Person talk:Eleanor Strong (5)


Why still Eleanor Strong? [27 July 2013]

I'm just swinging by and made this my project for the evening: I'm wondering why this woman is still listed as Eleanor Strong? The 1993 article cited (here for those with NEHGS access) goes into detail as to why Walter Dean's wife is really Eleanor Cogan. It explains why William Cogan's will is written the way it is (based on a previous lease, which was unknown to Stratton in Plymouth Colony), and shows that there is no reason to think that Eleanor is a Strong -- the only reference supporting that is William calling John Strong "brother,", but we now know that John married William's sister, so that's explained. Has something happened in the meantime?

The 1993 article does not summarize it's conclusions at the end, and does not actually come to any firm conclusions about how old Eleanor Cogan or her father are, but the basic gist is that William Cogan the tanner, born either in the 1580s or early 1600s (there were two), married unknown, and had a daughter Eleanor, either the one baptized in 1609 in Chard, or later in the 1620s (i.e., either 3 years older than future husband Walter Dean, or 10-15 years younger). That Eleanor was living in 1630 when William Cogan obtains a leasehold wherein he holds land based on the life of his daughter Eleanor Cogan. In 1647, William has another daughter named Eleanor baptized, along with a daughter Joane. In 1654, he names all three daughters in his will - Eleanor (wife of Walter Deane), Eleanor (a minor), and Joane. Because he has no sons, the will basically goes through strange machinations to give the daughters in England a place to live while the eldest daughter is living, and have it ultimately go to his grandsons most likely to be in Chard when they come of age.

And then, the author also says "the identification of Eleanor Deane [aunt of Walter] as first, John Strong's mother, and second, William Cogan's wife, does not bear up under scrutiny." She is identified, through the disposition of her father's land, as the wife of Silvester Balston and was buried in 1628. The mother of John Strong married his father in 1609.

Ideas anyone?--Amelia 01:05, 28 July 2013 (EDT)