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John Coumans of
County Cork, Ireland
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Coumans
1. John Coumans
[1]
Born: 1795 in Cork County, Ireland
(parents unknown)
[1]
Married: unknown
Spouse: Jane
Sargeant
( b. 1800 in Cork County, Ireland
d. Mar 2, 1890 in Chepstow,
ON) [1]
Migration: County Cork, IRL >
Canada > New Brunswick >
Chepstow, Bruce County, ON
Died: Aug 08, 1867, in Chepstow,
Greenock Twp.,
Bruce Co., ON [1]
Buried: Old Mary Immaculate
Cemetery, Chepstow, Ontario [1]
Relatives: Thomas Coumans of Nova
Scotia who married Abigail Pride
is possibly John Coumans' brother or cousin (unconfirmed!!!)
Children: J. Coumans &
J. Sergeant had 7 children
Children:
.............1.
Mary Coumans [2],
[3]
born ca. 1826 in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, CAN
died unknown
.............2.
Simon Coumans [6]
born 1828 in New Brunswick, CAN
[6]
died 1910 in Bay City, MI
[6]
.............3.
John Coumans Jr.
[4]
born 1832 in New Brunswick
died Mar 14, 1919 in Chepstow, Greenock Twp.,
Bruce Co., ONT
[4]
buried in Old Mary Immaculate, Chepstow, Ontario
[1]
.............4.
Elizabeth Coumans
[3],
[5]
born May 28, 1836 in New Brunswick
[3]
died ca. 1902
[5]
buried St. Agatha's Gagetown, Tuscola, MI
[5]
.............5. Anne Coumans
[3]
born ca. 1836 or 1837 in New Brunswick
died unknown
.............6. Jane Coumans
[3]
born ca. 1841 in Upper Canada [read: Ontario]
died unknown
.............7. Thomas Coumans
[3]
born Feb 10, 1843 in Stratford, Huron Co.,
North Easthope Twp., ONT [7]
baptized St. Peter's Catholic Church, Goderich, ONT
[7]
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MORE ABOUT JOHN COUMANS . . .
John and Jane immigrated to Canada from Ireland sometime around 1819 or
1820. Jane Sergeant (born 1800) had converted to Catholicism to marry
him, and her family may have immigrated with the Coumans (perhaps a
relative named William or Thomas). It is unknown if John and Jane met and married in
Ireland, or after immigrating to Canada. On January 16th, 1827, John
petitioned for a land grant for a piece of land on the southwest side of
the southwest branch of the Mirimichi River in New Brunswick (between the
George Price grant and the Stephen Hovey application). On the petition, he
stated that he was 27 (or 29) years old, had a wife and one child (this
would have been his daughter, Mary), and
that he had been in New Brunswick for seven years prior. One year later,
the couple had a second child - Simon.
The family moved to Flint, MI for a bit, then around 1840, the family
moved to North Easthope Township in what was known at the time as Huron
County. The 1842 Library and Tax Assessment Rolls show him and 7 other
household members living there on about 100 acres of land (Conession 1,
Lot 39).
(
http://www.huroncap.org/assess/neas1842.htm ).
In 1852, a man named John Phelan Jr. and his family settled along the
banks of the Yokassippi River. They were followed by several pioneering
families - one of which was the Coumans family. A sawmill was built, as
well as a dam to power it. The families started constructing homes, and
the tiny community was dubbed “Phelan’s Dam.” Mr. Phelan (being Irish like
the Coumans) petitioned the government to name the town “Emmett” after an
Irish rebel. Instead, the government changed the town’s name to Chepstow -
after the first invader of Ireland (in 1170 A.D.).
In 1863, a church was
erected in Chepstow, and in 1865 was dedicated as “St. John the Baptist” by Bishop
Farrell. This name was chosen to honor the two pioneering Johns in the
community - John Phelan and John Coumans . . . either Sr. or possibly
his son, John Jr.
In 1867, John Snr. was listed (under the name Comans) as living (or at
least as owning land) in Bruce County, Greenock Township, Ontario. The property was
located at Consession 9, Lot 6. His son, Simon Coumans had property right
next door - Con 9, Lot 7, and another son, John Jr., had property in the
area as well (Con 11 & 12, Lot 5)
John Coumans Sr. died on August 08, 1867 and was buried in the Old Mary
Immaculate Cemetery in Chepstow, Bruce County, Ontario. His wife,
Jane died in the March 02, 1890 and was buried with her husband.
This is a photo of Jane Sargeant (submitted by Gabriel Sheridan):
Notes:
*Alternate Surname
Spellings for Coumans: Cummins, Cummin, Comyn, Comyns, Commons, Commans, Commens,
Comman, Commen, Common, Coumman, Coummen, Cumin, Cumins, Coumyn, Kimmann,
Kommen, Kohman etc . .
* John Coumans may have relatives named Thomas
Coumans (who married Abigail Pride) or Anne Coumans (who
married William Keyes) We are still searching for a definite connection.
If you have information on this line that may prove helpful in connecting
these families (i.e. parents of Thomas Coumans, Anne Coumans or John
Coumans) please let us know!
e-mail: [email protected]
*
Footnotes and Sources:
1. Source:
Old Mary Immaculate Cemetery - Chepstow, Bruce Co., ONT
2. Source: 1851 Census
of Perth Co., ONT
3. Source: 1861 Personal Census of Greenock Twp., Bruce Co., ONT
4. Source:
Personal Communication with B. Bennett
5. Source:
Personal Communication with G. Sheridan
6. Source: Obituary of Simon Coumans - Bay City Tribune 1910
7. Source: Church Records of St. Peter's Goderich, ONT: 1843 - 1850
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