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Thomas Wilson & Mary Lindsay

AntrimDuneane (Antrim)

My 2X great grandparents, Thomas Wilson & Mary Lindsay were married on 10 May 1834 at Grange Prebyterian Church, 61 Taylorstown Rd, Toomebridge, Antrim.  Thomas was a stone mason. They had 3 children born in Ireland: Elizabeth b 5 Apr 1836, Adam b 20 Dec 1838 and Mary Jane b 1839.  The family emmigrated to Canada about 1840.  Their son, John (my great grandfather) was b. 30 Nov 1842 in Argenteuil County, Quebec, Canada. Daugher, Esther b. 1845.  In the 1852 Canadian federal census the family was living in Oxford Township, Grenville County, Ontario, Canada and by the 1861 federal census had moved to Wellington County where they settled.  Thomas taught his two sons the stone mason trade and they built a number of early stone houses in Fergus, Ontario as well as many barn foundations in the northern part of Wellington County. While I have found most of the relatives in Canada and the USA who descend from Thomas and Mary, I would like to find records of their siblings or parents in Ireland. I suspect Thomas's family came originally from Scotland but must have been in Ireland for a number of generations as they always claimed Irish heritage (not Scottish). Would like to find transcriptions for church cemetery to see if it gives any clues.

I thought I had already posted this but can't find it on the message board so trying again.

austenhm@yahoo.ca

3 replies

The inscriptions on the gravestones in Grange Presbyterian churchyard are on-line on the Braid site. There are no Wilsons. There’s 1 Lindsay:

in Loving Memory Of James Lindsay Died 7th November 1938, Aged 80 Years. Also His Wife Elizabeth Died 7th April 1933, Aged 85 Years.

http://www.thebraid.com/ancestor_search.aspx?surname=Wilson&cemetary=Grange

The majority of Presbyterians in Antrim and adjacent counties arrived in Ireland in the 1600s, so your conclusion that your family had probably been there for a number of generations is likely to be correct.  Today in Ireland they tend to call themselves Ulster-Scots. In north America it is often Scotch-Irish.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you so much for your reply and especially for the link to thebraid.com

On Mary Lindsay Wilson's death record in Ontario, Canada her place of birth is given (by her daughter) as Town of Mahara, County Antrim, Ireland. Can't be sure of proper spelling by person who took the information.

I have not found such a place when I google it.  The closest I found was Magherafelt in County Londonderry.  Was there such a place in County Antrim in about 1804 when she was born?

austenhm@yahoo.ca

Myrna 246,

I think that Mahara is most likely to be Maghera (which is pronounced Mahara). It’s actually in Co Londonderry/Derry and about 10 miles west from Grange. However given that Mary had lived in Co. Antrim, it’s understandable that the informant for her death perhaps gave the wrong county. Not uncommon to find mistakes on death certificates, certainly here in Ireland. (There isn't a Mahara or similar, in Co. Antrim).

Now if she was Presbyterian, the bad news is that Maghera Presbyterian church has no records before 1843. The original church was burned in 1798 during the United Irishmen’s uprising and the Minister (Rev Glendy), who was heavily involved in the uprising, had to flee to America.  His successor, Rev Charles Kennedy, wasn’t strong on paperwork and didn't keep any baptism or marriage records during his 40 year tenure. They only started when he retired in 1843. On the other hand Maghera Church of Ireland has baptism, marriage & burial records from 1785 onwards. (Copy held in PRONI). I mention that because looking at the 1831 census of the parish, there were 5 Lindsay/Lindsey households. 3 were Church of Ireland (ie Anglican) and 2 Presbyterian.  So it’s possible Mary was COI before she married.  You might find her baptism there. (Trip to PRONI required to look the records up though).

Link here to Maghera Genealogical Society:

http://magheragenealogy.org

Link here to 1831 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/

Lindsays in Toberhead, Gulladuff, Drumlamph & Ballymacpeake.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

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