Nelson / Fitzsimmons / Cassidy / Cummings / Armstrong

Jessica,

·       Neil Cassidy X Catherine Cummings 

Trees on Ancestry give Neil’s birth as 1825 in Ireland. They record that he married Catherine in West Virginia in 1855.  The trees say that in 1827 he was in Killelan Park, Campbeltown, Kintyre (Scotland). A sister was born there in 1832 and in 1845 he also had a son Henry Cassidy there, by Mary McNab from Lyrabus, Islay. Born there 26th Jun 1826. By 1852 Neil was in York county Ontario. Catherine Cummins is recorded as born in Canada in 1835.

The 1841 census for Campbeltown lists a Henery Cashidy 33 Ag lab, wife Janet 40, Neil 13, Matilda 13, Jean 10, all born in Ireland.  (So family must have arrived in Scotland after 1831).

In the 1851 census, Neil is gone but Janet 51 and Hendry (sic) 3 are in Campbeltown. Matilda 20 looks to be in Southend (at the very bottom of Kintyre). I can also see a Jane Casedy 22 in Southend. That might be Jean in 1841. Jean & Jane are interchangeable in Ireland and Scotland. You can view those censuses on the Scotlandspeople site. 

https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/search-our-records

The family may be there in 1861 and beyond. It’s easy enough to search. There’s a possible death for Janet Cassidy in Campbeltown in 1874.

I looked for Neil Cassidy’s marriage to Mary McNab and for their son Henry’s baptism but did not see either. However if the family were RC, I am not sure if the records go back that far. Possibly not.

There is a baptism for Mary McNab in Kildalton parish, Islay on 26th Jun 1826.  Church of Scotland i.e. Presbyterian. Parents Duncan & Mary McNab. Again that’s viewable on Scotlandspeople.

I looked for Mary Cassidy nee McNab’s death. However statutory death registration only started in 1855, and prior to that many churches didn’t keep burial records. I couldn’t find any record for her.  She likely died in the late 1840s but there does not appear to be a record of that.

A quick glance at the death records for Argyllshire 1855 – 1900 list a number of Cassidy (and variant spellings) all around Campbeltown and Southend. That suggest to me that some of Neil’s siblings married and remained in that part of Scotland.  You can find them easily enough on Scotlandspeople.

·       Thomas Nelson X Jane Maxwell

There are a number of trees on Ancestry which list Thomas & Jane.  According to the trees, Thomas was born in Co. Monaghan and married around 1815 before having at least 1 child in Ireland in 1829. The family were in Canada by 1833 as another child was born there then. Jane is shown as born in Carrickmacross, Monaghan in 1804 but also as baptised in Dundalk, Louth on 6th Jan 1802. (One of those 2 pieces of information is probably wrong, in my opinion). Her parents are named as William Maxwell and Margaret.

I searched the tithe applotment records c 1830 for Monaghan but did not find a William Maxwell. So either he wasn’t a farmer or had died or left.

Looking at the 1901 census of Monaghan, there was 1 family of Maxwells who were Church of Ireland, the rest were Presbyterian. (So Scots origins, typically in the 1600s). If you are looking for baptism records, Carrickmacross is in the parish of Magheross. The Church of Ireland records start in 1796. The local Presbyterian records (Corvalley or Carrickmaclin) don’t start till 1838, so too late. The COI records have been copied. They don’t appear to be on-line but there is a copy in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast.

·       Michael Armstrong X Frances Black

There are a number of trees on Ancestry that list Michael and Francis. He is listed as being born in Co. Monaghan and to have married Francis (who was also born in Co. Monaghan) in 1815. 1 child John born in Ireland in 1821 and by 1824 the family were in Canada (though a birth of another child in Ireland in 1827 puts a question mark over the exact year of emigration). Do you know what denomination they were?

·       William Fitzsimmons X Ann Waid

There are a number of trees on Ancestry that list William & Ann. His birth is estimated as 1795 and death 1839. The family had around 6 children and lived in Moyraverty, in the parish of Seagoe. There’s a record of a William In Moyraverty in the 1834 tithes, which indicates he was a farmer.

http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/armagh/tithe-applotments/seagoe-parish.php

By the time of Griffiths Valuation c 1860 there were Joshua, Nathaniel and Robert Fitzsimmons listed in the townland. Joshua and Nathaniel shared their land (plot 34), and Robert was next door (plot 35) so they are probably all closely related.

The farms today are on the Moyraverty Road West which is part of the new town of Craigavon. Sadly the houses and buildings have been demolished. There is a big modern house on what was plot 34.

https://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

2 Fitzsimons families in Moyraverty in the 1901 census. Beside each other and both Presbyterian. One a farmer and the other weavers.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Armagh/Kernan/Magraverty/1028223/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Armagh/Kernan/Magraverty/1028224/

If the family attended 1st Portadown Presbyterian then their records only start in 1839. So tracing the family baptisms may prove challenging.

Thank you, Elwyn, for the information! I do my best to veer away from Ancestry, as I only stick to more certain and formal evidence, but I will definitely delve into the resources you provided! I appreciate everything... family geneaology is so interesting! 

Take care,

Jessica 

Jessica,

I agree that many Ancestry trees are very unreliable. Many lack any supporting documentary evidence, never mind dubious evidence. (As a researcher I am constantly astonished and entertained at some of the nonsense you see there). On the other hand if you have no other firm information, they are a place to start. I wouldn’t ignore those trees altogether. Contact the owners and see what evidence they have.  Evaluate it.  You don’t have too many other options. Research in Ireland in the 1700s and early 1800s is very difficult. In many cases impossible.  I’d also comment that you haven’t given us very much to work on. Just 4 couples names. No dates, locations, denominations, occupations or any other information. (Did these couples leave Ireland in the 1700s or the 1900s, you haven't said. Many of those names are very common in Ireland). There’s a limit to what we can do with that limited information. You must know a bit more. The more you give us, the more we can help you.

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).

Hi Elwyn,

Thank you! I agree that it can definitely be a good place to start. My apologies regarding the information provided - I didn't realize this forum was for research only. I have much of my research completed for these individuals from Ireland, I was just seldom sharing names to see if anyone had shared surnames and merely making my presence known - perhaps I misunderstood this gorup. I have already completed DNA testing and related, as well, but thank you! 

Best wishes,

Jessica