« Reply #2 on: Friday 23 December 05 13:41 GMT (UK) »
Thanks Christopher. My John and David's father, John Manson (b. 1699) was from The Braid but I can't establish a proven link to the John Manson listed in Heads and Hearths living in Ballymena in 1666. Once David became successful around 1760, they moved to Lilliput at the bottom of the Limestone Road in Belfast (named so because of David's admiration of Johathan Swift's work) It was a farm at that time and I have Belfast Newsletter notices mentioning its lease as well as David's school and his inventions. Another brother William went to America where his line fought in the War of Independence and eventually entered politics in the US Senate. The Irish family appears to have split in the late 1760's, when David moved into Donegall Street and his brother John (my ancestor) moved to Cottown, County Down where he died in 1818. My Granny was born there in the 1880's. I'm unsure how many Mansons moved to around Cottown because there seems to be too many in the early 1800's to be descended from one man. They lived on farmland leased from Dr Drennan, the United Irishman. Several years ago when I was back home I was able to take a photo' of a portrait of David Manson that had hung in "Inst" in Belfast for almost 100 years. Sadly the Manson family in Cottown have "died out" in the late 1960's.
Co. Antrim ...Porter, Moore, Harper, Latham, Mulholland, Manson, Craig, McNeill, Steele, Simpson, Scullion, Black, Larkin, Ramsay, Letson, Marks, McBride, , Jamieson, Robb, Cuningham, Mc(C)Lean, Johnston, Huggins, Hilton.
Co. Down ...Purse, Manson, Hay, Russell, Barrons.
Co. Armagh...Robinson.
Co. Donegal ..Johnston, Bustard, Funston, Elvin, Wilson, Harron, Hume, Scott, Griffith, Kee, Forsythe
Co. Fermanagh ..Funston, Keys.
Co. Tyrone.. Bustard, Funston.
