Ditto! My Cowan/Cowin/Cowen family can't remember how to spell their last name either! What's more, they change their first names! My Nancy Catherine is aka Catherine Nancy, NC, CN, and Kitty. John Ambrose is also John Austin and JA, Elijah Ambrose is often EA, and indistinguishable from another EA of the same era and area... It's no wonder I cannot find my ancestor Elijah (father of this brood and others). I'm not even sure that's his name! For all I know he was John Elijah or William Elijah and just called himself Elijah for the heck of it! Looking for Elijah Cowan b. ca 1800 NC married Sarah Ann ca 1830 probably in GA MAY be the Elijah CowAn in Henry County in 1830 had bunches of kids in GA, then one in AL, another in GA, and his last in LA (1854) appears on Ouachita Parish, LA census of 1850 as Elijah CowEn Can't find his NC origins or family Can't find him in GA in 1840 (1830 reference is from a book, not the original census) No idea what happens to him after 1850 tho I assume the child born in 1854 was his... Need help! Anyone with info on any Elijah Cowan/Cowen of this period? Lookups of actual census records for Henry Co GA 1830 and 1840 marriage records for GA ca 1830 Ouachita Parish, LA records after 1850 My dad researched this guy years ago (not on-line then) and gave up! I want to give him some Elijah for Christmas--any help very much appreciated! thanks, Cyndi in Baltimore