Thank you for reading! Tl;dr I'm an American researching a family of bourgeois English Jews in early 1800s London and I'm hitting some brick walls. But this is a crowd that loves details, so I'll get into it:
My ultimate goal is to learn more about my 4th-great-grandfather John COHEN (c.1786-1869), who was born in Bristol, is said to have had a sister "Sahara" in London, lived in Jamaica, and then settled in Colombia. I know nothing about his parents, siblings, or any relatives, only his Latin American descendants. A Dominican granddaughter wrote the part about "Sahara," which is probably a corrupted name.
I found an interesting British COHEN family with children born in Bristol, mostly residing in London, with ties to Jamaica. Here's what I know so far:
Catherine COHEN (died 1833 in London) lived on Argyll Street (Soho), and then 122 Sloane Street (Chelsea) in later years. It seems her married name was KNIGHT, but she used her maiden name in her will? Was that a custom? Anyway, she wrote her will in 1827:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D252107She mentioned the following relatives:
- Her late husband (no name).
- Her deceased son (no name).
- Her daughter, Catherine Urania KNIGHT, unmarried.
- Her sister, Elizabeth COHEN, "who I believe sometimes spells her name COWEN,” unmarried.
- Her brother, Maurice COHEN, "who I believe spells his name COWEN.”
- Her brother, Jacob COHEN, "whom I believe also sometimes spells his name COWEN who went many years since to the West Indies."
- Her late sister, Hannah [COHEN].
- Her niece, Hester LEAR [DIAS?], daughter of Hannah, unmarried.
- Her nephew, John DIAS "of Kingston Jamaica."
She mentions some lavish and fascinating items on the first page: "I give unto my daughter my diamond locket with hair, my amethyst ring set with diamonds which the Emperor of Russia gave to my dear deceased son, my laces, my two Indian shawls, red and black, my enamelled watch set with pearls and all its appendages, my late dear son’s portrait in oil and his miniature. I give and bequeath unto my sister Elizabeth Cohen who I believe sometimes spells her name “Cowen” ... my gold watch chain and seals. I give and bequeath to my brother Maurice Cohen who I believe spells his name “Cowen” ... the portrait in oil of my father." Also, the executors of the will were "Lord Burghersh" and "John Osborne, Baronet."
This sounds like an assimilated British Jewish family, presumably converts to Christianity, who rose to gentry status during the rise of the Montefiores, Rothschilds, Mendelssohns, Disraelis, etc.
But I can't find many sources on this COHEN family. The 1829 edition of Boyle’s Court and Country Guide (on Google Books) lists "Mrs. KNIGHT, 122 Sloane-street," I assume that's Catherine COHEN?
St. George's, Hanover Square (Westminster), which is near Argyll Street, has several potential records on this family:
- Morrice COWEN, son of John & Elizabeth COWEN, born July 16, 1791, baptized October 15, 1807.
- Benjamin DIAS married Hannah COHEN on October 27, 1801.
- Jacob Thomas DIAS, son of Benjamin and Hannah DIAS, baptized in 1803.
Jacob Thomas DIAS seems to match John Thomas DIAS, a dentist in Kingston, Jamaica. It seems his father's last name was DIAS FERNANDES, and there's a lot of references on this family:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146663679Morrice COWEN (1791-1869) seems to be a British Navy Commander of the same name:
https://rb.gy/y30hjeMorrice and Elizabeth COWEN (c.1783-1870) were unmarried and lived together in Watford in the 1851 census and Richmond Green in the 1861 census. They said they were born in Bristol. They were both buried in All Souls, Kensal Green Cemetery, but I have not found their gravestones, if they still exist.
And that's it. No idea who was Catherine's father painted in oils, her posh husband, or her son who met the Tsar of Russia (Alexander I?), and no birth/marriage/death records beyond what I listed.
I would happily take any recommendations on sources to try next. If you find any further information, I would be very grateful! And P.S., my ancestor John COHEN (aka Juan Bautista COHEN) lived a pretty adventurous life, you can read my write-up here:
https://ruedafingerhut.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-cohen-and-herrera-leiva-families.htmlTake care,
~ Edward A. Rueda
