Ireland XO
Back to Message Board

Joseph Spence and Mary Morrison

Antrim

I'm searching for any information about my 3rd great grandfather Joseph Spence. He was born in 1755 in Belfast, Antrim, Ireland. He married Mary Morrison, (born in 1757, in Belfast, Antrim, Ireland) on 07 Mar 1785 in Belfast. They had two sons,Joseph Spence ( born 14 Oct 1786) and Charles Morrison Spence ( born 19 May1792) Not sure if Charles was born in Belfast or in America..They came to America around 1792. If anyone has any information I would love to hear from you. I have a DNA tree through Ancestry. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance

morisfam@sbcgl…

5 replies

Linda,

I searched the rootsireland site for Joseph & Mary’s marriage and their children’s births. I did not find either. However many records from that period are not on-line and so that may be the explanation.

You haven’t said what denomination the couple were though their names suggest Presbyterian.

There are a small number of Presbyterian churches in Belfast with records from the 1700s. In particular, All Souls (records from 1782), Rosemary St (records from 1723) & Rosemary St Non Subscribing Presbyterian (1757 for baptisms and 1790 for marriages).  Copies of those records are in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. They are not on-line and so a personal visit is required to search them. That may be where to look for this family.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you Elwyn,

I don't really know much about Joseph Spence and Mary Morrison. I have very limited onformation on them. My uncle and aunt did their best best to gather as much information as they could for our family genealogy book. I do have Joseph's Last Will and Testament. Also all of his and Mary's children. This is the information I have. As stated before he was born in 1755, Belfast Ireland. Died in 1844, Washington County, Pennsylvania USA They came to America about 1791 (or 1792) .I believe Mary Morrison's father was a cargo ships Captain and they possible came over on on of his ships. Have yet to find proof of that in my research. I wish I knew what demonation they were but one record said Presbyterian but unable to read it so not sure. I appreciate all your help. Unable to go to Ireland to visit and searcth for the records so is there another way I can try to find anything about them? Also how they might have came to America. I love learning about them and trying to find out more but not enough about them to continue. So thank you again for your research into my great  great grandparents.

Joseph and Mary's children are,

1. Joseph Spence born on 14 Oct 1786, Belfast, Ireland and died on his 6th birthday,14 Oct. 1792, when the mule he was riding fell over a cliff while crossing the Alleghnany Mountains, Pennsylvania, USA

2. Charles Morrison 19 May1792. My uncle put that he was born in Philidelpha, Pa., USA but all research I have found states Ireland as a better birth place due to the fact of that he was a baby when older brother died.

3. Mary Nancy, 24 Jan 1797 Washington County, Pa. USA

4. Joseph Spence Jr 12 Aug 1799, Washington County, Pa.USA

5. Elizabeth 24 Jun 1803, Washington County, Pa. USA

morisfam@sbcgl…

Linda,

If you want to search the records in PRONI, you could hire a researcher. Researchers in the PRONI area: http://sgni.net

You ask how your ancestors may have got to America. There were sailings from Ireland to north America all through the 1700s. They generally sailed in the months from spring to October (for obvious weather reasons). They were advertised in the local papers such as the Belfast Newsletter. It started in the 1730s (and is reportedly the oldest newspaper in the world still in business). If you have access to one of the pay to view newspaper sites, you can find sailings listed there. Some passengers also left via Liverpool or Glasgow, especially in the 1800s, as there were more sailings from there than from Ireland directly. By way of example, here’s a notice in the Belfast Newsletter for 1st to 4th May 1792, for a sailing from Londonderry to Baltimore:

“All persons who have agreed or intend to take their passage in the ship Mary, William Campbell, Master, for Baltimore in Maryland, are requested to be on board the 14th, 15th & 16th May next, as she will positively sail the first favourable wind after.” L’derry, 25th April 1792.

I searched on the British newspaper archives for any mention of a ships Master (Captain) named Morrison around 1792 but did not find any likely matches.

 

 

 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Elwyn 

Thank you so very much, I can't thank you enough for what you have helped me with. I appreciate it more than you  can imagine. This gives me a place to start. If you have any other information that you happen to find thank you in advance for that also. You are a such a blessing.

Linda 

morisfam@sbcgl…

hi Linda -

I came across this post from 2019.  I too am related to Joseph and Mary, through their son Charles (Charles last child, I believe, was John Henry, who is my great great grandfather, and Civil War veteran from Ohio).  So I have been stuck learning any more about Joseph and Mary and their ancestors in northern Ireland (and then Scotland).  Have you learned anything new?

thanks!

Kurt Spence

kurtespence@gm…

Reply

Reply
One image file up to 2 MB.