Person:Andrew Cowan (20)

This article is for the Andrew Cowan who lived on Beverley's Manor in Old Augusta County prior to the Revolution. Old Augusta records for him (see Data. Cowan's in Chalkley's Chronicles, name ordered) begin in 1749 when he acquires land on Beverley's manor, and continue with considerable frequency through the 1766. His property was located just south of modern Staunton, and a mile or so north of land owned by John Cowan.

Andrew was co-owner of this property with William Cowan. Andrew, John and William are presumably kindred, but their exact family relationship is not known.

Image:Andrew and William Cowan land on Beverley Manor.jpg

The last record that clearly shows Andrew living in the area comes in 1765 when he is included in a list of men who have incurred costs related to the local militia:

April 15 1765 James Bell, provisions. Wm. Bell, provisions. Wm. McCutcheon, provisions and horse impressed. John Rosemond, provisions. Andrew Cowan, enlisting men to garrison Fort Lewis. Walter Trimble, provisions. Thos. Alexander, provisions. John Francis, provisions. James Kirk, provisions. Rob. Armstrong, provisions. Wm. Christian, self et als., ranging. Loftus Pullen, provisions. Rob. Christian, provisions. Danl. O'Freild, provisions. Thos. Poage, provisions. Charles Kilpatrick, provisions. George Moffett, for Wm. Mann et als. Benj. Estill, horse impressed. Andrew Hamilton, provisions. Wm. McClenachan, provisions. Wm. McKarney, self et als., ranging.

A letter, dated January 13, 1766, was entered into court records (for reasons unknown) that demonstrate his intent to move to "Carolina".

Cowan vs. Cowan Letter of Andrew Cowan to David Cowan, living in Albemarle, dated January 13, 1766. Loving Brother: This comes to let you know that we are all in good health at present, blessed be God for his mercies. Hoping that these few lines will find you in the same, I desire that you will go to James Cowans and ask him for a note of mine that lies in my little trunk--a note of 2 pounds and five shillings, which William Teas(?) is due me against March 25, and get the money for I am going to Carolina. I have nothing material to write you, but desire to be remembered to you all.

Thereafter, records for Andrew Cowan drop off significantly, with the last record dated 1780. Most, if not all, of these latter records can be interpreted as though he has left the area. At least two records show him living in Southwest Virginia.

29th August. 1777. List of those indebted to the estate of Roger North--Molly Mathews, Michael Diveyer, John Paris, Taylor, Edward Brayton, Mary Dillon, Wm. Collen, Carolina; Rev. Adam Smith, Margaret Mountfield, Hannah Sires, Robt Jameson, Prince Edward; Andrew Cowen, Holstein...."

McKenney vs. Preston--O. S. 308; N. S. 110--John Montgomery of Russel County, aged 47 years, deposes, 11th March, 1811, in 1778 Andrew Cowan and Thos. Osborn went down to improve a piece of land on a creek they called Black Water at the Flat Lick, and on their return they came by Kooser's (Hoovers) cabin. Black Water is a north Branch of Clynch.

These records would seem to indicate that Andrew left the area by about 1767, settling first somewhere in the Carolina's, and later relocating to Southwest Virginia. This interpretation is consistent with identifying him as the well known person:Andrew Cowan (4) who appears as a Gentleman Justice in Southwest Virginia court records. Factors in favor of this interpretation include:

a) The wife of person:Andrew Cowan (4) is commonly identified as Mary Walker, daughter of John Walker III of the Wigton Walker line. The wife of Andrew Cowan (20) is identified in Augusta County Court records as "Mary", as indicated in the following land transaction:

20th November, 1778. Andrew Cowan, Sr., and Mary to David Kerr and Robert Donaldson, plantation that Andrew and William Cowan lived on.

b) Mary's parent, John Walker and Ann Houston, are believed to have lived on Walkers Creek on Borden's Grant, a mile or two southwest of where Andrew Cowan's property lay. A marriage between Mary and Andrew is plausible based on proximity.

c) The David Cowan of Albemarle County, to whom Andrew wrote of his plans in 1766, is known to have moved sometime between 1766 and 1769, settling in Castle's Woods in Southwest Virginia.

The above data is indicative, but not conclusive, that Andrew Cowan (20) is infact the same person identified on WeRelate as Andrew Cowan (4). This, however, is not a clear cut answer, as there appear to be two Andrew Cowan's in the area, one designated "Sr.", the other "Jr.".

Woods vs. Andrew Cowan Jr. --- "The Sheriff having returned that the second time it came to my hand, I tell as before, he is out of the County." Oct 22 1765

18th August, 1778. William Cowan and Elizabeth ( ), of Rockbridge County, to Andrew Cowan, Sr.

20th November, 1778. Andrew ( ) Cowan, Sr., and Mary ( ) to David Kerr and Robert Donaldson, plantation that Andrew and William Cowan lived on.

These are the only three records present in Chalkley that make the distinction between Jr. and Sr., the first, in which the Sheriff notes that Andrew Jr. is "out of the County" is the only one that refers to Andrew Cowan Jr. We don't know the relationship between Andrew Sr. and Andrew Jr., as they might be father and son, cousins, or of no relationship at all. Given the fact that the distinction between Jr. and Sr. is made in only three out of X records suggests that there had heretofor been no reason for him to be distinguished from Andrew Sr. (ie, his name had not come up in court cases, or other civil records.) The record that Andrew Jr. has left the county appears about four months prior to the letter from Andrew Cowan to David Cowan, in which Andrew states "I am going to Carolina". This suggests that the letter writer is still in Augusta County, and therefor not the one that the Sheriff couldn't find. from this we can probably conclude that the letter writer is "Andrew Sr.", and that it is "andrew Sr." whose wife is "Mary", and who later sells the Beverley's Manor property. This also suggests that it is Andrew Sr. who settled in Southwest Virginia.

Another complication is the fact that person:Andrew Cowan (5), who settled in Jefferson County, TN, sometime after the Revolution, is commonly identified as Person:Andrew Cowan (4). Those who give this identity state that Andrew (5) was married twice, first to "Mary Walker", and later to Jane Thompson. They hold that shortly after the Revolution Andrew Cowan (4) relocated to Jefferson County. There are two problems with this view:

a) While Andrew (5) was clearly married twice (based on his estate records) no direct evidence has been pointed to show that his first wife was in fact a "Mary".

b) Court records for Andrew Cowan in Southwest Virginia show that he continued to serve as a Gentleman Justice in Southwest Virginia, long after the death of Andrew (5) in Jefferson County.

From this we know that Andrew (4) and Andrew (5) are two distinct persons, and that Andrew(20) is the same person as Andrew (4). The identity of "Andrew Jr." in the Augusta County Court records is as yet undetermined. It is possible that he is in fact Andrew (5), but direct evidence to evaluate that that needs to be developed.

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