I am researching the DEMPSTER family. My DEMPSTERs begin with Hugh DEMPSTER and Jane McCUNE (both I think were from Down, Ireland - Hugh died ca. 1842). They had, at least, 2 children Samuel DEMPSTER (m. Mary SHAW) and James DEMPSTER (b. Oct 1828, Down, possibly Belfast, d. Dec 14, 1885, Toronto, CANADA; m. Mary McKAY). Samuel's son William John DEMPSTER (b. ca. Jan 1862 in Antrim) married James' daughter Isabella DEMPSTER (b. April 6, 1870, Belfast). Therefore William John and Isabella were first cousins.
I can't seem to find anything about my DEMPSTERs prior to their emigration to Canada. A lot of "similar" names seem to pop up all over the internet but nothing seems to match.
William John had 8 siblings:
Samuel, Agnes (b. Oct 8, 1867, Down; m. James Nelson), Emma, Debora Alice (b. Mar 17, 1866, Ballybeen, Down; m. Thomas Lavery on Oct 11, 1889 St. Stephen's Free Church, Antrim), Hugh, Robert, Jeanie, and Annabella/Anna Bella (b. Jan 29, 1864, Carlingford, Louth; m. James Samuel Hughes on Aug. 12, 1887 St. Stephen's Free Church, Antrim)
Isabella had 10 siblings:
Robert (b. July 1, 1859, Belfast), Hugh, (b. April 1860, Belfast), George F. (b. May 12, 1864, Belfast), Martha Jane (b. Jan 1, 1866, Ballymacarret, Down; m. Arthur Valiant in Toronto), James (Nov 7, 1867, Down - must have died young as another nrother was also named "James"), James (b. Oct 4 1872, Castlereagh No. 1, Belfast; m. Ann Bridget Cunerty, b. Toronto), William, Mary Ann (b. Oct 1 1874, Ireland), Frances (b. ca. 1878, Toronto, d. July 31, 1896, Toronto) and John (b. 1880, Toronto).
As William John came over at about 22 years of age I believe his siblings stayed in Ireland while Isabella, who came to Canada as a small child, arrived with her parents and siblings (father James was quite a well-known figure in Toronto in the late 1800s)
There is also a family "folklore" that Isabella's mother's mother was one "Martha Young" who was a disinherited siister of Rt. Hon John Young of Galgorm Castle in Ballymena - however I have yet to find any concrete evidence of this. In James DEMPSTER's obit it listed his mother-in-law's name as "Martha Gillen".
If any of this seems to connect or ring bells please get back to me, thanks
Sean