WHITEFORD & WHITFORD
i’m researching my East Antrim Ancestors who appear to have some connection to the Raloo area. They are sometimes WHITEFORD and sometimes WHITFORD.
My great-grandfather ALEXANDER WHITEFORD was born in Larne District in 1853. He was a Merchant Seaman, he married JANE CUNNINGHAM in Belfast on 11 Jul 1874 and made their family home in Belfast’s Sailor Town. He was lost at sea on board the SS Horn Head in the autumn on 1893. He was entered in the Crew List as WHITFORD and we seem to have stuck with that ever since!
My Great-great-grandfather SAMUEL WHITEFORD.
On ALEXANDER’S marriage certificate, his father SAMUEL WHITEFORD is described as a Farmer.
I’ve tracked down details of two SAMUEL WHITEFORD’s in the area at the right time and would be grateful for any further information on them.
The first is SAMUEL WHITEFORD born at Ballygrailand, Carrickfergus in 1794.
He was a stonecutter but enlisted in the 2nd Bn, 1st Regiment of Foot (The Royal Scots) at Belfast on 20 Jan 1814, he was posted to India in Jul 1816 where he served until Oct 1831 when he returned to Europe. He was discharged from the Army in May 1834 on medical grounds with a bowel complaint and was awarded a pension from the Royal Hospital Chelsea and returned to East Antrim.
At Raloo Presbyterian Church on 16 Oct 1863 Samuel married Susanna Boyd – both were describer as Full Age on the wedding certificate but Samuel would have been around 69. He is described as a widower of Ballyvernstown, Parish of Glynn, Pensioner, son of Alexander Whiteford, a Weaver. Susanna Boyd is a spinster of Altilevelly , Parish of Raloo, daughter of James Boyd, Farmer.
The Officiating Minister was JAMES WHITEFORD – who was, I understand, Minister at Raloo Presbyterian Church for somewhere in the region of 48 years and may well be a relative also.
On 16 Sep 1864 at Ballysnod, Larne, a son ALEXANDER WHITEFORD, was born to Samuel and Susanna.
On 14 Jan 1865 Samuel died of ulceration of the stomach at Ballysnod, Larne. The death certificate records him as being 73 though he is more likely to have been a couple of years younger – 71ish. He was described as a Pensioner and the Informant was Susanna, his widow.
Samuel is described on his wedding certificate as a Widower but I can find no trace whatsoever of his first marriage – not even in the records of the India Office!
The day after this Samuel died, on 15 Jan 1865, another SAMUEL WHITEFORD died in the area. This Samuel Whiteford died in the District of Ballynure at Mounthill. He was described as Married, a Weaver, 45 years, died of disease of the stomach 2 years. The informant was Hugh Creighton, Occupier, of Mounthill. Was Mounthill nr Ballynure an Institution perhaps with Hugh Creighton in charge?
Laurence
Thursday 5th Aug 2021, 03:20PMMessage Board Replies
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Laurence,
The 1874 marriage contains a clue about this family. One of the witnesses was Isabella Whiteford. So who is she? Probably Alexander’s sister, I think. This looks to be her marriage in 1876 to Charles M’Laverty and you’ll see that she was 19 (so born c 1857) and her father Samuel was dead. So he died 1857 – 1876. If he died pre 1864 there won’t be a death certificate.
Her husband looks to have died and this is a remarriage to Thomas Watt in 1898:
Note that on this second marriage, Samuel was described as a labourer. So if he had been a farmer it was probably a small one with just a few acres. A borderline farmer. The only Samuel Whiteford in Co Antrim in Griffiths (1861) was living in Altilevelly. He had plot 37 which was 2 roods (half an acre). Half an acre is the sort of land a labourer/very small farmer might have. His name remains as tenant until 1866 when he is succeeded by John Gardner. Altilevelly is of course where Susanna Boyd lived, so I suspect that has to be the same man who married her in 1863. Ballysnod is just a few hundred yards from Altilevelly. So he has to be a candidate for your Alexander’s father.
Samuel’s first marriage was probably before the start of statutory registration in Ireland (April 1845), so that may be a reason you can’t find it. His 1st wife had obviously died pre 1863 and so you won’t find a death certificate for her either. Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church, so it doesn't follow they were married in Raloo Presbyterian (though they might have done). It’s marriage records start in 1841. Baptisms start 1842, so you might find Alexander & Isabella’s there. Raloo Church of Ireland’s early records were lost in the 1922 fire so if that's where they married there's no record to find. The early Raloo Presbyterian records are in PRONI.
The tithe applotment records for Co Antrim don’t have any Samuel Whitefords listed. The tithes list most farmers. So that might tie in with Samuel having been a soldier at that period. There were no Whitefords farming in Raloo in the late 1820s, according to the tithes. Here are all the Whiteford farmers in Antrim then:
Whiteford, Alexr.-Townland: Killughag Year: 1826-Layd-Antrim
Whiteford, Andw.-Townland: Seskin Year: 1816-Carrickfergus-Antrim
Whiteford, Arch.-Townland: Rathkenny Year: 1825-Skerry-Antrim
Whiteford, Dr. Hugh-Townland: Lisburn Year: 1827-Derryaghy-Antrim
Whiteford, Hugh-Townland: Ballylaggan Year: 1816-Carrickfergus-Antrim
Whiteford, John-Townland : Ballycreagath Year: 1825-Dunaghy-Antrim
Whiteford, Thos.-Townland: Ballylaggan Year: 1816-Carrickfergus-Antrim
Whiteford, Widow Townland: Rathkenny Year: 1825-Skerry-Antrim
Whiteford, William-Townland: Carnanee Year: 1826-Layd-Antrim
Whiteford, Willm.-Townland: Red Bay Year: 1826-Layd-Antrim
Whiteford, Willm.-Townland: Straid Year: 1826-Layd-Antrim
Did your Alexander have a daughter also named Isabella, and is this her marriage:
I notice that the Rev James Whiteford had some land in Altilevelly which hints at a connection with Samuel. Rev James had a daughter Isabella too. Here’s her marriage:
The Presbyterian Historical Society in Belfast keeps records of all Presbyterian Ministers in Ireland and may be able to tell you a bit about his background. Contact Valerie Adams there: http://www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com
Trying to distinguish between the two Samuel Whiteford deaths, I see one was informed by Hugh Creighton. I suspect this is him in the 1901 census, (I can’t see any other in the area) living with his married daughter:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Raboo/Ballyrickardmore/991347/
If he was an ag lab then I doubt he was in charge of any institution in the 1860s. I’d say the Samuel who died at his address was lodging with him. Ag labs often moved to follow the available work and can therefore be difficult to research. Mounthill is an area, mostly in the townland of Balyrickard Beg, a few hundred yards, north of Raloo Presbyterian church. Today the modern Browndod and Mounthill Roads meet there. So all these events in this post took place very close to each other and it wouldn’t be surprising to find they all relate to the same family as you go back in time. (Probably descendants of Scots who settled in the area in the 1600s. Most of the Presbyterian population around Raloo have similar origins).
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Thursday 5th Aug 2021, 08:31PM -
Dear Elwyn,
Many, many thanks for your prompt and detailed reply.
Some of the information was known to me - when Isabella married Charles McLaverty in 1876 his address on the wedding certificate was 10 Valentine Street. In 1882 a great uncle of mine, Samuel Whitford, who died in infancy the same year, was born at the same address - 10 Valentine Street. My grandfather William Whitford was born there in 1885 and two siblings, Jane and Alfred were born at 11 Valentine Street in 1890 and 1892!
Some of the rest of the information which you have supplied is new to me and a few more clues to further my research. I think I'm going to have to plan a trip to PRONI some time to look at the early Raloo Presbyterian Records!
Once again, many thanks.
Laurence Whitford
Laurence
Sunday 8th Aug 2021, 08:53AM