Ancestors of Mandy Willard

Charles DOWLEN (1754-1822)

and Ann WEST (1760-1825)

Charles Dowlen and Ann West were my 4x Great Grandparents. (Click here to see their place in my pedigree chart.)  They married by licence on 24 April 1783 St. Peter's parish church in Cowfold, Sussex.  They were both of Cowfold.  The witnesses were Sarah Dowlen and Thomas Standen.

Charles Dowler was born on 4 July 1754 and baptised on 21 July 1754 in West Grinstead, Sussex.  He was the youngest son and child of Edward Dowler (1700-1787) and Jane Grant (1709-1783).  He died aged 67 years on 24 March 1822 and was buried on 29 March 1822 in Cowfold.  His will was dated January 1821 and a codicil was added on 19 December 1821.  (Click here to read my transcript of his will.)  In 1804 he became the tenant of Goodyers and Woodlands in Cowfold for a period of 7 years.

Ann West was born and baptised on 15 December 1760 in Cowfold.  She was the eldest child and only daughter of William West (1731-1762) and Mary Richardson (1740-?).  Ann died aged 62 years on 19 June 1825 and was buried on 25 June 1825 in Cowfold.

Charles Dowlen and Ann West had 9 known children:

1. Ann Dowlen was baptised on 21 March 1784 in Cowfold.  She was mentioned in her father's 1821 will.  Ann died aged 67 years and was buried on 5 December 1851 in Cowfold.

   Ann married twice.  Firstly to James Hues by licence on 23 February 1804 in Cowfold.  They were both of Cowfold.  The witnesses to the marriage were Mary Bates and John West.

   James was born about 1777.  He died aged 36 years of consumption on 10 July 1813 and was buried on 16 July 1813 in Cowfold.

   James and Ann had 4 known children:

   1. James Hughes was baptised on 10 February 1804 in Cowfold.

   2. John Hughes was baptised on 10 February 1805 in Cowfold.

      John may have married Selina Stoner by banns on 27 March 1826 in Cowfold.  He was a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Cowfold.  The witnesses to their marriage were George Stoner and Mary Ann Dowlen.  (George was probably born in 1800 the son of Thomas Stoner and Barbara Buckwell.)

      Selina was baptised on 13 March 1808 in Cowfold, the daughter of Thomas Stoner and Sarah Matthews.

   3. Sarah Hughes was baptised on 31 July 1808 in Cowfold.  She died aged 26 (should this have been 20?) on 21 August 1828 in Cowfold.  (The transcript from the inscription of her headstone says 26 years.)

   4. Mary Hues was baptised on 31 May 1812 in Cowfold.

   As Ann Hues, widow, she next married Joseph Heasman in 1818 in Cowfold.  (They have their own page.)

2. Charles Dowlen was baptised on 3 May 1786 in Cowfold.  He married Mary Renvill in 1812.  (They have their own page.)

3. Sarah Dowlen was baptised on 2 June 1789 in Cowfold.  She married Peter Peacock in 1813.  (They have their own page.)

4. Edward Dowlen was baptised on 8 August 1790 in Cowfold.  A headstone in Cowfold churchyard records that he died aged 67 years on 3 January 1858.  He did not marry.  On 25 April 1815 he was a witness to the will made by Thomas Renvill (c1742-1815).  Edward was an executor of his father's 1821 will.  In 1841 he was a 50 year old yeoman of Wallhurst, Cowfold, living there with 4 others, one of whom was 14 year old William Mansbridge.  In 1851 he was living with his elder sister Ann and her husband and family.  Edward was then a 60 year old agricultural labourer.  He may have been the Edward Dowlen who witnessed the marriage of Henry Brown of Cowfold and Jane Wells of Slaugham on 10 November 1824 in Slaugham.  He may also have witnessed the marriage of John Knight of Southwick and Elizabeth Mitchell of Cowfold on 4 August 1832 in Southwick.

5. Christian Dowlen was baptised on 22 July 1792 in Cowfold.

   Christiana married Nathan King on 10 May 1838 in Slinfold, Sussex.  At the time Nathan was a widower and a miller, whilst Christiana was a spinster.  They were both then of Slinfold Mill.  The witnesses to their marriage were Samuel Molineux, junior and Sarah Molineux (see notes below).

   Nathan had previously married Harriet Burnett on 26 October 1827 in Hurstpierpoint.  He was then said to be of Bramley, Surrey.  He was the son of Richard King.

6. Mary Ann Dowlen was born about 1797.  She was buried on 2 April 1871 in Henfield.  Mary Ann was a witness to the marriage of her brother John on 26 March 1826 in Cowfold, and then to the marriage of John Hues and Selina Stoner on 27 March 1826 in Cowfold.

   Mary Ann married Thomas Warden by licence on 23 April 1832 in Cowfold.  Thomas was a bachelor and Mary Ann a spinster.  They were both of Cowfold and both signed their names.  The witnesses to their marriage were Edward Dowlen and Christian Dowlen, who both signed their names.

   Thomas was born about 1792 and was buried on 17 January 1867 in Henfield.

   Thomas and Mary Ann had 3 known children:

   1. Thomas Warden was baptised on 5 January 1834 in Henfield.

      Thomas married Sarah Ann Muzzall on 30 June 1857 in Henfield.

      Sarah Ann was baptised on 22 January 1832 in Henfield and was the daughter of John Muzzall and Harriet Stringer.

      When the 1881 census was recorded the family were living at Lashmore Hall in Henfield and Thomas was then a farmer of 85 acres employing 3 labourers.  Also living with them were 2 servants, 18 year old William Laker and 16 year old Peter Laker who were both agricultural labourers who had been born in Ashurst.  Thomas and Sarah Ann had the following children:

      1. Sarah Ann Warden was baptised on 8 November 1857 in Henfield.

      2. Thomas Warden was baptised on 9 January 1859 in Henfield.  When the 1881 census was recorded he was footman at the Rectory in Little Horsted, Sussex

      3. Mary Ann Warden was baptised on 12 February 1860 in Henfield.

      4. Martha Anna Warden was baptised on 8 December 1861 in Henfield.

      5. Anne Warden was baptised on 9 August 1863 in Henfield.  When the 1881 census was recorded she was a 17 year old pupil teacher living at home.

      6. Harry Warden was baptised on 11 December 1864 in Henfield.  He was a 16 year old agricultural labourer in 1881.

      7. Jane Warden was baptised on 9 June 1867 in Henfield.  She was a 14 year old in 1881 living at home.

      8. Fanny Warden was baptised on 13 June 1869 in Henfield.

   2. Charles Warden was baptised on 22 May 1836 in Henfield.

   3. John Warden was born on 17 July and baptised on 8 September 1839 in Henfield.

7. Elizabeth Dowlen was baptised on 21 July 1799 in Cowfold.  She died aged 59 years and was buried on 3 March 1858 in Cowfold.  A headstone in Cowfold churchyard records that she died on 27 February 1858.

   Elizabeth married John Gillam by banns on 10 June 1823 in Cowfold.  They were both of Cowfold and both signed their names.  The witnesses to their marriage were Joseph Gillam and Elizabeth Wells.

   John was born about 1799 in Bolney.  He may have been the son of John Gillam and Sarah Terrell who had married in Cowfold in 1791.  John died in Bolney on 6 October 1863, aged 65 years and was buried in Cowfold on 11 October 1863.  John was a carpenter, sawyer and timber hewer.

   In 1841 the family were of Den Wood Cottage, Cowfold.  They were still at Denwood Cottage in 1851 and John's widowed mother, Sarah, aged 84 was living with them.

   John and Elizabeth had 6 known children:

   1. Joseph Gillam was born about 1825.  He may have married Mary Ann Davey on 13 February 1848 at St. Nicholas in Brighton.  She was the daughter of George Davey.

   2. Sarah Gillam was born about 1829 in Bolney, although her baptism was not recorded in the Bolney parish registers.

   3. Jabez Gillam was born about 1831.

   4. Eunice Gillam was born about 1832 in Cowfold.

   5. Jesse Gillam was born about 1835 in Cowfold.  In 1851 he was a sawyer.

   6. Ebenezer Gillam was born about 1837 in Cowfold.

      Ebenezer married Rebecca Lindfield in the second quarter of 1866 in Brighton.

      Rebecca was born about 1840 in Bolney, although her baptism was not recorded in the parish register.

      When the 1881 census was recorded the family were living at 5 Brewery Cottages, Junction Road in Eastbourne, Sussex, where Ebenezer was a carpenter.

      Ebenezer and Rebecca had 4 known children:

      1. Clara Gillam was born about 1868 in Clayton, Sussex.  She married in Eastbourne in 1891.

      2. Rosa Gillam was born about 1870 in Bletchingley, Surrey.  She married in Eastbourne in 1899.

      3. Thomas Ebenezer Gillam was born about 1878 in Eastbourne.  He married in Eastbourne in 1899

      4. John Henry Gillam was born about 1880 in Eastbourne.  He married in Eastbourne in 1902.

      Also with the family in 1881 were 2 boarders, George N. Penfold a 56 year old married retired draper who had been born in Broadwater, Sussex, and Charles Penfold a 41 year old single fish hawker who was born in St. Pancras, London, and a lodger, John Harris a 49 year old married boot and shoemaker.

8. Thomas Dowlen was baptised on 1 January 1801 in Cowfold.  He died aged 61 years and was buried on 5 March 1862 in Cowfold.  He was described in the burial register as "late of Cowfold".  A headstone in the Cowfold churchyard records that he died on 28 February 1862.  In 1841 he was lodging at Chatfield Farm in Bolney, the home of William Nicholas.  By 1851 he was lodging at Westlands, Bolney, the home of Henry Bacon.  In 1861 he we still lodging with Henry Bacon, but at Beacons in Bolney.  Thomas was on all occasions described as an agricultural labourer.  Thomas never married.

9. John Dowlen, my 3x Great Grandfather, was baptised on 4 April 1802 in Cowfold.  He married Elizabeth Mansbridge in 1826.  (They have their own page.)

Notes

Samuel Molineux, junior was a witnesses to the 1838 marriage of Christiana Dowlen (mentioned above).  He may have married Sarah King by banns on 1 July 1816 in Cuckfield, Sussex.  He was then a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Cuckfield.  The witnesses to their marriage were Joseph Jeffery and Jane Sprately.  Samuel was most probably the son of Samuel Molinenux and Lydia Leppard who married by licence on 4 October 1790 in Cuckfield.  He was then a widower and yeoman of the Sergison Arms and she was a 19 year old spinster who married with the consent of Richard Leppard a gardener of Lindfield.  They were both then of Cuckfield.

DOWLEN          WEST