Author Topic: Alexander family of Mount Pleasant, Belfast  (Read 17941 times)

Offline Gilby

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Alexander family of Mount Pleasant, Belfast
« on: Monday 13 January 14 13:46 GMT (UK) »
I don’t know whether anyone will be able to help me with this, but hopefully the information will be of use to someone.  If anyone is able to help I’d be very grateful...   :)

I have come across a “family register” written in a pad by some relative.  Unfortunately I think there are pages missing and I’m struggling to match the BMDs with the records available online.  The register deals mostly with an “Alexander” family of Mount Pleasant House, Belfast.  Until I found it I didn’t even know there were any Alexanders on our tree, so I’m a bit confused about how they’re related – though I think the connection may be in the Wylie name (see below).

(The suitcase in which I found this register includes papers belonging to Fergusons, Stevensons and McCauslands, with mentions of other relatives including the Killens, Gaults and Wylies.)

Apart from the Alexander family register, the pad has a few hand-written pages with some history of the Ferguson family of “Fourmileburn”, County Antrim (so the register was probably written by a Ferguson, or someone who married a Ferguson). After some searching on the internet I found that some of these lines match almost word for word a few paragraphs in a book called “Records of the Clan Fergusson or Ferguson” – presumably someone got the book and copied the lines out – or (highly unlikely) this pad I have was written by someone who contributed to the book.

I’ll post the information contained in the “family register” below and then I’ll explain what I know and what I’d like some help trying to figure out...

Offline Gilby

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Re: Alexander family of Mount Pleasant, Belfast
« Reply #1 on: Monday 13 January 14 13:46 GMT (UK) »
Page 1:

Family Register

Arthur Alexander, Mount Pleasant House, Belfast
Born Christmas, 1806

Mary McCune, born at Dundesart, 13th May 1806

Mary McCune Alexander died at Mount Pleasant Ho. October 15th 1872

Arthur Alexander died at Mount Pleasant House January 4th 1879


Page 2:

Samuel Miller Alexander, born 14th February 1841
Mary Wylie born 30th November 1841
Married 17th April 1862

Arthur Alexander, born at Mount Pleasant, 3rd August 1863
Sydney Robert Alexander, born at Mount Pleasant, 20th March 1865
Henry Aybrand (??) Alexander, born at Berg St (??) N. Marlyberg (??), Natal, S.E. Africa, 9th Nov 1866
James McLean Alexander, born at Mount Pleasant, 26th (or 16th/6th) March 1870
Mary Alexander, born at Mount Pleasant, 17 Dec 1874
Samuel Maxwell Alexander, born at Mount Pleasant, 29th March 1878

Samuel Miller Alexander died August 6th 1880 at Mount Pleasant
Sydney Robert Alexander, died at Sydney, N.S. Wales, 6th Mar 1887


Page 3:

Mary Wiley Alexander, born 30th November 1841, dies July 21st 1913.

Anne Morrow, died April 13th 1924, aged 83, at Mount Pleasant House.  Fifty years with Alexander family, buried in their ground in Borough Cemetary, Belfast.

Offline Gilby

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Re: Alexander family of Mount Pleasant, Belfast
« Reply #2 on: Monday 13 January 14 13:46 GMT (UK) »
So, I mentioned I thought the link to my family was in the Wylie name.  My great great grandmother was Mary Wylie Ferguson (born Oct 1864, married Samuel Brown Stevenson – incidentally if you know anything about him I’d love to hear).  I think (though I have no proof yet) that Mary’s parents were James Ferguson (Justice of the Peace, died 1885) and Elizabeth Wylie (born 1837).  My guess is that the above Mary Wylie in the family register was Elizabeth’s sister (pure speculation).

Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find very much information about the Alexander family.  I don’t even know where exactly Mount Pleasant House was, and whether it still exists.  There is a Mount Pleasant off Stranmillis in Belfast, but it now consists of a terrace and 4 houses, and Google street-view has missed it out. 

I could visit the Alexander grave – but which Belfast cemetery is “Borough Cemetary”?

Even if I can’t find anything, hopefully the details in the family register will prove useful to someone.

Offline Gilby

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Re: Alexander family of Mount Pleasant, Belfast
« Reply #3 on: Monday 13 January 14 13:48 GMT (UK) »
Summary of the confusing 13-page (!?) will of Arthur Alexander who died on January 4th 1879...

Unfortunately every other page of this will appears to have been damaged – or hasn’t scanned properly, and so is almost entirely illegible.  I’m not good with joined-up writing, so even in the good parts there is a few words I’m not sure about, but this is what I’ve managed to glean:

He’s a merchant of Belfast.  He names his sons Samuel Millar Alexander and Robert Alexander, and the latter’s son Arthur Alexander.

There are some things about the will I just can’t get to add up.  Firstly he names his wife and executor, but according to the family register she died in 1872.  Secondly, he talks of “when my” son Samuel’s wife reaches the age of 21.  According to the family register they married in 1862 when she was 20, so there was only a ~7 month window in 1862 in which he could have written the will for these details to make sense (and the marriage of his son may have prompted him to write the will immediately thereafter).

However, the will states that it was written on the 3rd May 1876, after his wife had died, and a long time since his daughter in law had attained the age of 21.  And, to make it even more confusing, a codicil at the end of the will is dated 28th Feb 1870, before the actual will was written???

The executors of the will: "...deceased was proved on the 19 day of February 1879 and probate thereof granted to Samuel Millar Alexander one of the executors therein named.  Robert Alexander the other executor having duly renounced and Mary Alexander the executrix having died in the lifetime of said testator."

Other people mentioned are the Reverend William Johnston, Presbyterian Minister, and Robert Meharry/McHarvy (?), Grocer [both are mentioned repeatedly in relation to the Mount Pleasant property – perhaps tenants?].  Extract about Mount Pleasant House:

“...part of my estate known as the Mount Pleasant property being all that part of the lands of Stranmillis & containing four acres three woods and one perch (?) & English (?) or thereabouts situate in the Parish of Belfast Barony of Belfast and County (?) of Antrim and held under a curtain indenture (??) for lives renewable for ever dated [February 1847] and made before James Gardner (?) of the one part and myself if the other part with the appointments unto and to the use of the Reverend William Johnston (?) Presbyterian Minister and Robert Meharry/Mcharvy (?) Grocer both of Belfast their lives (?) and assigns for ever.” 

The trustees and witnesses of the will: "And I hereby appoint Mr Joseph Wylie of Ballycushon (?) Templepatrick a trustee of my will with the other trustees in my said will mentioned ? witness whereof ? ? ? set my hand this third day of May...” [1876].  Witnesses Mary Magee (?) and James McLean (?) of Belfast both. 

The name Joseph Wylie and his location is interesting.  The Fergusons and Gault relations were mostly from the Templepatrick area, so this Joseph is presumably a relative – maybe he was the brother of Arthur Alexander’s daughter-in-law?

I don’t know who Mary Magee or James McLean are – but the latter name appears again as a name of one of Arthur’s grandchildren born in 1870 at Mount Pleasant (see the family register).  He may have been a close family friend?

The final confusing detail of the will is that it talks about sums of £2000, yet the probate abstract says the estate was under £800...?


Offline Gilby

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Re: Alexander family of Mount Pleasant, Belfast
« Reply #4 on: Monday 13 January 14 13:49 GMT (UK) »
Will of Samuel Millar Alexander who died August 6th 1880:
http://applications.proni.gov.uk/DCAL_PRONI_WillsCalendar/willsSearchResultsDetails.aspx
Timber Merchant of Mount Pleasant, Belfast.  Names Joseph Barron Wylie of Ballycushon and James Ferguson of Silver Springs (both farmers in Co. Antrim) trustees (the latter is said to have “duly renounced”).  Talks of one seventh parts to each of his wife and children, which seems to confirm the family register in that he had 6 children. Dated 4th Feb 1879 with a codicil on 5th June 1880.  Witnessed by James McLean (him again) and Nate (?) Lavery, Grace (?) Hill Downpatrick.


Will of Mary Alexander who died 1885:
James Gault Executor.  Nephews John Gault, James Gault and Robert Gault.  William Alexander, son of Arthur Alexander Ballymather.  Jane Ferguson, wife of John Ferguson, Annadale.  Residue to sister Ellen.  Witnesses Joseph M Harper (?) and Samuel J Harper (?).
[Presumably Mary was a Gault who married an Alexander.  Jane Ferguson who she mentions may be Jane Gault who married John Ferguson, brother of James Ferguson who married Elizabeth Wylie.  Arthur Alexander may have been he who was born at Mount Pleasant in 1863?]


Alexander family in 1901 census: 
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Cromac/Mountpleasant_Street/970341/
Mary (59) and son Henry A (34) ... also servant Annie Marson (58)

Alexander family in 1911 census:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Cromac/Mountpleasant/165718/
Mary (69) and daughter Mary (36) ... also servants Anne Morrow (69), Eliza Morrow (72) and Francis Briggs (18)


Mount Pleasant is in the census described as "4 Mount Pleasant".  Maybe they sold some of the land to be built on and the house became one of several of Mountpleasant...?

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Alexander family of Mount Pleasant, Belfast
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 16 January 14 10:48 GMT (UK) »
Mount Pleasant is in the census described as "4 Mount Pleasant".  Maybe they sold some of the land to be built on and the house became one of several of Mountpleasant...?

No, the number, in this case 4, on the census is the enumerator's number and not part of an actual address.
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline Gilby

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Re: Alexander family of Mount Pleasant, Belfast
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 16 January 14 11:20 GMT (UK) »
Aah, ok, thanks aghadowey. 

I've now got hold of the baptism and church records of the First Donegore church, the church to which the Fergusons belonged (very kindly given to me for free - and one shudders to think about the amount of work that went into transcribing the records).  I'm hoping to find some leads there, or at least to confirm some facts...

Offline gaffy

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Re: Alexander family of Mount Pleasant, Belfast
« Reply #7 on: Friday 17 January 14 06:37 GMT (UK) »

From the 1868 Belfast street directory on the Lennon Wylie website (under "S" for "Stranmillis"), you can see that there is a Mount Pleasant House occupied by Arthur Alexander and a number of houses next to it under the label "Mount Pleasant":

http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/scomplete1868.htm

There may be other references in the street directories.

Offline Gilby

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Re: Alexander family of Mount Pleasant, Belfast
« Reply #8 on: Friday 17 January 14 11:06 GMT (UK) »
Oh, thanks!  It hadn't occurred to me to check that...

                Mount Pleasant House
Alexander, Arthur, coal merchant
                              Mount Pleasant
   1. Wylie, John, tea merchant
   2. Gibb, Alexander (of Charles Tennant & Co., 42 Donegall Street)
   3. McFarland, Wm., stationer's assistant
   4. King, William (of Arnott & Co.)
   5. Dennison, John, woollen merchant
   6. Audain, Colonel
   7. Russell, David (firm of MacArthur & Co., stationers)
   8. Ferguson, James, woollen draper
   9. Ferguson, Mrs.


I'm not sure about the layout - presumably the residence is named above the names and not vice versa?  So those 9 names below are all people living in other houses at Mount Pleasant?  Looking at Google maps, I'm guessing these 9 are the three detached houses plus the terrace, and "Mount Pleasant House" is probably the one at the back (west) with the fancy garden.

The names could be very significant.  It is possible that James Ferguson could be my ggg grandfather who's main residence was Silversprings in Parkgate, Antrim - will need to look into this; he was mainly a farmer, but also owned a flax and corn mill, and could also have been involved in woollen drapery.  Does Mrs Ferguson being listed at number 9 indicate that she was living in a different house, and therefore unlikely to be the wife of James Ferguson...?

John Wylie, tea merchant is also interesting.  My James Ferguson married Elizabeth Wylie.  Meanwhile Samuel Millar Alexander (son of Arthur Alexander of Mount Pleasant House) married Mary Wylie.  I wonder if this John was a brother or the father of Mary and/or Elizabeth...

Thanks for spotting that Gaffy  ;D