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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Sturdy on Saturday 20 October 07 23:48 BST (UK)

Title: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: Sturdy on Saturday 20 October 07 23:48 BST (UK)
Seeking assistance to try and identify the arrival of John Bibby COWAN, his wife Priscilla Jane
COWAN (nee BARBER) and their children George John, Hannah, Louisa Maria, and possibly a William and Charles COWAN in Sth Aust around 1855.

In 1872 John Bibby COWAN died in Victoria at a recorded age of 60, although he may have been a few years old. On the death certificate it had John as having lived in Victoria for 12 years and in Sth Australia 5 years prior to that. This would give him an arrival date of 1855.

John was recorded as being a sailor and had married Priscilla in London. Their last recorded child born in the UK (That I can find) was Charles Henry COWAN - christened on the 18th June, 1854. On John's death certificate William and Charles are recorded as deceased. This may have happened on the voyage, given Charles young age?

In 1855 John would have been around 45, Priscilla 31, Charles 1, Louisa 5 George John 8, Hannah around 9 and William unknown.

Any assistance in identifying when / ship they arrived in Sth Aust on and possible deaths of Charles and William in Sth Australia would be greatly appreciated.

Regards Sturdy
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: cando on Sunday 21 October 07 00:42 BST (UK)
Hi Sturdy

From the Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885

COWAN John born c1811 Middlesex, England.  Arrived South Australia 1856 on the AMAZON   His occupation - labourer.  Religion Church of England.
Married: Priscilla born c1814
Their children - Hannah [c1844-], George [c1847-], Louisa [c1849-]

No William or Charles listed in the SA death index. 

If this is your Priscilla's death - it may be worth purchasing an image/cert.

Death in Victoria

COWAN  Priscilla   Father Henry BARBER  Age 56 Place of Birth London  1870  Reg No 7573

Cheers
Cando

Edit - to correct info
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: tropicalj on Sunday 21 October 07 00:56 BST (UK)
Hello there Sturdy

Do  you  need  any  information  on  the children  other than  the deaths  for Charles and William?

kind regards Jenn
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: sparrett on Sunday 21 October 07 01:08 BST (UK)
Hi all,
with great caution as always I refer you to

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi

Put in Cowan death place Australia.

It may add to or, on the other hand interfere with, your findings on this board.


Suggests a death place for John BIBBY Cowan, but nothing for the other 2

Sue
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: cando on Sunday 21 October 07 01:10 BST (UK)
Hi again

The shipping record is listed on

http://www.saghs.org.au/shipping.htm

Sequence  56/7     
Vessel  Amazon (barque) 
Arrival                8 Apr 1856     
Arrival Port         Pt Adelaide     
Departure Port   Plymouth

There is a facility for requesting research on the website.

Cheers
cando
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: cando on Sunday 21 October 07 01:12 BST (UK)
Hi Sue

The entry on the linked site has the correct wife and year off birth - well according to the info on BISA - and he states his occupation as mariner.  Looks like the same family.

Cheers
Cando  :)
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: tropicalj on Sunday 21 October 07 01:15 BST (UK)
Hello there

Hi Sue  and Cando  the same  lady  has supplied  the same  info  on  the First Families  Site  as  the World Connect Site
http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/10421/20041220-0000/www.firstfamilies2001.net.au/search.html


Regards jenn
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: cando on Sunday 21 October 07 01:18 BST (UK)
Hi  :)

Doesn't need us here  ;D ;D ;D

Cheers
Cando
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: sparrett on Sunday 21 October 07 01:31 BST (UK)
"Robyn" on WC mentions another child Albany which Sturdy does not.
John's last occ. is listed as Chandler [presumambly ships' chandler] and he seems later to have become a commission agent in Aust.

Oh, well, Over to Sturdy!
Sue
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: sparrett on Sunday 21 October 07 01:54 BST (UK)
There is this on FREEbmd uk
Death , March 1/4, 1855, Charles Henry COWAN London vol 1c pg 74
AND
Death,1852, Albany Charles COWAN London City vol1c  pg.55

Sue
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: cando on Sunday 21 October 07 02:14 BST (UK)
Hi

Good finds Sue -

It looks as though his occupations pre emigration were mariner [1839]and  ships' chandler and in Aus - labourer and commision agent.  It may be possible that Wm  listed his occupation as a labourer to qualify for emigration  to South Australian under the various Schemes eg Wakefield etc.

Cheers
cando

Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: sparrett on Sunday 21 October 07 03:18 BST (UK)
Would like to add that there seems to be a doubt about a child named WILLIAM.

There is not a record that i can see of his birth [IGI, freebmd,] or death.
However, the one named ALBANY fits the time scale and has records.
As his wife predeceased JOHN BIBBY, and we do not have details of her death certificate regarding children to clarify things, I am thinking the informant for JOHN BILBY was not sure of the child's name who died before the voyage to Australia and said Will. instead of ALBANY.
Perhaps this informant was one of the other younger offspring.

Thoughts anyway.

There is a birth on IGI for Albany 7/2/1852 and his Christening.
The other children shown to the couple are as you have Louisa, Charles, George.  Do not see Hannah.
Sue
Title: Rle: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: Sturdy on Sunday 21 October 07 04:51 BST (UK)
I can't thank you all enough for the information you have provided, it has been tremendous. I walked away from the computer thinking I would be lucky to get a response. Curiosity got the better of me and I checked my emails and to my surprise within that short space of time you have all advanced (if that is the word) my research by years and filled in many blanks. My apologies for not hanging around whilst you were posting the replies. :o

Sue you are probably right about William as he is only mentioned on the death certificate and no where else, and certainly no mention of Albany on it. In regards to Hannah she features on the death certificate as being aged 26 (Oldest child). I found a marriage for a Hannah Priscilla COWAN in Vic to a William CLIFF in 1863. When the money permits I will take you advice and get the certificate for Priscilla death, which will hopefully clarify who all the children were?

Jean, if by some chance you have additional information on the children that would be great. My g/g/g/grandmother was Louisa Maria COWAN (Later STOREY & COGGIN). I know a bit about her subsequent marriages and death but little of her time prior to coming to Vic. I have been unable to locate the family on the census records for some reason (Probably operator error - me).

Thank you all for making my day. Kind regards - Sturdy

Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: tropicalj on Sunday 21 October 07 08:33 BST (UK)
Hello  there Sturdy

1851 census
Folio59 Page33

living at 135 Earl Street, St Ann BlackFriars Middlesex  England

John Cowan 39 Head Carman born Sutton, Warwickshire, England
Priscilla  36 wife                           "   London
Hannah   6 Dau                           "   """"""
George    3 son                           "    """"""
Louisa     1 dau                            "   """"""""



now from  the Family Search  site

JOHN BILBY COWAN
Birth:  25 AUG 1811   
 
 Christening:  11 SEP 1811   Sutton Coldfield, Warwick, England
 
  Father:  WILLIAM COWAN  Family
  Mother:  HANNAH     
 



regards Jenn
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: cando on Sunday 21 October 07 09:15 BST (UK)
Hi all

So now we add Carman to Wm's list of occupations. ;D 

Cando
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: sparrett on Sunday 21 October 07 09:19 BST (UK)
Hi Jenn and All,
That was nice to find the census  and IGI for Sturdy.

I saw that Worldconnect  listed Hannah's 11 children as well as husband [whom you have found too, Sturdy]

Thought I would look for ww1 enlistment for any of her sons and just found one for Felix [who does not give his second given name!]

In the file you can see his adress  wife's name and how he got crook and didn't see much service.
http://www.naa.gov.au >guest>enter Felix Cowan in seach.

Sue
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: sparrett on Sunday 21 October 07 09:21 BST (UK)
Hi Cando, Maybe John was carting his chandle goods to the ports to load on the ships ;)

Sue
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: tropicalj on Sunday 21 October 07 10:17 BST (UK)
Hello  there,

I  quess  a  job  was a  job  he  liked  variety  in  his  work   ;D

I  haven't  been  able  to  find  him  on  the 1841 census though  will keep  looking

kind regards Jenn
Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: twinkleberry on Sunday 21 October 07 11:05 BST (UK)
Hello

I'm in Adelaide South Australia and for 14-15 years I have been offering free research to people all over the world who had families/ancestors who came to Australia.

I saw the request on the Rootschat site re the Cowan family and I did some hunting around for information.

The follwing is what I did manage to find:-

JOHN COWAN

Born c1811 in Middlesex England and arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the 'STANDARD'.

John's Occupation is recorded as a Labourer and his religion was recorded Church of England.

GEORGE COWAN

George Cowan married 14th November 1879 in Adelaide South Australia to Sarah Pool

JOHN BIBBY COWAN

Born 24th August 1811 in Sutton, Coldfield Warwickshire  England

MARRIAGE

John Bibby Cowan married  22nd October 1839 in Holborn England to Priscilla Jane Barber, daughter of Henry Barber and Priscilla?

PRISCILLA JANE BARBER

Married John Bibby Cowan and came to South Australia 8th April 1856 aboard the "Amazon"

JOHN BIBBY COWAN

Was a Comission Agent in 1863, and he witnessed the marriage of William Cliff and Hannah Priscilla Cowan on 28th January at Church of St. Mary Church,  Hotham Victoria Australia

CHILDREN BORN TO JOHN BIBBY COUSIN & PRISCILLA JANE BARBER

1. Charles died 1854-1872

Hannah Priscilla born 28th September 1844 and died 12th November 1914

3. George John born 2nd January 1848

4. Louisa Maria born 29th March 1850

5. Albany Charles born 29th February 1862 and died 1852-1872

HENRY BARBER

Born pre 1808 and married Priscilla???

CHILDREN BORN TO HENRY BARBER & PRISCILLA JANE BARBER

1. Henry born 26th June 1808

2. James born 10th Septemeber 1810

3. Richard born 19th August 1812

4. Priscilla Jane born 1814 - died 25th July 1870

5. Thomas born 12th August 1816

6. Maria born 26th July 1818

DEATH CERTIFICATE

John Bibby Cowan died 11th April 1872 in Office of the Government Statist of Victoria

John Bibby resided in 1872 in Sansdowne Place, Melbourne Victoria

John Bibby died 11th April 1872 in Sansdowne Place, Melbourne victoria at the age of 60 years.

CAUSE OF DEATH

Fatty Degeneration of the heart

He was buried 12th April 1872 in the General Cemetery Melbourne Victoria.

MARRIAGE

John Bibby married Priscilla Jane Barker 22nd October 1839 at Holborn Middlesex England and Martha Maddox was a witness to the marriage.

The above is all the information I have found.


Regards

Heather
in a hot evening
in Adelaide









Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: Sturdy on Monday 22 October 07 01:28 BST (UK)
Again, thank you to all of you for the wealth of information you have supplied me in such a short time.  :)

Thank you Heather for taking the time to delve into the origins of the COWAN family in the UK. It has been very much appreciated and a huge learing curve for me, whicg is good as I am just starting out on my family history. Are you able to give me some idea of the sources you utilised to obtain the information you received. I would hate to think I am missing a lot of basic sites I could check in instead of troubling you all for items I should be able to locate myself? Unfortunately most of my searching has to be done over the internet as I don't have ready access to the various family research centres.

All the best
regards Sturdy

Title: Re: Lookup Request for COWAN family arriving in Sth Aust 1855?
Post by: Marg J on Saturday 10 November 18 06:50 GMT (UK)
Hi everyone.

Hopefully this thread can be re-visited? I am a descendant of George John Cowan - John Bibby's son. I have found a bit more out on John and Priscilla if you are interested? Gone back a couple of generations. Still digging.....slowly. I do have some personal notes that George John wrote down. I have them scanned. They give info on Albany etc. Happy to share.  :)

Cheers
Marg