I’m trying to help a cousin who has just received news from another cousin on her other side that her 2xGGF ?had to? leave Ireland because of sheep stealing.
I have found his parents’ marriage this morning on civil registration records on familysearch and by the date, the family were Protestant of some description. The marriage of James McWILLIAMS aged 23 to Mary ARMSTRONG aged 19 was 3 December 1847 at Temple, County Armagh. Groom’s father Thomas McWILLIAM and bride’s father John ARMSTRONG. I have now seen the actual certificate as the image is pretty grotty. It’s hard to make out the places of residence for the couple and the actual parish but the transcript on nidirect says 1st Keady / Temple Presbyterian although the image actually says “Temple Meeting House in the County of Armagh in the parish of ?”
The date is too early for civil births to James and Mary so I’m hunting for baptisms for a son named Thomas and any siblings but without any luck.
The son is;
Thomas McWILLIAMS born variously between 1846 - 1851/2 according to the info my cousin has. He is in Scotland from 1891 as he is on the census with his wife Flora and children at 32 Freeland Place, Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire. He is a general labourer born c.1850 Ireland. Surname is McWILLIAM
1901 census has him now at 48 Hillhead, Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire. He is a pit fireman born c.1846 Ireland. Surname is McWILLIAMS
1911 census has him still at 48 Hillhead, now a caretaker in an iron foundry and born c.1848, Ireland. Surname is McWILLIAMS
Sadly none of the censuses say where in Ireland he is from but according to the info the other cousin gave, he was from County Tyrone.
Probably quite significant but the family cannot be found together in 1881. There might be a match for Thomas as a lodger in West Calder but FMP transcript says he is single but he should be married.
Thomas McWILLIAMS married Flora HUTCHESON 1876 in Kirkintilloch. Entry on SP
There are 10 children baptised to the couple in Kirkintilloch on familysearch but I smell a rat somewhere (just a feeling in my waters). None of the baptisms are before 1886 and the first two known children are not listed. Mary was born 1877 and William in late 1881 probably but not registered till 1882. Both births are on SP. Very idd that neither Flora nor Mary are in Scotland in 1881. I have searched ancestry, FMP and SP without success.
Thomas John McWILLIAMS died 8 September 1928 at 39 Canal Street, Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire aged 76 so born c.1851/2. Entry on SP. No idea where the middle name John came from.
Sorry this has been so long a read. If you have got this far, thanks for your patience. I thought it best to post anything that might be significant.
Can anybody find Thomas McWILLIAMS’ baptism in Ireland or any siblings? Also are there any super newspaper searchers that could come up
with anything criminal for Thomas before 1876 even it’s not sheep stealing I have failed there too.
I have found his parents’ marriage this morning on civil registration records on familysearch and by the date, the family were Protestant of some description. The marriage of James McWILLIAMS aged 23 to Mary ARMSTRONG aged 19 was 3 December 1847 at Temple, County Armagh. Groom’s father Thomas McWILLIAM and bride’s father John ARMSTRONG. I have now seen the actual certificate as the image is pretty grotty. It’s hard to make out the places of residence for the couple and the actual parish but the transcript on nidirect says 1st Keady / Temple Presbyterian although the image actually says “Temple Meeting House in the County of Armagh in the parish of ?”
The date is too early for civil births to James and Mary so I’m hunting for baptisms for a son named Thomas and any siblings but without any luck.
The son is;
Thomas McWILLIAMS born variously between 1846 - 1851/2 according to the info my cousin has. He is in Scotland from 1891 as he is on the census with his wife Flora and children at 32 Freeland Place, Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire. He is a general labourer born c.1850 Ireland. Surname is McWILLIAM
1901 census has him now at 48 Hillhead, Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire. He is a pit fireman born c.1846 Ireland. Surname is McWILLIAMS
1911 census has him still at 48 Hillhead, now a caretaker in an iron foundry and born c.1848, Ireland. Surname is McWILLIAMS
Sadly none of the censuses say where in Ireland he is from but according to the info the other cousin gave, he was from County Tyrone.
Probably quite significant but the family cannot be found together in 1881. There might be a match for Thomas as a lodger in West Calder but FMP transcript says he is single but he should be married.
Thomas McWILLIAMS married Flora HUTCHESON 1876 in Kirkintilloch. Entry on SP
There are 10 children baptised to the couple in Kirkintilloch on familysearch but I smell a rat somewhere (just a feeling in my waters). None of the baptisms are before 1886 and the first two known children are not listed. Mary was born 1877 and William in late 1881 probably but not registered till 1882. Both births are on SP. Very idd that neither Flora nor Mary are in Scotland in 1881. I have searched ancestry, FMP and SP without success.
Thomas John McWILLIAMS died 8 September 1928 at 39 Canal Street, Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire aged 76 so born c.1851/2. Entry on SP. No idea where the middle name John came from.
Sorry this has been so long a read. If you have got this far, thanks for your patience. I thought it best to post anything that might be significant.
Can anybody find Thomas McWILLIAMS’ baptism in Ireland or any siblings? Also are there any super newspaper searchers that could come up
with anything criminal for Thomas before 1876 even it’s not sheep stealing I have failed there too.
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