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wilson

FermanaghEnniskillen (Fermanagh)

SUSANNAH WILSON

Susannah Wilson was born in Enniskillen, Ireland, on 17 March 1838.Her parents were John Wilson and his wife Mary. Susannahs mother would have been about 17 at the time.

Susannahs mother, Mary, was born in Enniskillen, Ireland, in about 1821. Marys parents were Robert WILSON, farmer, and Grace HENDERSON.

Mary (WILSON!) married John WILSON about 1837 in Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Ireland, when Mary was 16.

Mary and John Wilson had two other children besides Susannah, a male still alive in 1898, and a female deceased before 1898. A family member recalled that they had a son who was killed in the Crimean War.

After the death of Susannahs father in Enniskillen, Ireland, Susannah and her mother, Mrs Mary Wilson, migrated to Tasmania, arriving about 1852.

Susannah and her mother Mrs Wilson were dressmakers, and conducted a high-class dressmaking establishment in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Questions I would love to have answered:

Is there a record of Susannah Wilson born in Enniskillen, Ireland, on 17 March 1838. Baptism? Any information about her childhood?

John Wilson (her father) birth (?), death (prior about 1852, Enniskillen,), m to Mary (about 1837, Enniskillen.) Any information about him?

Mary Wilson (her mother) birth about 1821, Enniskillen [father Robert Wilson, farmer, mother Grace nee Henderson] Any information about her?

Mary Wilsons brother: Who was he? When was he born? [father Robert Wilson, farmer, mother Grace nee Henderson] If parents married about 1837, he was not very old to go to the Crimean War) Did he die in the Crimean War? Any information about him?

Mary Wilsons sister: Who was she? When was she born? [father Robert Wilson, farmer, mother Grace nee Henderson] Any information about her? Did she marry? DO I THUS HAVE ANY RELATIVES IN IRELAND?

Susannah Wilsons grandparents, parents of her mother Mary:

Is there a record of marriage of Robert WILSON, farmer, and Grace HENDERSON? Any information about them?

Are there any maps or directories etc to say where they lived? Any relevant headstones?

Any other information about the family would also be greatly appreciated.

IrelandXO member

2 replies

You don?t say what denomination your family were but I?d guess Church of Ireland. Assuming that the family came from the parish of Enniskillen, then a lot of their 19th century records were destroyed in the 1922 fire in Dublin. What survives is as follows:

Extracts of baptisms, 1667-1789, marriages, 1668- 1794, and burials, 1667-1781; burials, 1879-1907 and 1941-50;vestry minutes, 1731-1920; copy deeds, 1796-9; select vestry minutes, 1871-80; register of church members, 1871 and 1946-50; preachers? book, 1895-1928.

Extracts from baptism, marriage and burial registers, 1666-1826.

Printed copy of Old Enniskillen Vestry Book, with extracts of births, marriages and deaths, 1666-c.1797.

Extracts from vestry minutes, 1666-1912, which include some baptism, marriage and burial entries.

So unfortunately most of the church records you are looking for are probably lost, unless they are in the extracts. You would probably need to employ a researcher to go through them. There?s a copy in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast.

You could also try the tithe applotment records (church taxes c1820s/30s). Most farmers should be listed. Those for Fermanagh are not on-line and again can be found in PRONI. Henderson?s a fairly common name in Fermanagh but perhaps there?s only 1 in Enniskillen which might give a focus to your search. (Fermanagh was heavily settled by people from the Scottish borders. Henderson?s a name closely associated with the borders so I?d guess that?s where they originated in the 1600s).

You might find something on the families on the Fermanagh Gold site:

http://search.atavus.org

Ahoghill AntrimIrelandXO Volunteer

Hello Janice, You couldn't know how excited I am to have stumbled across your post!  My GGGrandmother is Mary Wilson, mother of Susannah born 17 Mar 1838 and I have been trying to find Mary's family for many years without knowing that her maiden name was in fact Wilson! You write about Mrs Mary Wilson and Susannah migrating to Tasmania; sadly Mary Wilson was trasported for 10 years having been convicted of Larceny. Tried Cavan 4 Mar 1850.

Co Cavan Ireland Newspaper Abstracts of the Crown Court Monday March 5 1850 - Rule of Court - "Mary Wilson and Anne Colvin were charged with having stolen half a gallon of whiskey the property of Robert Copland. Mary Wilson stated that Anne Colvin knew nothing about it at all, but that she herself was guilty. Anne Colvin was tried and acquitted."

Mary Wilson, widow, and daugther, Susannah, embarked on 28 Dec 1851 on board the John William Dare; arrived Hobart 22 May 1852. Religion "P" for Protestant or Presbytarian. I have the convict records including a physical description of Mary. It states that she was "invariably good chief nurse".  Mary Wilson married my GGGrandfather (also a convict), George Ballamy/Bellamy on 3 Oct 1853 in Hobart, Tasmania. Their children were Margaret Bellamy b 23 Sep 1853, Hobart; William Bellamy b 10 Apr 1855, Hobart and my GGrandfather George Edward Bellamy b 31 May 1858 Sydney NSW. The family later lived in Young NSW. I believe Susannah married Niels Peter Neilsen (b 1833 Copenhagen Denmark) on 13 May 1858 Hobart. They had 8 children and Susannah died in 1908 in Young NSW. I have not been able to find a death record for Mary Wilson. I have been passionately searching for information on Mary and Susannah for such a long time and find myself loving them both; odd I suppose but I imagine great courage and can't help but feel proud of them. I did not know that they conducted a dressmaking establishment in Hobart, presumably after Mary's pardon. The convict records list a brother of Mary, William in Fermanagh. I am delighted and thankful to see your information regarding Mary's mother, Grace Henderson and amazed and thrilled to know Mary was Mary Wilson, single and married!  So, Janice, what is your relationship to Mary and where do you live? I live in SE Queensland, Australia. Have you found the marriage of Robert and Grace or records of Mary and John's other children and how did you come upon the information you have? Forgive the multitude of questions! My information beyond my Great Grandfather, George Ballamy, has been gleaned through much searching and some good luck. I stumbled upon the marriage of Susannah and put two and two together when she turned up in Young NSW.  She named several of her children after names of flowers, as had been a bit of a tradition in my mother's family. My mother is a hale and hearty 98 year old with her wits fully in tact. She will be delighted when I tell her that her GGGrandmother was Grace Henderson; so nice to have a name and another family to explore.  Many thanks! Kind regards, Susan Hanmore susanjhanmore@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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