Cotter of Youghal

[SarahCarroll]

Hi
My research has led me to the name James Cotter from around the Youghal, Cork area of Ireland but also London which is why I am posting in the Common Room. I know that there are other members here researching this name so maybe they will see this. My 3rd great grandmother was Mary Cotter born about 1827 in Youghal, Cork. She married Michael Murray in July 1850 in St Giles in the Fields, London and went on to have children in London, Youghal and Liverpool. I'm trying to find out more about the Cotter line. On her marriage certificate it says her father was a James Cotter who was a horse dealer. Witnesses were a Mary Cotter and an Isabella Cotter. At first I thought this may be a mother and sister but now I don't think it is. The marriage certificate puts her residence as 16 Dean Street, Fetter Lane. I did a search on this forum and found out that at the time this was the residence of an Edward Cotter, tailor, his wife Isabella and children one of which was a Mary so now I think the witnesses to her marriage were probably her aunt and cousin and that Edward was her uncle. Do you think this would make sense? So now I'm trying to make sense of James and Edward and when/why they left Youghal. I have a substantial tree on Ancestry but a lot of it is guesswork that I'm trying to substantiate and not actual evidence. Thanks

[SarahCarroll]

Edwards father was an Edmond Cotter of Youghal. I have found several Cotters in Killeagh burial grounds. There are a Thomas and Ellen, parents of Edmond and there is a Julian, wife of Edmond who apparently died in 1803 aged 21. Wonder whether this is why Edward and possibly James ended up in London, but what happened to Edmond? So many questions.

[rosneath]

Hi Sarah,

I've found your original post now. 

Edward Cotter and Isabella Wilkie who lived at 16 Dean Street, Fetter Lane are my 3 x great grandparents.  I descend from their son John.  Edward found out that his baptismal name was Edmond when he wrote to Youghal for his baptismal certificate - I think he wrote about 1850.

Our family history tells us that Edward/Edmond was taken away from Youghal in 1798 because his father fatally took part in the Uprising and there was fear that the baby (he was born 1797) could be murdered in reprisal.  Edward was brought up by guardians in London who apprenticed him as a tailor and then apparently "washed their hands of him".  Quote from John Cotter's son Edmond.  I have tried to find this baptismal record in Youghal but the RC church was rebuilt and the early parish records lost.  I haven't found the London apprenticeship records either.  Youghal family researchers also tell me they have no record of a man called Cotter dying in the 1798 rebellion.  So ... were the records wiped for some reason?

Edward and Isabella named their youngest son James so that could have been after a brother of Edward's but we also have a family story of 'bad uncle Richard' - no idea whose uncle he might have been but he is always a mystery we'd like to solve.  The name Collins also pops up as a relation which we can't make work.

I hope this helps you a bit.

Kind regards
Isabel

[cottergriffin]

ive just found this post on the net after trawling through finding info on my cotters ...james cotter is my x3 great grandfather and also his grandson james is my great grandfather ,were the london lot infact we all came from yougal to bristol then onto bethnal green ,so we have family in all 3 places ,other brothers resided in london and bristol and there desendants are quite spread out ,ive also found cotters from this line in oz and new york,the american chap dna does not match but his cousin in oz looks like us lot alot ,infact most people on ancestry with cotters do not actually match with our line of cotters atall even down to 3cm on gedmatch ...all my 2nd cousins are cotters ,my nan was a cotter ...so dna wise we should see a match with distant relatives ala even if its small amounts ,anyway i do go on ,if your both still active ,id love to hear from you ...