Nathaniel Cosens

The following is taken from the Wellington County District Marriage Register. This is not available under the MS248 series of microfilm reels at the Archives of Ontario, but rather is in the possession of the Wellington County Museum at Fergus. The museum has it microfilmed and this has been used for the transcription:

The Marriage Register of Upper Canada/Canada West, Vol. 9, Pt 1, Wellington District, 1840-1852, compiled by Dan Walker & Fawne Stratford-Devai, Global Heritage Press, Milton (now Ottawa), 2013, page 40.

Marriages by Rev'd James Sim, Baptist Minister, Waterloo.
(This may not mean Town of Waterloo, but rather the township.)

Nathaniel Cosens to Elvira Watson, Both of Waterloo, 6 May, 1846, by Licence. Rev. Sim.
Witnesses Ransford Watson and Charles Adsett.

MS248 reel 16, Vol. 75, page 35
Waterloo County Marriage Register

Extracted from a list of marriages solemnized by Rev. James Sim, a minister of the Baptist Denomination for the year ending 31st December, A. D. 1859.

Nathaniel Cosens, 46, born England, residing Waterloo.
Janet Dustow, 34, born Scotland, residing Waterloo.
Witnesses Jas. Watson of Waterloo and Wm Cadewell of Wellesley.
On Feby. 7th, 1859.

The above registration has its problems. The names of the parents of the bridal couple are not given. It becomes evident that Janet was a widow and that her married name was something like Dustow. This has been variously rendered, but the 1871 census in Tuckersmith Township shows a Thomas Dustow, age 24, with Nathaniel and Janet. It's entirely possible that he is Janet's son by her first marriage. Thomas' surname, Dustow, is clearly written in this census. It may or may not be entirely correct, but does work with the handwriting that appears on Janet's marriage registration.

Janet's maiden name was almost certainly Nichol. When son Absalom married in 1899, he gave his parents' names as Nathaniel Cosens and Janet Nichol. This is the one record found thus far of Janet's maiden name. It does not appear on her gravestone.