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John Maxwell Gordon - searching for family/connections - possible connections in Portglenone/County Antrim area

Antrim

Seeking family connections and any documentation suggestions for John Maxwell Gordon - my GGF. Anecdotal reports have him born in Ireland in 1864, but US Census records (which are self reported) are not consistent - some years say Toronto CAN, some years say Ireland.  He's verified as beginning naturalization in Mount Vernon NY around 1880, marrying Bridget Mary Doherty in NY, and confirmed as passing away in Mount Vernon NY/USA in 1933. I have some family photographs with cryptic notes from my late grandmother, referencing her visit with the Gordon family in Portglenone, Cty Antrim (in late 1960s or early 1970s). JMG reportedly came from a large family of all boys. Brothers may have included Johnson, Robert, Thomas.  Father was Thomas Gordon, mother reportedly Nancy Burnside Gordon (I had originally believed mother was Ann Stewart Gordon, but I now think that was his grandmother). Any suggestions on current family connections or historic directories/documents appreciated. 

dswmsri

6 replies

Thanks for sharing this thread here. I don't know much about it. But I would like to learn more. Have a very good day!

HenryRoberts

I looked for a marriage between Thomas Gordon and Ann Stewart but did not see one in the Portglenone area 1845 onwards (which is when statutory marriage registration began in Ireland). Both are common surnames in Ulster and there’s no shortage of Gordon – Stewart marriages but not with those forenames. (There was a Thomas Gordon who married Ann Stewart in Neilston, Scotland in 1851, and who had a son John but I assume that’s a different couple).

What happened to this couple? Are they in any US censuses, or did they stay in Ireland? What about the other children do you know anything about them?

Possibly DNA testing may be a way of matching with others who have additional information about where the family originate. Family Tree DNA reportedly has more people with Ulster roots than any other company. That obviously increases the chances of finding a match. You might want to try them or, if you have already tested, you can transfer your results to them for no fee.

The North of Ireland Family History Society is running an Ulster DNA project in conjunction with FTDNA and can offer testing kits at a reduced price.  http://www.nifhs.org (Go to DNA project on the website).

 

 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks for sharing detail information in your reply. I hope this information will help OP for sure. Have a very good day!

HenryRoberts

I think I have found a family in Co Derry that might broadly fit the information you have provided (living reasonably close to Portglenone). See this family in Lislea in 1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/Tamlaght/Lislea/1521219/

That Thomas Gordon married in 1855 and appears to have only had sons. Wife was Ann (Nancy) Burnside though, not Stewart.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1855/09483/5436608.pdf

Children I can identify post 1864 are:

 

Frederick 16.10.1866

Samuel 1.11.1869

William 3.7.1871

Robert 1.2.1873

David 18.11.1876

Thomas 18.6.1878

 

The 1901 census indicates there was also a Johnson and a James. Birth registration only started in 1864 so for children born 1855 to 1863 you would need to search local church baptism records in PRONI, the public record office. The records are probably not on-line. Try Kilrea 1st or Kilrea 2nd Presbyterian churches.

 

 

 

 

 

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Elwyn - thank you VERY much for this info and guidance, and sorry its taken me so long to respond to your very welcomed messaging. The Gordon connections continue to be a puzzle, but am still working through the various pieces of info.  By the way, now that I know more, is there a way to edit my original post to update what I had stated originally?  I'm US-based, and very grateful for the online records that I can work with here. Hope to come over soon to explore in person!

dswmsri

DWilliams,

You should see an edit button beneath the message you want to change. If not, let me know what precise changes you want made. I have administrative access and can change messages for you). 

Let me know if you are visiting, with some specific dates. I don’t live too far from the area you are interested in and could meet up with you if free.

 

 

Elwyn

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

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