I am looking for the parents of George McCowen.

According to his tombstone and census records, he was born on 14 Mar 1817 in Warren Co., Ohio and died on 8 Jan 1892 in Darke Co., Ohio. He is buried in Ithaca Cemetery. No death record or obituary can be found that shows his parents.

George married twice.

1st to Rhoda Elizabeth Pickering (1827 - 1854) on 18 June 1846 in Darke Co.

2nd to Esther B. Pickering (1837 - 1930) on 30 June 1855 in Darke Co.

In the 1880 census, George McCowen's father's birthplace was listed as Ireland while his mother's was left blank.


There are also other McCowens buried in Ithaca that might very well be relatives.

The only other McCowens in Ithaca Cemetery are those of the family of John McCowen of Ireland/New Jersey (1786-1850) and Mary Briney, who were married on 2 Nov 1820 in Warren Co. They stayed in Warren Co. until about 1826. A biographical sketch on one of their children list that they had five children. "Their children are five in number: George, James, Thomas, Jackson, and Catherine."

I researched them, and found them as:

James McCowen (1822 in Warren - 1902) who m. Huldah Nealeigh
Catharine McCowen (1824 in Warren - 1910) who m. John Cloyd and Reuben Leslie
Thomas McCowen (1826 in Darke - 1907) who m. Sarah Jane Mears
John Jackson McCowen (1831 in Darke - 1914) who m. Maria Louisa Miller

The children's obituaries don't list him because they only listed the living and both Georges (mine and the one listed) apparently died before all of them. Also, an estate/probate cannot be found for John McCowen to see if George was ever listed.

The only George McCowen that closely ties within this family is mine. However, the McCowen/Briney marriage was in 1820--3 years after George was born. All of George's records list his birth year around 1817.

So, what exactly is George to them? Or is my George even related to them?