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Samuel & Jane Morrow ( Foster ) Im looking for any information regarding my Great Great Grandparents.

Antrim

I have traced back through the 1901/1911 census their information but i am struggling to find any information on their parental family line. I have a copy of their marriage certificate and have drawn a dead end with any records or information prior to the 1901 Census. i have traced most of their 6 children: Mary Morrow, Annie Augusta Morrow, Jennie Morrow, Prudence Morrow, James Foster Morrow, William John Robinson Morrow. I have some of their birth certificates/marriage certificates/death certificates and have struggled to find out anything prior or past 1901/1911. Mary Morrow was my Great Grandmother and i have found she passed away at Clifton House in 1995. Her daughter Mary Anne was my Grandmother and lived in Mount Collyer Road Belfast and migrated to Australia in 1954. I am visiting Belfast in November 2022 and would love to hopefully have more information prior to arriving. Thank you in advance to anyone who will reply and/or know any information - records etc. 

rochellescott72

8 replies

Rochelle,

The 1911 census tells you the family had 9 children, 1 of which had died.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Court_Ward/Jose…

I can see 9 in the records:

 

William 24.6.1887

Mary 2.10.1888

William 25.2.1871

Prudence 4.2.1893

James 27.4.1895

Annie 28.8.1897

Jeanie 12.12.1899

Samuel 4.4.1902

Henry 19.8.1903.

First William is evidently the child that died. It was common to re-use a name in that way. I think he died 22.8.1887.

Family were at 44 Joseph St in the 1911 census (the number on the census is the enumerator’s private numbering system and is not the postal address. Click on “additional pages 2” to get the postal address.

There’s a tree on Ancestry (Crossan family) that says William Morrow 1832 – 1908 die din Belfast 7.12.1908, mother Martha Bell 1832 – 1909 died 25.12.1909 Belfast. Son James Foster Morrow died 20.6.1917 Flanders. Samuel died 13.6.1922 Belfast. Jane Foster reportedly died 1937. Several others of the children also have information in that tree so I won’t bother repeating it here. If you have a look at that tree, then let me know if you have any additional questions and I’ll see what information is available.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hello Elwyn, Thank you so much. Thats great information. I'm currently not a member of Ancestory (however i've asked for it as this years xmas gift) ... We didnt know there was Samuel Jnr or Henry so thank you so much. We also had Jeanie's spelling as Jennie - again thank you. We have never heard the names of Martha Bell and William Snr (so to speak) so again thank you. So i am presuming Martha & William Snr were parents of Samuel Morrow? The father of the 9 children you mentioned?

 

Again THANK YOU as i now have some more leads and i am very appreciative of your information. 

rochellescott72

Rochelle,

Jeanie & Jennie are interchangeable. My own grandmother was Janet on her birth certificate but Jennie to her family. We have a lot of interchangeable names like that in Ireland, eg Sarah & Sally, Robert & Robin. So that’s all very common. (Likewise in Scotland which is where the Morrow family probably originated in the 1600s).

The owner of the tree I mentioned has William Morrow & Martha Bell as Samuel Morrow’s parents. Here’s a marriage that fits in 1854:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1854/09465/5429816.pdf

Note that William’s occupation was also a shoemaker. The marriage was in Belfast Registry Office.

Here’s your Samuel’s birth in 1867:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1867/03467/2273448.pdf

I can see likely siblings, all born Belfast:

 

Sarah 14.5.1865

Robert 27.2.1870

Margaret 28.8.1872

Andrew 15.3.1876

From the 1901 census, there also looks to have been a Mathew born c 1876 but I can’t see his birth in the records.

Birth registration only started in 1864 in Ireland, so there may well have been other children born 1854 – 1863 but they will be harder to find. You would need to rely on church records. Not all are on-line. That said, I do see a baptism for a Mary Anne Morrow in Belfast in 1858 and Martha Morrow 1860 both with father William Morrow. Likely at St Anne’s Church of Ireland whose records are on-line (pay to view on rootsireland).

William & Martha in the 1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Cromac/McClure_Street/970174/

Family was Church of Ireland (ie Anglican).

Here’s Martha Morrow’s death in 1909. Informant son William John:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1909/05446/4523858.pdf

Here’s William’s death in 1908. Informant was daughter Maggie, evidently still single.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_retu…

Once you get your Ancestry account, there is a facility for contacting tree owners. It looks as though the Crossan family have quite a bit of information and they may be able to provide more that is not shown on the tree.

Given the numbers of people in the Morrow family that I have found from this fairly cursory research, there are likely to be a lot of descendants around today. In general, it’s not IRO policy to give out details of living people but the Crossan family are clearly one set of descendants and they may know of others. Their tree is not marked private so they would appear open to being contacted.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Good day Elwyn, That information is amazing and im thrilled. I will definatley be contacting the CROSSAN family when i get my Ancestory membership. Im going to look for all the Morrow records within the links etc and anything else i can find, Absolutley fantastic information. Im also starting on my Great Grandfather which surname is Scott and I will reach out again if you dont mind in the near future. Again thank you so so much. Have a nice day.

rochellescott72
Hi Rochelle my name is Michael Crossan I am the great grandson of Annie morrow my mum remembers Mary and I have photo of Mary and all her nieces at her 100th birthday. Feel free to get in touch Your sincerely Michael crossan
Michael Crossan

Hello Michael - thank you so much for your amazing reply. I am wondering how we are related then? I am Mary's grand daughter born in Australia to Mary's son (my dad) Alan Scott. (He was born in Belfast with his 4 siblings. ) we only visited Belfast again last November its such a shame i have only found this message. We have also visited Annie Morrows grave in Belfast and Clifton House. My grandmother always missed Ireland & her mother deeply. Would there be any way of our family having anymore extended family in Northern Ireland. I have been doing some amazing family research and i am fascinated. Is there anyway Michael i can see the photo and if you have any other information i would greatly appreciate it... Yes please lets stay in contact i would absolutely love that. 

 

 

rochellescott72

Hi Rochelle, 

That’s incredible,  I didn’t know Mary had children, I had tape interview she did with Walter love of the BBC in 1989. She talked about her life etc. I can’t attach the photo if you message me your email I will send it to you. 
I am the great grandson of Annie morrow my mother is named after her. 
 

please keep in touch 

 

many thanks

 

Michael 

Michael Crossan

Hi Michael, Fantastic to hear from you again. Yes please we would love to see that: rochellescott72@yahoo.com.au

I would love to show my father (Mary MORROWS Grandson) and my Aunty (Mary Morrows Grandaughter)...

We have a photo of Mary Morrow receiving her flowers from the Princess of Kent and another article on her for her 100th birthday celebrations. My mother used to write to Mary Morrow in Clifton House often. One year in the late 80's i think, my mother rang Mary in Belfast for Xmas and mother and daughter spoke for the first time in years, it was so nice & heartbreaking but heartwarming. I have found many census / records where your Great Grandmothers name is along with Mary, Prudence, James, Jennie, Samuel, Henry & William. Ive also managed to get your Great Grandmothers Marriage certificate and her birth certificate during my investigating the family history. Chat again soon Michael.

rochellescott72

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