Donegore - Bryson-Wilson

[Gilby]

Samuel Ferguson who married Mary Ferguson (née Scott) – both on their second marriage – I’ve been looking into his first marriage, which appears to have been:

Samuel Ferguson (of Ballybracken) married Elizabeth McMeekin on 27th Jan 1845 at Donegore First Presbyterian.  Their children were baptised at the same church:

Thomas McMeekin Ferguson – born 19th Nov 1839 – baptised 30th Mar 1840
John Ferguson – born 21st Nov 1845 – baptised 19th Dec 1845
William Robert Ferguson – born 15th Jun 1850 – baptised 17th Jun 1850

All of the above show parents Samuel Ferguson and Elizabeth McMeekin.  Thomas and Robert were both born at Ballybracken – it doesn’t say for John.

The slight problem with this version of events is that Samuel and Elizabeth appear to have married 5 years after the birth of their first child.  Or have I got the wrong marriage…?  Any suggestions?

[kirk6704]

I was thrilled when I came upon this post quite by chance.  Jane Buchanan is my great-great-great -grandmother.  Her husband was James Buchanan from Ballymena.  He accompanied his youngest son, also James, to Canada in the mid 1840s intending to help settle his son and return to Ireland.  Sadly he died while in Canada and was buried in a pioneer cemetery in what is now Ottawa.  The cemetery is now gone and all the remains were haphazardly transferred to another cemetery.  We have no record of his final resting place. His son James, my great-great-grandfather, married a Elizabeth Freeman from County Wicklow, prospered as a farmer and had a family of eight.  I'm the great- grandson of his oldest son.  Where is Donegore?  I would love to one day see the grave and hopefully find out a little about my ancestors in Antrim!

[Gilby]

Hi Kirk,

Interesting to hear from you.  I didn’t know Jane’s husband was called James but I looked up her death notice and it does refer to her late husband, “James Buchanan of Belfast”.  (I wonder if he was of Belfast before he went to America, or did he return from there before his death?)

Donegore is in between Antrim and Ballyclare in County Antrim.  I’m not sure how to do one of those drop-positions links to a map but below is a link to the wiki page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donegore

May I ask how you know that this Jane Buchanan is your ggg grandmother (e.g. do you have a family bible or something that refers to her maiden name or death date?).

[kirk6704]

Hi Gilby,

Thanks for the reply!  I have known since I was a child that my great-great-great-grandmother's maiden name was "Ballagh" or "Ballah".  I grew up and still live not far from where her son James settled.  Of the eight children in James' family, two of them had "Ballagh" as a second name.  James' eldest brother was Robert Ballagh Buchanan was a merchant who died in 1900 in Pine Villa Ballycloughan, Down, Ireland.  I have found several wills through PRONI.  Incidentally, there is a Wilson/Bryson connection on this side of the Atlantic too.  James my great-great-grandfather settled here because he had a Wilson cousin already here.

[Gilby]

Hi Kirk,

Attached (hopefully) is a photo of the Ballah headstone in Donegore which mentions your ggg grandmother.  There are other Ballah/Buchanan/etc headstone in the same plot which I have photos of too (better quality than this one which is reduced).  In a post or two you'll be able to send private messages and then I can email the other photos if you want.

The headstones are down the slope to the left as you go into the graveyard by the way.  Hopefully you will get to visit - Donegore is a nice wee place.

Do you happen to know what the exact connection was to the Wilson cousin already in America?

[kirk6704]

Hi Gilby,

My heart skipped a beat or two when I saw the picture of the headstone!  Many thanks!  I've come to know a little about the Ballaghs through wills available online.  The stone is also inscribed with Janes' parents and grandparents all of whom I've discovered through other means.  Agnes Wilson the daughter of Anne Ballagh and James Wilson married Captain Peter Davidson and emigrated to Canada West sometime prior to my gg grandfather James.  They were 1st cousins.  I have a transcription of recollections of a long dead relative that also mentions that there were cousins named Bryson already here as well.  I would really like to find out more about my ggg grandfather James Buchanan and his family.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, he died while he was here getting his son settled and had no will back in Ireland. 

[Gilby]

Hi Kirk,

I’m interested that you already know about Jane’s parents and grandparents through other sources – what are these and what other information have you been able to uncover?

Yes, Nancy Davi(d)son is mentioned in the will of Elizabeth Ballah (the one who erected the headstone).  Do you know if they married in America or Ireland?

The Bryson cousin in America was quite likely one of the children of John Bryson (of Ballybracken) and Margaret Ballah.

[kirk6704]

Hi Gilby,

The name "Ballagh" and specifically "Jane Ballagh" is something known within my family and passed down through the generations.  I learned of her parents, grandparents and siblings by way of various records found through on line genealogical research sites and PRONI.  The wills have been very helpful. I only wish that information on James Buchanan and his family was as readily available.  My search will continue!

I'm not sure where Agnes Wilson would have married Captain Peter Davidson, but I would be inclined to believe it was in Ireland.  I highly doubt any young unmarried woman would make her way to this part of the world in the early 1840s alone or in the company of any man to whom she wasn't married.  I do know that the land that the Davidsons settled was not far from the Buchanans.

[RebaBryson]

I noticed in this thread that the Buchanan was from Ballymenagh and the Bryson from Donegore, I am  having a bit of trouble tracing the parents of my Brysons.
I have found that Adam Bryson was born 1797 Parade Rd Ballymenagh.. which is cool,  it is a start. His brothers I am aware of are William, James and Robert and a sister Ann. The brothers,  it is said went to Nova Scotia about 1825 
Ann traveled in 1831 or 36 with Edward Owen Hogan.
One of you mentioned that there were already Bryson cousins on this side of the drink so I wonder if these could be them?
Also
If any of you are aware of a family member who is a male Bryson descendant, I invite you to have them join the ongoing Bryson Surname DNA Project
https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/bryson/about

here is one of the charts
https://www.familytreedna.com/public/bryson/default.aspx?section=yresults

I am looking forward to hearing back from you.

Thank you!

Rebecca Bryson