morrison/davidson

Tracey,

William’s marriage to Susannah was registered in Armagh city on 19.8.1869. Susannah’s death was also registered there on 13.4.1885, aged 39. 2 possible children born to parents named Morrison and Davidson in Armagh: Mary 30.6.1870 and Ethelbert 23.3.1879.

I can’t see the parents marriage, which may be pre 1845 and so not in the statutory records. If you post the family townland and the father’s occupation (as per the 1869 marriage cert) I’ll see if I can find more information for you.

William’s birth is before the start of statutory birth registration, so you won’t get a birth certificate. You might be able to find his baptism if you know his denomination, and if the records still exist. So his townland (address) from the marriage certificate plus his denomination would be helpful.

You can view the original certificates on-line on the GRONI website, using the “search registrations” option:

https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk

You will need to open an account and buy some credits. It costs £2 (sterling) to a view a certificate. 

thanks so much for your quick response and information.  i will open an account with the link you gave me and when i know more, i will get back to you.

thanks again

regards, tracey

hi elwyn

i did what you suggested and bought some credits to have a look at the marriage certificate.  william and susanna were married in the parish church in the parish of kildarton, church of ireland.  they both resided in mully loughran and williams father james, was a labourer.

i am also looking for information on susanna's parents.  from the marriage certificate, i was able to find out her fathers name was william davidson and he was a farmer.  any information you may be able to find would be greatly appreciated.

regards, tracey

Tracey,

Griffiths Valuation for 1864 lists William Davison in Mullyloughran townland. He rented plot 16 which was a farm just under 19 acres. Today, that townland is on the Hamiltonsbawn Rd east of Armagh city. I can’t tell you precisely where it is because the on-line map doesn’t contain the Griffiths plot numbers. However the local studies section in Armagh Public Library should have a copy that does, so if you were to visit them (or get someone to do that for you), you should be able find out.

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

Looking at the revision records which take Griffiths forwards, I see the tenant changed to James Davison in 1867 (suggesting William had probably died). James changes to Samuel in 1887, again suggesting he may have died. (From James’s will I know that James and Samuel were brothers).

Here’s the family in the 1901 census:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Armagh/Hockley/Mullyloughran/1018054/

Samuel changes to Margaret in 1907, and she changes to William Marshall in 1909, suggesting the farm may have passed out of Davi(d)son hands. There are no Davidsons in the townland in the 1911 census. I notice that the family also had 14 acres of land on plot 28 in the townland. It passes out of Davidson hands in 1909 too.

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni

Here’s some probate abstracts taken from the PRONI wills site:

The Will of James Davidson late of Mullyloughran County Armagh Farmer who died 31 December 1885 at same place was proved at Armagh by James Campbell of Killireavy in said County Farmer one of the Executors.

However I came across this probate abstract indicating a Davidson was farming in the townland in 1951, so possibly the family returned to the farm post 1929 (when the revision records stop). Or possibly it’s a different family.

The above will is on-line on the PRONI wills website.

Davidson James of The Firs Mullyloughran Armagh county Armagh farmer died 18 February 1951 Probate Belfast 17 September to William T. Ferris merchant. Effects £1382 13s. 2d.

The above will is not on-line yet but should be held in PRONI in paper format.

I had a look for the Morrison family in Griffiths but did not see them listed. That’s not very surprising. Labourers were not always listed and they also moved a round a lot. They’ll be very hard to trace.

Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church. KIldarton Church of Ireland opened in 1841:

http://www.bygonesandbyways.com/folders/churches_and_graveyards/kildarton_church.htm

Sadly their early records were destroyed in the 1922 fire in Dublin so if that is where Susannah was baptised the records are lost. Prior to 1840 the family probably attended Armagh cathedral. Their records go back to the 1700s and so you might find her father’s marriage in them. There’s a copy in PRONI but a personal visit is required to search them.

thanks so much elwyn for taking the time out to find this information for me.  if only i lived in ireland so that i could go to these places and see what else i could find.  i'm all the way across the world in australia.  pity i hadn't started my family research when i came to ireland a few years ago.  might have to plan another trip soon.  thanks again.