Cowper Family
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"Cowper" is an alternate spelling of the name "Cooper." The famous English poet, William Cowper, pronounced his name "Cooper," but in England today is it phonentically pronounced as "Cow-per." Cowper and Cooper render an account of the family founder who was a barrel-maker or "cooper." John Cowper was a glove-maker instead of a barrell-maker in Yorkshire in 1379. The Cowper coat of arms from Yorkshire has a diagonal, fur-covered stripe between six gold rampant lions on a red shield.
Lawrence Taylor | Thomas Taylor | John, Jr. | John, Sr. | Simeon | Notes
Thomas Taylor Cowper
1892-1967
Thomas Taylor Cowper was born on 19 March 1892 in Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Lancashire County, England, to John and Catherine Elizabeth (Ellis) Cooper, Jr.
baptismal
record
Because he was born in 1892, we cannot find Thomas in the 1891 UK census (see his father's listing below for that census enumeration—which shows Thomas' parents along with his two siblings: John and Bessie). In the 1901 census, however, we find Thomas (age 9); his brother Henry Benson (age 7); his mother, Catherine Elizabeth (Ellis) Cowper (age 36, and now widowed, since her husband, John, died on 28 April, 1895). Catherine's occupation is listed as "public bath attendant." The head of household is Thomas Ellis and his wife Martha—Catherine's parents. The 89-year-old John Taylor, is Catherine's grandfather—father of Martha Taylor, who married Thomas Ellis. In other words—and from Thomas's perspective—Thomas is living with his mother, siblings, cousins, maternal grandparents, and a great grandfather (John Taylor, father of his grandmother).
1901 UK census: 124 Admiral St., Liverpool, Lancashire, England
(The household is listed on two separate pages—click on each one separately
for the full-page)
1911 UK census: Toxteth Park East, Lancashire, England
In the 1911 census, Catherine is listed as a 44-year-old widow and her occupation is cashier in a "Baths" Corporation. 19-year-old Thomas is working as a railway clerk and his 21-year-old sister, Bessie is a laundress (Packer) in a laundry. The family is living on 39 Noel Street, Lodge Lane, Toxteth Park (Liverpool).
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| In Uniform c. 1916? |
From this point until his marriage in 1926, Thomas' life becomes very hectic and confusing. His earliest arrival in the US was listed as 1913 (given as part of the 1920 census below).
On 13 August 1915, 23-year-old Thomas sailed on board the SS Scandinavian from Liverpool to Montréal, Québec. The passenger manifest reflects his occupation as stenographer/clerk and lists his last permanent address as Liverpool—where he lists his next of kin as his mother, C E Cowper, who is living on 17 Oxford Street in Liverpool.
We know from later records that Thomas lived in Salt Lake City, Utah from 1915-1917. Thomas appears in the 1917 Salt Lake City Directory. The entry indicates that he's a clerk at the LDS Hospital and is renting his dwelling at "375 C."
Given this record, along with the fact that the British Army began to see service in the First World War as early as 1914; it is possible that Thomas had already served in the military and/or seen combat before heading to Canada. The details of his military service are still a bit sketchy, but it appears that his service with the 5th Kings Liverpool Regiment had to have happened sometime between 1914 and 1915.
However, by June of 1917 (the date he completed his World War I draft registration card), Thomas said that he had served in the British Army in World War I, left England for Canada, and was living in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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| World War I draft registration signed 5 June 1917 |
His registration card indicates that 25-year-old Thomas was living on 375 C Street in Salt Lake, and that he was working as a stenographer for the Oregon Short Line Railroad. He indicates that he has had four years of military service—reaching the rank of corporal in the English "Rifle" branch of service.
Thomas is listed as being tall and slender, having brown eyes and dark hair.
Thomas' son, Larry, remembers hearing that his father was wounded twice and gassed once during the war—and also that he served both with the British Army and with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the war. More research will be needed to confirm the exact dates of enlistment and the details of Thomas' military service.
Interestingly, less than a month after completing his World War I draft registration card (3 July 1917), Thomas enlisted with the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force.
(see attestation paper below).
Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force Attestation Paper, signed in
Vancouver, Canada July 3, 1917.
The second page of this Canadian paperwork, Thomas lists his religion as "Latter Day Saints." This is repeated (sometimes as "Mormon") in several other places.
We can also see that Thomas' eyesight was not very good: 20/120 and 20/50; but 20/20 with glasses. Along with this paperwork associated with Thomas' service with the Canadian Expeditionary Force is a page outlining his service in England during the war years. There's a lot of obsolete military abbreviations involved, which I'll try to decipher below...
On 1 Sep 1917, Thomas arrived in England onboard the SS Metagama. The ship was also known as the HMT (or His Majesty's Transport) Metagama. Four days later, Thomas was assigned (TOS or "Taken on Strength") to the Canadian Army Medical Corps Depot (CAMDC) at Westenhanger, Kent, (southeastern) England. Although not specifically mentioned in this record, he was still a Private at this time.
1 Jan 1918--receives orders, eff. 3/18 for promotion to "Corporal Clerk with pay" at the same location.
25 April--moves to Canadian Army Medical Corps Depot in Shorncliffe, Kent, England (about six miles west of Shorncliffe). He is "to be A/Cpl with pay." I'm not sure what the "A" stands for--my best guess is "Acting" or perhaps "Artificer" (which was a rank given to specialists during WW1). At least we know he's certainly being paid as a Corporal and still at Shorncliffe.
16 Feb 1919--"to be A/Sgt with pay"
20 Feb--TOS from CAMCD in Shorncliffe to a branch of the Director General of Medical Staff (DGMS) in London.
20 June--"to be A/S/Sgt [Acting or Artificer Staff Sergeant] Clerk while employed as NCO Stenographer."
17 Oct--"SOS [Struck Off Strength" or discharged] to CDD Buxton [Canadian Discharge Depot] in Buxton (southeast of Manchester). The Depot was set up to accomdate the repatriation of discharged and or injured Canadian soldiers returning home.
11 Nov. Returns to Canada onboard SS Tunisian
1919 immigration document—click for larger version
In December 1919, Thomas is listed on a
Department of Labor "List or Manifest of Alien Passengers Applying for
Admission to the United States from Foreign Contiguous Territory."
Although there is no specific date in December, Thomas' details are as
follows: age 27; single; "Steno;" Canadian nationality; final destination,
Salt Lake City, Utah; and finally lists a point of contact as Miss Flora
Cummings (listed as friend and in the same city). Furthermore, Thomas' name appears on a
page exclusively listing "returning soldiers."
On the next page, Thomas indicates that he is been in the United States
before—in Utah, from 1915-1917—and that he had last departed the United States
in January 1917.
Larry remembers his father saying that he had planned to marry a Mormon women, and had converted to the LDS religion. However, he was apparerently considered unacceptable by the young woman's parents. Interestingly, there was a Flora Gordon Cummings living in Salt Lake City at that time. She was born in Wolstanton, Stafforshire, England in 1892, and emmigrated to the US in 1916. Flora and her mother, Harriet were enumerated in the 1920 census in Salt Lake City in January of that year. Seven months later, Flora would marry a man 20 years her senior, John Milton Read. She never remarried.
Thomas obviously decided that it was time to move on, and he did.
1920 census: West Dufur, Wasco, Oregon; page 10B
Thomas next appears in the 1920 census in Wasco County, Oregon. When this census was taken on Jan 12, 1920, he is 28 years old, single, and is working as a stenographer for the Dufur Orchard Co-Owners Company. The census also indicates that he arrived in the United States in 1913 and is still a resident alien.
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| Naturalization Papers filed in Los Angeles, CA 1923 |
According to the 1920 biennial report from the Oregon Board of Horticulture, "at Dufur, 17 miles south of the Dalles, is located the largest apple orchard in the world, the plant and acreage of the Dufur Orchard Co-Owners Company." (one apple orchard with 3800 acres and 200,000 trees)
Thomas' naturalization records from June of 1923 provide many details with respect to his movements. 31-year-old Thomas lists his occupation as secretary, and indicates that he immigrated from Victoria, Canada, arriving in the Port of Seattle, Washington on 26 June 1919—sailing aboard the vessel "Sol Duc."
He also indicates that his current address 424 S. Park View, in Los Angeles, California.
.jpg) |
| Photo dated 1926 |
On February 20th, 1926, Thomas married Alberta Ethelwyn Lawrence in Los Angeles, California.
The 1928 Los Angeles city directory shows Thomas and Ethelwyn living at 404 South Bartlet Street in the Alhambra section of the city. Thomas' occupation is listed as Accountant.
By the time of the 1930s census, Thomas had been married four years to his wife, Ethelwyn (age 28). The family now includes their 3-year-old son, Lawrence. The enumeration also indicates that Thomas immigrated in 1919 and was by the time of this census a naturalized citizen. His occupation is given as "bookkeeper, large ranch."
1930 census: Wasco, Kern County, California
Shortly after the 1930s census the family moved to Modesto, California and remained there for about five years (about the time Larry finished eighth grade). The family then moved to Los Angeles, where they lived with his mother's parents for about six months.
1940 census: San Jose, Santa Clara, California
In the 1940 census the family is renting a house on 1395 Sierra (for $60 a month) in San Jose. 48 year old Thomas is working as an accountant in "food machinery." His salary is $900 per year. The census indicates that 13 year old Larry has finished seven years of school, while his parents have complete one and two years of college, respectively. The census also reflects correctly that the family was living in Modesto in 1935.
After living in San Jose, Thomas bought a home in Santa Cruz. Eventually, they dicided to live there full time.
In the 1966 Santa Cruz city directory we find Thomas and
Ethelwyn living
at
West Cliff Drive. Thomas is operating his bookkeeping business out of the back of
the home (same address).
Thomas Taylor Cowper died on the 12th of February 1967, in Santa Cruz, California. He is buried in the Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose.
John Cowper, Jr. was born around September 1861 in Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Lancashire,
England—the second child of John and Hannah Langley Cooper, Sr. John
was baptized on 20 October 1861, at the St. John the Baptist Church in
Toxteth Park. The baptismal records correctly reflect John's parents
as John and Hannah; that his father was a mariner; and that the family lived
at 30 Upper Mann Street.
In the 1881 census, 19-year-old John is working as a railway checker and
still living with his 55-year-old widowed mother and his younger
sister, Hannah (see image below, under John, Sr.).
The 1891 census (see image below) shows 29-year-old John Cowper, Jr. and his wife Catherine Elizabeth Ellis Cowper (age 26), along with their two children: John and Bessie (ages 2,1 respectively). Their son Thomas would not be born for another year. John is living three houses away from his in-laws, John and Martha Ellis (click on image below for the entire census page showing both families. For more information on the Ellis family, please visit the Ellis page.).
1891 UK census: 17 Gwyder, Toxteth Park (Liverpool), Lancashire
click image for full page view
John Cowper, Sr.
b. 1817 - d. 1863-1870
John Cowper, Sr. was born on the 17th of November 1817 in Carlisle, Cumberland County, England. The place and date of John's birth is confirmed in his Mate's Certificate of Service paperwork. This certificate indicates that John had been employed as an apprentice seaman and mate in the "coastal and foreign trade" since about 1837.
In 1848, John married Hannah Langley (˜1825-1893) in Penrith, Cumberland County, England.
1851 UK census: Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Lancaster, England
By the time of the 1851 census, John and Hannah are living together on 26 Mann Street in Liverpool (ages 33/36 respectively). Their first son, William, is one years old, and John is working as a chief mate.
1861 UK census: Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Lancaster, England
In 1861 Hannah is listed as the head of household, and her occupation is listed as "mariner's wife (merchant service)". As she is listed as married, we can assume that John was away at sea for this enumeration.
1871 UK census: Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Lancaster, England
Although listed as "Anna," this is certainly Hannah (who is now widowed) and her family. All members of the household are listed as having been born in Liverpool. We do not yet have firm evidence of John's date of death. However, given that John and Hannah's daughter, Hannah, is seven years old along with the fact that Hannah is now listed as a widow fixes John's date of death sometime between 1863 in 1871.
1881 UK census: Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Lancaster, England
In 1881 census the family is still living in Toxteth Park, but have moved further south to 26 Harlow Street. This enumeration correctly indicates that Hannah was born in Stockport (rather than Liverpool as in earlier censuses). As can be seen in the image above, 55-year-old Hannah is working as a monthly nurse, her 19-year-old son John is a railway clerk, and her 17-year-old daughter, Hannah, is working as a hotel waitress.
In the 1891 census 66-year-old Hannah Cowper and her 26-year-old daughter of the same name are still living in Liverpool (Shearer Street in Toxteth Park) boarding at the home of a coal dealer by the name of Charles Owens. Daughter Hannah's occupation is listed as "waitress Inn."
1891 UK census: Toxteth Park, Liverpool, Lancaster, England
Hannah Langley Cowper never remarried and died in Liverpool on April 8, 1893.
Simeon? Cowper
born circa 1781
1841 UK census: Wigton, Cumberland, England
I'm beginning to doubt whether Simeon and Jane were parents of our John Cowper. Note that in this census, John is listed as a cabinet maker; however we know that by this time, John was a Seaman. Furthermore, this same John appears in the 1851 census (also in the town of Wigton and still listed as a cabinet maker) with his 70-year-old widow mother. Since we do have John in the 1851 census, along with his new wife Hannah, it would appear that there is reason to doubt that we have the correct parents here.
The 1841 census for England would often add five years to the age of adults enumerated, therefore Simeon and Jane Smith Cowper might have been anywhere between 55 and 60 years of age in 1841 census (leading to a year of birth between 1781 in 1786). Likewise, their son John (whom we now know was born in 1817) would have been 23 for the census.
- Much of my information on the Cowper and Ellis families in England comes from David Ellis, who currently resides in the UK and is related to the Cowper family. He has kindly sent several emails with a tremendous amount of much-appreciated information. Click here for the emails.
- Burial records. page 1 | page 2
