Donegore - Bryson-Wilson

[kirk6704]

Hi Rebecca,

My great great grandfather James Buchanan was born in Ballymena and came to a property his family had purchased near what is now Ottawa, Canada in 1847.  I have a written account by one of his daughters that says that he had "Bryson cousins" in the area.  His mother was Jane Ballagh and her sister Margaret was married to John Bryson of Ballybracken, Antrim.  They had daughters Sarah and Agnes and sons James, Robert and John.  I don't know if any of these five cousins settled in the area.   

[Gilby]

From the Registry of Deeds:

Book 674 / Page 8 / Number 463243
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSH3-3Q5P-F?i=9&cat=185720
Memorial of indenture of assignment dated 1st Apr 1812 between James Ballah of Ballybracken, farmer, and William Wilson of Ballybracken, farmer.  For £999 19s 11d Ballah sells to Wilson 79a 1r 26r plantation measure in the Quarterland of Ballybracken.  To have and to hold for the remainder of 61 years from 1st Nov 1800.  Witnesses Robert Ballah of Ballyvoy, John Bryson of Bally[wee?], farmers and John Williamson of Freemanstown Gent, attorney.

This obviously can't be James Ballah senior (who died 1791).  It could be his grandson (born 1791).  However, I suspect it may be a previously unknown brother of Robert Ballah of Ballyvoy (1753-1821).

[Sheepstealer]

Belfast Newsletter, 31 Jul 1835   
By the Rev. Alex. Bryson, Seceding Minister, Charles Bryson, Esq. Ballybracken, to Margaret, eldest daughter to James Bryson, Esq. Cove-lodge.

The James Bryson of cove lodge  b1825 was my direct GG grandfather , my uncle William still lives their . I am trying to find more about RbT Bryson my GGG grandfather

[Gilby]

Hi Sheepstealer, welcome to Rootschat.

I have that couple on my tree because I’m interested in a few families in the area, including the Brysons.  Please tell us more about what you know already about this family.  What is the connection between James Bryson (b. 1825) and James Bryson, father of Margaret?

I have a James Bryson born c1826 who married Agnes Bryson, and a James Bryson born c1827 who was son of Robert Bryson (surgeon) and Eleanor Gawn.

Gilby

[threekids5]

Gilby,

In this thread you were asking about a will for John W. Bryson named in the first post. John W. is my 4th great grandfather, direct line. I have a copy of his will if you still need it. The original poster is a cousin. We’ve been trying to locate John W Bryson’s parentage and/or siblings. I think one sibling was Robert and one may have been Charles but that’s literally guessing as church records have been lost. I’ve pieced some together through wills.

Sheepstealer is a new cousin of sorts as somewhere all Northern Ireland Brysons are related. We’ve been in contact since late last year. The b1825 James you gave him is on my tree. The 1827 James isn’t.  We will be in Kilbride, Ballywee, Ballyclare in June and plan to meet up with SS. Hoping the Old Kilbride Cemetery will yield up some secrets. From John W forward my direct line is solid.

I think you also mentioned a Bryson family with two daughters, one named Agnes, daughter of John Bryson. Agnes married William Bryson. They lived in or on Ballyvoy. I have wills for Agnes and William. It doesn’t appear any of their children married and the last Ballyvoy resident in that line, Jenny Bryson, willed her estate to a Margaret Barrett and William Bryson. Confused yet? Too many same names.

Anyhow, any information you might have would be great and any questions you might have, ask away.

Thanks for the info you provided in the thread!

Deb

Anyhow, I hope you get this and it’s helpful. If you

[threekids5]

Gilby,

You also asked about John W. Bryson’s son James who did not immigrate. The James Brison marriages you have for Ann 1829 and Martha Ann McConnell are his marriages. It’s probable Ann passed in childbirth.

James and Martha Ann had one son Robert in 1835. Robert had two sons James b1861-d1893 and William b1869-d1938. They also had four daughters, three married and one did not.

James never married. William married and had four daughters. It appears all four daughters passed at an early age. I’ll check to see if I have a will for William. James left his estate to William.

So the Bryson name from John W. Bryson through James (his son) ended in 1938 with William’s death. My line from John W through his son William by his second wife Mary McCune is still around through my brother and his two sons. I’m a Bryson by birth though. 

Deb

[Lbryson]

I have that couple on my tree because I’m interested in a few families in the area, including the Brysons.  Please tell us more about what you know already about this family.  What is the connection between James Bryson (b. 1825) and James Bryson, father of Margaret?

I have a James Bryson born c1826 who married Agnes Bryson, and a James Bryson born c1827 who was son of Robert Bryson (surgeon) and Eleanor Gawn.

Gilby

Hey Rev Alex Bryson is my 3rd ggrandfather. So I have lots of Ballaghs, Mckmeekins and Brysons in my family

In letters I have found in PRONI I know he has three brothers Charles, John and Robert and an unfortunately unnamed sister all brought up in Ballybracken.
In the letter it says Robert was a medical doctor and on his way to or from Scotland collecting his degree he drowned leaving a wife and two young boys all unnamed in this letter. I’ve really wanted to find out who they are and your Robert seems like it would fit. Would you be able to share where you get the info?

Thanks so much, Lorna

[Gilby]

Hi.  Sorry I’m just noticing these messages.  Lorna, the following is the note I had on my tree for Robert Bryson:

Robert Bryson, surgeon of Poyntzpass.  Was probably related to the Rev. Alexander Bryson of Fourtowns near Poyntzpass.  They both clearly had links to the Donegore area.  I think that's probably where they originated.

Your message basically confirms all of that.  More details below.

Belfast Newsletter, 22nd Sep 1818:
In Poyntzpass, on the 17th ult. by the Rev. Mr. Bryson, Surgeon Bryson, of Poyntzpass, to Susannah, eldest daughter of Mr. George Bennet of said place.

Belfast Newsletter, 17th Feb 1824:
On the 27th ult. at Donegore, by the Rev. Mr. Wallace, Mr. Robert Bryson, surgeon, of Pointzpass, to Eleanor, eldest daughter of the late Mr. James Gawn, of Donegore.

They had a son called James who died in 1850, as remembered on a headstone erected by his grandfather James Gawn in Kilbride graveyard:
http://www.gawnfamilystory.co.uk/UnnamedGawn1737.htm

Plenty about the Gawns on that site.  Robert Bryson must have died before 1838 because his widow married Green Hall O’Neill that year.

[Gilby]

Threekids,

Yes, I’d still be interested in seeing a copy of John Bryson’s (1836?) will.  Or any other wills from this family which don’t survive in the PRONI catalogue.

I hope you got to Kilbride graveyard and that it lived up to your expectations.  I visited on a frosty morning about 8 weeks before your last message.

Thanks for the information on James Bryson and his line.  I don’t remember all those names, but it is too late tonight for me to look them up, so I’ll need to come back to this another time!

Gilby