Looking for Joseph McWhirter - McWhirty - McWorty - McWherter son of Judith

Hello,

I am from St. Stephen, NB Canada. My ancestry trail has gone cold because of the change in last name.

I suspect it started out as McWhirter, but was changed when they got to Canada.  Joseph (William or William Joseph) McWhirty was how it was recorded.  He was born approximately 1832 (per other records) (but possibly as early as 1825).  He traveled to Canada at least 1848-1857.  His mother later came over. She was not on the Irish census of land immigrants in 1851, but a Judith McWhirter appears in 1861 and I highly suspect that was her.  The only thing I have found is a newspaper transcript indicating "Judith McWhirty, born in 1803 of the County Armagh."

The last name is recorded as McWhirty mostly, but also McWhirter possibly, McWorty, McWherter. 

It has been difficult tracking an records.  He multiple daughters, one who died at age 5, another who died at age 15, one of his twin girls died at age 19 and had multiple other daughters.  Three of his daughters remained unmarried, and it appears only his oldest ever married (I see no record of her birth), so I have to wonder if she an illegitimate child of his wife, or if he entered as a laborer and later returned with his mother for his family.

He was a blacksmith and was in business with a man by the last name of Whelock and they had place on the corner of two streets of town.  During the 1800s the town was actually a city, but after fires took out most of the wharves, it was never the same and by then the train boom had begun. Any help or thoughts would be appreciated.