Odd name; COWDEN GRAY??

[Jake Drummond]

A forebear is given on his daughter's death certificate as "Cowden Gray" married to an Isabella Peattie in the early 1830's I think. Daughter Jean died in 1880 aged 57, so guessed the marriage date from there.
I've trawled the web but can't see Cowden as a Christian name. There are a couple of places named Cowden; on in Yoprkshire and another in Kent.
A derivative of Cuthbert is said to be Cowden. I wondered if he/they could have been English/Irish as Isabella is given as being "......Foreign, or whether born in England or Ireland" in the 1841 Census return for Scoonie Parish in Fife, and there's no mention of Cowden so I'm supposing that he died.

Any suggestions as to where I go niext would be appreciated, or any pointers to finding more about the name?

[Jake Drummond]

Ahaaaaa!
I looked on LDS and see lots of Cuthbert's, it's mostly a Northumberland name it seems, and many with Grey/Gray as a surname, so I might be on the right track, at last!

[Tracey]

The only Cowden in Scotland that comes up on Ancestry as a christian name is a Cowden Campbell on 1871 census. 1861 /1901 there are two each with Cowden as a middle name.

[Jake Drummond]

Aye Tracey, not a common name at all! I've exhausted all my options as regards finding Jean Gray's parents I think, having spent the last couple of evenings searching all the entries with likely Gray/Grey names, and all the Peattie female names too on LDS and Scotland's People. I don't have access to the English or Irish records as almost all of my relations have been in Scotland, so can anyone suggest a cheap way of getting into those record sources without having to opt for an annual subscription?

[LesleyB]

can anyone suggest a cheap way of getting into those record sources without having to opt for an annual subscription?

Free BMD is at: http://www.freebmd.org.uk for "dahn sath"
and
http://pilot.familysearch.org/
for Irish Civil Registration indexes 1845 - 1958

[Jake Drummond]

Thanks Lesley.
I had a look at the FreeBMD data and that led me eventually to a Cowden Gray in Alabama said to have been buried in 1932, who had a son called Howell who died in the same year aged 80, so I'm guessing that's not our man. Mothers name differs too, so..............

I'll try the Irish records next.

[SarahND]

Hi Jake,

A forebear is given on his daughter's death certificate as "Cowden Gray" married to an Isabella Peattie in the early 1830's I think. Daughter Jean died in 1880 aged 57, so guessed the marriage date from there.

Ummm... are you suggesting that they were married after Jean's birth, or is there a typo in this? Did you mean the early 1820's? I note that she is 15 in 1841, meaning 15-19, so born 1822-26.

I'm assuming that this is the 1841 census you have:

High St, Scoonie, Fife
Isabella Gray, 45, born Scotland, Ind
Robt Gardner, 20, born Fife, Scotland, H L W
Jean Gray, 15, born Fife, Scotland
Wm Kennoway, 14, born Fife, Scotland, Ap H L W
David Kennoway, 12, born Fife, Scotland
Walter Rintoul, 6, born Fife, Scotland
Anne Rintoul, 4, born Fife, Scotland

In the transcriptions I have seen (Ancestry, which is not to be trusted, but also this one: http://member.melbpc.org.au/~andes/scoonie1.html )
Isabella is listed as born in Scotland, but not in Fife. Granted, I have not seen the actual image.

What was the occupation given for Cowden on his daughter's death cert? I assume he wasn't Lord Kirkcudbright? I was wondering whether the "w" might be an "m". After all, Isabella was Independent in 1841

John, seventh Lord Kirkcudbright, the oldes surviving son, an officer in the army, on petition to the king had his claim to the title allowed by the House of Lords, 3d May 1773, and on the 14th of the same month was presented to King George III as Lord Kirkcudbright. He became lieutenant-colonel of the 3d regiment of foot-guards in 1784, and retired from the army the following year. He died 24th December 1801,, in his 74d year. He had two sons: the elder, Sholto Henry, eighth Lord Kirkcudbright, born 15th August 1771, died, without issue, 16th April 1827, when his brother, Camden Grey , became ninth lord. Born 20th April 1774, the latter married Sarah, daughter of Colonel Thomas Gorges, and had an only daughter. On his death, at Bruges, 19th April 1832, the title became dormant.

The Scottish Nation. Vol. I-III. Edinburgh, Scotland: A. Fullarton and Co., 1864.

All the best,
Sarah

[Jake Drummond]

Yes, a typo, I should have said early 1820's!
The census return is as you say from 1841, and Isabella's details as I read it suggests she was not Scots by birth, i.e. " Whether Foreigner, or whether born in England or Ireland" as that box is ticked. It's confusing to note that the previous box ("If Born in Scotland, state whether in County or otherwise") is marked "No", probably suggesting she is Scottish, but not born in Fife!
All the others are marked "Yes", and we know Robert Gardner was born in the Parish of Markinch, Jean Gray by her own admission in further certificates being born in Scoonie Parish.

Jean's age is given as 15 in the rounded down census that year, but subsequent census returns suggest her birth year as being 1823 or 1824.
But, something odd shows up on the 1841 Census as they are shown as Robert Gardner and Jean Gray, but I have their marriage certificate of 8th August 1840.. Why they show as single in 1841 I'm not sure at all.

The death certificate of "Jeanie Ferguson Gray Gardner, Widow of Robert Gardner, Linen Weaver" for August 23rd 1880 says "Cowden Gray" I'm sure, and he's given as a "General Labourer", but it's a nice thought that I might have been the 'Belated Tenth Lord'!

Its curious to note the two Kennoway and two Rintoul children also on the census return; I wonder what the circumstances were to have them all under one roof?

I have the certificates if you would like a look yourself to see if I've missed something, or perhaps there's a way to post a section of the certificate for all to view? I appreciate the assistance all on the site are giving.

And, there are Peattie's living in Rabbit Row, maybe related to Isabella?

[LesleyB]

Census as they are shown as Robert Gardner and Jean Gray, but I have their marriage certificate of 8th August 1840.. Why they show as single in 1841 I'm not sure at all.

Scottish women are frequently listed by their maiden name. Even still.....

[SarahND]

The death certificate of "Jeanie Ferguson Gray Gardner, Widow of Robert Gardner, Linen Weaver" for August 23rd 1880 says "Cowden Gray" I'm sure, and he's given as a "General Labourer", but it's a nice thought that I might have been the 'Belated Tenth Lord'!

Too bad! I was hoping Jean was the illegitimate daughter of Lord Kirkcudbright, who gave Isabella an independent income before he went to Bruges and died But I guess "General Labourer" is not the usual occupation of a lord...

Its curious to note the two Kennoway and two Rintoul children also on the census return; I wonder what the circumstances were to have them all under one roof?

Do you know who they are? There is a Rintoul family in Wemyss, but that would mean that Walter was enumerated twice. However, no other Walters appear, other than the Wemyss one, in later censuses. Ann is a lodger in Cockpen in 1851, a flax twister. It does seem like an odd household in 1841-- makes one want to figure it out!

All the best,
Sarah