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What is a Cousin?

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  • What is a Cousin?

    When Gt Uncle William Richards died in 1889 he made various bequests. Among them was one to his cousin Olivia Treglown of Marazion, Cornwall wife of John Treglown who had gone to Australia. Now, many searches of all the possibilites I can think of will not unearth this relationship between William and Olivia.

    The obvious conclusion is that she is not a blood relative type cousin but obviously some sort of relative but I cannot think where further to look--any suggestions and comments on the "cousin" relationship.

    dreen22

  • #2
    From my experience in my family, children referred to adults who were friends of the family as aunt and uncle... so it's not surprising that they assumed that they must be cousins. I have a similar problem with a contact who firmly believes that we are related when we are not.

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    • #3
      I find that in the 19th century all those in a family of the same generation tend to be called cousins - even if actually they are second or third cousins. So they might not share a grandparent in common (first cousins), but rather a great grandparent or even a great great grandparent. And additionally if someone is in the generation above or below but is actually of the about the same age, again cousin seems to be used, even though they would be 'once removed' in technical terms.

      Overall it seems a catch all term to describe sometimes complex and distant blood relations.

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      • #4
        I agree with all that and not being a blood relative of course makes the searching process much harder.

        I do not know very much about the cornish end of my family even though that is "My Roots". When my x3 grandfather Thomas Richards, left Penzance for London between 1806 & 1811 apart from his wife Elizabeth Ladner there is no way of knowing who travelled with him. Travelling is those days was obviously a major undertaking and I would not have thought they had a tremendous amount of visitors from Cornwall.

        William, who made the bequest was born in London and Olivia Treglown in Marazion in Cornwall where the family had always been.

        I do have one tenuous link however, although one I cannot prove On the 1901 census for Marazion is a lady staying with Olivia described as a "Visitor". I decided to check her out and found that at one time she lived in the same road in London as Thomas and William. I was quite excited by this discovery but unfortunately have not been able to take it any further. Olivia Treglown, along with another lady in my ggUncle,s Lodging House were also the Executors named on the Will. Of course another possibility is that Olivia came to London to visit her friend and made William's acquaintance. William never married.

        Over the years I've twisted and turned in all directions with this problem but I'm always left with a "Brick Wall". I havn't given up but the next step is always a bit hazy.
        dreen22

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        • #5
          Have you considered that the "cousin" might be John Treglown and his wife has the title through marriage? That has happened in my family - husband referred to as nephew, when it was actually their wife that is the neice.

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          • #6
            Dear Trina.
            Thankyou so much for that suggestion, it certainly is one which had not ocurred to me. The only snag is, I have searched for marriages putting in both names, Treglown and Olivia's maiden name of Edmonds, even her mother's maiden name of Thomas -- nothing. I realise that isn't conclusive because not every marriage is necessarily listed in indexes.

            However the Treglown theory is worth trying to pursue I guess, perhaps working thru John's family because he had gone to Australia at the time of the bequest. John never came back and would have been away over 20yrs at the time of William Richard's death, but maybe someone felt sorry for her.
            dreen22

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            • #7
              there is a marriage of Olivia Edmonds to John TreGLOAN reg in Dec 1861 Penzance


              which has the following info showing with it.

              18 December 1861 Banns
              John Tregloan (Signed) 27 Miner Marazion [Father James Tregloan, Miner]
              Olivia Edmonds (Signed) 28 Milliner Marazion [Father Andrew Edmonds, Butcher]
              Witnesses: Andrew Edmonds, Mary Howard

              Germoe
              St Hilary
              St Michael's Mount
              Marazion
              Cornwall,England


              Does this fit with what you know abt Olivia?
              Last edited by WendyP; 04-06-10, 08:36.
              WendyP

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              • #8
                Yes Wendy this is my Olivia and John. I do have this information.
                My problem is establishing the connection between these two, both born in Cornwall and WILLIAM RICHARDS born in London in 1811. Williams' father THOMAS RICHARDS, my x3grandfather, however was born in Madron, Cornwall in 1771 as was his wife ELIZABETH LADNER b.1773, St. Buryan, Cornwall, so perhaps the elusive connection is further back.

                Thank-you for your interest and taking the trouble to look my people up.
                dreen22

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                • #9
                  I misunderstood your last posting. I thought you were saying that you hadn't found the marriage of John and Olivia just incase the 'Cousin' part was on Olivia hubbys family.

                  I hope you found your answer.
                  WendyP

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                  • #10
                    I have a couple of similar wills, naming all sorts of relatives. I can confirm that blood and non-blood relations seem to be treated similarly! Also in a couple of cases a woman had obviously had a bad time (husband died young etc) and she seemed to be singled out for a special legacy.

                    Both these wills relate to very widespread family. They began as children of a 'nailer' in Silkstone Yorks. Some of them went to London in the 1840s. However the family ties do not seem to have been broken, - legacies (in the 1880s) went all over the country wherever they had moved to. Do not assume people didn't travel much or at least keep in close contact by writing. This lot clearly kept in close touch.

                    Anne

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                    • #11
                      I would echo Anne's experience. My great great aunt died unmarried and left legacies all over the place, to extended family, all of whom were referred to as nephew, niece or cousin. In most cases they were half cousins, great nephews, second cousins once removed and so on...it's almost as if Will writers don't recognise the subtleties of lesser relationships.

                      In my case, I spent ages looking for "my nephew Edwin Green" who turned out to be (I think!) the grandson of a cousin. My geat great aunt was one of eleven children and her bequests encompassed descendants of HER grand parents, so as Anne says, the family ties were kept up for almost 200 years and were spread all over Britain.

                      OC

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                      • #12
                        Thank-u Wendy & Anne.

                        Your comments are particularly interesting Anne and a little sad because it could be anyone. My x3 grandfather, would appear, owned a Lodging House in Clerkenwell which stayed in the family for over 50yrs and William was still there at the time of his death, so it could have been anyone passing through that he became friendly with I guess''

                        Looking at it more deeply (not for the first time) I think there are five possibilities:

                        (1) Someone who was passing thru
                        (2) Thomas had a 2nd Wife, no marriage found, so one of her acquantainces, although she was born London. One of
                        her relatives had a bequest in her will.
                        (3) A sister of Thomas who had lived in Dorset, stayed with him for a time after her husband died.
                        (4) The neighbour of Thomas & William who had stayed with Olivia in Marazion
                        (5) NONE OF THESE

                        It's a problem I've wrestled with for a number of years now and it looks as though a lot more water will flow under the
                        bridge before it;s solved, if ever!

                        dreen22

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                        • #13
                          Hiya
                          It could be cousin's via down his mothers side ELIZABETH LADNER & Olivia Treglown late Edmonds is a daug of Andrew Edmonds, Butcher & his wife's maiden name.
                          What i am saying is are the two mothers sisters.

                          Noel

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