WHITEFORDS AND WHITFORDS IN RALOO
WHITEFORD & WHITFORD
i’m researching my East Antrim Ancestors who appear to have some connection to the Raloo area. They are sometimes WHITEFORD and sometimes WHITFORD.
My great-grandfather ALEXANDER WHITEFORD was born in Larne District in 1853. He was a Merchant Seaman, he married JANE CUNNINGHAM in Belfast on 11 Jul 1874 and made their family home in Belfast’s Sailor Town. He was lost at sea on board the SS Horn Head in the autumn on 1893. He was entered in the Crew List as WHITFORD and we seem to have stuck with that ever since!
My Great-great-grandfather SAMUEL WHITEFORD.
On ALEXANDER’S marriage certificate, his father SAMUEL WHITEFORD is described as a Farmer.
I’ve tracked down details of two SAMUEL WHITEFORD’s in the area at the right time and would be grateful for any further information on them.
The first is SAMUEL WHITEFORD born at Ballygrailand, Carrickfergus in 1794.
He was a stonecutter but enlisted in the 2nd Bn, 1st Regiment of Foot (The Royal Scots) at Belfast on 20 Jan 1814, he was posted to India in Jul 1816 where he served until Oct 1831 when he returned to Europe. He was discharged from the Army in May 1834 on medical grounds with a bowel complaint and was awarded a pension from the Royal Hospital Chelsea and returned to East Antrim.
At Raloo Presbyterian Church on 16 Oct 1863 Samuel married Susanna Boyd – both were describer as Full Age on the wedding certificate but Samuel would have been around 69. He is described as a widower of Ballyvernstown, Parish of Glynn, Pensioner, son of Alexander Whiteford, a Weaver. Susanna Boyd is a spinster of Altilevelly , Parish of Raloo, daughter of James Boyd, Farmer.
The Officiating Minister was JAMES WHITEFORD – who was, I understand, Minister at Raloo Presbyterian Church for somewhere in the region of 48 years and may well be a relative also.
On 16 Sep 1864 at Ballysnod, Larne, a son ALEXANDER WHITEFORD, was born to Samuel and Susanna.
On 14 Jan 1865 Samuel died of ulceration of the stomach at Ballysnod, Larne. The death certificate records him as being 73 though he is more likely to have been a couple of years younger – 71ish. He was described as a Pensioner and the Informant was Susanna, his widow.
Samuel is described on his wedding certificate as a Widower but I can find no trace whatsoever of his first marriage – not even in the records of the India Office!
The day after this Samuel died, on 15 Jan 1865, another SAMUEL WHITEFORD died in the area. This Samuel Whiteford died in the District of Ballynure at Mounthill. He was described as Married, a Weaver, 45 years, died of disease of the stomach 2 years. The informant was Hugh Creighton, Occupier, of Mounthill. Was Mounthill nr Ballynure an Institution perhaps with Hugh Creighton in charge?