Person:William Cowan (67)

'William wrote a family history in which he details information about his grandfather, Hugh Cowan of Octoraro Creek, Chester County PA, his father William, and his own family. The following, focused on his father and William's own family, is based on that description.

William, my father, married my mother, Isabella Henderson in Lancaster in Chester County, the 9th of April 1771. Sometime after my father's first marriage he moved to the town of Shippensburg in Cumberland County. Hee resided there during the Revolutionary War in which he received a Captain's Commission and commanded a company of militia. He perfumed performed a six monthís tour of duty in the cause of his county in 1776, and a second tour of duty for six months at a subsequent period of the War. From Shippensburg, my father moved to Franklin County in the neighborhood of Chambersburg where my Mother died. He moved to Chambersburg in 1785 and was married in the same year. He resided in Chambersburg till the autumn of 1788 at which time he returned to Shippensburg living there until the autumn of 1801, when he removed to the County of Westmoreland Pennsylvania. He, and most of his children continue to reside in Westmoreland.

My father had seven children by my mother:

a boy and girl twins who lived but a few days,

Hugh born 21st. December 1772,

Daniel born 15th. April 1775,

Mary born 21st July 1777,

William (myself) born 10th November 1779 in Shippensburg, PA.

One other child born, stillborn, 1782.

My mother died January 1785 - age 44 years. My father remarried on the 17th November [1786?], in Chambersburg where he was then living. ^[1] His second wife was Mary Wilson, a widow with one child by a previous marriage. By this marriage they had eight children ^[2]:

Rachel, born 19th Sept 1785 married John W. Clain [Note by MB, I can't read this name very well, but think this is correct.]

Susan, born 13th April 1791 married Abraham Lewis.

Thomas born 10th. August 1792 married Margaret Young 1820.

John born the 13th. March 1796 married ______ in 1817.

Isabella, born 18th. December 1798 married John Campbell 1818.

Maria, born 15 April 1805 [also says Wilson born 9 June 1801] [here a note has been added in another handwriting saying to see note] married David Markle 1821.

All of my father's children, except Mary Morrison, myself, and Wilson (who lived with me from August 1814 to June 1822 at which time he went to GA and SC thence to Island of Cuba) are living in PA.

About my brothers and sisters

My brother Hugh learned the saddlers trade with a Mr. Regan (?) of Haggerstown. He never married, dying of consumption at age 24 in April 1794. ^[3]

My brother Daniel was first apprentice to a John Scott, a Watchmaker and Clockmaker of Chambersburg.I n May 1796 Danielís time having expired he went to Philadelphia and New York where he remained until Spring 1798 when he returned to Chambersburg about six months before his death. Daniel died of consumption on the Island of Cuba, the 15 of December 1799, also at age 24. ^[4]

My sister, Mary, married Samuel Morrison of Lycoming, PA afterwards they moved to the state of Ohio where they still reside and have four children.

As respects myself, I lived at home with my father until Oct 1795 when I was put apprentice with John Scott of Chambersburg, Watch and Clockmaker with whom my brother Daniel had been put apprentice. I continued with John Scott and his nephew Alexander Scott who succeeded his Uncle in the business until Nov 1800 when I was 21 years of age. Afterwards continued in his employ until Nov of that year _______. Having previously made an engagement with William McCay ^[5] to come to Virginia, I left Haggerstown about the middle of November and traveled to Baltimore partly on foot availing myself occasionally of wagons on the road. On board one of which I arrived in Baltimore after three days journey. After remaining in Baltimore two or three days, I embarked on of a packet to where I arrived after passage of two days. At Norfolk, I remained two or three days and took passage aboard a Schooner to Richmond. When I arrived on the 29 or 30 of November 1801.

I continued in the employ of William McCay till the latter part of April 1803 at which time I removed to Fredricksburg, Virginia where I commenced business on my own account. I continued in Fredricksburg until November following. When not finding business to answer my expectations I returned to Richmond on the 30th and recommenced business with William McCay. On the 8th Dec 1803 I married Sarah Banister Henderson. On the 1st of March 1804, I commenced business on my own account in a house one door below the Eagle Tavern where I continued to do business till the 25th. November 1805, at which time I entered into partnership with William McCay and removed to the house he occupied. This partnership continued until 15th. September 1807 when it was dissolved by mutual consent. On the 1st day of January 1808 I removed to the house owned and occupied by Captain William Richardson a Silversmith and jeweler where I have continued to reside until this present time.

"Thomas Jefferson ordered this small cylindrical silver fountain pen with a gold nib from his agent in Richmond, Virginia. It was probably made by William Cowan (1779-1831), a Richmond watchmaker. An elliptical cap that screws into the end of the cylinder and caps the ink reservoir is engraved "TJ". From Library of Congress; image probably from Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, Inc.

Our children are

Mary Henderson Cowan born November 1804,

Sarah H. C. born 6th 1806,

Isabella V.N..C. 6th Oct 1809,

Jane E. H. C. born 15th. December 1811,

Pamela H. C. born 7th June 1814,

Charlotte H. C. born 15th. April 1817,

William H. C. born 16th. February 1819. ^[6]

References

↑ The dates here may be in error. William Jr.'s mother died in January of 1785. his marriage apparently occurred in November of 1786, but the year was apparently questioned by the transcriber. WIlliam and Mary's first child was born in September of 1785, which is scarcely nine months after the death of his first wife. Possibly, the DOB of their first child is in error, or perhaps they lived together for some time before they married.
↑ Only seven are listed.
↑ His DOB is given as 1792, which if correct implies that the died at age 22.
↑ Text gives "1793 or 98 [unreadable]". If the DOB is given above is correct, and the age at death is also correct, he would have died in 1799.
↑ MB gives this as "William W. ______ (can't read the name - MB)", but its clear from the following text that the last name was "McCay".
↑ William's family history shows that he is unequivocally the grandson of Hugh Cowan of Octoraro Creek. A YDNA test of his descendants would be able to show whether the Cowan's of Cowan's Gap are in fact descended from Hugh. Since William H.C> was William the Clockmaker's only son, it would be helpful to identify his descendants, as they might be able to provided needed YDNA evidence.

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