Second Immigrant Generation
Descendents of Andrew Grey (ca 1785-94 – after 1861)
and 1. Mary Watson (unknown– aboard D'arcy summer, 1836)
and 2. Sarah Burgess ( ca 1810 – 11 Nov 1896)
First immigrant Generation
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
Table of Contents
First immigranT Generation
01
Second immigranT Generation
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
Third immigranT Generation
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
FIRST Immigrant Generation
1. David Cowe & Helen Sharp
Born Approx 1765. Christen in Hutton, Berwickshire.
The surname has various spellings: Cow, Cowe, Kow, Cour, Cowie, Cowan or Cowen. According to family legend--which has not always been very accurate--they were drovers from the Lammermuirs who came south. The Cowe surname is of regional Celtic/Scottish origin. In 1881 the Cowe surname was endemic to the Eastern Borders region (National Trust Surname Database). Although appearing to be a nickname from the animal, this surname is actually an occupational name for a cook, deriving from the Old French "queu", "keu", "kiew" and "cu" (Surname Database) . It may also refer to one who sold cooked meat or kept an eating-house. The surname first appears in the late 12th Century in England and emerged in Scotland in the mid 14th Century.
No record of David Cowe's father and mother has been found, so this family genealogy begins with David.
No record of David Cowe and Helen Sharp's marriage has been found. But under Scottish Law a couple could be married "by repute"--legally
David was a barnsman at Fishwick Mains, when son James was baptized 17 Jan 1804. (Hutton baptismal records.)
(Information on the names, births and baptisms of the children from research by Fred Kennington and Bruce Elliott.)
He married Helen Sharp, daughter of John Sharp & Alison Bowmaker. Born 1765 in Berwickshire. Christen 5 Aug 1765 in Edrom.
Helen Sharp had the following siblings: Mary, baptized 25 Nov 1764, Edrom; James, baptized 2 Mar 1767, Edrom; Alison, baptized 26 Feb 1770, Edrom, died before 1792; David, baptized 10 Nov 1775, Ladykirk; Robert, baptized 26 Jul 1777, Ladykirk; Elizabeth, baptized 10 Sep 1790, Hutton; and Alison baptized 6 Feb 1792, Hutton. (Researched by Fred Kennington, Dec 2007.)
They had the following children:
2 i. Alison Cowe
3 ii. Robert Cowe
4 iii. John Cowe
5 iv. Christiana Margaret Cowe
6 v. William Cowe
7 vi. David Cowe
8 vii. James Cowe (Harvey Cornelius Party Settler)
9 viii. Helen Cowe
10 ix. Alexander Cowe
* Distribution of the surname Cowe in the United Kingdom in 1881 and 1998. The Cowe surname is of regional Celtic/Scottish origin. In 1881 the surname was endemic to the Eastern Borders region. Although appearing to be a nickname from the animal, this surname is actually an occupational name for a cook, deriving from the Old French "queu", "keu", "kiew" and "cu". It may also refer to one who sold cooked meat or kept an eating-house. The surname first appears in the late 12th Century in England and emerged in Scotland in the mid 14th Century. Click on image or here for enlarged view (Source of maps -- The National Trust Names.) http://www.nationaltrustnames.org.uk/
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
SECOND Immigrant Generation
2. Alison Cowe
Daughter of David Cowe & Helen Sharp. Born Approx 1793. Christen 12 Jan 1793 in Parish Registers, Hutton.
Not sure if date of baptism is 12 Jan 1793 or 12 Jun 1793. (sources IGI, Bruce Elliott, Oct 2007; and Fred Kennington, Dec 2007.)
No further information.
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
SECOND Immigrant Generation
3. Robert Cowe
Son of David Cowe & Helen Sharp. Born 1794 in Hutton. Christen 18 Sep 1794 in Hutton.
Family legend says that the Cowe family were carters who carried stone for the building of Coldstream Bridge. We know for certain that Robert Cowe, born 1794, brother of William and James, was a carter at some time. (From Fred Kennington, Stockport, Dec 2007.)
Robert was a farm worker at Norham in 1826 but was back in Hutton by 1834. He was Robert the carter in Hutton in 1851.
Robert and Ann had four children: David, George, Robert and Helen.
He married Ann Crosby, daughter of George Crosby & Catherine Lockie, 7 Jun 1822. Born in Ford.
They had the following children:
11 i. David Cowe
12 ii. George Cowe
13 iii. Robert Cowe
14 iv. Helen Cowe
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
SECOND Immigrant Generation
4. John Cowe
Son of David Cowe & Helen Sharp. Born 1796. Christen 15 Apr 1796 in Hutton.
John Cowe and Elizabeth Watson had seven children. All remained in agriculture, some as Farm Stewards, and continued to live in the general area. (Information from Fred Kennington, Dec 2007).
He married Elizabeth Watson, 18 Mar 1816 in Whitsome.
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
SECOND Immigrant Generation
5. Christiana Margaret Cowe
Daughter of David Cowe & Helen Sharp. Born 1797 in Meadowhouse, Hutton. Christen 12 Nov 1797 in Parish Register, Hutton.
No further information.
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
SECOND Immigrant Generation
6. William Cowe
Son of David Cowe & Helen Sharp. Born 1799 in Fishwick Mains. Christen 17 Dec 1799 in Hutton. Died 31 Aug 1882 in West Moneylaws, Carham. Buried in Ford Churchyard. Occupation Farm Worker.
William had an irregular marriage on 10 Aug 1822 at Coldstream Bridge to Mary Learmonth. To do that was the romantic thing of the day. So they walked from Hutton down to Coldstream, got married, and walked back to Hutton where they were married in Hutton Kirk, having had a telling-off from the Minister. At that time, both William and Mary lived in Hutton Parish.
After their marriage William Cowe and Mary Learmonth soon moved over the Border into Northumberland where their children were born.
William and Mary lived with, or near, the Logan family, their daughter Alice's in-laws, later in life. It was John Logan who registered the death of William in 1882.
William's occupations were: 1822 Hind (farm worker); 1824 Labourer; 1851 Butcher; 1861 & 1871 Shepherd. All the family members were farm workers, or in the case of the Logans, farmers.
William died on 31 Aug 1882, aged eighty-two, then living at West Moneylaws, Carham. Cause of death - paralysis. (Information on this family was provided by Fred Kennington, Dec 2007.)
He married Mary Learmonth, daughter of James Learmonth (Lormount) & Margaret Dickson, 10 Aug 1822 in Coldstream Bridge. Born 1795. Christen 10 May 1795 in Nenthorn, Berwickshire. Died 9 Jun 1872 in Heatherslaw. Buried in Ford Churchyard.
The name "Learmonth" is very common in Berwickshire and Roxburgh, with varied spellings, such as Lamond, Lurmont. Mary's parents were James Lormount and Margaret Dickson, who were married at Nenthorn, Berwickshire on 25 Nov 1786.
Mary's siblings are: Robert, baptized 11 Jul 1787; James, baptized 21 Sep 1788; and Ann, baptized 16, Jan 1791; and also a sister Margaret whose birth has not been found.
Mary died 9 Jun 1872, aged seventy-seven, then living at Heatherslaw. Cause of death - 'old age'.
(Information on the Learmonth family from Fred Kennington, Dec 2007.)
They had the following children:
15 i. David Cowe
16 ii. James Cowe
17 iii. Margaret Cowe
18 iv. Agnes Cowe
19 v. Alice Cowe
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
SECOND Immigrant Generation
7. David Cowe.
Son of David Cowe & Helen Sharp. Born 1802. Christen 7 Jun 1802 in Hutton.
David remained as a agricultural labourer in the Hutton area. No further information.
He married Isabella Gibson (Or Sligh), 26 Mar 1841 in Hutton.
(Information on marriage from Fred Kennington, Dec 2007)
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
SECOND Immigrant Generation
8. James Cowe
Son of David Cowe & Helen Sharp. Born 31 Dec 1803 in Fishwick Mains, Scotland. Christen 17 Jan 1804 in Hutton, Berwickshire. Died 15 Jan 1875/1876 in Harvey, NB. Occupation Farmer. Religion Presbyterian.
From Baptismal record, Hutton: James, son of David Cowe, barnsman at Fishwick Mains, and Helen Sharp, his wife, was born 31st December 1803 and baptised 17th January 1804. Witnesses John Service and Thomas Laing. (research from Fred Kennington to Bruce Elliott, Dec 2007.)
Married irregularly 17 Mar 1826 Hutton, Berwickshire and rebuked in session and had marriage confirmed, June 1826. (From the Church of Scotland register 745/4 of Hutton, Berwickshire. Research by Bruce Elliott.).
James Cowe and his wife Isabel Donaldson were living at Horndean when daughter Mary was born in 1833; and James was a farm servant in Hilton when David was born in 1836.
James Cowe, age 32, his wife Isabelle Donaldson, age 31, his mother-in-law Mary (Aitkens) Donaldson, age 50; and three children: Eleanor, age 7; Mary, age 4; and David, age 1 ½ yr., left from the port of Berwick-upon-Tweed on 28 May 1837 on the brig Cornelius of Sunderland and landed in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, on 12 July 1837. They settled on Land Grant Lot #15E (which is beside the Harvey Settlement Cemetery) and were among the first settlers of Harvey Settlement.
The 1861 Census indicated that the Cowe family had 45 acres improved and 55 acres unimproved land. Cash value of farm was 150 pounds, and value of implements was 10 pounds. They had 3 horses, 3 milch cows, 5 other neat cattle, 12 sheep, 2 swine and slaughtered 250 lb. pork. Produced 200 lb. butter, 40 lb. wool, 9 tons hay, 180 bu. oats, 80 bu. buckwheat, 2 bu. peas, 10 bu. timothy, 40 bu. turnips and 60 bu. potatoes.
The first Presbyterian Church in Harvey Settlement was built on the Cowe land on the corner next to the Harvey Settlement Cemetery. In Feb 1854, James and Isabelle Cowe in consideration of the sum of twenty shillings lawful money deeded land "beginning at a stake on the south west corner of lot #15 east side of the Great Road leading from Fredericton to Saint Andrews, thence running 121 ft. north along Great Road, east 90 ft. to a stake; south 121 ft. to a stake in the fence at the burying ground, thence west 90 ft. to beginning" for the benefit and use of "Churches in Connection with the Presbytery of New Brunswick adhering to the Westminister Standards in connection with the Free Church of Scotland and not in connection with the Established Church of Scotland." However, there was a division in the congregation, and in July 1854 a similar sized lot of land on the Matthew Piercy Land Grant Lot #14W was deeded to the "Presbyterian Church of Nova Scotia for a meeting house" and another Presbyterian church was built where the present St. Andrews United Church is located.
The Cowe family were members of the Free Presbyterian Church. Old records from this church have not been located and presumably did not survive the passage of time. The Cowe family births, deaths, etc. are not entered in the Harvey Presbyterian Church records which began in 1856. The first Presbyterian church in Harvey was built on the corner of the Cowe Land Grant adjacent to the Harvey Settlement Cemetery.
The surname was spelled "Cowe" in the early years, but after 1874 it became "Cowie". Death date for James recorded by his daughter Annie was 15 Jan 1874, however his Last Will and Testament was written and signed by James on 30 Jan 1874, and was registered on 1 Feb 1876, so his death date was perhaps 15 Jan 1876.
Transcribed from photocopy of Last Will & Testament of James Cowe - No. 25711:
In the Name of God, Amen. This thirtieth day of January One thousand eight hundred and seventy four, I James Cowe Farmer in the Parish of Manners Sutton, York County, Being week (sic) in Body, but perfectly sound in mind Thanks be to God Therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body, knowing that it is appointed to all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament. That is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul to Almighty God that gave it, and my Body I recommend to the earth to be buryed in decent Christian burial And as touching such worldly Estate where in to it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give demise and dispose of in the following manner and form. First I constitute, make and ordain Matthew Piercy and Robert Burrel as Sole Executors of this last Will and Testament. I also Will and bequeath to David Cowie my oldest son the Sum of $40.00 Forty Dollars to be paid by my son John Cowe. I also will and bequeath to my son Robert Cowe the Sum of $40.00 Forty Dollars to be paid by my son John Cowe. I also will and bequesth to Isabela Smith my daughter the sum of $20.00 Twenty Dollars to be paid by John Cowe And I also will and bequeath to Ann Delay (?) my daughter the sum of $20.00 Twenty Dollars, All these legacies is not to be paid till twelve months after my decease. I also leave my beloved Wife Isabella Cowe to be kept by my son John Cowe or if she thinks proper after my decease to go to any other place John Cowe is to furnish her with $20.00 Twenty Dollars every year in during her natural life to be Solely at her disposal. I hereby utterly disallow, revoke and disannul all and every other Testament Wills, legacies and bequests. Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I hereunto have set my hand and Seal this date and year first above written.
Signed Sealed and delivered by Said ]
James Cowe ] James Cowe
As his Last Will and Testament ]
in presence of Witness ]
William Grieve
(On 26 Jan 1876, Robert Burrell administrator of Will and upon oath declared to that he believed this to be the last Will and Testament of the within named James Cowe, sworn to before John Rutherford, J.P. Registered 1 Feb 1876.)
He married Isabelle Donaldson, daughter of John Donaldson & Mary Aitkins, 17 Mar 1826 in Hutton, Berwickshire. Born 1811 in Scotland. Died 1 May 1879 in Harvey, NB. Religion Presbyterian.
The following Family History written by daughter Annie Cowe, wife of Aaron Hay, to her son Willis Allan Hay, 21 Mar 1921:
"My great grandparents was John and Annie Donaldson. Their son John married Mary Aitkins. They were my grandparents. They had two children, Robert and Isabel. My grandfather died when Isabel was a baby and my uncle died when a young man twenty-one years and had been married one year. Isabel, my mother, was married when quite young to James Cowie, four children born to them in Scotland. Anne the eldest died with scarlet fever at the age of eight years. Next was Eleanor, Mary and David. He was one and half years old when they came to this country in 1837. They settled in Harvey. Their first child in this country was Isabel, then John and Robert and James. He died when two years old. Next was Annie (myself) then another James who died at the age of two. Eleanor married James McGuiggan. She died with scarlet fever when just a year married, the youngest boy and she died the same day and was laid in the same coffin. Eleanor and Mary were both married on the same day. Mary married Thomas Jones. They lived in Rusagonis. They had six children then she died when one of them was born she was not very old. Dunbar was the oldest child, then Annie, next was Emily & Maria. Annie has been dead for a long time. She left two boys Oscar and Henry. Philips, their grandfather raised them. My brother David married Abigail Philips. They had 11 children, Mary, Annie, Frances, Ruth, Susan, Pearl, and George, one little boy died and Minnie too (I forgot her) 3 of the girls are dead now. My sister Isabel married John Smith. He took her to Sydney Mines, Cape Breton. We never saw her again & she only wrote one letter home. She had 7 children. She died at the birth of the last one. They are all dead but one girl and she is married and living in the states. Their father is dead too.
"My brother John married Martha Philips. He got the homestead but sold it after mother and father died and he went to Medway, Mass. He had 5 children when he left. The 2 eldest girls are dead but he never wrote to me so I don't know much about them but John has been dead over 10 years.
"My brother Robert married your father's sister Annie Hay. They lived in this place with the rest from Harvey. Their children are Amanda, Isabel, Sarah Marie, and Matilda, then two died next comes Arthur, Martha, Elisabeth and Eva. They are all married now in the States.
"The next in my family is myself. I guess you know all about our "Family Tree".
"Your grandfather James Cowie, died in 1874, January 15th at the age of 70 years. Your grandmother Isabel Cowie died May 1st, 1879 aged 69 years."
(Written by Mrs Aaron Hay to her son Willis Allan Hay March 21st, 1921.)
They had the following children:
20 i. Eleanor Cowe
21 ii. Ann Cowe
22 iii. Mary Cowe
23 iv. David B. Cowe
24 v. Isabel Cowe
25 vi. John Cowe
26 vii. Robert Cowe
27 viii. James Cowe
28 ix. Ann "Annie" Cowe
29 x. James Cowe
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
SECOND Immigrant Generation
9. Helen Cowe
Daughter of David Cowe & Helen Sharp. Born 22 Aug 1805. Christen 10 Sep 1805 in Hutton.
Helen was an agricultural labourer in the Hutton area, and had a daughter, Margaret Cowe, born approximately 1845. (Research by Fred Kennington, Dec 2007.)
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
SECOND Immigrant Generation
10. Alexander Cowe
Son of David Cowe & Helen Sharp. Born 1812. Christen 18 Feb 1812 in Hutton.
Alexander remained in the Hutton area, he was an agriculture labourer. His mother (Helen Sharp) lived with them when widowed as did his sister Helen.
He married Agnes Dodds, 29 Jan 1843 in Hutton.
Alexander and his wife Agnes had seven children. (Information on marriage from Fred Kennington, Dec 2007)
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
THIRD Immigrant Generation
11. David Cowe
Son of Robert Cowe & Ann Crosby.
David was apprenticed as a baker with his grandfather George Crosby, a baker in Berwick.
David's bakery business passed down through the family for many years.
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
THIRD Immigrant Generation
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
THIRD Immigrant Generation
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
THIRD Immigrant Generation
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
THIRD Immigrant Generation
15. David Cowe
Son of William Cowe & Mary Learmonth. Born Approx 1823. Christen 1 Feb 1824 in Etal.
At the time of marriage in 1845, David was an agricultural labourer living at Bradford, near Bamburgh, and Eleanor lived at Burton, nearby. This part of the Cowe family were settled in that area and were Northumbrians, with their distinctive dialect, rather than Scots.
Theirs was an irregular marriage, as was his father's, but they did not have it confirmed by the church. As a matter of interest in the year 1845, a total of 280 irregular marriages took place in the Berwick area, the greatest majority at Lamberton but some at Paxton Toll,l Mordington Toll, Northam Bridge or Chain Bridge.
David and Eleanor had seven children, all born on farms in the Bamburgh/Lowick area.
(Information from Fred Kennington, Dec 2007)
He married Eleanor Turnbull, 14 Dec 1845 in Lamberton Toll.
They had the following children:
30 i. Mary Jane Cowe
31 ii. Margaret Cowe
32 iii. Elizabeth Cowe
33 iv. William Cowe
34 v. Robert Cowe
35 vi. David Cowe
36 vii. Peter Cowe
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
THIRD Immigrant Generation
16. James Cowe
Son of William Cowe & Mary Learmonth. Born 19 Dec 1824 in Allerdean. Christen in Etal Presbyterian.
James had three known children. Information on this family from Fred Kennington, Dec 2007.
He married Elizabeth.
They had the following children:
37 i. William Cowe
38 ii. Mary Cowe
39 iii. James Cowe
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
THIRD Immigrant Generation
17. Margaret Cowe.
Daughter of William Cowe & Mary Learmonth. Born 1825. Christen 25 Dec 1825 in Spittal Presbyterian.
She married Mr Clarke.
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
THIRD Immigrant Generation
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
THIRD Immigrant Generation
19. Alice Cowe
Daughter of William Cowe & Mary Learmonth. Born 1840 in Allerdean.
She married John Hugh Logan.
Descendents of David Cowe (ca 1765 - unknown)
and Helen Sharp (1765 - unknown)
THIRD Immigrant Generation
20. Eleanor Cowe
Daughter of James Cowe & Isabelle Donaldson. Born 23 Apr 1830 in Broadmeadows. Christen 6 Jun 1830 in Hutton, Berwickshire. Died 28 Nov 1853 in Harvey. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery.
