Scotland to Donegal: finding Margaret Steen?

[Martha5964]

Skirl,

You're welcome. As Forfarian has said, in a lot of cases a brick wall will forever be a brick wall because the records don't exist or there isn't enough evidence to confirm that A and B were the parents of C. Sometimes though, when we have various bits of info. about possibly related people but not enough to fit it all together we can stumble upon a new piece of info., even years later, which helps confirm relationships.

Best of luck with your research.

[JACK GEE]

We all have brickwalls. This does not mean that you stop - keep digging. Think outside the box and see if you can get clues. I have three family names that i am trying to build bridges from Scotland to Ireland. With the Plantation i have been looking at the Undertakers and the areas where they originated. Also looking at the spouses and their families. Occasionally  you win a close relative that can fill a few gaps.


All the best
jack Gee

[aghadowey]

Brothers William, John, & Andrew Robinson left Dunfanaghy, County Donegal, Ireland for Canada in the 1880s. On all of their death certificates, their mother was listed as Margaret Steen. John Robinson's death certificate has his mother born in Scotland. The other men have her born in Ireland. Margaret Steen Robinson died in Dunfanaghy in 1893 at 70 years old, so she would have been born ca. 1823. I know it's a long shot, but is there any chance of finding Margaret Steen's people in Scotland?

Based on years of research in Ulster, the fact that John's death certificate says his mother was born in Scotland doesn't mean that she was actually born in Scotland.
1) mother might have had Ulster-Scots accent (still not uncommon) so that is was assumed she was born in Scotland
2) family might have called themselves 'Scottish' even in born in Ireland
3) whoever gave the information when John died might have been mistaken

There are lots of variations for Steen- Stinson, Stevens, Stephens, Stevenson are just a few

Have you search church records for baptisms of the Robinson brothers? I don't think you've mentioned what religion the family were? many church records for that period don't suvive but of those that do not all are online.

Now working with the facts-

Death certificate for Margaret Robinson, widow of fisherman, registered by daughter Mary-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1893/06011/4710677.pdf

Could this be the daughter Mary Robinson?
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Donegal/Dunfanaghy/Dunfanaghy_Town__Main_St_/1173351

[aghadowey]

Death certificate for William Robinson- born 10 Sept.1844 Dunfanaghy, parents William Robinson & Margaret Stein both born Ireland
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDNH-PYN

Death certificate for John Robinson- born 17 Mar.1852 Scotland, parents John Robinson (born Ireland) & Margaret Steen (born Scotland)
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J67N-6GQ


So, the two certificates show conflicting information.

[skirl]

aghadowey: I believe that you found the correct Margaret's death info. She's my leading candidate so far because a few times a daughter Mary has popped up on the periphery of things like you found. Of the 3 brothers William, Andrew, & John Robinson only John's death info lists Margaret Steen's birthplace as Scotland. William & Andrew both list Ireland. This was a family of fishermen. I understand that Scots fishermen were common in Dunfanaghy in the 1800s, so the Scottish connection is possible. The records that I have found for this family have come from the Church of Ireland but there is also a Presbyterian congregation in Dunfanaghy that I need to look into.

[aghadowey]

I didn't search for Andrew's death certificate to see details listed there but the ones for John & William show different Christian names for the fathers. So, what was the father's name?

I didn't say that Margaret wasn't born in Scotland but based on my experience, at this oint, it's equally possible she was born in Ireland. Notice that John's death certificate says he was born in Scotland- what's given for country of birth in census records for him?

What COI records in Dunfanaghy have you already checked?

For marriages of John, William and Andrew- what are given for father' name?

[skirl]

When Andrew died, his wife was still alive. She knew her in-laws, so I would lean towards Andrew's death info being correct. William died as a widower, so I can see how his children might make a mistake in naming William's father. John's 3rd wife would have been the person reporting his death info in 1909, so I can see where mistakes were made there.

I believe that John was born in Ireland as one of his marriage records states this.

CoI records in Dunfanaghy: I believe I have checked everything that I can online. Before the internet days, I wrote a few letters to the minister there.

father's name on marriages:
John's father was John [marriage in Ballymore]
Andrew's father was John [marriage in Dunfanaghy]
William: I have his 1869 wedding in Ballymore. My notes list the source as donegalgenealogy.com/dunfanmarrMcGtoE.htm but I can't find it there now.