Stephens - Kildrumferton

[andacala]

Hello Listers,
The 1821 census for Crosserlough Parish shows Margaret (aged 39 & widow) and her sons Richard (13) & Thomas (7) living at house number 19. Margaret was my 3rd GGM.
There were other Stephens listed on the cenusus, with Frederick & Mary and their 3 children at house number 13. Catherine Stephens (42 & widow) and her son James (10) at house number 22. At house number 28 there were Edward and Mary Stephens and their two daughters, and in house 29, lived William & Eliza Stephens and their 8 children. Does anybody know anything of any of these families and whether they are related at all to Margaret.   

[mikestepuk]

Hi, The 1821 census for Crosserlough (Kildrumferton) lists 67 Stephens. These are spread between the townlands of Aghagegna (30), Duffcastle (24) Graddum (7) and Sallyhill (6). In the Aghagegna list are my ggg.grandparents, my gg.grandfather & his siblings, & almost certainly my gggg. grandfather William aged 70. As I mentioned in my email of 21st Feb., a Thomas is shown as a sponsor at the christening of John Stephens (my gg.grandfather's brother ) on 30th Jan. 1814. Although many of the baptismal records for my ggg.grandparents' 11 children , from the Church of Ireland in Kildrumferton, contain the names of sponsors who most likely lived in Aghagegna, they also show a John & Ann ( listed in Graddum in 1821),  and several others including a Margaret Stephens who could have lived in a townland other than Aghagegna.

I think that I am right in saying that the  List of Flaxspinners in Cavan dated 1796 contains only two Stephens, ie. William from Crosserlough and Thomas from Killashandra. It seems likely that the Stephens in Crosserlough are all related, particularly as they had such large families . Mike

[Jamau8]

Hi Guys

My gg grandfather was William Stephens Portan Co Cavan born 1807 bapt 31/1/1808. He married Sarah Hanna 3/6/1830 witnessed by John Stephens and William Hannna. In 1821 census Aghagegna there are 5 heads of houseolds John 39, Richard 60, Richard 22, George 36, and William 33. What relation were they ? Was Richard 60 father of Richard 22 and uncle to John 39, George 36 and William 33. and was William 76 father of William 33 his brother.There are 4 sons William born 1807-9/11. Three birth/bapt Kildrumferton records indicate William bapt 31/1/1808 father John mother Isabella, William bapt 31/1/1808 father Richard no other details, William bapt 5/3/1809 father William mother Mary and no record for George's William. Which William is my gg grandfather ?

PS have you seen the notorious case of James Stephens b 1820 d 1860 (New York Times 1859/60)

[mikestepuk]

Hi, many thanks for your very interesting email.

Unfortunately, I cannot tell you the relationships between the 5 Aghagegna households. In my researcher's report, she suggests that my gggrandfather John 39, George 36, and William 33 were brothers and that William 70 was their father. Each of the 3 "brothers" named their eldest son William. She states that the practice of naming the eldest son after the paternal grandfather was extremely common and can very often be a good guide when other links are missing. I can only assume that she thought that Richard 66 was the father of Richard 22 so William 14 would not be the elder Richard's eldest son.

My report shows that the sponsors at John's son William's baptism on 31/01/1808 were Richard & William Stephens. I wonder if they were John's uncle & father? It seems a great coincidence that Richard's son William was baptized on the same day - do you have the names of the sponsors at that baptism? It would seem quite a possibility that the 2 William's christened on the same day were 1st cousins.  Were they at the same church?

Another interesting item in your email , is the marriage  of your gggrandfather William to Sarah Hanna on 3/6/1830 - one of the witnesses being John Stephens (my gggrandfather?). My report mentions a marriage on 23/7/ 1836 between Susan/Susanagh Stephens & James Hanna. Witnesses were William Stephens ( her brother, uncle or grandfather?) & Henry Telford (sic). The fact that the 1st child to the marriage was christened Isabella suggests that Susan was my gggrandparents John & Isabella's daughter. This thought is reinforced by the fact that one of the sponsors at Susan's baptism on 2/2/1812 was  a Susan Trelford (sic).

My report revealed that there had been several marriages  over the years between my paternal grandparents' families, ie. the Stephens and Bell's. It could be the same between the Stephens and Hanna's?

You say that your William was born 1807 in Portan? and baptized 31/1/1808 (at Kildrumferton?) . I cannot find any mention of a townland called Portan. Is it Portruan ( near Belturbet)? If so, this is strange as my grandmother's family, the Bell's, lived in Drumalure Moor (ie. Drumaloor) near Belturbet.

Have you come across any Bell's in your researches?  Have you done your own research? Best wishes, Mike

[Jamau8]

Hi This is good. I presumed from the 3 birth/bapt records(gotten from IFHF website) for William Stephens that John House1 1821 census was my gg g/f Williams father (John is my ggg g/f) and as you suggest George H11 and William H12 are John's brothers. William Snr living with William H12 is therefore gggg g/f. Richard in House 9 is William Snr brother, with his eldest son Richard married to Mary nee Long and living next door in House 10 with young son James born 1820 (see New York Times Law report 1859/60).
Gg g/f William' s IFHF birth/bapt record confirms bapt in Kildrumferton 31/1/1808 so born 1807, first born to ggg g/f John then aged 26 ggg g/m Isabel (Isabella) then aged 23 with sponsors Richard (must be John's uncle aged 47), William gggg g/f  and third sponsor Mary who could have been William H12 wife aged 35 or possibly William gggg g/f wife ie gggg g/m deceased before 1821.
Gg g/f William died 17/11/1888 (IFHF record) aged 81 confirming 1807 birth.
He married Sarah Hanna 3/6/1830 in Kilfdrumferton with John Stephens and William Hanna as witnesses. (again IFHF record) Husband's father noted only as Stephens and Wife' father noted only as Hanna. This again gives credence that John is ggg g/f as the witnesses were their resp fathers.
? Gg g/f William got farm/land in Portan on his marriage to Sarah? Portan is townland beside Aghagegna. I have townland map and have been there.
William No2 bapt in Kidrumferton 31/1/1808 (IFHF record) same day gives only fathers' name Richard. So gg g/f and this William were actually 2nd cousins ggg g/f was his cousin.
Susanagh was born 1812 and was John's daughter (gg g/f sister) see 1821 census House 1.
My g g/f Thomas born 17/5/1835 married Catherine Hanna in 1871.

But check out this marriage -James Stephens married Sophia Bell 31/7/1846. It says his father was John Stephens but 1821 census House 1 says James was 4 in 1821 but there was a James born 1820 to Richard house 10 as above. so who was the Notorious James Stephens (H 1860 New York)

[mikestepuk]

Hi, have just come & found your email. First comment, according to my report the age of John's son James is incorrect in the 1821 census - the enumerator got the ages of George & John the wrong way round. James was "under 1" having been baptized on 8/4 1821. ( George was baptized on 24/3/1818.) The Sophia Bell that James married on 31/7/1846 was the daughter of a Robert Bell. A Robert Bell was the father of Mary Bell who married my g.grandfather George on 19/4/1844. Two brothers almost certainly therefore married two sisters.  A George Stephens was a witness at James' & Sophia's marriage.

It would seem quite possible therefore that James son of John was the one tried in the case you mention.  Where can I find the details?

Must go - will look at your email again. Mike

[Jamau8]

Hi Mike

So my gg g/f William, your g g/f George and notorious James were brothers.

Google New York Times law reports James Stephens and there are reports on the trial, sentencing and even details on the hanging. Sophia died 23/9/1857 aged 1857 and after concern from her family was exhumed. James tried 12/3/1859, sentenced 20/5/1859 and hung 3/2/1860 aged 39.

Regards

Maurice

[ands777]

Hi. A small note to say im looking at the marriage of Mary Stephens to John Edwards 5/3/1866 at parish/district of Kildrumferton. They were Church of Ireland. Have the marriage certificate. John is a police man. Mary's father is John. He was a farmer. I'm going to visit the parish in 2 days. I'm new at research, but  if there is any advice on furthering search. Isaac John's father is who were really after. He was a steward.

regards,
Andy

[Danb]

Hi!
My wifes` Ancestor come cavan Irlenad. We are interested in the William Stephens / Sarah Hanna relationship and Ambrose Blakely /Stephens, also Elizabeth Dora Blakely / Thomas Stafford
Have a Great Day
Dan