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Independent Islands => Isle of Man => Topic started by: Possum99 on Thursday 21 April 11 23:25 BST (UK)
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Hello from Downunder
I descend from Patrick Cowin (1755-1827) of Ballcannell, Lonan and Alice Clague and am part of the Australian branch of this large family. I am happy to share the copious Oz info that I have.
Current Problem: A Cowin family (see Subject for the early ones, they married 1825 at Braddan) moved to Mauritius and then split - one branch to South Africa, the other to South Australia. Research suggests this branch is also descended from Patrick Cowin but I cannot establish how. My Cowins/Clagues seem to have been strong around Braddan, Douglas and Lonan.
I am sure that if I knew the parents of both John and Margaret, it might solve the problem. Can any kind person out there help?
Cheers, Ross of Canberra
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borrow the film of Braddan parish marriages - if she was under 21 then the marriage should have been with consent - the witnesses + any additional notes might help
eta - a john cowin/cowen + margt clague had several ch in douglas - look very much as tho family in Wellington buildings (a slum area) in 1841 census with John a Mariner - and would still appear to be in douglas in 1851(at 4 great nelson st - john still a mariner + son norris a baker
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Thanks Frances
I will get film - may take some time. When I DO get this family sorted I will post with the results.
Cheers, Ross
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Hi Ross,
Since we were last in touch I've not found anything new. I've just joined Rootschat. When last researching, I seemed to find proof that your Philip was from Patrick's family, but was still stuck with the Mauritius branch. I think the only way to solve who these Cowins were, would be to consult the numerous wills in existence. I once noticed a message you posted on a forum, where you said you paid a visit to the IOM - did you look at any wills while you were there?
Regards,
Stephen
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Hello again Stephen
Yes, thanks to you, I am of the opinion that Philip came from that large Patrick Cowin mob. I think this John Cowin is also and am continuing research to get to the bottom of it all.
Isle of Man 2006 - my time there was so short and so enjoyable - not much real research done, I am afraid. At that time, I was not across the John Cowin problem so it would not have helped.
I plan to get the film covering the marriage of this couple and that may help. I will also look for the will of John or Margaret but anm not sure how to go about that. It might be on-line with any luck.
I will get in touch if I have any success.
Cheers, Ross
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Hi Ross,
The Lawsons section of the IOMFHS site has a wills section, with a entire page devoted to Cowin. Very few have been transcribed and uploaded, and those that have are no use in proving who Philip was, or the Mauritius family. There is one for Patrick (1827, Braddan), Alice (1832, Lonan). My distant cousin in Australia was once a member of the FHS, and she sent me some correspondence from a member/researcher, but wills were never mentioned. She was sent a transcript (typed) of a will of Joseph (died 1888), but he turned out to be from another family. I had a look at the site, and it seems nothing new has been added since May of last year.
Best wishes,
Stephen
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Thanks Stephen - probably not much hope with wills then.
With regard to Margaret Clague, little of certainty could be found. She may have been the one baptized on 6 January 1808 at Ballaugh to a Norris Clague as the census of 1861 has her born at Ballaugh - but the census of 1881 has her as being born at Douglas. The name Norris has been much used in the Clague family and is thought to derive from a Rev William Norris, born 1627 at Marown, whose daughter Margaret married a James Clague. Could it be that Margaret descended from John Clague, a navigator of Douglas, who was taken prisoner by Algerine pirates and kept as a slave? He worked at a slave factory on the coast of Guinea (South America) and eventually returned home as captain of a Guineaman, a slave trading ship.
A kind researcher of the Isle of Man by the name of Jean provided what is the likely confirmation of the origins of our Margaret Clague. A Norris Clague married an Ealy (Alice/ Ely/ Ellais?) Kewley at Ballaugh (north-west of Lonan) on 17 January 1807. They had ten children, the early ones at Ballaugh and, from 1814, at Douglas.
Children of Norris Clague and Ealy Kewley
Name Born/Bapt
Margaret 6.1.1808 Ballaugh ?married John Cowin?
William 31.12.1809 Ballaugh
Easter (Esther?) 10.4.1814 Douglas
Norris 8.3.1816 Douglas
John 24.3.1818 Douglas
Thomas 2.1.1820 Douglas
Antony Kewley 20.1.1822 Douglas
Alice 8.12.1824 Douglas
Henry Edward 11.3.1827 Douglas
Elizabeth 20.7.1828 Douglas
Cheers, Ross
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Hi Ross,
I found out most of that about the Clagues the other month, apart from the slave.
One lead I found is that two William Cowins were living at 4 Great Nelson Street the census after John (in 1861). One Cowin was a gardener and fruiterer, aged 50, and born Douglas; while the other William was a stone mason, aged 63. One was probably a brother (the elder of the two), the other a cousin.
Cheers,
Stephen
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...He worked at a slave factory on the coast of Guinea (South America)
Guinea Coast is actually on the coast of WEST AFRICA - eg check via wikipedia etc
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I checked my notes, and recalled that I found a William Cowin to match the one at 4 Great Nelson Street: born 1799, parents Edward Cowin (probably the one born 1766) and Jane Taggart. This couple had a son John in 1802, who was the same age as the one that married Clague.
Wills mentioning this Edward are on the Manx Notebook site, but the coverage stops too early. It would have been more useful if they had covered wills from about 1741 to 1841, instead of 1700-1800, then we would not be left with 40-50 year gaps to fill before the 1841 Census.
Cheers,
Stephen
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It would have been more useful if they had covered wills from about 1741 to 1841, instead of 1700-1800, then we would not be left with 40-50 year gaps to fill before the 1841 Census.
no doubt - however you can borrow the films from your local Mormon fam hist centre (for a fee) and do the transcription for any you need though, no doubt the Fam history soc would be grateful for any input - I (and I'm afraid I'm solely responsible for MNB) must apologise for being a little slow in that so far I've only summarised about 15,000 - however you will find that due to changes in the law of inheritance early in 19th C that the wills tend only to be useful to those leaving property.
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Hi Stephen and Frances
Thanks to you both for your help. I hope to get to FHC on Tuesday so will report back then.
Frances, to me at the end of the known world, the work that you and many others undertake is a magnificent gesture - keep up the good work!
Cheers, Ross
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I am John Cowin and trace myself back to the son John of John Cowin and Margaret Clague that lived in Great Nelson Street Douglas IoM was a ships captain and settled in Mauritius and established a lighterage company there.Part of family remained in Mauritius, children sent back to UK for /or to complete education in 1880's.I have family bibles with births and deaths etc and accurate family history down to present apart from John C's brother William who went to Australia. I have not been able to go any further back than 1825 ish for John Cowin or Margaret Clague. Gt Nelson St no longer exists and is covered by a large bank part of Douglas financial area. Happy to share data and explore any Australian connection and early history of John Cowin and Margaret Clague
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Hi John
Good to hear from you. I still have no lead on who the parents of John (b1802) might be.
I have quite a bit of material on this family, a fair amount dealing with Mauritius, South Africa and South Australia. You may well be interested. If so, send me an email (artemisia@xxx.com.au - substitute grapevine for xxx) and I will return my file (.doc).
Cheers, Ross
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Hello Ross,
I have no idea if this information is significant for you, but as I am researching a Norris Clague Cowin (of Mitcham) who died during WW1, it may be.
Norris was born 1893 (http://www.ancientfaces.com/person/norris-clague-cowin/163859659), and the local school have included a Memorial Plaque in their Avenue. I can send you an email with a photo if it helps.
Rick Irving