Requesting Opinion of Family Name Change

[Suemagoo]

This is what I have and don't know where to go from here. Would appreciate any opinions or advice as my family ancestors name have given me something to scratch my head about and have no idea.

My 3x Great Grandfather was Isaac Fergus, who in 1890 rented land in Creevy, married, had children and was a Fergus. His brother, my 3x Great Grand Uncle Andrew Fergus according to the 1864 Griffiths Valuation rented land in Finnard, Newry, Co. Down. In the valuation revision books this same land from Griffiths it shows he is there from 1864-1908-1921 when his name is crossed out and replace by his son James. However, in the dates in the valuation records from 1883-1893 his name Andrew Fergus, the surname Fergus is crossed out and Ferguson appears.

I found the family in the On-line Church records for Donaghmore Presbyterian Church and it shows he is a male member of the Church from 1811-1831 where his name appears as Andrew Ferguson. 3 of his 4 children show their baptisms, Mary 1819, Fanny,1822, Isaac, 1828 (my 3x Great Grandfather).

I found his wife is Jane Campbell.  Why did he change is name from Fergus to Ferguson.  Andrew was born around 1787 and I can't find out when and where he married Jane Campbell. I assume she is a local girl from Finnard as there were other Campbells living in Finnard. I found a Jane Campbell born in 1806 in the Donagmore Church records but her first daughter was born in 1819 and that Jane would have been 13 years old?? Could that be possible? 

It was suggested to me by a historian from Newry that because Andrew was living in an area that was heavily populated by Protestants/Presbyterians and his name was a Catholic one, he may have wanted to ensure his neighbours and such that he was in fact Presbyterian so he changed it. She suggests that Andrew came from somewhere else in Ireland like Co. Mayo as well Jane Campbell. I always thought Fergus was more Scottish and assumed that eventually as I went further back, somebody from Scotland maybe left and went to Ireland and settled there. I have emailed the Church to ask if they have records further back then 1804 that is on line, to see if I can find a baptism date for Andrew and or Jane Campbell, but they don't respond.

Do I give up or is there somewhere else I can look in search of hopefully a marriage record or baptism for them. I feel I am so close but so frustrated. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Susan

[BallyaltikilliganG]

Hi Susan, you have done a terrific amount of work as is obvious but are now bouncing on the reality that there is a finite genealogical brickwall where further links ie  records do not exist. I have looked as hard as I can at your predicament, but have come to different conclusions.  The Fergus theory is most likely a red herring.  The 1901 census record reveals that both Isaac aged 83 and his neighbor presumably his son Isaac aged 43 can read but not write.  The impact of this on previous enumerators cannot be underestimated, and on themselves.  If this was true, and they were really Fergusons the whole time, it still leaves one other record that of a James Fergus who crops up in Griffiths Valuation in Saval More which is very close by to the west of Finnard. I couldn’t find  further trace of this James in the census. Perhaps you have in the valuation revisions?

Trying to find earlier records of anyone surnamed Fergus in Co Down came to a halt. I had started with

1660’s Ulster Hearth Money rolls see http://www.billmacafee.com  for the most northerly counties inc co antrim but not including Co Down .     There are no Fergus recorded,  these are the spellings as found recorded and are just variations of Ferguson  ie Fargason Fergison Fergisson Ferguson Fergusone ffargason ffargison ffargisonn ffergison fforgison fforgisone Forgison

Moving to specific records you quote
1811 to 1820 Townland of Tullymore. from Donaghmore Presbyterian Church Records-1785 to 1863
Finnard.
Robert Tedford; William Campbell; John Ward; William Crawford; John Scott; James Gibson; William Wright; Alexander Hannah; William Scott; Robert Bruce; James Campbell; David Campbell; Alexander Graham; Andrew Ferguson; James McGaw.
those Campbells being possible relations of jane
I noticed
Donaghmore Presbyterian Church Records-1785 to 1863
1785-1811 Townland of Tullymore. from Donaghmore Presbyterian Church Records-1785 to 1863
.............. Samuel Ferguson; .........


 
1823-1837 the Irish Tithes Applotment Books
there are 37 Fergus, 221 Ferguson in the 26 counties,
there are 2 Fergus [both co Antrim], 445  Ferguson in the 6 counties
with one recorded of possible interest to you
Ferguson, Samuel-Townland: Tullymore Year: 1829-Donaghmore-Down- Also spelt Tullymurry

from NEWRY, DONAGHMORE, LOUGHBRICKLAND & BANBRIDGE WEB SITE currently the site says
1. Ferguson family under construction   Contact as soon as possible if you haven’t already done or it might be a report on your research! 
2. list of Ferguson heres 3 examples
First Name   Surname   Townland   Parish   Record Source
William   Ferguson   Tullymurray   Down   Forde Estate 1802-1815 PRONI/D/566/B/1/1 I looked its over to east side of CoDown see http://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=12769   so stopped.
Samuel   Ferguson   Tullymore   Donaghmore   Tithes_1829
Samuel   Ferguson   Tullymore   Drumgath   Tithes_1837
this last caught my attention did the parishes divide the townland

jumping  35 years to

1864 Griffith valuation http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/ there are 204 entries in Co Down, including 2 Fergus in Newry parish, and the remainder Ferguson.
James Fergus SAVAL MORE  Newry map ref 31 4 acres land, & House value £1pa  ‘Savil More’ changes to Savilmore in Crobane district in 1901 census It is to the west of Finnard and is very closeby
Andrew Fergus FINNARD  Newry map ref  40 1 acre land and a house valued at 15 shillings pa.
and possibly of interest to you sooner than later
1864 Ferguson, Susan Tullymore  Donaghmore Down who has 11 acres and a house valued at £3 pa compared to many whose valuation is less
end of part 1.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

Hi Susan again, The 1901 census details you know for Fergus, in 4 in Creevy (Glaskermore, Down)
and 6 in Creevy (Glaskermore, Down)
who in 1890 rented land in Creevy, married, had children and was a Fergus. 

1901 Census
4 in Creevy (Glaskermore, Down)
Fergus Isaac 83 Male Head of Family Presbyterian Co Down Agricultural Labourer Read only Widower
Fergus Mary Jane 40 Female Daughter Presbyterian Co Down Read and write -
6 in Creevy (Glaskermore, Down)
Fergus Isaac 43 Male Head of Family Presbyterian Co Down Cattle Dealer Read and write - Married - - - -
Fergus Eliza Jane 38 Female Wife Presbyterian Co Down - Read and write - Married - 15 years 7 born 7 living
Fergus William James 15 Male Son Presbyterian Co Down - Read and write
Fergus Mary Letitia Georgine 13 Female Daughter Presbyterian Co Down Scholar Read and write
Fergus Eliza Jane 11 Female Daughter Presbyterian Co Down Scholar Read and write
Fergus David 9 Male Son Presbyterian Co Down Scholar Read and write -
Fergus Isaac 7 Male Son Presbyterian Co Down Scholar Read and write -
Fergus Robert 5
Fergus Ida Winifred 1
 

I noticed Ardaragh is the townland neighbour on the NE corner of Finnard  mentioned in the Probate of the Will of Andrew Ferguson late of Finnards Ardaragh County Down Farmer who died 26 May 1921 granted at Belfast to James Ferguson Farmer Effects £30 10s.  [

PRONI Belfast have a guide to church records covering the 2 presbyterian churches in the civil parish of Donaghamore
P. Donaghmore Baptisms, 1804-37 and 1845-1968; marriages, 18451936. MIC1P/129 Burials of Presbyterian ministers, 1765, 1771, 1803, 1854 and 1927  MIC1/54/2.  Sometimes an earlier record survives but that is sheer luck or because someone recorded a single event before a record was lost.  Sometimes familysearch.org has such an item

So I think your family might have started with
1.   Samuel Ferguson unproven Senior member of Donaghmore presbyterian church 1785-1811
children
1.1. Andrew Ferguson b~1787  Senior member of Donaghmore presbyterian church 1811 – 1831 married before 1819 Jane Campbell
children in no particular order
1.1.1. Mary b?, baptized 1819  {if mother aged 13 yes its just possible}
1.1.2. Fanny b?, baptized 1822
1.1.3. Andrew Fergus b 1821/1836 m Elizabeth b ~1835/1846 birth variation from census
residence Finnard, Newry, Co. Down Andrew and Elizabeth could read not write as per his mark on 1901 census  BUT DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS INSERTION
children
1.1.3.1.  James Ferguson  b~1869 
1.1.3.2.  Isaac Ferguson b~1874
1.1.3.3.  Jane Ferguson b~1877
1.1.3.4.  Joseph Ferguson  b~1879
1.1.4. Isaac b? baptized 1828 (Susans  3x Great Grandfather).
residence Creevy
children see Census 1901
1.1.4.1 daughter 

well that’s all I can offer you.

[aghadowey]

Years ago, even for people who were literate, spelling was very fluid and this includes names written by officials. It's not uncommon to find multiple spellings of a surname in a single document written in the 1800s. We've got Stephens/Stevenson in our family with other variants in the area including Stevens, Steenson, Steen, etc. I've also seen Montgomerys listed in records as McGomery for families who clearly wrote the name as Montgomery.

Ages can also be difficult to figure out. People didn't celebrate birthdays each year as is now the custom so many people hadn't a clue exactly how old they were at a given time. If you read the part of this article starting at last paragraph page 80) you'll see where a notable event was used to try to figure out ages for pension claims!
http://www.poyntzpass.co.uk/Before_I_Forget/1994_No_7/The_Night_of_the_Big_Wind.pdf

[gaffy]

... Would appreciate any opinions ...

Just my opinion and to endorse the previous post, I see the name variance as par for the course in that era and would read nothing more into it - there is hardly a week goes by where I don't encounter this in my Irish research, sometimes the variants are contemporaneous.  For example, take: (1) the 1866 church marriage record for Andrew Fergus of Finnard (to Eliza McCracken, in which his father is also named as Andrew Fergus); and (2) an article in the Newry Reporter of 1868, which asks readers to contact Ardaragh Post Office with any information about Andrew Ferguson of Finnard, aged about 80 (who had gone missing).

[Suemagoo]

Oh my goodness that missing Andrew Ferguson from Finnard would be my relative.

Can you please advise how I can see this article from the Newry Reporter from 1868 here in Canada?

Thank you for that information.

[gaffy]

It's in the online British Newspaper Archive, but it is a very short notice saying no more than I've posted, it appeared on the 20th and 22nd February of that year.

Edited to add:  The Newry Telegraph also reported him missing from 15th.

[Suemagoo]

Thank you so much!!!! Very much appreciated for the help.