<A HREF="mailto:[email protected]"> > The Notes I took from the Derry Corporate Minute Books follow just as I > transcribed them. While I was working on the books in the luxury of the > Boardroom of the Harbour Museum, Robert Cowan was at St. Columbs transcribing > entries from the Cathederal Records' 1st book which we found very hard to > come by in the U.S. Robert also made the acquaintance of the gentleman in > charge of the small genealogical office and in our 2nd visit on a subsequent > day Robert accompanied the man to the cathederal tower and got an earful of a > coordinated 100 bell peal. My only gripe on the trip was that the 1st Derry > Presbyterian Church was only open for Sunday services and I was not able to > get the list of the Presbyterian officials who resigned rather than sign the > Test Act. The men are commemorated on a plaque inside the church. I > expressed my concern later to our tour guide in St. Columbs, who answered > matter of factly ...." of course not. They do what they want. They're > Presbyterians." > Index to Corporation Minute Book from 1673 - 1841. > COWAN, JOHN. BURGESS, SHERIFF, ALDERMAN & MAYOR > Book 2, Page 79 - P. 99, 115, 119, 235, 240. [The entry may be on the > page indexed or the > following page.] > B. 2, P. 194 - Sheriff’S Mountain leased to [John Cowan] > There is a handwritten index in a large ledger book The entries for John > Cowan are the same in > the ledger index as they are in the typescript index. > The entries in Book 2 are early photo copies on folded folio sheets > written in a clear, legible > hand. Book 1 and Book 1A were also given me. Thery were also > photocopied on folio sheets. > The handwriting was legible but more difficult to read than in Book 2. > In an Appendix to Vol. 2, p. 8, there appears to be an alphabetical > index of the Derry Merchants. > ROBERT COWAN is listed in alphabetical order with no other explanation. > On page 65 of the Appendix to Vol. 2, there is a listing of the > Mayors/Sheriffs. Listed for 1695 > are JOHN COWAN and HUGH DAVEY . > The INDEX contains an entry for “Alderman Resignations of” for Book II, > pages 285 and 286. > The pages cannot be found in Book II. They have been lost or > misplaced. Bernadette Walsh, the > Archivist Assistant, said Vol. 3 and Vol. 5 of the Minutes are missing. > However, I did find some > pages listed as being in Vol 3 bound in Vol. 4. > Similarly, in the Index under the entry, “Test Act, Several Members of > Corporation resign > under”, in Book 3, P. 4, 5 , the entries cannot be found. > P. 100 Bottom, as entry for P. 99 in Index.] > At a Comon Council held the 10 day of Sept. 1693. > On the debate of a fitt person to supply the place of Burg. Vacant by > the death of M. John > Nightingall was put on the Ellection > 6 Mr. Alex Shipton > 11 Mr. John Cowan > 3 Mr. Charles Norman > 1 Mr. Joshua Pickard > 3 Mr. Samuell Ervin > 0 Mr. Samuell Glanvey > of whom Mr. John Cowan was chosen by majorityof voices and is therefore > ellected to serve a > Burgress of this City in the place of Mr. John Nightingale deceased who > being sent for had the > usuall oathes administered to him, which he took with the declaration > required by actg of > Parliament. > P. 115, B > 2 JANUARY 1700. > The Committe appointed for letting the Sherriffs Mountain do report that > they did on the 20th of > November last let the same to Mr. John Cowan and Mr. Rob. Gamble for a > term of 21 years > from the 2nd. Day of February next, at the rent of 10 p. Per annum > payable quarterly, a lease to be > ____________ before the comencement and the City Council do appoint the > Committee for > Letting the Clerkship of the Market to perfect the said lease. > Page 236. > 13 Sept. 1703. John Cowan Present as a Burgess. > The Court of Ald.er do propose these six Burgesses, out of them to Elect > an Alderm.n, viz. Jn > Crukshank, Jn Cowan, Hugh Davey, Alex Coningham, Jos Morrison and Jn. > Dixon of whom upn > the Passing by the ballott Mr. John Cowan is elected an Ald.n & is > accordingly sworn an Ald of > this City. > At. A Common Councill held 23 Nov. 1703. Aldn Jn’ Cowan present. > Therefore the Court of Aldermen recomending to the Court Councill, for > Mayor, Ald.m Ash, > Ald. Long, Ald. Morrisson, aldm Mackie, and Aldm. Cowan, and of them to > elect on to the > office of Mayorally for the Ensueing year, on the passing byRoll Aldm > Mackie is Elected to the > Office by this Council. He is accordingly elected. jcmaclay </A>