Father: Albert Isaac COWELL, (son of John LT COWELL), b. 19 May 1874, Greene County Missouri, d. 4 Jun 1913, bur. Forest Hills cemetery Kansas City Mo
Albert Isaac Cowell was probably born in and around Ash Grove in Greene County Missouri according to an 1880 census . It lists him as six years old in 1880 making his birth year around 1874. On his marriage certificate in 1895 it lists him as 21 years of age making his birth year around 1874, however family sources have him born in 1872. His death certificate lists him as being born May 19 1874 Married in 1895 he and Julia have six children, apparently according to the 1910 census she lost one. Also a puzzler on the 1920 census is a child named Loraine listed as Julia's daughter. No one in the family recalls this daughter at all. She does not appear on the 1910 census which she would if she was a few months old, However if she was born after the census was taken in 1910 she would not be listed. Also, she does list her parents as born in Missouri and Scotland as Albert and Julia were> However perhaps she was an adopted child or just a child that Julia took in who was orphaned. It is possible that it is a child that died soon after and nobody .recalls her but this family seems to know its relatives and many grandchildren are alive and this would have been an Aunt. Whatever the case she appears on the 1920 census. However Albert dies on June 4 1913 and his death certificate gives his cause of death as myocarditis. He and Julia are living at 1805 Mercer in KC Mo at the time of his death. He is listed as a day labourer. , Below are the census's for this family .1900 Vinyard Township Lawrence County Missouri Stotts City June 6,1900 House 159 Cowell, Albert M white head of household born Aug 1874 Mo 26 years parents born Illinois Lead Miner can read and write home rentedCowell, Julia F white wife born Dec 1875 24 parents Born Scotland can read and write Cowell, Grace A F white daughter March 1896 Mo parents born Missouri and Scotland Cowell, Joseph E white son Jan 1898 Mo parents born Missouri and Scotland Cowell, Mary R white dau Feb 1900 6 months born Mo parents born Missouri and Scotland 1910 Census Jackson County Missouri 2nd ward 1637 Bellevue Cowell, Albert 35 born Missouri both parents born Illinois married 15 years occ teamster rent home Cowell, Julia wife 34 born Scotland birthed 6 children 5 living married 15 years Cowell, Grace dau 14 born MissouriCowell, Edward son 12 born MissouriCowell, Ruth dau 10 born MissouriCowell, May dau 4 born MissouriCowell, Bessie dau 1 born Missouri1920 Census Jackson County Missouri address not given on page Cowell, Julia 44 Widow born Scotland Forelady Railroad Cowell, Grace 23 divorced born Missouri parents born Scotland and Missouri wrapper biscuit companyCowell, Loraine 10 daughter born Missouri parents born Scotland and MissouriCowell, Bertha May 14 born Missouri parents born Scotland and MissouriAusterman, Anna 24 boarder born Missouri parents born Germany wrapper Candy Manufacter
Mother: Julia “Evaline” Adamson MCDONALD, (daughter of Donald "Daniel " MCDONALD), b. 27 Dec 1875, Forfar parish Angus Scotland, d. 25 Jul 1962, Kansas City Mo, bur. Forest Hills cemetery Kansas City Mo on Valley Rd
Birth info comes from actual birth register (see below) . Death certificate hard copy in files not disk gives birth info as 1876 year however her actual year of birth was 1875. per her birth certificate. Julia's middle name was changed to Evaline. probably by her, but her birth certificate shows her born as Julia Adamson. All of her grandchildren remember Evaline as her middle name and her death certificate bears that out, but she was originallly born with the middle name of Adamson. She could have done this change for a variety of reasons, because she disliked the name (many Scottish did not like having family names as middle names ) or perhaps she changed it to distance herself from her father's illegitimacy. The Adamson comes from her father, Daniel's biological's mothers married name., known as Margaret Crockett nee Adamson and the situation was kept hush hush until my Cousin Cheri Piersee and I got rather suspicioius for a number of reasons and Ross Cameron of Tay Valley Historical Society found Daniel's actual birth certificate. .Julia was probably named for her real great grandmother Julia Piggot the mother of Daniel's mother, Margaret Crockett. Also, . Daniel's half sister by Margaret Crockett is also named Julia Adamson. . The naming of Julia proves that Daniel knew as early as his first daughter's birth who his real birth mother was. It seems that with the naming of his daughter he embraced this truth. Was it his children who covered this up? Ilegitimacy was a social flaw in those days, much more stigmatized in America than in Europe. Perhaps it was kept hidden to perpetuate the myth that his Stewart heritage was traced back to Mary Queen of Scots? Or did he or his second wife in fact have second thoughts and change her middle name ? We shall never know. Julia came to this country at 8 years old on ship Devonia Sept 10 1884 to a New York Port Castlegarden with her father Daniel, stepmother Margaret, brother Alexander and sister Ann. . For a short time after her marriage and prior to her father's death she lives right next door to her sister Ann in Lawrence County Missouri.in 1900. Julia's granddaughter Mary Jane Barnes remembers her as a big busted happy go lucky woman. She was about 5'8 or 5'9. She liked to take drives in the car , where she carried a big black handbag and a knife and would have them stop the car and cut down wild greens for meals. She made cookies from fruit juices she hoarded all week. She rarely talked of her Scottish past probably because she was relatively young when she came over here and probably because with her mother and brothers and grandmother dying on her at a young age, it was not a pleasant memory. She did tell Mary Jane that as a child they often washed their clothes in the river.in Scotland.Mary Jane says that when she went to to Scotland in the 1950's she reported to her grandmother that they still did that. Julia was married to Albert Cowell in 1898 in Lawrence County Missouri. Marriage certificate is in hard copy not on disk. On the 1910 Census in Jackson County Missouri she states she has had six children , with five living in 1910 so she must have lost one. A puzzle is the appearance of a girl named Loraine Cowell on the 1920 census. This girl is listed at 10 years old as Julia's daughter. Loraine lists her birthplace as Missouri and parents born in Missouri and Scotland like Julia's other children. However, the puzzle is that no one recalls her at all. None of the grandchildren recall this woman who would have been their aunt and do not recall their parents talking of another sister at all. Whether she is a sister who passed away and was never mentioned seems doubtful. However she could be adopted or someone she took in. It is of course possible that she is what she says she is. Albert dies in 1913 of a heart attack and this places Julia and her children at great financial hardship. Her children lived in an orphanage during the week and came home on weekends. . Julia was a hard worker all her life and worked as a forelady at Pullman Railroad according to the census and dates provided by Shirley Yarkasky had her beginning work there in 1916 all the way through the early 1930's, then as a live in Nanny for the Sullivans, who were her grandchildren. Grace Sullivan her daughter, died early of cancer and her husband Bill who owned a Chevrolet car dealership ask her to move into his Ward Parkway home to care for the children. Julia was an Episcopalian by marriage but was also a spirtualist who often had visions that foreshadowed family tragedies. When the Sullivans took her to Spokane(probably to see her half brother Richard) one time she said she had to get back immediately by train, as she thought something terrible happened to her grandson Freddie. Indeed, he died as a youngster a few days after. Julia died on July 25 1962 of a cerebral embolism.at the home Little Sister's of the Poor a Catholic nursing home. . Buried Forest Hill Cemetery in KC Missouri Grove 9 Lot 255, Block 47 on Valley Road near Coolidge's Grove. Albert is said to be possibly buried in the same cemetery.but not next to her. Below is the census for Julia after Alberts death. All other census available for Julia under Albert Cowell.TRANSCRIPT OF ENTRY IN REGISTER OF BIRTHS
Sex Year County District Name District No. Entry No. F 1875 Forfar Forfar 288 482
Name and Surname Julia Adamson McDonald When and Where Born 1875, on the Seventh day of December, at 5h 20m am Pyotts Close, East High Street, Forfar Name, Rank and Profession of Father Daniel McDonald Yarn Bleacher (Operative), formerly Ploughman Name and Maiden Surname of Mother Margaret McDonald MS Ritchie Date and Place of Marriage 1864 June 24th at Forfar Signature and Qualification of Informant Daniel McDonald Father Present When and Where Registered 1875, December 27th at Forfar W H Thomson, Registrar
Remarks:
Transcribed by D R Cameron - TVFHS member 3692 - ForfarCam@aol.com Other census's for this family group are under Albert's notes.1920 Census Jackson County Missouri address not given on page Cowell, Julia 44 Widow born Scotland Forelady Railroad Cowell, Grace 23 divorced born Missouri parents born Scotland and Missouri wrapper biscuit companyCowell, Loraine 10 daughter born Missouri parents born Scotland and MissouriCowell, Bertha May 14 born Missouri parents born Scotland and MissouriAusterman, Anna 24 boarder born Missouri parents born Germany wrapper Candy Manufacter
Married 17 Nov 1895, Lawrence County Missouri
Children: