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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Argyllshire => Topic started by: Maggie J Ingram on Monday 30 January 06 00:36 GMT (UK)
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Hi list,
Hoping someone can help me find Hugh Cowan in an 1851 Census for Ardchattan. Hugh was born c1788 in Ardchattan (son of Colin Cowan and Sarah MacCallum) and was married to Elizabeth McDonald b. c1793. They had a son Hugh who was born 1834 at Benderloch.
Many thanks,
Maggie
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Hi, I am also researching Elizabeth McDonald and Hugh McCowan (also Cowan) from Ardchattan in Benderloch, Argyllshire, and think it is the same people you are researching. My great grandmother was elizabeth Aitken, daughter of Mary Cowan (who was the daughter of Elizabeth McDonald and Hugh McCowan). This makes Elizabeth McDonald and Hugh McCowan (Cowan) my great-great-great-great grandparents. I have the death certificate for Elizabeth McDonald, but not for Hugh McCowan, and also the 1851 Census for Elizabeth McDonald but not for Hugh McCowan (perhaps he was already dead by 1851). Would very much like to make contact with you, as I would love more information re the McCowans (or Cowans).
regards,
myra (from sunny Tasmania where it is freezing at the moment).
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Dear Maggie,
Have looked through my certificates, and yes I do have the 1851 census with Hugh Cowan on it, along with his wife Elizabeth Cowan and their grand-daughter Elizabeth Aitken who is my great grandmother. It is by 1861 that Hugh Cowan is no longer on the census. Looking forward to hearing from you.
myra from Tasmania
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Hi Myra,
Thanks for your message. Yes, we are researching the same Hugh Cowan and Elizabeth McDonald who are also my husband's (Iain Ingram) 3 x G Grandparents. His 2 x G Grandfather was their son Hugh Cowan who married Agnes Campbell in 1855 in Campsie, Stirling, Scotland. Great Grandparents were Agnes Cowan and James Hamilton. Grandparents were Agnes Campbell Hamilton and James Bulger, and his parents were Agnes Cowan Hamilton Bulger and Charles Ingram. I do have the death of Hugh Cowan, husband of Elizabeth Campbell. He died on the 22 May 1867 at Ardchattan, Argyll from old age and general debility. His parents were Colin Cowan (Slater)and Sarah McCallum. The informant of death was his granddaughter Elizabeth Aitken, who was the daughter of Mary Cowan and William Aitken. I have Elizabeth Aitken married to Kenneth McKenzie.
I have Elizabeth McDonald as the daughter of John McDonald (Farmer) but do not know her mother's name. Do you have any more info on her or more about the Cowan family.
I'd love to hear from you again.
Best wishes,
Maggie
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Sorry, meant to say Elizabeth McDonald and not Elizabeth Campbell.
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Dear Maggie,
How wonderful to hear of a 'long-lost' relative. I do have quite a bit of information re the Cowans and McKenzies - I presume that Mary Cowan is the sister of your Colin Cowan. I do not think she was ever married to William Aitken, but later did marry Duncan Cowan in 1846, and I think they stayed in the Benderloch district from then on, but I think Elizabeth Aitken stayed with her grandparents, Elizabeth and Hugh Cowan as she is on the 1861 census as staying with them. I will give you my e-mail address - (*) and I can forward a bit more information there.
This is just a quick note to let you know I have your reply and it is GREAT hearing from you. I am in Tasmania where I migrated with my parents in 1952, but was born in Fort William, Scotland.
Looking forward very much to keeping in touch
with lots of love,
myra
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Dear Maggie,
I of course meant ..your Hugh Cowan, and not Colin Cowan.
myra
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Dear Myra and Maggie, I have Cowan family from Ballachullish starting with Daniel Cowan shipbroker B 1-4-1868 and D 22-6-1905 in Dunoon where my mother was born, I know her Grandmother had a uncle called Hugh Cowan who built Kimberly house now a hotel in Oban are we any way connected? Cheers Merideth - Canberra Australia
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Hi Merideth,
Don't know if there is any connection with your Cowan family, but I did get something on the net on the Kimerley Hotel. http://www.oban.org.uk/accommodation/kimberley
It is interesting reading, and the 'Grey Lady' has certainly been a family 'ghost story' in our family, which was handed down by my grandmother (her mother was Elizabeth Aitken, daughter of Mary Cowan and grand-daughter of Hugh Cowan and Elizabeth McDonald), so it is possible there may be some connection. Will keep trying.
with kindest regards,
myra from Tasmania - it's still freezing, but sunny
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Dear Myra, I just had a thought if you do find a connection with my Cowans please post back because I can send you a photo of a watercolour by Annie Cowan B approx 1851 Ardgowan? D 1905 Dunoon and her daughter Annabella Cowans wedding photo Glasgow 1910. Cheers Merideth :)
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Hi all
I am also a descendant of Colin Cowan and Sarah McCallum, via their daughter Agnes who married James McColl in Glasgow in 1817 and then Alexander Young in 1835. Colin and Sarah seem to have married in Fortingall, Perthshire in about 1780-3, but they seemed to be living in Ardchattan, Argyll when their eldest daughter Jane was born about 1782 (Jane married John McLaren in 1807 in Appin).
The Cowans seem to have been in the north part of Ardchattan parish, in or around South Shian/Seabank/Black Crofts, on the south shore of Loch Creran. The McColls were from the opposite shore in Appin parish.
I have some notes that were prepared by James McColl's eldest son Hugh, who identified his mother's parents as being Colin and Sarah. They were described as being "from Perthshire", consistent with their place of marriage, although this might only be Sarah as all other references to Colin are to Argyll. These notes were made soon after Hugh's marriage in 1843, and I think the implication was that both Colin and Sarah were dead by then, although if I find the notes easily I might check this.
There is a Colin Cowan at Seabank in Ardchattan parish in the 1841 census that looks about the right age. If this is the right one, he was not with anyone, so Sarah would have died by then. At this time his daughter Agnes lived in Glasgow and his other daughter Jane McLaren lived at Tynribbie in Appin.
There would appear still to have been some relatives in Ardchattan in 1851, as Hugh McColl's wife vistied family here in that year, and a letter was sent to her at South Shian via Ledaig P.O.
Would be interested in anything else that people have managed to glean about Colin and Sarah.
Peter
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Hi Peter,
Good news to have another connection through Colin Cowan and Sarah McCallum who were the 4 x Great Grandparents of my husband, Iain Ingram. I have the same information regarding Colin living alone at Seabank in the Parish of Ardchattan, and would be grateful for any more information. Also good to have more information on the sisters of Hugh Cowan (3 x Great Grandfather).
I would be interested to know more about the notes written by Hugh McColl.
Regards,
Maggie
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PETER welcome to rootschat.
1841 census: balure barcaldine, ardchattan
Hugh...age 50...ag labourer
Nany...age 11
Hugh...age 8
1851 census: balure barcaldine, ardchattan
Hugh...head...age 65...crofter labourer/16acres...born ardchattan
Elizabeth...wife...age 38...born ardchattan
Elizabeth Aitken...granddaughter...age 9...born ardchattan
1851 census: kilmore manse, kilmore
Hugh...servant...age 18...ag labourer...born ardchattan
head of household
Dugald Campbell...minister of kilmore
1861 census: 1 ashintean, Glenorchy
Hugh...visitor...age 75...ag labourer...born ardchattan
head of household
William McIntyre...age 44...shepherd...born morven
1861 census: crosshill street, campsie
Hugh...head...age 27...(looks like calico printer)...born benderloch
Agnes...wife...age 25
Sarah...dau...age 5
Elizabeth...dau...age 4
John...son...age 8 months
all born campsie unless stated otherwise
happy hunting
Joe
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Hi Peter,
Received your post re the Cowans, and what great information you have. I was interested in seeing that Elizabeth McDonald (Cowan) was not on the 1841 census. Our family story goes that her daughter Mary Cowan went down 'to the borders' to work on a farm but got pregnant to the farmer's son William Aitken. He was then killed in a carting accident (no proof, only hearsay from family) and her mother, Elizabeth Cowan, went down and brought her back to Benderloch with baby Elizabeth Aitken. I wonder if this is where Elizabeth was on census night? On the census it states that Elizabeth Aitken was born in Ardchattan, but other census say she was born in Barony, Lanarkshire, which ties in more with the family story.
I am so pleased to make contact with other members of our family. Elizabeth Aitken married Kenneth McKenzie in 1868, thus starts my family as their daughter Mary McKenzie (Reece) was my grandmother.
My e-mail address is *
with many, many thanks,
myra
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Hi folks - have managed to find the notes made by Hugh McColl (he was the son of James McColl and Agnes Cowan). The notes appear to have been made in the first half of 1843, soon after his marriage. His notes at this time appear to be quite accurate.
He says "My mother a native of Benderloch in the same county [Argyllshire]".
"My mother's father kept the Inn and Ferry at Shian [this would be South Shian] for many years. My Grandmother came from Pertshire and was a McCallum.....My maternal Grandfather is called Colin Cowan or McCowan as it is called in the Highlands".
Hope this is of some interest.
Peter
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Peter,
Many thanks for your notes re the Cowans, and I will put your info into my family tree. I know very little of the Cowans and all information is truly welcome.
with many thanks and good searching,
myra from sunny Tasmania where it is fairly warm
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Hi All I am also a decendant of Agnes Cowan and James McColl.
Then Hugh McColl m Mary McGee
Mary Maude McGee m Edwin Jordan
Ruby Elsie Jordan m John Petty
Leo Petty m Phyllis Walker they had my Mum, Heather.
I would live to have any info you on this line. Especially photos.
Thanks in advance!
Rachel