Any chance of tracing her family? Ellen Cogan

[Sunflower16]

I am looking for some help in tracing the family of Ellen Cogan, born 1850 in Ireland (county unknown). She married David Nicholson at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Gateshead, February 1868. Her father is listed on the marriage certificate as Patrick Cogan, deceased, labourer.
I think she died in Gateshead 1909.  I can find her in the 1871,81 and 91 census, not sure after that - 1901 has an Ellen Nicholson visiting someone census night but no sign of David, who died in 1908.
No clues as to where she may have been born in Ireland - is there any chance of finding her family given that Patrick is a rather common name and no other clues?

[suzard]

this might be David in 1901
28 Portman St Middlesborough Yorks
Robert Smith Head M 29 Boilersmith's labourer Middlesborough
Eliza Smith wife 28 Birmingham
DAVID NICHOLSON Boarder M 51 Boilersmith Newcastle
RG13 4579 872 0

is this who you think is Ellen in 1901?
32 Russell St Gateshead
Mary Ann Cranney head M 30
Michael Cranney son 2
John Cranney relation 13
Margaret Cranney visitor 17 domestic servant
ELLEN NICHOLSON M 50
Hannah Nicholson boarder 18 Rope Worker
David Nicholson Boarder 22 labourer gas works
Eliza Nicholson visitor 12
Martha Nicholson Boarder 15 Rope worker
all b Gateshead
RG13 4750 3 31 54

strange - Ellen seems to be visiting some of her children w-some are Boarders - were they related to the Cranneys?
Who were witnesses to David and Eliza's marriage? Might they be relatives?
Where is son Robert in 1901 -he was 1mth old in 1891 b S Stockton Yorks?
it may / may not help to find them -they could be with relatives??

Suz


Just discovered 1901  Ellen would be staying with her daughter Mary Ann Nicholson who was married to James Cranney - so not many Cogan clues there

Suz

[Sunflower16]

Yes, thats the family -Nicholson line is fine, readily traceable at this point,  its just Ellen where I come to a total granite wall!   The witnesses  to the marriage were Mary Ann Hart and “the mark of” Martin James - couldn’t find a link for either.  Her address at time of marriage is 18 Nelson Street Gateshead and his High Street Gateshead.    I wasn’t sure about all the boarders etc in 1901 but that definitely is her.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

there are 14 counties with 123 Cogan head of house listed in Griffiths valuation this reduces to  6 counties  with just 12 or 13 strong clues if Patrick/Patk, if the father was alive at the time of record taking which varies but all are before 1864 and he was head of household.
to date each line you will need to search the entry in
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/
Cogan   Patk.      Aghalion   Castlerahan   Cavan eg 1856
Cogan   Patrick   Aghalion   Castlerahan   Cavan eg 1856
Cogan   Patrick   Cornakelly   Castlerahan   Cavan
Cogan   Patrick   Quarry Road   St. Nicholas   Cork
Cogan   Patrick Owen   George's Street, Great, North   St. Georges   Dublin eg 1854
Cogan   Patrick   Collector's Lane   Aglish   Mayo eg 1857
Cogan   Patrick   Knockthomas   Aglish   Mayo eg 1857
Cogan   Patrick   Newantrim   Aglish   Mayo eg 1857
Cogan   Patrick   Sarnaght   Aglish   Mayo eg 1857
Cogan   Patrick   Cruicetown   Cruicetown   Meath eg 1857
Cogan   Patrick   Moat   Killeagh   Meath
Cogan   Patrick   Derreentunny   Kilbryan   Roscommon eg 1858
Cogan   Patrick Owen   Lung   Castlemore   Roscommon eg 1858

I tried searching quickly for  Patrick and Ellen Cogan unsuccessfully on https://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/ i thought i had an 1851b for Ellen but wrong father unless the fahthers name was written down wrongly.
https://www.ancestryireland.com/
I noticed Goggin was often found as a spelling variant, but still no luck
lets hope others will jump forward and help you get the connection

[heywood]

Hello,

Have you looked at these to make any connection?

1861 3802/7/8
Church Walk Gateshead (awful writing  )
Ellen Coggon widow 40 yrs
Micheal Coggon   17 yrs
Mary Coggon 15 yrs
Ellen Coggon 12 yrs

All born Ireland

Possibility for Ellen snr
1871 5055/6/6
William Fourth Yard, Gateshead

Eleanor Coghan   widow 51 yrs Charwoman b Sligo, Ireland
Eleanor Thompson visitor 14yrs b Glasgow, Scotland

Marriage
1865 Gateshead
Michael Coggins and Elizabeth Rendalls are on the same page

This is based on finding some children in 1881 census with mmn Reynolds 

1871 5033/94/47
Brunswick Street, Westoe, South Shields

Michael Coggans 26 yrs b South Shields 
Elizabeth Coggans 25 yrs b Ireland 
Jno W Coggans   4 yrs
Michael Coggans 3 yrs
Rascanne Coggans 1yr

1881 5032/131/30
34 Waugh Street Gateshead

Michael Cogan 36 yrs b Sligo
Elizabeth Cogan   35 yrs b Durham
John William Cogan 15yrs
Michael Cogan   13 yrs
Rose Ann Cogan   10 yrs
Thomas Cogan   6 yrs
Ellen Cogan 2yrs

These would need checking but are interesting.

Heywood

[heywood]

1881 5036/27/4
William IV Yard off Mirk Lane
Elena Cogen 65 yrs b Sligo
Margaret Montgomery boarder 57 yrs

I have looked in Catholic registers, Ireland but cannot see any records there sadly so the only way would seem to be with certificates from Gateshead 

https://www.durhamrecordsonline.com/index.php

Death Francis Cogan 1877 matches birth 1876 mmn Reynolds - address Mirk Lane (see Elena above)

Death Patrick Cogan 1880 matches birth 1872 mmn Reynolds

[Sunflower16]

Thank you so much for all the research on my behalf - I did get some certificates from the GRO in the interim and managed to establish that "my" Ellen Cogan's mother was indeed the Ellen Cogan in William iv yard off Mirk Lane - `although her name was so mangled by various census enumerators! There is no trace of Patrick with them and she was already a widow in the 1861 census, so perhaps he died in Ireland and I will look at those Griffiths valuation entries a little closer.

Apparently Sligo was particularly badly hit in the famine around that time, and is one of the larger counties which was very impoverished, with many records being difficult if not impossible to trace....

"My" Ellen's brother Michael emigrated to the US (pennsylvania) in the late 1880s with his wife Elizabeth Renolds (mangled a bit is various census as well!) - I found his death certificate from 1914 in the US which confirms his father's name as Patrick Cogan and mother as Ellen Cogan mn Rachford. He also has a daughter Ellen just to confuse things even more!!

All the records you have given are the right family, with Michael being "my" Ellen's brother and the "Eleanor" being Ellen's mother, mn Rachford. I purchased the death certificate for Ellen senior  - Dec 1884 - "my" Ellen was present at the death, she was still living at William iv yard off Mirk Lane, described as the widow of Patrick Arthur Cogan, Agricultural Labourer. Several references in census to their originating from Sligo.

So collectively, we found Ellen, and much of her family, but I hope one day to find her parents records.....you never know!

[heywood]

That is great news that it is the right family. 

Thanks for acknowledging the posts too.