Porter in Knockmena / Knockmenagh

[GallowayLass]

Hello, I'm looking for ancestors of Robert Porter b.c.1846 (weaver) and his wife Ann (or Annie) Dixon (or Dickson) and also any information on 2 of their children, James born 1871 and David born 1875.

Robert's father was David Porter (weaver) but who was his mother? When and where were David and his wife married and also when and where were they born and buried? Ann/Annie's father was Thomas Dixon/Dickson (weaver) and again I've no idea who her mother was. There's a possibility that her mother's forenames were Sarah Ann but I'm not sure. Again, where and when did Thomas and his wife marry and where and when were they born and buried?

I also don't know when or where Ann Porter nee Dixon died. From other records, it has to be between 1877 and 1891. I'm assuming she died in Ireland as there's no death in that time period on ScotlandsPeople website for an Ann (or variant) Porter with a maiden surname of Dixon (or variant). I looked at 5 possible deaths on the new online GRONI BMDs but everyone of them was a spinster.

I'm also looking for descendants of Robert and Ann's son James born 1871. In 1891 census he is a lodger in the house of Patrick Higgins at 20 Graham Street, Addiewell, West Calder, Midlothian, Scotland. After that he disappears. Can anyone tell me if he married and when/where he died? I've not found a suitable marriage or death match on ScotlandsPeople for him.

The other son of Robert and Ann that I'm looking for is David, born 1875. I think he may have ended up in or around the area of Bacup, Lancashire, England. A David Porter of the correct age and place of origin appears on English censuses. He may have married Mary Hannah Banham in 1906 and had 6 children.

Sorry that there's such a lot of stuff that I need to find answers for but hopefully there's something in all of it that somebody recognises and will get in touch 

[GallowayLass]

The info from Elwynhas been great in helping me to locate precisely where Robert Porter and Ann Dixon lived before they married and explains the likely reason they met but I'm still hoping to find somebody who has information on their parents to take me further back. It would be great if they were descended from either David or James. Maybe someone has done the research and like me, they don't keep their tree online.

I looked at the death suggested by Elwyn for Thomas Dickson but it is inconclusive. That Thomas died in Tarsan townland, which so far, hasn't turned up anywhere in my research before. He was a widower and it was a neighbour who was informant so no family clues to be gained from it.

[KatC]

The information I was given has David Porter b. 1823 married to Ruth Hughes at Seagoe on Sept 16, 1842.  There were 7 children  On June 26, 1863.  He then married Mary Anne Dilworth, dau of Robert and Alice (Wilson) of Lisnisky and they had 6 more children. 

David Porter was said to have parents Thomas and Clarissa (Chleressa)Simpson d 1872 @92 which also mentions Mary Bicke? and their gravestone is in Seagoe adjacent to that of Richard Porter d. 1879 @94 and Elizabeth Porter's d. 1869 @72

[GallowayLass]

The information I was given has David Porter b. 1823 married to Ruth Hughes at Seagoe on Sept 16, 1842.  There were 7 children  On June 26, 1863.  He then married Mary Anne Dilworth, dau of Robert and Alice (Wilson) of Lisnisky and they had 6 more children. 

David Porter was said to have parents Thomas and Clarissa (Chleressa)Simpson d 1872 @92 which also mentions Mary Bicke? and their gravestone is in Seagoe adjacent to that of Richard Porter d. 1879 @94 and Elizabeth Porter's d. 1869 @72

Was one of the children to Ruth Hughes called Robert born c.1846 at Knockmenagh? (who married Ann Dixon of Lisnisky, daughter of Thomas Dixon and unknown in 1867 in Seagoe parish church).

Could you please let me have BMD details of David's children, especially to his first wife? Ruth is common forename in one branch of the family and there are other Roberts and Davids and a plethora of Thomases.

[KatC]

Robert Porter, weaver of Clanrole  and Ann Dickson of Lisniskey were married Jan 1, 1867.  Ruth was born Mar 5, 1867, Elizabeth June 24, 1868, Sarah Ann Feb 15, 1870. James Nov 25, 1871, Thomas Sept 25, 1873, David May 13, 1875 and Robert 1877.  The child Ruth would help confirm Ruth Hughes is the mother of Robert.

David and Ruth Hughes had children James July 1, 1843, Robert abt 1846, David Mar 1, 1847, Sarah  Sept 24, 1849, John Apr 6, 1851, Henry Aug 28, 1852, Elizabeth Feb 1, 1855.  I am not sure when the church changed from baptism dates to birth dates.  These might be baptism dates.

David and Mary Jane (Dilworth) had children in Lower Seagoe Elizabeth Jane April 1, 1865, Thomas Porter Jun 17, 1866, Ann Jane  Oct 25, 1868 (looks like 23 or 28 to me), Rebecca Jan 7, 1874, William Henry May 11, 1876, and Richard June 10, 1870.  David is listed as a farmer here and a weaver at his first marriage, so there may be a mistake.  There is a David looking like a weaver in Clarnrole in Griffiths and a David in Lower Seagoe looking like a farmer in Griffiths

You should also be aware of David Porter, Clanrole weaver son of farmer David Porter married Ann Elizabeth Dilworth, dau of Thomas Dilworth of Lisniskey in 1870. 

[KatC]

Here is more headscratching.  There is a David born to Thomas and Clarissa in 1823. However in Sept 16,1832 in Clanrole, David and Elizabeth have dau Ann followed by Margaret Oct 25, 1835  and Jane Oct 20, 1839.  Then wife Elizabeth died Dec 26, 1841, aged 32 leaving very young girls.  Within a year a David married Ruth Hughes. No information is given on parents and townland and those are probably baptism dates. David typically would have been born about 1800 give or take 10 years.   

The marriage record for David marrying in 1863 says he is a widow as is wife Mary jane Ligget with father Robert Dilworth.   Seagoe records have nothing about another David marrying. David and Ann Eliza (Dilworth) name their first daughter Ruth.

In the 1879 census of Seagoe COI, Ann (Dickson) is widowed and with children Ruth, Sarah, James, Thomas, David , and Robert.
Ann Eliza (Dilworth, Ligget) is widowed and with children Ruth, William Henry and David. The death records put husband David born about 1848, so he is the son of David and Ruth (Hughes) and the father was considered a farmer when the son married.

David and Mary jane are listed with Sarah 18, then Elizabeth, Thomas, Ann Jane, Richard, Rebecca, and William Henry.  Sarah apparently is a daughter from the Ligget marriage.   This David's death records of 1895 indicate he was born about 1820 and had son David.  Is the date off or is this the son of Thomas and Clarissa?                                         

Other children of David and Ruth Hughes might be  be Henry with wife Sarah (Tate of Ballinacor) living in Balteagh  who have children  Ruth and William John, but father's info on Henry is not listed in the transcription i have,  Jane Porter with weaver father David married William Dynes, father oliver in 1862 and Ann Porter weaver father Clanrole David married james Hagan of Balteagh with father  James.

[GallowayLass]

Good heavens, that's a lot to take in at once!

Am I getting the wrong end of the stick or are you saying that the David Porter (weaver) who is father of Thomas that married Ann Dixon in 1867 was himself married three times?

I have the marriage certificate for Thomas Porter and Ann Dixon and the birth certificates for all their children. Elizabeth died in childhood and Sarah Ann in her mid teens. I have marriages and deaths for Ruth, Thomas and Robert and their respective spouses.

What I can't establish however is what happened to;
1. James 1871. In 1891 he and his brother Thomas are lodgers in Scotland in the house of an Irishman, Patrick Higgins and his family. Mr Higgins, Thomas and James are all labourers in the paraffin oil works of James Young in Addiewell. In 1892, Thomas marries a girl from Addiewell and remains there till death. There is no further certain match for James in Scotland.
2. David 1875. There is a David Porter who came from Knockmenagh on the 1911 census for England living with his wife Mary Hannah Banham in Lancashire. In 1911, David's occupation in assurance agent which is the same as for a David Porter who died in the same area in 1923. However it does not match the occupation for the David who married Mary Hannah Banham in 1906. The Lancashire Registration Service called me this morning with another fly in the ointment. The 1906 marriage shows David Porter's father to be David and not Robert as I expected. I decided to pay for both certificates anyway as if it's not the David I seek then I need evidence to eliminate him. I'll have more information in a day or two when the certificates arrive.

So till then, I'm left with the possibility of there being a David Porter son of David Porter and unknown also born in Knockmenagh who could be the man who ended up in Lancashire. English rules being what they are, I don't know the names of the witnesses to the 1906 marriage or the informant of the 1923 death. After a lot of suggesting possibilities by myself, I managed to establish that none of the surnames were Porter, Dixon, Ward, Herron, McDonald or Banham which covers all the spouses that I am aware of.

[KatC]

I think the first marriage of David  to Elizabeth is probable and the second to Ruth Hughes is logical as he had a family to support.  The marriage to Mary Jane Dilworth is questionable.

The David that died in 1895 was said to have a son David according to the will. However, David married to Ann Eliza Dilworth had already died.   It would be very nice to see the whole will to see if any other children were listed.  Your David had 2 unmarried daughters who should have been mentioned.   

[GallowayLass]

Have you got my last email yet? By 1895, there was only one of my David's daughters left alive and she married in Scotland the following year.