"Cow Valley"...that's what it means, sort of.
We are grieving the loss of our family historian and my aunt, Lucille Kazee. She went to be with God Tuesday, August 16, 2011 and left an unfillable void in the Cowden clan. With all our love and prayers for her children - Kyle Cowden
Ancient History (1500-1700)
The first historical mention of the Cowden name is of the Cowdens in Scotland in the 16th century. "The ancient Gaelic spelling of the name was Choille-dun, which signifies the wooded hill;" but the Anglo-Saxon form, Cowden, signified a "dweller in the cow valley," according to Prof. Hubertis Cummings, of the department of English, University of Cincinnati. He is a Cowden descendant who has investigated the origins of the name and family.
The first known reference is in an old English history of Norforkshire to Thomas and Nathaniel Cowden, who are frequently mentioned in land transactions.. These are mentioned by Charles W Bardsley, author of English Surnames. There are occasional references in later documents of public record in Scotland and England. There are still people and places by this name notwithstanding the many migrations of Cowdens into other countries.
 Cowdenbeath is a large, prosperous town a few miles north of Edinburgh. There is a small town about thirty miles south of London that bears the same name. Also near Earlston, Berwickshire, Scotland, are the Cowdenknowes (or hills). Of the Cowdenknowes, Professor Cummings writes, "These two knowes, the Black Hill and the White Hill, the former covered with golden broom during the spring, still exist under the old name; and the square three storied tower or peel, of date anteceding 1500 A.D., may be found at the end of a shadowy avenue of trees about a mile and a half from Earlston. To the rear of the tower stands the modern 18th and 19th [century - ed.] mansion above the river Leader; at the edge of which also appear the crumbling ruins of the keep or ancient dungeon of the ancient castle."
The image to the left is of what can be seen today near Cowdenknowes. It is similar to the one described by Prof. Cummings and appears here courtesy of Cowdenknowes.com.
As excerpted from COWDEN - The story of William Cowden Sr who entered Guernsey Co., Ohio 1817 and his descendants edited by Lucille Cowden Kazee. Her tireless devotion to family history, her thousands of hours in research and documentation; has left us a rich legacy and an invaluable resource.
HERALDRY - Coat of Arms
The word “Heraldry” is derived from the German “heer” -- a host, an army -- and “held” -- a champion. The term “blason,” by which the science of heraldry is denoted in French, English, Italian, and German, is probably derived from the German word “blazen” -- to blow the horn. Whenever a new Knight appeared at a Tournament, the herald sounded the trumpet, and as the competitors attended with closed visors, it was his duty to explain the bearing of the shield or coat-armour belonging to each. This knowledge of the various devices and symbols was called Heraldry, and as the announcement was accompanied with the sound of a trumpet, it was termed “blazoning the arms.” Source: Burke, Bernard, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales (Heritage Books, Inc., 1996). [As excerpted from a "Brief History of Heraldry"]
In Scotland, arms were granted to an individual rather than a family or clan and then to one of nobility or gentile class (knights et al). The arms were the rightful property of that person to be handed down to, usually, the eldest son. Arms borne by the descendants not directly inherited would be differenced (marked or charged) with emblems indicating they were not the original. Our descent, and particularly mine from the original bearer is well documented, thus are relevant to our history and the arms are shown here to illustrate that heritage. As mentioned in the "Ancient History" our Irish ancestors bore the same arms indicating that they were from the same progenitor. The rules regulating the bearing of Arms are very specific. An excellent treatise on this is Beginner's Heraldry by Mark Harden of the Cowdenknowes' site.
Blason of Arms
The term means to describe a coat-of -arms. Heraldic language uses a specific set of terms. It seems complex but is simply a standardized code for describing arms while maintaining an economy of words.
Our coat-of-arms or crest (as shown) would be described as:
- ARMS: Azure, three amulets Or; Fesse argent lion-passant sable.
- Crest: Demi-lion sejant-erect sable; Charged with amulet Or.
In our vernacular it would be, "Sky-blue shield with three gold rings, a white band (belt) with a black lion, walking. The crest is the head and shoulders of a lion sitting on his haunches with his paws raised, encircled with a gold ring."
Colors can be graphically depicted as well using standard symbols, thus allowing schematics of arms to be drawn and kept. Argent (white or silver) is depicted by the absence of marks within the affected area. Azure (blue) is depicted by horizontal hatch. White/silver is depicted by an empty field while sable or black by a perpendicular cross hatch. Or/gold is depicted by the field being filled with offset rows of dots.
Symbols
The exact meaning of a coat-of-arms , in the absence of anecdotal evidence is difficult if not impossible to determine with certainty. However the symbols have generally accepted meanings.
COLORS (Tinctures)
- Azure (blue) - Strength, Loyalty
- Or (gold) - Generosity
- Argent (silver/white) - Peace, Sincerity
- Sable (black) - Constancy, sometimes Grief
ORDINARIES - The stripes, bands or chevrons found on the shield.
- Fesse (Indicates a Military Belt) - Honor
CHARGES - Symbols found on shields.
- Annulet (amulet or ring) - As a common charge: Fidelity; As a difference: A mark of cadence indicating the fifth son.
- Lion (passant or walking) - Courageous loyalty to the crown.
So we can surmise that the original bearer of our arms was known for fidelity, generosity and courageous loyalty to the crown in military battle...honor. The subsequent generations also served militarily with patriotism and strident efforts to side with right.
|
