McGrory Pettigo, Donegal to Camlough, Armagh

[Wodgemac]

Could anybody help or give advice how to find out why my Great Grandfather, John McGrory would move all the way from Pettigo in Donegal to Camlough in Armagh, between the years of 1873 and 1901?
Was it a common thing?
He was born in 1872 in Pettigo to parents John McGrory and Bessy Young.
Not sure when his father died, but he's not on the 1901 census and Bessy is a widow also living in Camlough with other family members, but she's reverted to being called Eliza.
In the 1911 census John has added an e into the surname making it McGrorey, (nobody knows why, maybe a mistake that stuck??)
The story through the family was that they had to keep moving to search for work. I know times were hard in Ireland in those days with the wicked landlords, but it does seem quite a long way...
They did move to Scotland between 1911 and 1920

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Richard McGrorey

[noland01]

Below looks very like the death of John McGrory senior.

Death of John McGrory on 20th February 1891 ,weaver aged 45 of Edward St. Lurgan notified by his widow Eliza McGrory.
Link;
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1891/06075/4732508.pdf

Presume they moved to seek work.Looks like the whole family were employed in the linen/wool trade from 1901 census.
Fathers profession is given as herd on John's birth entry in 1872.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1872/03248/2190220.pdf

[Kiltaglassan]

Below looks very like the death of John McGrory senior.

Death of John McGrory on 20th February 1891 ,weaver aged 45 of Edward St. Lurgan notified by his widow Eliza McGrory.
Link;
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1891/06075/4732508.pdf

This is actually the death of John McCrory

Name   JOHN MCCRORY
Date of Death   1891
Group Registration ID   3583537
SR District/Reg Area   Lurgan
Deceased Age at Death   45

He married Eliza Bunting in 1873.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1873/11285/8139920.pdf

KG

[Kiltaglassan]

Not sure when his father died, but he's not on the 1901 census and Bessy is a widow also living in Camlough with other family members, but she's reverted to being called Eliza.

Are these the extended family in the 1901 Irish census?
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Armagh/Camlough/Frederick_Street/1036206/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Armagh/Camlough/Fountain_Street/1036048/

His wife Cassie and two of the children born in Co Tyrone.

KG

[Wodgemac]

Yeah, that's his wife, Catherine McGarrity.
I have some details of their marriage.

I presumed John senior was a sheep herder.
I was told he was a farmer...

[Elwyn Soutter]

A herd was someone who looked after cattle or sheep. So he would have worked on a farm.

Looking at an Old Bradshaw, Pettigo to Lurgan by train was just over 3 hours. Not a huge journey.

Lurgan and the surrounding area was full of linen mills and provided quite a bit of employment not available in Donegal.  It’s likely they moved there for work.

[Kiltaglassan]

In the 1911 census John has added an e into the surname making it McGrorey, (nobody knows why, maybe a mistake that stuck??)

John didn't write the 1911 census form...it was the constable as the enumerator. John is Xed and 'his mark' added by the constable.
Look at the William of the constable's signature and compare with young son William.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001610835/

KG

[Wodgemac]

Ahh yes I see that now...
He was down as unable to read and write.

[Wodgemac]

I'm trying to find the birth records of their children, just to see if it will give me the towns they were born in rather than just the county, which the census has.
I'm only on ancestry and I can't find any, which would be the best site to search for them?

Also if I can find out where the first children, Mary Ann and Sarah were born in County Tyrone, I might have a chance of finding their mothers birth records in Tyrone???