Person:William Cowden (1)

From:Source:Cowden, 1915 (Does not appear to be well documented to original source material). While it is probably accurate enough, there is probably an opportunity here to update and improve this information with more reliably sourced materials.

William Cowden..., born in Ireland; died in America, in 1745. Nothing more is known of him than is stated above, except that he came to America in about 1730. His first wife, born and married in Ireland, died there also, leaving him four small daughters whose names appear below. He then married a second wife, also in Ireland, who bore him one son and two additional daughters, probably also in Ireland. The son, Robert, is believed to have been five years old at the time of the migration. The younger two daughters could have been born in Ireland or may have been born in America. He probably landed at New Castle, Delaware, as did many others coining from the same land at about the same time. He settled at once on Fagg's Manor in Chester County, Pennsylvania, where lie spent all the balance of his days. He was probably a tiller of the soil. It is not probable that he owned anything more than his humble home, with its necessary stock and implements. There seems to have been no will made, or, if there was, all his land, at least, was left to his wife, who was afterwards known on the countv records as "Widow Cowden."

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Sources

Source:Cowden, 1915: An Illustrated Historical and Biographical Sketch of the Descendants of William Cowden, who migrated from Ireland to America about 1730 A.D."

Source:Welch, 1904

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Notes

From:Source:Cowden, 1915

TRADITION'S OF THE COWDENS

First.—That the Cowden family was first known to history in Scotland. Of this there seems to be no doubt.

Second.—That they had a coat-of-arms indicating some distinction, either of wealth or nobility in the country. Authority for this statement is found in "Ancestry and Kin of the Cowden and Welch Families, 1904," by Rev. James Marcus Welch, of Indiana, Pennsylvania, page 134.

Third.—That in religious faith they were Presbyterians of the staunchest character. It is said of some of them that on the Sabbath the men discarded all headgear except caps of bl'ie.

Fourth.—That at least some of them migrated to Ireland. The date is not known, but the writer ventures to suggest that the religious persecutions incident to the Reformation in Scotland in the times of John Knox, in the sixteenth century, was the probable date and the possible cause.

Fifth.—That some of the descendants of part of those who migrated to Ireland, later came to America, amomj whom was our ancestor, William Cowden (1), who settled on Fagg's Manor in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

These traditionary tales came to the writer chiefly through his late uncle, William Cowden (3), of Columbia, Pennsylvania, sixty-two years ago, and are here given entirely from memory for whatever they are worth to the reader. They seem to be strongly supported by the following from page 134 of "Ancestry and Kin of the Cowden and Welch Families.,'

A rare old book in a Philadelphia library held the statement that 'One Thomas MacCowden removed from Scotland to Ireland and dropped the prefix "Mac." From him descended all the American Cowdens sprung from north Ireland stock.' This migration is undated, but may have been near 1600. Perhaps the place of their settlement was in Donegal, County Ulster, on or near Cunningham Manor, on the road from Londonderry to Letteskenney. It is said they were wealthy in lands. A large building used as a storehouse bore the name, 'The Cowden House.'

The coat-of-arms given for the Pennsylvania Cowdens is identical with that in the line of James Cowden (1), and as belonging to the ancient Scotch Cowdens of an origin prior to the sixteenth century.

James Cowden (1) was born in north Ireland in 1695, and was probably son of Thomas Cowden. He may have been a grandson of Thomas MacCowden, who removed from Scotland to Ireland.

All indications lead to the conviction that our ancestor, William Cowden (1), was brother to James Cowden (1), and therefore son of Thomas Cowden, and probably grandson of Thomas MacCowden. For these glimpses, let us be thankful.

Cowden is the name of some old homestead or estate. The earliest trace of the name is found in the south of Scotland, where is a place called Cowdenbeath, not far from Edinburg.

WILLIAM COWDEN

1. William Cowden (1), C. 1, born in Ireland, ;died in America, , in 1745. Nothing more is known of him than is stated above, except that he came to America in about 1730. His first wife, born and married in Ireland, died there also, leaving him four small daughters whose names appear below. He then married a second wife, also in Ireland, who bore him one son and two additional daughters, probably also in Ireland. The son, Robert, is believed to have been five years old at the time of the migration. The younger two daughters could have been born in Ireland or may have been born in America. He probably landed at Xew Castle, Delaware, as did many others coining from the same land at about the same time. He settled at once on Fagg's Manor in Chester County, Pennsylvania, where lie spent all the balance of his days. He was probably a tiller of the soil. It is not probable that he owned anything more than his humble home, with its necessary stock and implements. There seems to have been no will made, or, if there was, all his land, at least, was left to his wife, who was afterwards known on the countv records as "Widow Cowden."

William Cowden appears to have been married twice

Children:

1. Jane Cowden, m. John Carothers.

2. Isabel Cowden, m. Nathan McCarroll.

3. Susan Cowden, m. William Liggitt.

4. Unknown Daughter, m. Thomas Clyde

5. Robert Cowden, m. Jennett McChesney

6. Mary Cowden, b. June 22, 1728,

7. Margaret Cowden, unk.

Descendancy Chart from "An Illustrated Historical and Biographical Sketch of the Descendants of William Cowden, who migrated from Ireland to America about 1730 A.D.", by Robert Cowden, pub. 1915: