Robert Cowan (1824 - 1912)

Born 25 Dec 1824 in Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 20 Jun 1912 at age 87 in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

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Biography

Robert Cowan, born Pollockshire, Scotland, 25 December circa 1824. Robert found labouring and roading work when he first arrives, before later buying a farm and dairying in Sandymount. He died on the 20th June 1912 in Dunedin aged 88. Robert is buried in Andersons Bay Cemetery, Otago, New Zealand.^[1]

“Lady Egidia” arrives from London. She’s the largest wooden vessel yet to enter the port and her stylish lines are admired as she approaches up the channel. Aboard are Robert Cowan, his wife Jane and their six children – son William and daughters Mary, Jane, Hannah, Marion and baby Janet. The Cowans settle in Andersons Bay and Robert finds labouring and road work. The Andersons Bay Presbyterian Church is built in 1863 and the town now has a bakery, butcher, blacksmith, draper, the Andersons Bay Hotel and a boot repair business. By 1866, Dunedin’s population reaches 15,000. Robert Cowan purchases a farm at Sandymount in the Otago Peninsula hills. A prominent landform 2 miles (5km) south of Portobello, Sandymount rises to 1,000 feet (300 metres) above the Pacific Ocean and features some of largest high cliffs and chasms in New Zealand. It’s a successful settlement, ideal for dairy farming as the ocean breeze keeps the pasture green and lush. The area’s flax scutching mill prepares harvested flax for spinning and the quarry extracts limestone from the ground for transport to Dunedin in cement, mortar and lime-wash. It has a creamery, a school (educating several Cowan children), a post office, volunteer hall and a Presbyterian Church. The residents have a regular coach service to Dunedin." - Rubyrosa, family Historian ^[2]

According to the University of Wellington, cyclopedia of New Zealand, " Robert Cowan, who has lived in retirement on his farm at Sandymount since 1881, was born in Renfrewshire. Scotland, and came to Dunedin by the ship “Lady Egidia” in 1861, with his wife, five daughters and one son. At first he was engaged in road making and various other work about Anderson's Bay, and in 1863 purchased a farm at Sandymount, to which he removed two years later. The land was then practically covered with bush, but is now in a fine state of cultivation. Mr. Cowan was for many years a member of the Portobello Road Board and school committee, but retired from active life in 1881. Of his family of six, four are now alive, and there are forty-five grandchildren and twenty-five great-grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs Cowan are still hale and hearty, and will celebrate their Diamond Wedding in December, 1904." ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179915325/robert-cowan : accessed 21 November 2021), memorial page for Robert Cowan (25 Dec 1824–20 Jun 1912), Find a Grave Memorial ID 179915325, citing Andersons Bay Cemetery, Andersons Bay, Dunedin City, Otago, New Zealand ; Maintained by Lee-Ann Avery (contributor 48926487).
2. ↑ https://peoplemyths.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/daniel-weir/
3. ↑ https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc04Cycl-t1-body1-d5-d21.html

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