Author Topic: Portaferry John Wallace/Ellen Maxwell  (Read 2180 times)

Offline lthorne

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Portaferry John Wallace/Ellen Maxwell
« on: Monday 08 May 17 23:13 BST (UK) »
Hi folks
My ancestor Thomas Maxwell Wallace was born in 1825, presumably to John and Ellen Wallace (nee Maxwell). He makes reference to living around Tara on a farm and working as a clerk in Portaferry.

Family lore says they were proud of their Glaswegian roots and that his father was around 100 years old when he died somewhere around 1860/1.

I am looking for any information about John and Ellen specifically.

We are guessing that there maybe other children called William John, Joseph, James and Agnes. Thomas left Portaferry after his father died in 1861 for New Zealand with Ellen/Eleanor Roberts, his wife (born 1845) and baby.
Thanks
Lara-May

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Portaferry John Wallace/Ellen Maxwell
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 09 May 17 08:50 BST (UK) »
It's a bit difficult to make sense of the facts here.

"Thomas Maxwell Wallace was born in 1825, presumably to John and Ellen Wallace (nee Maxwell)." Why do you think those were his parents? and where did Ellen's maiden name come from?

"Family lore says ... that his father was around 100 years old when he died somewhere around 1860/1." yet "after his father died in 1861"
Unfortunately, civil registration of deaths didn't start until 1864 so there will be no death certificate.

"Thomas left Portaferry after his father died in 1861 for New Zealand with Ellen/Eleanor Roberts, his wife (born 1845) and baby."

Extracted marriage record (1861) for Thomas & Ellen-
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FG6B-2BK
Doesn't seem to have a middle name listed on certificate (unless it was used in signature). Have you seen the actual certificate to see if his father is noted as deceased? (not always recorded but can be useful)
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Portaferry John Wallace/Ellen Maxwell
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 09 May 17 09:01 BST (UK) »
May 2007- She married John Wallace and had at least two sons. One son ... In 1861 Thomas was a clerk in Portaferry and left for New Zealand in 1863.

Aug.2015- He married Ellen and I am assuming her surname is Maxwell. They had a son called Thomas Maxwell Wallace born 1824 and possibly two others - William John and Joseph. Maybe a daughter Agnes.

A William John Wallace married (1862) Mary Ann Cord but not enough information to be sure of a connection just from extract-
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGF9-QWF
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline lthorne

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Re: Portaferry John Wallace/Ellen Maxwell
« Reply #3 on: Monday 15 May 17 23:56 BST (UK) »
I do know of the William marrying Mary Ann. And we are assuming he is a brother of Thomas only because he is marrying in Ballyphilip and has the same name for a father. That is John Wallace.

The other names I have offered are because they (James, Joseph and Agnes) were also touted as living in Ballyphilip / Portaferry in tidbits on the internet. I have found out nothing about their families.

We got the name Ellen Maxwell from a death certificate of Thomas's. Thomas is my ancestor. John and Ellen are his parents.

I am seeking information about John and Ellen and their family. Either generations before or their from their children onwards. (Thomas is their child)

John Wallace is supposedly to have died around 1860/1 aged 100.



Offline Brianog1971

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Re: Portaferry John Wallace/Ellen Maxwell
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 28 May 19 03:53 BST (UK) »
Hi: I believe we could be connected . John and Ellen Wallace (1801-1851) of Ballyrenan, Ballee County Down were my g g g g grandparents . They were parents of Thomas (b. 1825)-who went to New Zealand, Mary Wallace Magill (1827-1912), William, Letitia, Jane and John .

Mary Wallace Magill and her husband Thomas Magill immigrated to Ormstown, Canada in 1863 or so. They brought 3 children and left their oldest daughter Ellen Magill behind in Ballyrenan. Ellen married William J. Taggart In Saul, co Down in 1874 and moved with her children to New York City in 1884.  I descend from this line .

Maxwell comes up a few times as a first name with the Wallace family -I didn’t know it was Ellen's maiden name. The baptismal and marriage  records from Ballee Parish only say John and Ellen Wallace.

Portaferry is across Strangford lough from Strangford village so I believe it is the same Thomas Wallace. I am a dna match to Thomas’s great  great grandson Garry Moore in Australia.

I can share my ancestry tree if you are Interested.

Best regards
Brian Brennan

Offline BallyaltikilliganG

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Re: Portaferry John Wallace/Ellen Maxwell
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 05 June 19 16:32 BST (UK) »
You can extract all the  Wallace entries for Ballyphillip from Ros Davies co Down website
http://www.rosdavies.com here is one example
John WALLACE Ballyphilip of Portaferry; husband of Lucy; mentioned in Deeds for land in Ballyogigan with Arthur Graham of Ballyheridan Co. Tyrone 19 Dec 1726. Registry of Deeds, Dublin Vol 52 p108 

That townland Ballyogigan isn’t listed on http://www.rosdavies.com/MAPS/CastleboySlanesBallytrustanBallyphilipTlands.htm
the nearest guess is Ballygarvigan   Ballyphilip. A townland 4km NE of Portaferry town; 234 acres; click here to see its location on a townland map; means ' townland of O'Garvigan';  The specialists https://www.logainm.ie/en/65921?s=Ballygarvigan doesn’t comment and
http://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=17300 lists ""O''Garvigan''s Town""
as a translation and lists many older spellings, such as
Ballegorwocan, Ballygarnecone etcetc

from http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/down/tithe-applotment-books/ballyphilip-parish.php
Wallace, James   Townland: Portaferry Gardens Year: 1827
Portaferry Gardens is the address in about a third of the names listed

The main Wallace family tree appears to be located in Hollymount Estate West of Downpatrick.  Take the car ferry from Portaferry to Strangford, drive through Downpatrick to Hollymount National Nature Reserve

Some reference for Wallace  family trees exist, in the Blackwood Family History manuscript trees Collection in the LinenHall library, Belfast.  but the references don’t list Ballyphilip.    Visit if you can give them warning helps, if you cant then I suggest you write to them asking them for help. each volume entry is normally about 6-8 pages each ,could somebody scan the 8 volume references below for Portaferry or Ballyphilip entries and then quote you for copying.  The Library may be able to assist those with more extensive research requirements on terms subject to negotiation with the Librarian. Contact the Library for further information on info@linenhall.com or Telephone 028 9032 1707. Their address is The Linen Hall Library,17 Donegall Square North, Belfast BT15GB, Northern Ireland, see their website for contact details or use Email:info@linenhall.com.
The volume references are
WALLACE   Volume 4p124N Hollymount, 19p1N, 21, 27T, 28N, 29, 40N, 54 typed
Hoping this is includes new information for you
good luck, Jim
ps However if the material is really relevant when you get it, I suggest a further donation to this unique library that is always needing extra funds. 

My overall advice is many civic bmds etc may be not registered in Portaferry but in Downpatrick, the local district centre si family search.org may be more useful than at first sight

Tara Ros Davies website describes it as Tara / Tarah etc  Ballyphilip & Witter civil parishes21: 63/49   a townland near Millin Bay, on the Irish Sea ;4km SE of Portaferry; click here to see its location on a townland map; means ' high hill';ancient ring fort here; in 1659 there were 6 English/Scots & 3 Catholic families here;lowest rent in 1836 was 30 shillings & highest 35 shillings; Tara Bay lies on the south side of Black Nib headland; death of Edward Murphy, solicitor, Portaferry 16 Sep 1854   V17 p 125 & V7 p 125 ,126 OSM; SP; DR; PNNI V2 p 131

Brianog1971 use ros davies website Ballee is south of Downpatrick as I am sure you know so you are close to being  arelative
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