....and after a short sojourn here many of them embarked for America, Londonderry being the home of those of our family who sought refuge on this island for a time. He and family left Strangford bay in May on board a vessel commanded by Richard Walker.... So folks, which is it? Emma White gives us conflicting signals, a conundrum wrapped in an enigma to borrow an expression from Churchill. To accept the John Walker family as residents of Newry, County Down is to accept a family that lived in total anonymity, producing not a single piece of evidence to say, "I WAS HERE." This is sometimes explained away as follows; "Well, they were Presbyterians and were not allowed to marry in the church or keep good records..." Hogwarts! There is a saying in the south, "That dog won't hunt." which means "I respectuflly disagree, the Presbyterians did marry in the church and in many places kept excellent records." >From the Register of the Cathedral Church of St. Columb, Derry 1703-1732 page 63 the following: Mariages in April of 1710 Richard Walker and Margrett Pratt married by publication by Mr. Elwood the 10th Could this possibly be the Richard Walker who a few years later is chartering ships to take his kin to Pennsylvania? Don't know, could be or maybe not. The interesting part of the record though, is the reference to Mr. Elwood. To explain the connection please allow a bit of Cowan genealogy. A few months ago I gave the history of Alderman John Cowan of Londonderry as reported by the Rev. Samuel Stone in his memoirs. Stone was writing to Robert Stewart, son of Alexander Stewart of the Ards, about questions he had on the family history. Robert Stewart, First Lord Londonderry was married to John Cowan's youngest daughter Mary and because of that this branch of the family history is preserved. He writes: "Alderman Cowan had several children by his marriage with Miss Stewart of Ballylawn. He had likewise a son Robert by a former wife, whose name I do not now recollect, but Mr. Elwood told me she was the daughter of a Presbyterian Minister who lived at Moville, in the Barony of Innishowen." Who is this Mr. Elwood that married Richard Walker and also spoke with knowledge of John Cowan? He was from 1707-1711 the Curate of Templemore or to be more specific he was the local parish Pastor. Both John Cowan and Richard Walker were church mates and the Rev. Elwood married, buried and baptised the people in this parish. The records for this parish include the mariages and baptismes of the following: John Cowan, Richard Walker, John Walker, Margrett Porter, John Montgomery, Robert Stewart, Robert Huston, Robert Campbell,Thomas Porter, and many more. If these names seem to ring a Bell (another name on the list) it should. Our ancestors traveled in groups, worshiped in groups, married into each others families and they came to America together. Did our group come from Derry or Down? You be the judge. These may be our direct ancestors or they may not. One thing is certain though, a group of people lived in Lon donderry just prior to 1726 that look a lot like my ancestors. Regards, Robert Cowan evesdropper, interloper, coullion, but not a pig farmer