Author Topic: Henry Cogill About 1758 -1847  (Read 3000 times)

Offline birdboot

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Henry Cogill About 1758 -1847
« on: Tuesday 04 July 17 16:46 BST (UK) »
I am researching the family of this man, who was a gunner in the Royal Navy.  In 1801 he married Anne Nicholson in Woolwich.  The only clue to his scottish ancestry is the 1841 English census that says he was born in Scotland, and I am assuming he probably came from Caithness although I have no proof.  The assumed year of birth comes from his age at death.

Henry seems to be a relatively unusual christian name and I have not found any births on Scotland's People - although there are a few children born to Henry/Harry/Hary Cogill in Wick around the 1750s.

I have also found a marriage of Henry Cogill, sailor, and Margaret Guthrie at Canongate, Edinburgh, in 1799.  As mentioned, it is an unusual first name, so could this be the same man who also married in 1801 in Woolwich?

Can anyone help with more information about the Cogill family around 1750-1770?


Offline arwa

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Re: Henry Cogill About 1758 -1847
« Reply #1 on: Monday 18 December 17 14:14 GMT (UK) »
William Cogill on his marriage to Elizabeth Fulcher,states,that he is indeed from Woolwich.  I have a copy of the marriage certificate

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Re: Henry Cogill About 1758 -1847
« Reply #2 on: Monday 18 December 17 15:18 GMT (UK) »
Thanks for that.  Some records in South Africa say that William was born in Caithness, Scotland, but I have his birth record in Woolwich in 1806, son of Henry Cogill and Ann Nicholson.  I suspect that the references in SA to him being born in Caithness are a case of confusion with his father Henry. 

The 1841 census says that Henry was born in Scotland, but it does not say where.  I have not found any record of him being born in Caithness, however most Cogills in 1700s seem to originate from that area.  There is also the curious case of the Henry Cogill, a sailor, that married in Edinburgh in 1799.  There are very few Henrys in Scottish records at that time.

Offline Skoosh

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Re: Henry Cogill About 1758 -1847
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 19 December 17 13:01 GMT (UK) »
Try the Wick Heritage Centre, local pronounciation Cowgil, Nicholson might be from Shetland or Skye.

wickheritage.org/

Skoosh.


Offline birdboot

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Re: Henry Cogill About 1758 -1847
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 19 December 17 15:23 GMT (UK) »
Thanks you, I will give them a try.  I did contact Caithness family history group a couple of years ago but they were unable to find anything.  Although I can't find a baptism of Henry around the right date (1750-1760), I have seen the name Henry/Harry/Hary in marriages between 1710 and 1750 at Wick and Olrig in particular, so perhaps Henry was the son of one of these marriages but the baptism record is missing.

One of the S African sources for William mentions his birth in Olrig.  That is definitely wrong, as I have conclusive evidence of his birth in Woolwich, but possibly it is a clue to where his father came from?

Henry's first born was called Henry James (James being the name of his wife's father), the second was William, third was Ann (his wife's name) and fourth was Elizabeth.  I wonder if there are any clues in the naming pattern?

Offline BarGill

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Re: Henry Cogill About 1758 -1847
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 16 April 20 12:56 BST (UK) »
Are you still researching this family? I am researching William Cogill of Simonstown South Africa. I am caught between conflicting sources. His South African Death Notice of 1887 (filled out by his son) states William Cogill born 1806 in Caithness, son of William, Your post gives born 1806 in Woolwich. Others give born 1901 in Olrig, married to Isabella Swanson (I doubt this one). Have you any clues? How do we know the William on your birth certificate is the Simonstown William? Interestingly, the Simonstown William has children named Henry, James, Ann and Elizabeth. And a sailor father would explain his presence in Simonstown. Also the Olrig William was baptised Coghill and the Simonstown William was a highly literate businessman and certainly used Cogill. So the evidence weighs towards Woolwich! Any help much appreciated.

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Re: Henry Cogill About 1758 -1847
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 15 May 22 21:08 BST (UK) »
Hello
Regarding your message above, I was not notified and so I have just found it.

The death notice is wrong.  I believe the informant mixed up William with his father, Henry, who was born in Caithness. I have a lot of corroorating evidence that William was born at Woolwich.   I have quite a lot of information about the Cogills in South Africa and would be pleased to share with you.

Please send me a PM.

Regards
jim

Offline birdboot

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Re: Henry Cogill About 1758 -1847
« Reply #7 on: Monday 16 May 22 09:09 BST (UK) »
Just to elaborate on my reply, as I can't contact you by PM:
HenryCogill was a gunner in the Royal Navy.  He married Ann Nicholson at Woolwich in 1801.  They had 4 children that I know about:  Henry j
James 1804, William 1806, Ann (date unknown), Elizabeth 1814.

William's history can be traced.  He was admitted to the Royal Naval School at Greenwich in 1816.  Papers give names of parents.  They said that the father could no longer afford to maintain the child.  The petition for entry to the school stated that the Boy could remain at the school "as long as the Commissioners think fit and when of proper age he should be disposed of at their discretion as Apprentice to the Sea in the Merchant Service or placed as a sailor in his Majesty's Navy." 
William was a Purser's Steward on HMS Undaunted (a job for an educated man).  He married sarah Billing at Stoke Damerel in 1830, just before the ship left for the 'Colonies'.

The ship as at the Cape from 1831 to 1833. He made an allotment (deduction from pay) to Sarah until 1832, then stopped. I don't know what happened to Sarah. He left the ship in June 1833 and married Elizabeth Fulcher in August 1833. I imagine that becoming an hotel owner would be a natural profession for a man who had been a Purser's Steward on ship.

Regarding his father, Henry, the 1841 census says born in Scotland.  As the vast majority of Cogills seem to come from Caithness area, I think the informant at William's death got mixed between William and his father.

I hope this helps confirm William's birth and ancestry.
Jim

Offline manukarik

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Re: Henry Cogill About 1758 -1847
« Reply #8 on: Monday 16 May 22 09:19 BST (UK) »
Will have a look when I get home. Have you searched with the spelling COGHILL?
Clarkson, Tolladay, Prevost, Killick, Hicks