Biography

Based on her reported age at the time of her death, Grace Cowper – possibly christened "Cooper" – was presumably born about 1728 at, or near, Castle Cary, Somerset, where she married Joseph Biggen in October of 1754.

She is understood to be the Grace Biggon, aged 42, whose burial was recorded at Castle Cary in early February of 1770.

Research Notes

The Grace Biggen of this profile is almost certainly related to, and might be an unrecorded younger sister of, the Mary Cowper christened at Castle Cary on 16 April 1722, a daughter of Edward and Margarett^[1]. A younger cousin or even half-brother may be the John Cowper, christened 24 September 1739, who appears to have been a son of Edward Cowper and a second wife, Edith^[2] (The burial of a Margret Cowper was recorded in 1735^[3]; another was buried in 1738^[4]. Their ages are not given, making it difficult to discern which was likely the first wife of Edward Cowper.) No Cowper other than Edward is recorded as fathering children at Castle Cary in the time period from 1720 to 1740.

Alternatively, this profile's subject might be the GraceCooper, daughter of Henry and Mary Cooper, christened at Castle Cary on 18 May 1726^[5].

Note that, contrary to the assertion in at least one online Ancestry family tree, this profile's Grace cannot be the Grace Biggen whose burial was recorded at Castle Cary on 25 October, 1833, and whose age was reported as 77^[6]; this is likely a granddaughter, or granddaughter-in-law, of Grace and husband Joseph, as simple arithmetic indicates that the interred was born about 1780 – a date of birth fitting a child, or the spouse of a child, of the senior Biggens's known son Thomas (bp. in 1755). [Had she still been alive in 1833, the Grace (Cowper) Biggen of this profile would have been at least age 100, a longevity virtually unheard of in the day.]

Nor can she be the Grace Biggon buried at Castle Cary on 14 December 1782, aged 80, who was obviously born about 1702^[7]... nearly thirty years before the birth of Grace's husband Thomas Biggen.

Sources

1. ↑ FreeReg.org.UK, parish register transcribed by Andy Phillips, Tim Coleman;https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/581856b3e93790eca3e95e18/mary-cowper-baptism-somerset-castle-cary-1722-04-16?locale=en
2. ↑ FreeReg.org.UK, parish register transcribed by Andy Phillips, Tim Coleman;https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/581856f7e93790eca3e9e475/john-cowper-baptism-somerset-castle-cary-1739-09-24?locale=en
3. ↑ FreeReg.org.UK, parish register transcribed by Andy Phillips, Tim Coleman;https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818d6cbe93790ec75b05ace/margret-cowper-burial-somerset-castle-cary-1735-10-10?locale=en
4. ↑ FreeReg.org.UK, parish register transcribed by Andy Phillips;https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818d6a8e93790ec75b0342c/margret-cowper-burial-somerset-castle-cary-1738-07-18?locale=en
5. ↑ FreeReg.org.UK, parish register transcribed by Andy Phillips;https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/581856f4e93790eca3e9df95/grace-cooper-baptism-somerset-castle-cary-1726-05-18?locale=en
6. ↑ FreeReg.org.UK, parish register transcribed by Andy Phillips, Tim Coleman;https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818d690e93790ec75b018bc/grace-biggin-burial-somerset-castle-cary-1833-10-25?locale=en
7. ↑ FreeReg.org.UK, parish register transcribed by Andy Phillips, Tim Coleman;https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818d684e93790ec75b00b01/grace-biggon-burial-somerset-castle-cary-1782-12-14?locale=en

• Marriage to Joseph Biggen, 8 Oct. 1754 at Castle Cary: Joseph Biggen in the Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914, Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1914; Reference Number: D\P\cas/2/1/4;https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1712129:60858 (by subscription); free sharing link[1].

• Death (presumed), burial 7 Feb. 1770 at age 42, with implied birth year of 1728: FreeReg.org.UK, parish register transcribed by Andy Phillips, Tim Coleman;https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818d682e93790ec75b00851/grace-biggon-burial-somerset-castle-cary-1770-02-07?locale=en

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