Notes Parents: William Henry Cowell and Elizabeth Watson / Watterson (Taylor), who married June 18, 1876 at the Parish Church, Kirk Braddan, Isle Of Man.
In 1881, the family was shown residing at No 7 Glengrenagh, St Anne, Isle of Man. At that time, family members included: William A. Cowell, 1 year of age; Catherine C. Cowell, 4; Elizabeth Cowell, 31; Elizabeth E. Cowell, 3; William Cowell, 30, agricultural labourer; step-sister, Margaret J. Taylor 12; and step-brother, William H. Taylor, 12. (Source: 1881 Census of Isle of Man, Class: RG11; Piece: 5607; Folio: 6; Page: 6; Line: ; GSU roll: 1342347.)
Elizabeth Watson Cowell died on July 3, 1890, in Nobles Hospital, Douglas, Isle Of Man.
In 1892, Edith Cowell, 12, arrived at Quebec, Canada, along with a group of 120 girls from the National Orphan Homes of Scotland, supervised by the Quarriers party from Bridge on Wier, Renfrewshire, Scotland, en route to Fairknowe Home, Brockville, Ontario, Canada.
In 1901, Edith Cowell, 20, laundress, was shown as a lodger at a boarding house or instituation in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (Delia Ewpey, Matron). Her date of birth is shown as March 4, 1881, and her immigration year was not shown.
On June 1, 1911, at the Wesleyan Methodist Church, 4th Avenue, Ottawa, Carleton, Ontario, Canada, a marriage was registered between Edith Rebecca Cowell, 28, cook, born to William Cowell and Elizabeth Watson; and Thomas McKenna, 27, carpenter, born to Thomas J. McKenna and Rebecca Rankin.
On October 12, 1918, at the St. Georges Home, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Thomas McKenna, 35, Superintendent of the Detention Home, born in Belfast, Ireland, died of influenza, 2 weeks duration, and lobar pneumonia, 1 week duration.