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Subject: Research puzzle:WILSON COWEN & family of BROWN CO., OHIO
Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2006 18:53:14 EST
HI:
I'm researching my great-great-great grandfather WILSON COWEN. He moved to
Brown Co., OH in the mid-1840s and died there in August, 1870. The U.S. Census
says he was born in Tennessee; I'd like to know where in TN so I can trace him
before 1843.
Also: he was married to Eliza (maiden name unknown) and then MIHALY/MAHALA
HIGHWARDEN, of Brown Co. I believe Eliza died in Brown Co., but haven't found a
death record for her.
I've traced the family from the mid-1840s to the 1850, 1860 and 1870 Census
records. In the 1870 Census, most of Wilson and Eliza's children, JULIA, MARY,
FRANKLIN, AMANDA, are gone.
Only Wilson, Mihaly, James, Eliza and Elizabeth and her daughter 1-year-old
Adelia, their granddaughter, are left.
By 1880, only daughter, Eliza who married WILLIAM EMMONS, and Adelia remain
in Brown Co. Adelia's mother, ELIZABETH BOWMAN, died in 1870 during childbirth.
I have no idea where the rest of family went. One of my cousins thinks the
family moved to Texas but I can't find any of them on the Heritage Quest census
database.
I also don't know the other daughters' married names and therefore whether
any of the women still lived in Brown Co.
So my two questions are:
1. How to trace Wilson Cowen and wife Eliza before 1840 (I did find a Wilson
Cowen in the 1840 Census in Ross County, Ohio. I'm not sure it's the right man
because the ages don't match up with the family members and of course there
are no names for anyone besides the head of the household).
2. And -- how to figure out where the family went between 1870 and 1880.
What records do I use to research Wilson Cowen and his family? I'm stumped
because I've used marriage, death and birth records to trace them so far.
Also, all of these people were African-American and obviously freedmen, since
they lived in Brown County during slavery.
Thanks for all help,
Kberry
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