Matthew Ferguson of Newtown Limavady (Irish Stray)

[pkincaid]

Matthew Ferguson, age 36, of Londonderry, Upham Parish, Kings County, New Brunswick (Canada) died on 30 April 1842.  He was a native of Newtown Limavady and emigrated to New Brunswick in 1818 [from death notice dated 7 May 1842].

[Jagray]

Hi,

I am looking for more information on Matthew Ferguson of Newtown Limavady (Irish Stray).   I am trying to trace information on his father Windefor Ferguson of Ireland. 

jagray

[Gortinanima]

Windefor is such an uncommon Christian name - have you documentary evidence that his father held that name?

[aghadowey]

Wonder if 'Windefor' (if that is the name) is really a strange spelling of Windsor (with long 's' looking like 'f').

[cyclamen]

If you look up the Freeholders Registers on the PRONI website you will find in D/834/1
Benbow Ferguson Yearly value £20
Robert Ferguson Yearly value £10
John Ferguson Yearly value £10
William Ferguson Yearly value £10
All are from Colessan, Newtownlimavady C 1840

[Jagray]

There is a family bible in the provincial archives of New Brunswick which was given to Matthew  Ferguson by his father Windefor Ferguson and lists Matthew, Benbow and Robert Ferguson as sons of Windefor.   The names on the  Freeholders list appear to be all sons of Matthew.    The copies in the documents I received are very poor so the source is a transcription provided as a reading guide.

 

[Gortinanima]

From Mullin's book on Limavady & the Roe Valley

MISCELLANEOUS - page 120
BENBOW:
Died 1855 at Artikelly [Aghanloo], aged 92, William WATSON descendant of Thomas Benbow, early settler at Limavady, who was a near relative of Admiral Benbow. A Benbow FERGUSON on Kavanagh's Map 1835 [Derry Sentinel 2 Feb 1855]

In the Limavady Corporation records a Robert, Richard & Thomas Benbow are mentioned in the early records late 17th early 18th centuries: The male Benbow line died out but was carried in the Ferguson and Watson lines:

As the name Benbow was carried down in the family perhaps Winderfor was a name in the Benbow family?

You should also research the Benbow & Watson collatoral lines as they may throw up some additional Ferguson connections.

I may have additional notes on the Benbow family somewhere in my files if you are interested.

[cyclamen]

If you do a search of the web site  below you will find a lot of information re  Fergusons. The researcher has listed quite a number living in the Limavady area. I note in the 1831 Census records one of the Fergusons listed is 'Windes*** Drumachose, Newtownlimavady.'

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com

[Jagray]

These all sound like good leads.   I did find a reference on a page of first families of New Brunswick which suggested the Benbow connection was through Matthew's wife, Mary Kerr who was the granddaughter of Admiral Benbow through his daughter Mary Benbow and a Reverend Kerr.  I could find no evidence of Mary Kerr searching from Admiral Benbow's descendants so likely her connection may be through Limavady Benbows.  More information would be helpful.  Mary Kerr would have been born around 1767 as she died in 1867 at the age of 60.

The 1831 census Windes*** reference could be a grandson of Windefor.