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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Derry (Londonderry) => Topic started by: pkincaid on Sunday 25 January 09 18:35 GMT (UK)
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Matthew Ferguson, age 36, of Londonderry, Upham Parish, Kings County, New Brunswick (Canada) died on 30 April 1842. He was a native of Newtown Limavady and emigrated to New Brunswick in 1818 [from death notice dated 7 May 1842].
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Hi,
I am looking for more information on Matthew Ferguson of Newtown Limavady (Irish Stray). I am trying to trace information on his father Windefor Ferguson of Ireland.
jagray
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Windefor is such an uncommon Christian name - have you documentary evidence that his father held that name?
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Wonder if 'Windefor' (if that is the name) is really a strange spelling of Windsor (with long 's' looking like 'f').
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If you look up the Freeholders Registers on the PRONI website you will find in D/834/1
Benbow Ferguson Yearly value £20
Robert Ferguson Yearly value £10
John Ferguson Yearly value £10
William Ferguson Yearly value £10
All are from Colessan, Newtownlimavady C 1840
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There is a family bible in the provincial archives of New Brunswick which was given to Matthew Ferguson by his father Windefor Ferguson and lists Matthew, Benbow and Robert Ferguson as sons of Windefor. The names on the Freeholders list appear to be all sons of Matthew. The copies in the documents I received are very poor so the source is a transcription provided as a reading guide.
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From Mullin's book on Limavady & the Roe Valley
MISCELLANEOUS - page 120
BENBOW:
Died 1855 at Artikelly [Aghanloo], aged 92, William WATSON descendant of Thomas Benbow, early settler at Limavady, who was a near relative of Admiral Benbow. A Benbow FERGUSON on Kavanagh's Map 1835 [Derry Sentinel 2 Feb 1855]
In the Limavady Corporation records a Robert, Richard & Thomas Benbow are mentioned in the early records late 17th early 18th centuries: The male Benbow line died out but was carried in the Ferguson and Watson lines:
As the name Benbow was carried down in the family perhaps Winderfor was a name in the Benbow family?
You should also research the Benbow & Watson collatoral lines as they may throw up some additional Ferguson connections.
I may have additional notes on the Benbow family somewhere in my files if you are interested.
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If you do a search of the web site below you will find a lot of information re Fergusons. The researcher has listed quite a number living in the Limavady area. I note in the 1831 Census records one of the Fergusons listed is 'Windes*** Drumachose, Newtownlimavady.'
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com
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These all sound like good leads. I did find a reference on a page of first families of New Brunswick which suggested the Benbow connection was through Matthew's wife, Mary Kerr who was the granddaughter of Admiral Benbow through his daughter Mary Benbow and a Reverend Kerr. I could find no evidence of Mary Kerr searching from Admiral Benbow's descendants so likely her connection may be through Limavady Benbows. More information would be helpful. Mary Kerr would have been born around 1767 as she died in 1867 at the age of 60.
The 1831 census Windes*** reference could be a grandson of Windefor.
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I found a Windefor Ferguson quite by accident when looking up another name in
the Ordnance Survey Memoirs for Limavady!
OS Memoirs Drumachose [Limavady], 1833-5
Productive economy [pages 115-116]
Informant - Windofer Fergusson, architect, 4 July 1835
Cost of buiding materials in Limavady [pages 117-118]
Informant - Windofir Fergusson
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Hi Jagray,
Mathew son of Winderford FERGUSON and Ellen MCGHAN chr 18 May 1828, Limavady, Drumachose Christ Church. Do you think this is the same Mathew who appears in the 1881 census of Hammond, Kings, New Brunswick?
Mathew FERGUSON M Male Irish 45 New Brunswick Farmer Baptist
Annie FERGUSON M Female Scottish 34 New Brunswick Baptist
Earnest FERGUSON Male Irish 1 New Brunswick Baptist
I also note conflict between the First Families Info and the Death Cert referred to by pkincaid. They both refer to a Mathew who died 30 April 1842 but the First Familes lists year of birth as about 1757 but the age of death is given in the Death Cert as 36 or a calculated year of birth of 1806.
Cheers,
Colin Ferguson
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First Families Info was compiled by a friend of mine. He went through various sources in the Provincial Archives and compiled the family summaries. It is recognized that some of the information is based on erroneous family information. Below is a copy of the death notice (not death certificate) as it appeared in the New Brunswick Courier newspaper published in Saint John, NB in its 7 May 1842 issue on page 3 column 1. The death notice gave 36 (I compared the 30 in April versus the 8s elsewhere on the page).
I decided to investigate this further to find out the difference in ages. First Families was based on information in two files in the New Brunswick Museum vertical files. One is a copy of a family bible deposited at the New Brunswick Museum (Bible no. 166). It records Matthew Ferguson died 30th April 1842 aged 85. I then looked for a cemetery transcription and noted that John R. Elliott had transcribed the stones in the Londonderry cemetery and had Matthew Ferguson Died April 20, 1842 in the 86 year of his age.
This leads me to conclude that somewhere his death was written down for the newspaper and the newspaper misread 36 for 86 and published the error. Mystery solved; he was in his 86th year.
I did not spend a lot of time on your census question but I got the clear impression that this was Matthew, grandson of the above Matthew, via his son John. Matthew, the grandson, and his wife lost 6 children under the age of 10 to diphtheria between 23 May and 6 June 1879 (as per newspaper notices).
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Matthew Ferguson left two petitions for land in New Brunswick. The first he petitioned with James White and Thomas Alexander on 2 November 1818. He states he recently came from Ireland, was married with six children [Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, RS108, Matthew Ferguson, 1819, Kings County]. The second was on 21 December 1827 and he states that he was 60 years old with six children [Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, RS108, Matthew Ferguson, 1827, Kings County]. Both were relating to lands on Shepody Road.
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Thank you pkincaid. With regard to the census question, I think you are correct. In any case, I conclude from your and Jagray's posts that the Matthew refered to as son of Windefor in the family bible deposited at the New Brunswick Museum (Bible no. 166) is the Matthew born about 1757 and not the Matthew son of Winderford FERGUSON and Ellen MCGHAN chr 18 May 1828, Limavady, Drumachose Christ Church.
Do you happen to know anything of Florence M. FERGUSON b. Sep 1885, IL to Benbow B. FERGUSON and Annie MC KIEL? Her middle initial is from the 1900 census and I have a feeling it should be 'B' since there are later records of a Florence Benbow FERGUSON; e.g. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wikenosh/kemper.htm
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My name is also Matthew Ferguson. Born at Lisnakelly Limavady as it has been called for as long as I remember. It was however New town Limavady before. To my knowledge all Ferguson's from Limavady originated from. Since I started to look into my family tree I have found relations arround the world. If you look at my tree on Genes Reunited you may find some helpfull information. If you do please let me know. Thank you Matthew Ferguson.
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Colin USA: You asked about a Florence M. Ferguson born to Benbow Ferguson and Annie McKiel. In one of the two vertical files at the New Brunswick Museum I referred to was a brief handwritten family history. It was put together by Mrs. H. Roberts of 114 Douglas Avenue, Saint John. She notes that Benbow Ferguson, son of Matthew Ferguson and Mary Kerr, married a widow Martha Scoles McArthur. She notes that they had six children including a son Benbow Ferguson who married a McKeil and had one child. I assume this would be the Florence you are looking for.
Contact me privately with your email address and I will scan the papers and forward to you when I get a chance.
Daniel F. Johnson's New Brunswick newspaper abstracts has the marriage of Benbow B. Ferguson, Esq. of Chicago, and Annie McKiel, daughter of William B. McKiel, Esq. of Greenwich, Kings County, NB at Chicago on 14 August 1880. This was in both the The Daily Sun newspaper and The Daily Telegraph newspaper in Saint John on 16 August 1880.
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Christchurch, Limavady [Drumachose] Church of Ireland
Bapt Feb 18th 1826 Mary Anne dau of Benbow Feguson & Sallt Tayler, Keenaught, N'Limavady, natural child
This was the Benbow Ferguson who was a freeholder in Coolesan in the mid - 1830s.
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Gortinanima,
Thanks, was that on LDS Film 496750? Therein I also found:
Elinor Jane d/o Benjamin FERGUSON & Sally TAYLOR chr 4 Jul 1823
John s/o Binbow FERGUSON & May TAYLOR chr 21 Jun 1824
Colin
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The transcript was from PRONI MIC/583/35
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Christchurch [Church of Ireland], parish of Drumachose [Limavady] MIC 583/35
1824 - Aug 1st
Baptised Eliza Jane daugher of Winderford Ferguson & Eliner McClean -natural child - N'L'vaddy
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Drumachose Church of Ireland, Limavady [MIC/583/35]
Baptised Marianne, natural daugher of Winifred [sic] Ferguson and Eleanor McClean 29th April 1820
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My name is Matthew Ferguson and I am trying to get info on my ancestors who are from Limavady. We lived for many years at Lisnakelly House, which is half a mile south of Limavady on the Myroe Road which is now known as 16, Seacoast Road, Limavady. Can you give me any details you have to I see if there is a connection. Thank you.
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Hello Collin, I am not sure if you are the same person who I have spoken to through Genes Reunited. If it is of any help my e-mail is (*) If you can help please get in touch with me. Thank you Matthew Ferguson.
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I might be a few years too late in commenting in this thread but I have just found it, having input the unusual name Windefor.
My research has recently identified a Windefor Ferguson married to Ellen or Helen McLean. They were from the Newtown Limavady area and Ellen moved to Glasgow at sometime between 1843 and 1851, possibly after the death of her husband.
In1851 she is living in Glasgow with her daughters Margaret (28), Eliza (26), and Ann (16), along with sons William (20), James (18) and Edward (7).
If anyone interested is still monitoring this thread then please make contact as I am happy to collaborate with other information I hold.
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Don't think this has been posted here yet-
http://dna.cfsna.net/GEN/Canada/New-Brunswick/Benbow.htm
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have you looked on these sites
http://www.irishgenelogy.ie
Ferguson mentioned on these sites
http://www.findmypast.co.uk
Mathew Ferguson 1819 new brunswick
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have you looked on these sites
http://www.irishgenelogy.ie
Ferguson mentioned on these sites
http://www.findmypast.co.uk
Mathew Ferguson 1819 new brunswick
Who are you addressing your reply to? ???
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I might be a few years too late in commenting in this thread but I have just found it, having input the unusual name Windefor.
My research has recently identified a Windefor Ferguson married to Ellen or Helen McLean. They were from the Newtown Limavady area and Ellen moved to Glasgow at sometime between 1843 and 1851, possibly after the death of her husband.
In1851 she is living in Glasgow with her daughters Margaret (28), Eliza (26), and Ann (16), along with sons William (20), James (18) and Edward (7).
If anyone interested is still monitoring this thread then please make contact as I am happy to collaborate with other information I hold.
Buried Drumachose Church of Ireland (ChristChurch) Limavady
Burial No 81/ Winf’d Ferguson NL buried 21 Dec 1847 aged 56 years (c1791-1847)
(NL - Newtownlimavady now Limavady)
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Thanks for that info. Ellen McLean’s parents were John McLean and Unity Loag (Logue). I believe that they too were from the Limavady area but I understand that records are very sparse for that region at that time, so probably not much more can be garnered.
Ellen had a brother John, my 3 x Gt Grandfather, whose wife was Catherine Canning. They moved to Scotland between 1817 and 1819, after the birth of their second son.
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to pkincind
church records have Ferguson in their records at Limavady