Rose McGibbon 1819 - 1854

[Sue1]

I wonder if anyone could help me with this lady.
She was the first wife of a Francis Connor of Dromore, Newry, Co. Armagh according to Find a Grave.
I am not sure where she originates from but also, I am puzzled by the address - Newry is, I thought, in Co. Down. In 1854 when Francis Connor died his address is given as County Armagh, Northern Ireland and his Will was proved in Armagh. The parish where he was born and lived was, I believe (according to OH), Dromore. He was buried in St. Mary's Churchyard, Old Warrenpoint Road, Newry, Co. Armagh as were all the family - perhaps the names/boundaries have changed because Newry is, as far as I know, in Co. Down and I know the Churchyard and I would have said it was definitely in Co. Down.. Have I got this all wrong - was there a boundary change? I do know that the road they lived in was Down on one side and Armagh on the other but they described themselves as living in Down ........? They are described as one of the oldest families in Newry. Francis Connor is described as a publican in his Will but don't think he had a Pub as such but was a Spirit Merchant.
Bewildered, Sue

[Elaine]

There's a bit in Wiki that

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newry

...Newry lies in the most south-eastern part of both Ulster and Northern Ireland. About half of the city (the west) lies in County Armagh and the other half (the east) in County Down. The Clanrye River, which runs through the city, forms the historic border between County Armagh and County Down.

In the paper

26 May 1854 - Armagh Guardian - Armagh, Armagh, Northern Ireland

May 20, after a short illness, Rose, wife of Mr. Francis Connor, Bridge-street, Newry

[Sue1]

Elaine: Many many thanks indeed for that - good to have the obit also.
I left this family for so long because they are a bit complicated and 3 of the males so far are 'Francis Connor (sometimes with one "n") and kept putting it off. Decided to have a go and have been plodding through online original baptisms, weddings and funerals - only found one - a John Conor - if he is related I don't know quite where! So pleased when your message arrived.

Sue (my husband's maternal grandmother was a Connor)

[Elwyn]

Elaine is quite right. Part of Newry is in Down and part in Armagh. So not difficult to live in one county and be buried in the other. But to complicate things, people will often refer to Newry as being in Co Down when in fact the part in question is in Armagh (or vice versa).

You get the same with Belfast. Most of it is in Co Antrim but part is in Co Down, so you see references to Belfast Co Antrim and also Belfast Co Down. It makes searching records just a bit more interesting.

[Sue1]

Thanks Elwyn. My husband actually said he thought Armagh "dipped into" Down but the thing that confused me (and husband) was the fact that St. Mary's graveyard where all the Connors are buried is in Warrenpoint Road - that is described as Armagh? I hadn't realised Belfast had a similar "problem" (I mean problem for those who don't know this!) I also wasn't expecting the family to come from Bridge Street, Newry - they were originally from Banbridge my mother-in-law told me and this is where my husband said one side of the road is Down, the other Armagh. Bridge Street I know. My husband spent quite a bit of time there when he was young and his mother was born there. 2 years ago we were there and "Murtagh's Bar" was a sad sight for which my husband was unprepared - it had closed down - the letters of the name were hanging off the wall and some were missing - the area is/was being redeveloped.
I actually have a photo of the lady who seemed to be the catalyst of this venture into a public house - my goodness, she looks really fierce - there are many others in the photo but apart from one other I am not at all sure who they are!