New info on wife of John McGown (1716-1796)-Part II
1.Once we had proved that the name Rebecca Hammond was a name given in error in First Families of America (vol. 1, pg 415), we still had to prove that a Rebecca Hammon/Hammond did not exist in the 1716-1730 time frame. Researchers with "Team McGown" (Nancy Minor, James Hargraves and Helen Hewitt, who passed away in 2003 to our sorrow) searched records and genealogies of all Hammond families in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland. We could find no Rebecca Hammond/Hammon born in that time frame who lived in geographical proximity to our John in a time frame when he would have married (ie 1740-1744)
2.At this point, we had a choice- we could either assume that John's wife was unknown or we could proceed on a research path using the assumption that the first name Rebecca preserved some genuine memory. We decided to follow the second trail to see where it lead us.
3.We then began to look at all the families with which our John had associated during his lifetime, under the assumption that people do not live in a vacuum and people, particularly in that time period, tended to associate or live near family. How many associates of our John had daughters named Rebecca? How many of them had daughters named Rebecca born in the correct time frame? How many of them had daughters named Rebecca born in the correct time frame and living in geographical proximity to our John in the marriage time frame?
4.In only one case, were we able to find a daugher named Rebecca who fit all the criteria- Rebecca Rankin, daughter of John Rankin and Margaret/Jane McElwee. Born in Ireland, she emigrated with her family to America around 1727, living near our John in Lancaster Co, Pa. in the 1740-1744 time frame. The Rankin family continued its association with the McGown family, with a daugher of John McGown marrying David Cox, son of Mary Catherine Rankin Cox (as a sister to Rebecca Rankin). This pattern of intermarriage can be seen as a common pattern in Rankin marriages.
5.The following facts constitute our case for the marriage of John McGown and Rebecca Rankin:
*21 July 1738-Pa. land warrant #75 is issued for 200 ac, Lancaster Co, to John Rankin. The land is situated on Yellow Breeches Creek in Pennsborough Township.
*29 Feb 1743/44- Pa. land warrant #301 is issued for 400 ac, Lancaster Co, to John McGowen. The land is situated on Yellow Breeches Creek in Pennsborough Township.
*13 Apr 1743/44- "John McGowen of Lancaster Co, Yeoman, to Richard Peters of the City of Philadelphia, Gentleman- 37 pounds for 400 ac on Yellow Breeches Creek."-NOTE-the land warrant and the deed spell the name McGowen; the deed is signed "John McGown." Clerks copying deeds were obligated to make correct copies, so the way a person signed a deed often was a truer indicator of name rather than the spelling used in the text of the deed. Our John McGown always spelled his name McGown in every instance where his name appears in documents (with the exception of his military commission, which is spelled McGound). Since there are no further McGown references to be found in Pa. records for at least 20 years after the 1743/44 deed (and we know our John was in Virginia by 1749), we feel this deed belongs to our John McGown (York Co, Pa Deeds, vo. 1 pg. 49) *2 Jan 1749- the will of John Rankin, yeoman, Lancaster Co, Pa. was submitted for probate. It mentions wife Margaret, sons Thomas & Richard, sons in law Wm White and John Waugh, daughters Elizabeth, Ann, Margret, Catrin, Rebecca, & Agness.
While 2 sons in law are mentioned in the will, we know that the Catrin mentioned is probably Mary Catherine Rankin Cox, who had married by 1749 to John/Joshua Cox. Since he is not mentioned in the will, the absence of a mention of a husband to Rebcca does not preclude her marriage to our John McGown.
*Cox family genealogies show that the Catrin mentioned in John Rankin's will was the Mary Catherine Rankin who married John/Joshua Cox and lived in Lancaster Co in 1749. Mary Catherine Rankin Cox's son David married Margaret McGown, daughter of John McGown. Since it seems possible that John Rankin's wife had a double name (Margaret Jane) and the same pattern can be seen in Mary Catherine Rankin Cox's situation (ie called Catrin in father's will but called Mary in other documents), perhaps her sister Rebecca was similarly double-named. A double name such as Rebecca Ann, Rebecca Elizabeth, Ann Rebecca, Elizabeth Rebecca could account for the lack of the name Rebecca in McGown naming patterns but the memory of the name Rebecca carrying through several McGown generations.
*1756- Delaware Indians attack and burn the house of Widow Cox (her husband John/Joshua had died in 1749, Lancaster Co). The Indiands capture 2 sons (Richard & John) plus son in law John Craig. The men escape after 6 months in captivity; some Cox genealogies show Mary Catherine Rankin Cox dies about this time. (Uriah Sherrill Allison & Nancy Clark Cox; Their Ancestors and Descendants 1500-1979, Margaret McNutt Morton (UVA Alderman Library, CS71.C877 1975, accounts also found in pa. Archives and pa. Gazette)
*1756-1760- Augusta Co. Virginia- after the Indian attack at least 3 Cox sons (and possibly their mother) move to Virginia. Militia lists from Augusta Co during the French & Indian War include John, David & Joshua Cox. Joshua was even awarded 50 ac of land for service in the company of John Smith. John Smith lived near the James River in Augusta Co, and lived near John McGown (whose land was been located near Looney's Mill Creek). One has to ask why the Cox brothers chose to move to Augusta Co after the Indian attack, since that area of Augusta Co was also suffering from Indian attacks during this time period. Perhaps it was because they had family living there? (Mary Rankin Cox's brothers were still living in Pennsylvania at thie time-could it be because her sister Rebecca McGown lived there?) (Chalkley's Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish, Kegley's Virginia Frontier, pg 276, 280)
*Two Cox brothers (John & David) move to the Grayson Co, Va. area by 1765, probably with a group of settlers led by Andrew Baker. John McGown moves to the same area at the same time. His dau. Margaret married David Cox about 1765. The Rankin patterns of intermarriage can also be seen in the family of Thomas Rankin (brother to Mary Catherine & Rebecca)-Thomas married Isabelle Cleneddin. Isabelle's sister Agness married John Bradshaw (Bradshaw moved to Grayson Co area by 1776 and later moved on to Jefferson Co, TN with the McGowns. One of Thomas' daughters, Nancy, married Samuel White (related to the Wm White named in John Rankin's will); another dau. mary married James Bradshaw (son of John Bradshaw & Isabelle Clendennin); a son, John Rankin, married Jennie Waugh (dau. of the same John Waugh named in John Rankin's will).
If Margaret McGown married her mother's sister's son, it would not be out of the Rankin pattern. (New River Frontier Settlement, Paula Anderson-Green, Montgomery Cos Revolutionary Heritage, Ruby Altizer Roberts)
*John McGown moved to Jefferson Co, TN in 1790/91. Also moving to Jefferson Co at the same time were Thomas Rankin & his sons (moving from Pa. to Tn) and John Bradshaw and his sons. The McGown land was located near the head of Dumplin Creek. John Bradshaw and Richard Rankin (son of Thomas) had a number of land grants in the same area (early Tn Land Grants)
*John McGown wrote his will in 1793. It was witnessed by John Bradshaw and 2 of his sons (Jefferson Co wills)
Thus, it is our conclusion that John McGown (1716-1796) married Rebecca Rankin, daughter of John Rankin about 1740-1744 in Lancaster Co, Pa, where they both lived. John & Rebecca moved to Augusta Co, Va. by 1749 and were joined by her sister or her Cox nephews by 1760. Both Cox & McGown families move to southwestern Virginia by 1765 (Cox settling in Grayson Co, McGown settling in far western Pittsylvania/Henry/Patrick Co.). John McGown and youngest son Andrew move to Jefferson Co, TN by 1791 and settle next to Rankins and Rankin relations.
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Re: New info on wife of John McGown (1716-1796)-Part II
Lori London 10/14/06