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Dixon/Ferguson

Andrew Dixon born 1821
Margaret Ferguson born 1831

My great great grandparents appear on the 1861 census, living in Witton Gilbert, in the north of England. They had 4 children, two of them twins. My line descends from the female twin.

Andrew and Margaret were born in Ireland, the children in Durham. I have extensive information from their English life....but I cant find a marriage in either country, or any sign of a life before 1861 other than the baptism records of 3 of the 4 children.

Just for information, there is another Andrew Dixon in Ancestry who lived in South,Shields (and I believe he was born there) who at least one researcher has linked - i believe incorrectly - to my family.

I have no idea what part of Ireland.....is this a lost cause?

Any help would be so very much appreciated.

Diane Painter nee Dixon

Diane89031@aol.com

7 replies

Hi Diane,

www.rootsireland.ie/ has the following BAPTISM for Margaret:

Name:Margaret Jane FergusonDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:01-Jan-1832Address:KnockanrowParish/District:ARTREAGender:FemaleCountyCo. Derry
Denomination:Church Of Ireland
Father:John FergusonMother:Eliza

Probably born December 1831

The clincher would be if her second son was named John and first daughter Eliza as per Irish naming pattern (if they used it)

This is the closest to 1821 for Andrew:

Name:Andrew DickinsonDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:08-Mar-1818Address:
Parish/District:AGHOLDGender:MaleCountyCo. Wicklow
Denomination:Church Of Ireland
Father:Thomas DickinsonMother:Alice

First son Thomas & second daughter Alice?

No luck with the marriage 

Happy to look for baptism of first child if you post the name

Nothing for Andrew in the 1841 or 51 Irish Census but a couple of possibles for Margaret 1851 (free at http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/): 

The first, third, fifth & sixth are all round her age; parents' names  

SurnameForenameTownland/StreetFamily IDBaronyParishCountyAgeSex

FergusonMargaretBallymacraven26Upper MassereeneBallinderryAntrim19Female

FergusonMargaretBallyhill Lower10Lower MassereeneKilleadAntrim28Female

FergusonMargaretArdmore8Lower MassereeneKilleadAntrim20Female

FergusonMargaretBallyhill Lower10Lower MassereeneKilleadAntrim28Female

FergusonMargaretArdmore8Lower MassereeneKilleadAntrim20Female

FergusonMargaretBallymacraven26Upper MassereeneBallinderryAntrim19Female

On closer inspection, 1st and 6th and 3rd & 5th are the same; she is a servant in 1 & 6 and daughter in 3 & 5; parents John & Mary

Col

 

 

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

Wow! Thank you so much for your help. Her children's names in order are: Margaret, Mary Jane, then the twins Ellen and JOHN, and Elizabeth. Years of birth are 1852, 1856, 1859, and 1860 respectively. All were shown as born in Durham, UK.

Just saw your message as I was going to bed, but looking forward to studying it tomorrow. I am so thankful to be able to carry on. Again, many thanks.

Diane89031@aol.com

I should have mentioned that the twins and their last child baptisms are in the Roman Catholic church.

Diane89031@aol.com

I should have mentioned that the twins and their last child baptisms are in the Roman Catholic church.

Diane89031@aol.com

Ah, the R C probably rules out the rootsireland baptisms though one has parents John & Eliza & there were children with those names (though not in strict order)

On closer inspection the census records don't help either as the servant is away from home so no parents and the daughter has no parents named Ferguson!!!!

Col

ColCaffIrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Diane

As your Andrew was born in 1821, possibly his father is also an Andrew Dixon, b abt 1790 ish

 

There is an Andrew Dixon b 1792 married Mary [Unknown] and had three daughters: -

Mary 27 Sep 1817 Rathangan RC, Kildare, Ireland: Sp: Christopher Dixon & Mary Waldon

Eliza 29 Nov 1818 Rathangan RC, Kildare, Ireland: Sp: William Hyland & Mary Daly

Bridget 27 Jan 1822 St Paul RC Arran Quay, Lincoln Lane, Dublin 7, Ireland: Sp: Rose Ferris, bapt 08 Feb 1822

 

So you see, there is certainly calendar 'room' for your Andrew.

However the Catholic Parish Registers of this period are often incomplete, as Catholics would not win full tolerance in their own country until the 1829 Act.

 

There is also a later Andrew Dixon who married Mary Gill, and they had: -

Robert, 21 Jun 1829, bapt St Bridget's RC Kill, Co Kildare, Ireland

Mary Anne, 20 Aug 1831, St Bridget's RC Kill, Co Kildare, Ireland

Richard, 06 Aug 1843, St Bridget's RC Kill, Co Kildare, Ireland

William,  25 Apr 1847, bapt St Bridget's RC Kill, Co Kildare, Ireland

 

The first Andrew was then a landless labourer, accounting for his perambulations, while the second was a less mobile tenant farmer..

And neither Andrew is recorded as naming a son after themselves, all other things being equal then a very unlikely occurrence in Ireland !

Both of these are distant cousins, descending from the Dixon's of Killyon, near Enfield in Co Meath.

 

Your best bet is to review those census records ,as the Irish are very clubbable, and often you will find relatives either visiting or indeed living nearby.

These 'additional' names, together with marriage witnesses and baptism sponsors names give you a better appreciation of their wider families.

 

Good Ancestor Hunting

 

Michael [Dixon]

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Dixon

 

Hi Michael, thank you for looking at my little problem.   I get so frustrated with my great great grandparents :-)   Any help is really welcomed and knowing that you've been looking on my behalf is really wonderful.  Thank you so much.  I dont know when the family turned away from the Catholic church, but it was a big shock to us all to know that's where we 'started' from.   I was searching last night for Andrew Dixon on the census returns.  I think on one of them, not a single one turned up. I gave up in the end and took to my bed LOL   Hopefully some information will come to light one of these days, and I'll be sure to let you know if it does.     Bye for now, and thanks again

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diane89031@aol.com

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