Michael Ward/ Mary Ann Dougherty

[NorthernGeezer]

Michael is my 2 times great grandfather and I'm struggling to find much information about him and his wife Mary Ann.
I've plenty of info about there son, James Ward (1885-1930) and James daughter (my grandmother) Eileen Margaret Ward (1914-1966).
What I THINK I know............. I have James birth record which details his DOB on 11 November 1885 in Belfast to Michael Ward and Mary Ann Ward nee Dougherty or Dogerty.
I have details of their marriage dated the last quarter in 1878 in Belfast along with the 1901 census record which puts Michaels age at 51 and born in County Tyrone and Mary Ann at 44, born in Belfast, the 1911 census shows Michael at 62 and Mary Ann at 59.
I also have a newspaper clipping of Michaels death dated 3 September 1913, and that's it for Michael.
Any help in moving this 'backwards' in time would be gratefully appreciated.

[heywood]

The marriage of Michael and Mary Ann
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1878/11115/8068739.pdf

Have you checked any of these ?

They married in a Catholic church - so there may be baptism records.
His father Peter, is shown as alive so there is hope there.
Her father, John Dougherty, engineer is deceased.
A witness is Agnes Dougherty.

[heywood]

Is this Agnes Mitchell, the niece in 1901?
Her mother - Margaret Doherty
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1881/02819/2034224.pdf

Added 1870 Mitchell/Dogherty marriage confirms father John, deceased
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1870/11398/8185485.pdf

[heywood]

Your published tree shows Michael's parents as Peter Ward and Agnes Kerr and Mary Anne’s  parents as John Dougherty and Jane Bammer.
Do you have records with the information?

[NorthernGeezer]

The parents of both Michael and Mary Ann were thrown up by Ancestry or FindMyPast, I have the marriage record for Peter Ward and Agnes Rice as 30 December 1847 so I'm not sure where Agnes Kerr fits in, and I have the marriage certificate for John Dougherty and Jane Bammer as 10th April 1847.

[aghadowey]

The parents of both Michael and Mary Ann were thrown up by Ancestry or FindMyPast, I have the marriage record for Peter Ward and Agnes Rice as 30 December 1847 so I'm not sure where Agnes Kerr fits in, and I have the marriage certificate for John Dougherty and Jane Bammer as 10th April 1847.

Could the surname Rice have been mis-transcribed as Kerr? (capital R and K often look similar, both name have 3 more letters that could possibly be confused)

[NorthernGeezer]

It looks like an 'R' to me aghadowey, how do i attach a copy of the document to this post??

[heywood]

I don’t understand what you want to know.
Your post implies you know nothing of Michael and Mary Ann, prior to their marriage.
You wrote that you have details of their marriage but didn’t include theur fathers’ names etc.
When you say ‘thrown up by Anvestry abd Find my Past’ , do you mean they are records or from published trees?
Have you followed those leads?

[heywood]

Here is the death of Peter Ward, 61 yrs in 1896. His death was reported by his son, Michael Ward, 17, Annadale Street.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1896/05901/4674422.pdf

William Ward’s birth in 1895 shows the same residence for Michael and Mary Anne
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1895/02208/1833842.pdf

The ages do not fit well - Peter 61 yrs in 1896 and Michael 51 yrs in 1901 but often ages are out.