Page 295 (in Cowgill History - see Notes on Cowgills in America Page)

 
Ralph Cowgill, son of Ellen Cowgill, b 1667, England, and "decesed ye 17th 6mo 1756 Being in the 89th year of his age", m(1) ca 1689, Bucks Co., PA, Sarah Blackshaw, b ca 1668, England, d 13 Sep 1694, Falls Twp, PA, dau of Randall and Alice (Burgess) Blackshaw; m(2) 2 Sep 1697, Burlington MH, NJ, Susanna Pancoast, b ca 1677, d 2 Jan 1725, dau of John Pancoast. Was there a third marriage? An undated Bucks Co. Historical Society Note, apparently taken from Quaker minutes, has Ralph “acc mar out of unity 11mo 1 1737”.

Ralph came to the New World on the ship "The Friends' Adventure" as an indentured servant (engaged for four years without pay, but received 50 acres on termination of service) to Randall Blackshaw, arriving in the Delaware River 28 Sep 1682, as shown by Register of Arrivals, made by Phineas Pemberton, Clerk of Bucks County, PA. He later married Randall Blackshaw's daughter, Sarah. Early in 1695 Blackshaw sold Ralph Cowgill 112 acres of land; then in 1697 made over 200 acres in trust for Ralph's minor sons, Abraham and Nehemiah (Bucks County Court records 292, 311).

After his marriage to Susannah, Ralph moved to Burlington, NJ, becoming a member of the Burlington MM, later (6 Aug 1716) granted a certificate of transfer to the Chesterfield Meeting. In 1722 he was overseer of highways for Chesterfield Twp, and in 1729 was overseer of the “poor place”. Some time after the death of Susannah, Ralph with son Isaac and his two youngest children moved to Gloucester Co., transferring membership to the Haddonfield MM. On 14 Dec 1741, Haddonfield MM granted him a certificate back to the Burlington MM, Ralph and Isaac having moved to Springfield Twp. 

The New Jersey Historical Society has the actual Family Bible of Ralph Cowgill. The upper portion of the title page is missing. The lower portion reads "LONDON, Printed by John Baskett, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, and by the Assigns of Thomas Newcomb, and Henry Hills, deceased. MDCCXVI." Written on the following page, apparently in Ralph's own handwriting, is "Berth and Burels of Ralph Cowgills Children". He states "my wife Sarah Decesed ye 13th 7mo 1694", then "I marred again ye 2th 7mo 1697"; later, "my wife Susanna Decesed ye 2th 11mo 1725". After Ralph's death, it appears that his son Isaac made entries, then another in the family.

Children: known are (names and dates of birth appear on Register of births at Middletown, MM, Bucks Co., PA, and, with the exception of John who d in infancy, are also listed in Ralph Cowgill's Bible) - Abraham, John, Nehemiah, Sarah, Rebecca, Mary, Isaac, Rachel, Jane, Jacob, Susanna

Page 296                                                                                                                                 Child 1

Abraham Cowgill b 15 May 1690, Falls Twp, Bucks Co., PA, date and place of death unknown (see his tree here).

Page 337                                                                                                                                 Child 2

John Cowgill, apparently d at birth 30 Dec 1692, recorded Middletown MM.

Page 338                                                                                                                                 Child 3

Nehemiah Cowgill b 13 Mar 1693, Bucks Co., PA, d 1750, Gloucester Co., NJ (see his tree here).

Page 368                                                                                                                                  Child 4

Sarah Cowgill b 3 Sep 1694 (Bible record), Falls Twp, Bucks Co., PA, d 1724 (bur 1 Aug 1724), apparently in childbirth of 4th child, m 4 Jan 1715, Falls MM, Thomas Clifford, a man of some means, who had previously settled in Falls Twp, Bucks Co., PA, and d there 20 Mar 1737-8. Thomas m(2) 7 Sep 1730, Hannah Shires. (See page 368, Cowgill History, for more on this family)

Page 370                                                                                                                                  Child 5

Rebecca Cowgill b 10 Oct 1698, d 15 Mar 1768, m(1) 17 Mar 1725, Chesterfield MM, Richard Gibbs of Mansfield Twp, who d intestate (Letters of Adm to his widow) 20 Feb 1737, son of Isaac and Ann Gibbs. Witnesses to their wedding included: Ralph Cowgill, Nehemiah Cowgill, Jane Cowgill, Edmund Cowgill, Isaac Cowgill, and Abraham Cowgill; m(2) 4 May 1747, Burlington MM, Thomas Richards. (See page 370, Cowgill History, for more on this family) 

Page 371                                                                                                                                  Child 6

Mary Cowgill b 7 Jan 1701, d 3 Nov 1767, Salem Co., NJ, m 14 Apr 1720, Chesterfield MM, Archibald Silver, of Burlington Co., NJ, b 1694, who d 23 Oct 1769 (Salem MM records), son of Archibald and Christian Ghaine (Cheene or Shinn) Silver. Their marriage found in Salem MM records. His Will dated 5 Jul 1768, probated 7 Mar 1772, named the children. (See page 371, Cowgill History, for more on this family)

Page 374                                                                                                                                  Child 7

Isaac Cowgill, son of Ralph and his 2nd wife, Susannah (Pancoast) Cowgill, b 4 Jun 1703, Burlington Co., NJ, d 6 Dec) 1766, Chesterfield Twp, Burlington Co., NJ (see his tree here).

Page 393                                                                                                                                  Child 8

Rachel Cowgill b 1 Sep 1705, Burlington Co., NJ, d 8 Sep 1750 (about 8 o'clock in the morning), m 16 Sep 1728, as his (2) wife, Samuel Woodward, an inn holder, b 3 Mar 1706, son of Anthony and Hannah (Foulkes) Woodward. (See page 393, Cowgill History, for more on this family) 

Page 394                                                                                                                                  Child 9

Jane Cowgill b 20 Feb 1707/8 (Bible record), "departed this life the 28th day of October between one and two o'clock in the afternoon in the year 1791- being in the 83rd year of her age," m 19 Apr 1733, Chesterfield MM, NJ, as his second wife, Benjamin Linton, b 6 Dec 1703, Philadelphia, PA, d 25 Jan 1773, son of John (b Cumberland Co., England) and Rebecca (Relf) Linton, formerly of Cumberland, England. Marriage certificate signed by Joseph and Mary Linton (probably Benjamin's brother and wife, Mary 'Blackshaw' Linton, m 1725); by Ralph, Nehemiah, Isaac, Jacob and Rachel Cowgill; Joseph Pancoast, Isaac Bolton, Preserve Brown, and others; (Certificate of marriage as recorded in Chesterfield MM, Burlington Co., NJ, and listed in New Jersey Colonial Documents pp 662-663). Note: A descendant has varying dates, some of which may be errors in transposing, especially when dates are given in all numerals not specifying which is day or month; or changing from the Old Style, adding or subtracting the two months plus eleven days! Most use just two months. For birth of Jane Cowgill 3 Apr 1708; m 30 Apr 1733; b of Benjamin Linton 10 Jun or 30 Mar 1703. In History of Clinton County, Ohio, 1882, by Beers, under the Linton families, Jane is indicated as Jane Cowgal. (See page 394, Cowgill History, for more on this family)

Page 401                                                                                                                                 Child 10

Jacob Cowgill b 29 May 1710, "deceased ye 18th 3mo 1735 -- after 'tenn' weeks ilness".

Page 402                                                                                                                                 Child 11

Susanna Cowgill b 16 Jan 1718/19, d 19th of "first month about two o'clock in the morning of year 1764" (Bible quote), m 24 Sep 1737, Monmouth Co., by NJ license, John King, son of John and Elizabeth (Woodward) King. (See page 402, Cowgill History, for more on this family)