Agnes Cowden, Free Settler "Beejapore" 1853

She married Geo. Cowden on 9 Feb. 1849 in St. George's, Paisley, Renfrew, and her name is given there as Hamilton (see attached document). However, her death certificate gives her father's surname as Patterson, and she apparently also signed the name Patterson on documents (I have an image of that, but don't know the source).

She might have been the daughter of John Patterson and Agness Caulderwood Patterson, who married 10/2/1815 Neilston, Renfrewshire. It might be that Agnes Caulderwood was her blood mother, since she herself gave her own daughter Agnes the second name "Caulderwood" [@Agnes Caulderwood Cowden].

Regarding Agness Caulderwood Patterson, the 1841 Census of Seedhill, Paisley Low, Renfrewshire records her living with three Patterson children, as well as three much younger children with different surnames.

Agness Calderwood 46 Not born in county

William Paterson 25 Weaver ditto

John Paterson 23 Blacksmith ditto

Isabel Paterson 21 Cotton Throwster Born in County

Agness Hamilton 14 ditto

Jean Leitch 7 ditto

Margrat Craig 4 ditto

For a discussion on her name/paternity, see: https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=770328.0. Two of those minor children named above, Agnes Hamilton and Jean Leitch, might have been related, because there is a record of an Agnes Hamilton born to James Hamilton and Mary Leitch in 1827. The question remains, who exactly are the parents of these last three children?

The 1851 census records of Renfrewshire, Scotland, show George Cowden aged about 31 living with his wife Agnes about 26 years -- there were few Cowdens in the area, so this was likely them. By the 1861 census they do not appear, having sailed in 1852 on the Beejapore to Australia (arrived 1853). See [https://www.geni.com/projects/Bad-ship-Beejapore-Scottish-immigrants-arriving-NSW-1853/54438].

Meanwhile, the elder Agness Calderwood Paterson is recorded in 1851 as aged 60, born East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, working as a housekeeper. She died as Agnes Paterson 70, widow of a farm servant, on 19/11/1860 at 11 King Street, Paisley, listed as daughter of John Calderwood, Blacksmith (deceased) and Isabella nee Locke (deceased), the information obtained from her son, William Paterson.

After arriving in Australia aboard the Beejapore in early 1853 and being released from quarantine, George and Agnes Cowden were hired by Mr. Henry O'Brien of Yass, at the joint salary of £35 per annum (plus double rations), and settled in Yass with the four young children they brought with them to Australia, all of whom had survived the voyage so perilous to young children. Eventually, they made a life in and around the village of Bowning NSW, along what is known as Limestone Creek, then they established Watervale Farm near Murrumburrah/Harden, and retired to Binnalong St. Murrumburrah, where the 1901 census records them. Their eldest son continued managing Watervale Farm, which was still in Cowden hands in recent times.

• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Dec 20 2023, 11:06:44 UTC