Alexander Gordon and Maria Stewart, Ballyclare, County Antrim

[Mary Jane Craig]

May I request some further assistance please?

My 2 x great grandparents were Alexander Gordon (Tinsmith) and Maria Stewart. The earliest record I have for them is the 1851 census where they are found living in Doagh Grange, Ballyclare with their children.  This record was released after their daughter Elizabeth who married William Calderwood requested her pension and had no birth record to prove her age presumably. 

I don't have birth record for their son John who was my great grandfather, but Alexander Gordon (Tinsmith) was listed on his marriage record to Hannah Craig in Belfast as his father.

Samuel Gordon was listed on John's death record in 1907 in Everton Street, Belfast as his brother and I found a birth record for him in 1866 in Doagh Grange. Samuel's parents were listed as  Alexander Gordon  and Maria Stewart. Alexander Gordon (Tinsmith) was also listed on Samuel's marriage record as his father. Another brother David was born in 1871 in Belfast and again, mother listed as Maria Stewart.

Now... the only marriage record I can find for Alexander Gordon is to a Maria Logan in 1848 in Ballycorr, Ballyclare. John Logan was listed as Maria's father and witnesses were Matilda Baxter and William Laird, names not familiar to me. I have tried to track this couple down on all the various sites but to no avail. No children are listed to them or deaths as far as I can see.
 I feel that this must be my Maria and Alexander's marriage record but why the discrepancy in the name??  I just don't want to make an assumption without exploring as far as  I can to discount them. Any suggestions ??

[MonicaL]

There may not be a marriage entry to be found. Not all registers have survived and not all events were registered.

Just so you can discount this couple you mention, what father's name did that Alexander give on his marriage reg?

You have your Alexander's parents' details already for comparison with any record:

Northern Irish Gravestone Inscriptions
Surname(s)   Graveyard   Civil Parish   Graveyard Location   County
GORDON, STEWART   Muckamore   Muckamore, Grange of   Muckamore   Antrim
Gravestone Inscription   Erected by Alexander Gordon, Belfast, in memory of his beloved wife Maria Stewart, who died on the 2nd January 1884, aged 52 years, his daughter Maggie, died 2nd July 1864, aged 4 years, his son John, died 29th December 1867, aged 16 years, also his father John Gordon, died 19th December 1859, aged 54 years, also his mother Margaret Gordon, died 15th March 1880, aged 70 years,
Comment   [Sandstone Headstone],[ MARIA STEWART, 2nd January 1884, No Will, JOHN GORDON, 19th December 1859, No Will, MARGARET GORDON, 15th March 1880, No Will]

Monica

[Mary Jane Craig]

Hi Monica,

the marriage record for Alexander Gordon and Maria Logan cites John Gordon (Whitesmith) as the father. That fits in with the other info I have on him but then again, John is a common name. 

It’s just that it’s odd that there are no records for these two after the marriage as far as I can see.

[aghadowey]

Can you please post the details from 1851 census. Do you have any idea when the eldest child would have been born?

Civil registration of Catholic marriages started in 1864 and non-Catholic marriages from 1845 so if the parents married in a Catholic ceremony or were married in a Protestant church/Registry Office there will be no civil registration.

[Mary Jane Craig]

I think the eldest was John Gordon born 1851 and who died 1857. Then Robert was born about 1853. He married sarah Jane Annsley. Elizabeth was born next in 1858 I think. The other children was Margaret 1860 but died in 1864. William about 1861 and Henry 1863, Samuel 1866,  John my great grandfather about 1868, David 1871.

[aghadowey]

You didn't originally mention the extract gives year of marriage as 1848. In that case there are numerous reasons for Maria to be called both Stewart and Logan (illegitimate, one is name of stepfather or mother's partner, etc.).
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1848/09340/5381710.pdf

[Mary Jane Craig]

Maria was only 15 at the time of her marriage. I think Alexander was 19. So would Logan be her stepfather’s name then. Can I assume Stewart was her birth name?

[aghadowey]

Maria was only 15 at the time of her marriage. I think Alexander was 19. So would Logan be her stepfather’s name then. Can I assume Stewart was her birth name?

People didn't always know their date of birth but Maria could have been almost 16. You cannot assume anything about her surname based on the information known. She could even have been illegitimate and one of the names from her grandmother's partner...

[Mary Jane Craig]

It makes it very difficult trying to get back further. I wonder if Ballyeaston parish records would hold any more clues. That was the church they married in.