Ferguson, Newton Limavady, Londonderry

[majm]

Why is a “Joseph Osborne, infant” being mentioned?  How old (young) did you need to be to be described as an infant.  Under 1, under 3, under 8?

In a legal sense, INFANT was a person who had not yet reached their majority and was therefore not recognised by a court of law as being able to speak on their own behalf at the court.  In that sense  "Infant" is another word for "minor".   

Please remember that a person who was not yet "full age" needed to have recorded on the record of their marriage that someone responsible gave consent .... and so if you remember that is indicating the bride/groom has not been able to give their own consent to their own marriage, and the reason they could not give their own consent was simply that they were not yet 'full age' ....        ....  well, family history buffs say the underage persons were "minors" .... as they had not yet reached their 'majority'.   In the 19th century NSW courts, particularly in the 1840s (when some of my ancestors wills were being probated) some of the beneficiaries were referred to an Infants .... even though their actual age was also mentioned.   One beneficiary was noted as "an infant, in her twentifth year" on the court document.    I am sure similar meanings were used throughout the British Empire.

Re

Yes Ellen Jane Montgomery died Nowra 1896.  I have lots on her here in Australia.  On her death certificate Edward's name is mentioned but he is left out of her will. She may never have seen him after she left Ireland.

Information on NSW death certificates includes the informant providing answers to many many questions about the deceased. (Where/when born; parents names, including mum's nee name; how long in the colonies ... including each colony; where married and age at marriage, including name of spouse/s and listing children of each marriage and their ages, and listing known deceased children at the end of the lists of children....) etc etc.   NSW BDM does not cross check the validity of the information.  And of course the informant's own knowledge is often affected by their own grief and by their duties to other family members, and in making the funeral arrangements.

Cheers,  JM

[aghadowey]

In Irish records I've only ever seen a very young child described as an infact- perhaps 1 year of younger but certainly not over two years.

[majm]

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=692074.msg5359520#msg5359520

In common law an "infant" was one who has not completed his or her twenty-first year.  In text books and statutes the words “infant” and “minor” are interchangeable and are used to describe a person who has not come of age. ………

There's other 'definitions' on that thread too.   


Cheers,  JM

[aghadowey]

That may be but I have never seen it used for an older minor in Irish legal records.

[majm]

Hi aghadowey,   

I defer to your knowledge of the Irish legal records. 

Cheers,  JM

[Gilby]

Thanks very much cyclamen.  Yes, the Coleraine branch of the NIFHS offers the graveyard inscriptions for free on its website – I’d actually already glanced through a few of the graveyards, but not Drumachose yet, so thanks for pointing it out.

As you say, several McCausland headstones.  Unfortunately none with my William McCausland.

There is also an early Osborne grave at Drumachose: In memoriam / Henry Osborne / died 1777 / Mary Haslett Osborne / his widow / died 1812

Also, by chance, as I was browsing for a McCausland notice, I found this:

[Belfast Newsletter 25 Jun 1824]
At Newtownards, on Friday the 18th inst. in the 17th year of her age, ELIZABETH MARGARET, youngest daughter of the Rev. Joseph Osborne.

Thanks for the discussion on the use of the word ‘infant’.  The message I’m getting is that “Joseph Osborne, infant” was almost certainly a baby/toddler, but there is a chance the word was being used to mean “minor”.

It has been suggested to me before that I may be a descendant of Abraham Hillhouse McCausland and his wife Elizabeth Anderson, because on Familyfinder DNA I match two descendants of Andersons who were probably relatives of the above Elizabeth.  The family is very tangled, not as simple as it sounds, and I’m not 100% sure I’ve got that right.

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
    The Mary Haslett (1738-1812) who married Henry Osborne was the daughter of my 4xg grandfather, Henry Haslett. Using a document in PRONI, D1550/162/0/2A, I have a list of their children but none were called Joseph.

Regards

[Gilby]

Oh, interesting, small world.  George Speer who's posted here has a (tentative?) line of Altmover Osbornes going back to the 1600s:

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=malise&id=I8796

I think it's only in the previous generation that there's Henry in the direct line.

[princess41]

Does anyone know what (n.c.) means after a Christian name in relation to a Baptismal Record from The Latter Day Saints.  Also I see (n.d.) after some Christian names.

Thanks

Glenys