My ancestors included the Cowdens of Washington County, PA where they have been for over 200 years. My mother is a Cowden from near Hickory in Washington County. I have collected some information on our branch of the family as well as a little bit of data on some other lines, assuming we are all related somewhere back in time. Here's my mystery. As the story goes, John Cowden, his wife, Mary Reynolds, and their family migrated toward western PA in the 1770's. On that journey, John Cowden died in what is now Maryland. His widow, Mary, and the family eventually moved on and settled near what is now Hickory, Washington Co, PA. A Cowden - Welch history written in 1904 by Marcus Welch claimed this John Cowden was the son of Matthew Cowden who had settled in Paxtang, PA near Harrisburg. This has always been accepted as fact by our family. However, other researchers on the internet have sent me transcripts of the wills of three of Matthew's sons that make it fairly clear that John Cowden, the son of Matthew, moved to North Carolina and had a family there that spread into Tennessee and parts south and west. So now my problem is where did MY John Cowden and his wife come from? If not from Paxtang, then where? I know there were Cowdens in Chester Co, PA during colonial times, but don't know if they were related. Anyone have any info or ideas on this??? Thanks. Dick Wert