possibly also Thomas in 1793, but not confirmed.

2. John Coubrough and Jonet Buchanan, married in Campsie, about 1703. John, born 1760, probably Campsie parish, is possibly the son of Malcolm Coubrough and Margaret Smyth. Jonet was much younger than John and may have been the second wife.  Nine kids, all born Strathblane: Christian, 1704; Margaret, 1705; Christian, 1708; Jonet, 1710; Jean, 1712; John, 1717; Agnes & James, 1719; William, 1723.

3. Malcolm Coubrough and Marrion Reid, married in Strathblane parish, in 1745, may be the son of John Coubrough who married Jonet Buchanan, possibly from a previous marriage of John's. Six kids, all born Strathblane: John, 1747; Janet, 1751; Malcolm, 1754; Jean, 1756; James, 1759; and Robert, 1762.

4. John Cowbrough, of Ellrig, Falkirk parish, married Helen Stevenson, about 1682, probably in Falkirk or St. Ninian's.  John, born about 1661, was probably the son of John Coubrough and Margaret Steinson. Four kids: John, 1683; William, 1684; John, 1687; and Margaret, 1689.

I would love to hear from anyone connected to any of these lines. Any and all information appreciated.

Gene-ee-us