Cowan Family at Hill Head Farm near Buckna

[nursesmm]

This my first post, hope its not too wordy.  Appreciate any info on this family.  My gr gr gr grandfather John Cowan 1782-1870 married Jane "Jennie" Martin c1790-1881.  Both are buried in Buckna Presbytarian Church Old Graveyard.  They had 7 children, all born at Hill Head Farm.  Sons all went to Canada, only one returned to Ireland, both daughters lived and died in Antrim.  John's father Archibald Cowan born Scotland (probably).  I have two family stories, my Cowans may have come to Ireland in 1600's when Queen Elizabeth was giving away land or Archibald may have settled in Carnlough after fighting with Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746, (Maybe both are true).  He married a woman with surname of Holmes, first name unknown.  They had 7 children per small family tree found in family bible.  Three with unknown names or sex, then John, Rachel, Agnes and Robert.  Was Hill Head Farm a family holding or was it a community/area?  I noticed there is a Hill Head road in the area.  Would love to find the unknown childrens' names, also their mother's given name.  But all info will be appreciated.   

[scotmum]

The Cowan family seem to have lived in the townland of Ballinacaird. When the Buckna minister visited the townland on 27th and 28th January 1850, he recorded a John Cowan + wife and 4 children.

The surname Moorehead/Muirhead seems to have been linked with Hill Head Farm, Ballinacaird in the 1800s according to this birth and others: http://gen.plagge.org/individual.php?pid=I22926&ged=plagge.ged.

It has been about a year since they have been active on Rootschat, but this member seems to have links with the Cowan line in Ballinacaird too:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=192858.0

you could add a message to their post in the hope they respond.

By time of the Griffiths Valuation, a William Cowan and an Adam Cowan are found in Racavan townland:

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/antrim/racavan.htm

[scotmum]

A William Cowan was an Elder in the Buckna congregation in 1845.

In the minister's visitation in February 1852, beside the entry for John Cowan etc, he notes: 'old deaf man' and also 'one son for teacher'. In some of his following visitations, he records John Cowan + wife and daughter.

Some 1862 onwards communion lists record Cowans in Ballinacaird and Racavan townlands.

A William Cowan was a teacher at Rocavan School from 1862 to 1871 and possibly same William at Lower Buckna school in 1874.

Communion Rolls from 1880 to 1883 record a Wm Cowan of Ballinacaird as being a Teacher.


Note that Ballinacaird is also recorded under Ballynacaird in some records.

[scotmum]

In 1828, a John Cowan is listed with a Racavan address on an Irish Wills Index.

In 1809 a David Cowan was one of those who signed the call from Buckna Church to the Rev Dill.

[scotmum]

I see that  John's headstone was erected by his granddaughter 'Margaret Holmes McFetrigh', perhaps her great grandmother's first name was also Margaret.

Have you checked the headstone details of Cowans in Racavan Burying Ground? I can see mention of a John d1828 and a David d1848 plus others, one being a Martha Jane Robinson, wife of William Cowan of Hillhead.

[nursesmm]

William was son of John and Jane, Martha Jane Robinson died young (maybe in childbirth), I don't think William remarried.  At end of his life he was living with his sister Margaret and stated in his will, she was to use money to erect their parent's gravestones.  Margaret had a Daughter named Margaret Holmes McFertridge (married last name and assume Holmes was middle name--used many times as middle name down to my great uncle Lynn Holmes Cowan and my gr gr grandfather William Holmes Cowan).  Back on track Margaret was used in most generations.  But in all writings I have found, she is listed with no first name, only as Holmes married to Archibald Cowan.

[nursesmm]

Whoops, that's my gr grandfather William Holmes Cowan.  The bible was his father's.  In it he put what I believe was his father's address:
                                               Mr John Cowan
                                               Hillhead near Buckna
                                               Townland of Ballynacaird
                                               Parish of Skerry & Racavan
                                               Broughshane P. Office
                                               County of Antrim, Ireland

In another writing, he writes:  One mile from Slemish Mountain, 1400 and 26 feet higher than the sea, five miles distant.  Name of farm HILLHEAD.  Near Buckna Village, three miles from Broughshane P.O. and six miles from Ballymena. and 20 miles from Belfast Townland of Ballynacaird Parish of Skerry and Racavan, Valley of the Braid, County of Antrim, Ireland.

[nursesmm]

William Cowan 1834-1903 immigrated to Canada 1856, was a teacher there and returned before 1871 when he married Martha Jane Robinson.  Do not know if he taught in Ireland.  On ship manifest he is listed as a laborer.

This is what I know:

Archibald Cowan b Scotland- d Ireland m ?? Holmes
their children
1 unknown
2 unknown
3 unknown
4 John Cowan 1782 Antrim-10 Jun 1870 Ballymena m Jane "Jennie" Martin
their children
*1 Archibald Cowan 1817 Hillhead Farm-5 Feb 1869 Toronto, ON, Canada
*2 Thomas Cowan 1820 Hillhead Farm-24 Dec 1847 Hamilton, ON, Canada
*3 Robert Cowan 1822 Hillhead Farm-30 Jan 1877 Hamilton, ON, Canada
*4 Margaret Ann Cowan 1824 Hillhead Farm-15 Oct 1913 Antrim m unknown
her child
Margaret Holmes unk b 1863 No Ireland
*5 John Cowan 6 May 1827 Hillhead Farm-23 May 1905 Eagle Grove, Wright, Iowa m MaryAnn Baskerville
their children:
1 John Cowan 13 Apr 1853 Huron, ON, Canada-15 Sep 1930 Douglas, Converse, Wyoming m Mary Elizabeth Constable
2 Thomas Baskerville Cowan 17 Sep 1855 Huron, ON, Canada-15 Apr 1922 Goldfield, Wright, Iowa m Louisa Wheatley
3 Margaret Ann Cowan 7 Jul 1858 Goderich, Huron, ON, Canada-aft 1940 Eagle Grove, Wright, Iowa m Levi S Warner
4 William Holmes Cowan 12 Apr 1860 Goderich, Huron, ON, Canada-22 Mar 1917 Eagle Grove, Wright, Iowa m Emma C Clemons (My great grandparents)
5 Benjamin Cowan 29 Oct 1861 Huron, ON, Canada-Aft 1925 Iowa m May E Darling
6 Mary Jane Cowan 17 Aug 1863 Huron, ON, Canada-5 Jul 1932 Los Angeles, California m Thomas Hugh Means

*6 Mary Jane Cowan 1831 Hillhead Farm-Dec 1905 Ballymena m Samuel Angus
their surviving child
1John Cowan Angus 1857-1917
*7William Cowan 1834 Hillhead Farm-9 Dec 1903 Larne m Martha Jane Robinson no children

I have several generations of children/grandchildren for most, but especially for John and MaryAnn children, who are my direct line.

[nursesmm]

Forgot the rest of Archibald's children:

5 Rachel Cowan b Antrim
6 Agnes Cowan b Antrim
7 Robert Cowan b Antrim