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Topics - don_niagara

Pages: [1] 2 3 4
1
Meath / Mooney at Drumconrath
« on: Monday 07 November 16 01:58 GMT (UK)  »
A Canadian historian, Padraig O'Siadhail, shared with me a month ago his 2012 article published in the journal, Riocht na Midhe, entitled "The man from Largy: James Mooney, Native American scholar and the Meath connection". Unfortunately I have not had time or wits to fully unscramble the genealogy, but people in James' tree clearly are mentionned in mine (Mooneys at townland of Largy in Drumconrath Parish, Co.Meath), and I am pretty sure this pioneer ethnologist and anthropologist was a first cousin, a bunch of times removed, of myself.

James Mooney led an interesting life, though born in America he was much tied to Ireland, and had correspondence with his relatives at Drumconrath. The article is presumably copyright protected to Padraig, so I will not publically post it, however, there is some bio of him in the introduction to one of his books at;
https://books.google.ca/books?id=G9bnhN6iDL4C

And here is a link to the Wikipedia page on the guy;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Mooney

2
Ross & Cromarty / 1797 RossShire Militia List
« on: Thursday 18 June 15 03:45 BST (UK)  »
Hello,

have just received images of the 1797 RossShire Militia List for the Parish of Lochbroom and transcribed it to join the other five years already up on my Coigach website; http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~coigach/

This particular list is in NRS as GD46/6/38, a smaller list then later years as it only notes men from 19 to 23, An intern at NRS, Samantha Smart, has kindly shared which Parishes are on which pages for the whole doc, wish I had this info before ordering as with their minimum charge per service I could have requested other Parishes where I had ancestors for the same fee.

Anyone interested in ordering a Parish let me know and I'll forward her data, the entire RossShire list runs to 29 pages.

3
Down / Mawhinney at Newtownards
« on: Saturday 14 March 15 17:15 GMT (UK)  »
Here is a potted history of my MaWhinney/McWhinney family of Newtownards It runs over the 5,500 characters allowed here, so I'll try posting in two parts.
[ PART 1 ]

Griffith's Valuation in 1863 shows 33 properties around the intersection of Mill Street and Frederick Street with Leesors as three Mawhinneys. One of those, Kenneth, is shown as a Publican on Frederick Street in an 1852 business Directory, presumably the Mawhinney interests on the streets go back to then or earlier. One of the three Mawinneys, James, was noted as a builder and mason, he held most property, including the prominent pub on the north-east corner, and it can be presumed he was builder of the development, with brothers Kenneth and Robert as investors. Derk Beattie's website includes a file on the pub, "The Scrabo Arms", including photo of a sculpted stone face that overlooked the intersection of Mill Street and Frederick Street which probably was James Mawhinney.

James and later his son John held the properties till the 1890s, his grand-daughter's husband William McGimpsey continued as Publican there through at least the 1901 census.

The two other Mawhinney's, Robert and Kenneth, are difficult to identify after the 1863 Valuation, however I think they were brothers Robert McWhinney who died 30 April, 1870 at Conlig, Parish of Bangor, aged 68, and Kenneth McWhinney died at Island Hill, Comber 16 March, 1882, age noted as 78. The will of Kenneth notes as well as being a farmer in Comber he owned property in Newtownards; in 1863 he had an unoccupied building North Street, rated value of ten pounds makes it the most valuable property on North Street, shown in some records as a public house. At some point Kenneth's son, another Kenneth, had the property rented out to the Burrows family (possibly from before the elder Kenneth's 1882 death), who had a bicycle shop there into the early 20th century.

Though a clear sibling relationship between James and the other two Mawhinneys is not documented, a grandson of James with his wife Charlotte were witnesses to the 1891 marriage at Ballyblack Presbyterian Church of a daughter of Kenneth, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Mawhinney, to William Boyd.

James Mawhinney, the builder and mason, from ages of his children was most likely born sometime 1794-1809, his wife was Margaret Bailie. I think James died 1863, as though he is named in the 1863 Valuation his wife Margaret in a newspaper article that year is noted in expulsion of one of the named tenants.

James had at least five children, the sons continuing as masons, bricklayers, and publicans, in addition son John till around 1880 was a grocer, and from the early 1870s owned several quarries near Newtownards.

Second known child of James, John, was born about 1834. He continued the families varied occupations, including grocer, but began to invest in quarries around Newtownards, a business he would have been familiar with as his father was a mason and builder. An 1874 court case notes John as partner with a farmer, Johnstone, in having a bond to secure the rent of the red sandstone quarry at Dundonald, the quarrier then being delinquent. By 1876 John is noted as having the quarry himself, when there was a strike of the workers. That strike was quickly settled, with the workers agreeing to same pay but starting the day at 6:00 a.m. rather than 7. Bad feelings among his thirty employees there continued though, and a few months later someone blew up the boiler, essential to run the pumps that kept the pit from flooding. His quarry obtained a reputation for quality product, supplying construction of prominant church and other buildings. 1 November, 1883 John took leese of the "White or Globe Quarry", also known as "rhe Glebe Quarry", at Ballyalton by Scrabo, re-opening early the next year. His son James almost died there in an accident a few years later. Not clear when John gave up the quarries, he is noted in 1888 as a quarry owner, and an 1896 ad for sale of the farm that included the Glebe quarry noted it had been mined until recently.

4
Australia / John McWhinney died 1902/3 at Melbourne
« on: Wednesday 14 January 15 00:36 GMT (UK)  »
My gt-gt-grandfather, John MaWhinney ("McWhinney", etc.), was born about 1834 at Newtownards, County Down, Ireland, a grocer and later Publican. He married twice, Magill sisters, with whom he had thirteen children, living his last years at Belfast.

He is commemorated on a stone at Comber New Cemetery, photographed and transcribed at;
http://billiongraves.com/pages/record/Robert-McWhinney/4322679

The stone notes he died 23 September, 1902 at Melbourne, Australia, the Australian Death Registration index has a John MaWhinney died 1903, father James which fits, mother Margaret Bailie which I did not previously have, but which is a Newtownards name suggesting this is the correct registration.

Presumably John was in Melbourne visiting a child, but I could not find any article in TROVE noting the death or identifying McWhinneys from Newtownards there then, of course the child might have been a daughter with then a different surname making the search more fun. I do not have a lot of experience with Australian records, and would appreciate if anyone has suggestions for further searching.

Here are John's children, even if noted as died in Ireland it is possible they spent time in Australia and returned;

1) James MaWhinney, born 1862 at N'ards, died 1911 at Belfast (my gt-grandfather)
2) Margaret "Maggie" MaWhinney, born 1863 at N'ards, died there 1916, married 1881 there to William McGimpsey
3) Sarah MaWhinney, born 1865 at N'ards, died there 1869
4) Jane MaWhinney, born 1866 at N'ards, death or marriage not identified
5) Robert MaWhinney, born and died 1867 at N'ards
6) Martha MaWhinney, born 1869, at N'ards, death or marriage not identified
7) Sarah MaWhinney, born 1870 unmarried in 1901 and 1911 census, Informant of a nephew's death 1904, looks to be an unmarried 43 year old 1914 enterring USA in Ellis Island database, probably married William Gaskin of West New Brighton, Staten Island
8 ) Anna MaWhinney, born 1872, unmarried 1901 and 1911 census, emigrated to USA 1915
9) Lucinda MaWhinney, born 1873 at N'ards, died unmarried 1905 at Belfast
10) John Alexander MaWhinney, born 1876, died 1927 unmarried at Belfast
11) Elizabeth MaWhinney, born 1877 at N'ards, unmarried in the 1901 census, not seen in 1911
12) Robert MaWhinney, born 1880, died 1948, no wife noted on stone
13) Kenneth MaWhinney, born 1883, married 1904 at Belfast

Donald.

5
Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition / from 1911 census
« on: Wednesday 14 May 14 21:30 BST (UK)  »
Hello,

Attached snipped from 1911 census, London, England. Pretty certain the fellow's first name was "Allin", and country "Switzerland", but am vague toward surname and placename.

Thanks,

Donald.

6
England / Mary Marjorie Macdonald, "Queen of Hotel Thieves"
« on: Thursday 24 April 14 19:20 BST (UK)  »
Am searching for any further note of Mary Marjory Macdonald, likely in England. She was born 1884 at Ullapool in Scotland, then after both parents died she was Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye with her uncle, Donald Macdonald (a fishcurer like her father had been). She received a substantial inheritance, losing some to a bad investment.

Likely at Scotland she was a teacher till reaching majority in 1905. She then "became companion to a lady in society, and after that she obtained several positions of a similar nature. In this capacity she travelled widely, staying at the best hotels."

She spent a few years travelling in Germany and France, and by time of the 1911 census was a "Journalist" at London, then "had a lucrative post as secretary to a large firm of London jewellers". Disapearing in 1913, possibly because of a love affair, she returned to Scotland, where she committed several robberies at Dingwall, was convicted, and served sixty days.

Late 1913 she embarked on a nine month long spree of jewell thefts in London hotels, till arrested and locked up in Holloway Gaol. Before that arrest she had been an artist's model, and likely was an artist herself, as she was "Associate of Arts of London University".

Arrested again 1917 and 1919, till last note of her was at trial in 1925 for robberies at Hotels in Brighton.

I have gathered scratch facts and transcribed three newspaper articles regarding her into a file at;
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~coigach/raffles.htm

Guessing she did not retire from her life of crime, I'd be interested to hear if anyone has further note of her!

7
Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition / 1839 m.i. inscription eroded
« on: Saturday 23 February 13 14:43 GMT (UK)  »
Recently was sent this photo of a much eroded stone in the Gaelic churchyard at Cromarty. The sender's (Lisa) digital camera unfortunately was set at 640 X 480 pix, so no higher res image will probably be available till spring. Lisa notes "my transcription matches the transcription on the Ross and Cromarty burial grounds site though I confess I saw their transcript before I saw it in person so I would not have questioned it". I think she is referring to Roddie Macpherson's great site "Ross & Cromarty Roots", which has a 2008 photo of the stone and his transcription of it at http://gravestones.rosscromartyroots.co.uk/picture/number1685.asp

ERECTED BY  /
John and William  /
Mackenzie in memory  /
of their father  /
John McKenzie  /
who died 21st March  /
1839 aged 75 years  /

A friend (Sharie) has an ancestor John Mackenzie noted in family histories as died 21 March, 1839, at Cromarty, this is no doubt the stone for that guy, however her John has birth year estimated about 1790 (based on marriage year and births of his children), which does not match this transcription which suggests birth year around 1764.

The inscription is much eroded, though age looks to be "75", loading the image into my photo editor and drawing a straight line across what appears to be the top of "1839" leaves a space between that line and the top of "75", I wonder if the original inscription may actually have been "46". Assuming the "1839" is correct, that would give this guy a birth year about 1793, which would give his age at marriage as about 22, a likely age then.

Anyone have any more clear thoughts?

Donald


8
London & Middlesex Lookup Requests / 1833 m. at Saint Dunstan
« on: Sunday 01 January 12 19:01 GMT (UK)  »
Hello all,

I.G.I. notes extracted from register a marriage 21 November, 1833 at Saint Dunstan, Stepney, of Kenneth McDonald to Mary McKenzie

I am unfamiliar with how much extra data might be in English Parish Registers, the Scottish ones vary over time and area. Appreciate whatever details might be there...

My guess is the guy was "Capt. Kenneth MacDonald of Clarendon" in Jamaica, who had married in 1827 to Mary's aunt Catherine MacKenzie at Ullapool in Scotland. Mary with three MacDonald children later shows up at Melbourne, Quebec.

Donald.


9
Ross & Cromarty / Kenneth MacKenzie, schoolteacher
« on: Friday 27 May 11 23:03 BST (UK)  »
Hello,

Am having trouble tracing a family group through the 19th century censuses....

Isabella Simpson was born about 1808 at Ullapool, Parish of Lochbroom, illegitamate to George Simpson, Agent for the British Fisheries Society who then owned the village, and Isabella MacGregor. She died 7 May, 1873 at Inverness. Simpson had another illegitamate child, another George, who rose to become Govenor of the Hudson`s Bay Company, was knighted and littered what has become western Canada with children. Pretty certain Isabella MacGregor was sistor to two other MacGregors from Perthshire who married prominant Coigach MacKenzies.

Isabella Simpson married 24 January, 1827, to Alexander Clarke of Oldany, Parish of Assynt. They had sons Hugh born about 1828 and George born about 1829. Alex died, and Isabella remarried 13 November, 1838 at Killearnan to Kenneth MacKenzie, they are there at Milltown in the 1841 census with both Clarke sons, and a third child, Anne MacKenzie (born 1 March, 1840, christened 11 April, 1840). Neighbouring Hosehold (same houseÉ) had Isabella`s retired father George, who died later that year, and another young Simpson girl, given the history probably another `natural`daughter of George, though may be some other relation....

I have failed to find Kenneth MacKenzie the teacher or Isabella his wife, or their children., till the 1873 death reg of Isabella at Inverness with Kenneth as Informant....

Appreciate any help,

Donald.


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