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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Antrim => Topic started by: lynnsefton on Sunday 07 February 10 22:22 GMT (UK)
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My husbands grandfather was edward johnstone..but we know he changed his name from AGNEW!
luckily my husbands aunt had kept letters from when his grandfather died..one from a friend mentioned he knew his grandfather and his mother when he was a child..the letter was from scotland!! we do know the Agnews where from Ballymena..William Agnew is living in scotland in 1901 with his mother Elizabeth Agnew..both born Ireland... so this confirms he changed his name..so i dont know if his name is william edward agnew or if he just used edward?!! on his marriage cert it says his father is samuel agnew of independent means? is this fiction too?
I think he was born about 1885..the person who knew him and how i found him is francis h deas..luckily its a rare name..we also have a photo taken in Ballymena..no name on it but i would guess its either William/edwards father or grandfather..would be so so glad of any help..where Elizabeth went after 1901 i dont know? Edward i should think joined the army after 1901?? i do have army certs from early 1900s..hope someone can help or knows of a family link..best wishes Lynn Johnstone...1901 census scotland..Elizabeth is married ..no husband there..says living on own means!
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Lynn, the Agnew's were Galloway Lairds who settled in Antrim/Down around the time of the Ulster Plantation......Skoosh.
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Thanks for info..have been trying for many years to crack the nut of his grandfather!! We dont know how many famuily there were even..my father in law who was born in 1918 remembers going over to see family there in Ballymena..but i think he was quite young. Story was he ran away and they brought him back and then he joined the army..its all very vague!! Buit that is def the family in 1901 scotland census..i looked on 199 census for ireland..no elizabeth that matched..so maybe she was stil in Scotland then? or perhaps died? So frustrating!! But my best wishes to you .. Lynn
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If you search the birth index at
http://www.rootschat.com/links/080g/
there were a number of William Agnew births in the Ballymena area around the right timescale, however none with middle name Edward. There is one Edward Agnew birth recorded in Ballymena, but in 1895.
In the Scottish 1901 census, is his mother noted as married or single?
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sorry..i maybe didnt make his names clear..he married and died as edward johnstone..but as i said we know he changed his name from agnew..in 1901 there is a william agnew with his mother at the address in scotland were we had the old letter from..it is def the right family..she is married but husband not there..i did notice on the 1891 census for england there is a william r agnew with elizabeth his mother..says her husband is residing at woolwich..so guessing he is in the army?!!
unless in 1891 he is in ireland?!! her ages change too?!! any help i am really really grateful for.
Edward johnstone died in 1935 aged 49..so that makes birth around 1885/86?!! or did he make his age up for the army? so many questions!! Best wishes Lynn
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The spelling of the 'new' surname JOHNSTONE sounds as though it might be more Scottish than Irish- Johnston is the more common spelling in Ireland.
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dont know why he chose JOHNSTONE!!?? his army records are all in Johnstone. The letter really helped me out. i didnt know his mothers name before that? asuming of course it is his Mother? Says it is..but you never know! the story of the name change came from his son and daughter ..the photo too has Ballymena printed on it..by the look of it ..its Edwards/Williams father
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If he married and died in Scotland, both certificates should have more details of his parents. Do you have these and do the details match each other and what you already know?
If his mother is Elizabeth Agnew and is noted as married in the 1901 census, then could Johnston have been her maiden name and her son born out of wedlock? If she then married, her son could have taken on the Agnew as he was growing up and then he reverted back to Johnston when older ? Just throwing in some possibilities for you to consider.
You say you know his marriage certificate stated his father was a Samuel Agnew, yet you say he himself married as Johnstone....another possibility that I wonder if you have checked is could his mum have been widowed soon after 1901 and married again, this time a Johnstone, hence him taking on the name? Again, just suggestions to ponder. I wonder that the marriage record did not note him as 'formerly known as' or just 'agnew or johnstone', given that it would no doubt have seemed strange at time that he was usung a different surname from his father.
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he married in england..said his father was samuel johnstone!! of independent means!
he died also in england. On 1901 census she says she is married. a story was told that he ran away to join the army..so that would be when he changed his name i guess?!!
samuel may not be his fathers name? so frustrating!! but thanks for the reply!! any help is very grateful!! get there hopefully in the end!! wonder if it is him in 1891? living with elizabeth in england?
i did look up 1911 census..he is in the army and abroard i think? i am sure he says he is born scotland on that census? i will go and look at record again!!
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1911 census... edward johnstone 26 born 1886 edinburgh..lance corporal 6th draggon guards
overseas military...i know thats what reg he was in..think the census says south africa..i have records for him being there.....maybe he said he was born there because thats where he was living in 1901..on 1901 census it says he was born in ireland?!!
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You could consider asking either the Ballymena Guardian or Ballymena Times newspapers to carry a copy of the photo you have and asking if anyone recognises this as being part of their own Agnew family history? You never know, it may generate some leads.
Certainly, looking at the death indexes, there were a number of Samuel Agnews lived in the Ballymena in the 1800s....so the name does fit with the area.
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funny you should say about the photo!! i had same thought today!! he may well jog someones memory!! Will get it copied and do that when i get a chance..not 100 per cent he is def Samuel? but he is an Agnew!
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You can post the photo on this thread too, and you never know who may read/view same.
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Bit of a break through!! I went on scotlands people looking for deaths of ELIZABETH AGNEW..but prior to that looked at births for a WILLIAM ROBERT AGNEW on familysearch..there was one right age..father though is william henry agnew? and a peggy jane craig..well anyway when i looked again at deaths ..there was one in right place edinburgh in 1919 maiden name craig!! but as i saw on census its ELIZABETH AGNEW!! paid for more credits and it does give brill info!! it was correct address as in 1901 and same friend who sent the letter..also it says widow of SAMUEL AGNEW!!
he was a church officer. The marriage on family search was put on by someone!! so dont know what to do next..i did look for a death for samuel..but not one in edinburgh.he may not have died there?!! but at least now i know the photo is him and got her name and her parents name..the info on familysearch says born glenhugh ballyconnely antrim..is that near Ballymena?
would be grateful for more help or input....i did see a civil service record on Ancestry for william robert agnew and edward johnstone..both born same date and place..he was a tax inspector after leaving the army..many thanks for help so far Lynn
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Index to Irish civil registrations (up to 1921 for N.I. counties) is online (free)-
http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#c=1408347;p=collectionDetails
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Many many thanks..found his birth..but not a marriage for his parenst os his mothers parents..can i get the birth from 1884 from Ballymena?
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Ballymena will have marriage records that took place in that registration district. See here for ordering N.I. certificates-
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,383526.0.html
The index to civil registration covers births, deaths and Catholic marriages from 1864 and other marriages from 1845. For N.I. counties the index stops 1921.
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Hello again. A William Henry Agnew married a Peggy Jane Craig at Ballymena 1st Presby Church in 1855 (27th July).
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Many thanks..dont know if there is a link..i paid to join emerald ancestry found
SAMUEL AGNEW MARRIED ELIZABETH CRAIG 24TH NOV 1883 in same church as WILLIAM HENRY AGNEW!! Also just found on ancestry who i think is Samuel..in army barracks aged 19 born 1852..which is about same age as Elizabeth his wife!! Must send for cert! do irish certs have much info on do you know? I have got access to that emerald site if anyone wants look up...couldnt find Samuels birth on ther though!! unless he has another name he dropped?!
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see you have STEWART in your tree!! Elizabeth craigs father was robert craig and mother elizabeth stewart!!..found a marriage again in Ballymena for them in 1851..but Robert is William!!
I have a few like that in my family. Cant find a death that fits for Samuel Agnew neither!! grrr
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Have you ever had civil service records? there is a record for WILLIAM ROBERT AGNEW on find my past , but i am not a member of that. Its 14.00 pound to get original one from another site!!
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Just an update..recieved records today..was copy of william robert agnews birth cert..also the person witnessing it was him and change of name said he was executor of elizabeth agnews will...i have already found her death in 1927..scotland..rang records office and they will send info re getting the will etc..Also on find my past i got samuels agnews army records!! 12 pages of them!! brilliant!! says he was born 1852!! i still cant find hios birth though!! on his marriage cert ..it says his father is william agnew a farmer. On army papers born in Drumall Ahogill..Antrim..i think he is on 1911 census aged 58 a pensioner form army..cant find his death..i know elizabeth was a widow in 1927.
Also cant find him in 1901..unless hes in ireland? she isnt!! shes in scotland..i think he left army in 1892. Again any help or info would be greatly appreciated!! Best wishes Lynn
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There was certainly a William Agnew in Drummaul Parish, Ahoghill during time of the Griffiths Valuation, which would tie in with the Drummaul place of birth you indicated for Samuel:
http://failteromhat.com/griffiths/antrim/drummaul.htm
and possibly the same William at the grand age of 86, in Ballymacilroy, Drummaul at 1911:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Cloghogue/Ballymacilroy/116085/
or the neighbouring William Henry Agnew aged 82:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Cloghogue/Ballymacilroy/116086/
Both were also listed in the 1910 Ulster Directory for Balymacilroy:
http://www.libraryireland.com/UlsterDirectory1910/Ballymena-14.php
And William Henry Agnew's will index at PRONI:
http://www.proni.gov.uk/view_Will.htm?willId=119022&strReturn=listWill.asp?nListType=1&strOrder=Death&nPage=9510
Some more for you to get your teeth into!
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Thanks for that!! did i say on samuels marriage cert ..a james agnew was a witness..did see william henry has a son called james!! in 1911 census!!...also looked at williams marriage in 1855..his father is david agnew...samuel was supposed to be born 1852!!?? may not be right..or william henry is not his father..its william agnew..as you said living near william henry agnew..james agnew could well be a cousin to samuel?!! dont know how else to get further back!! 1901 census is out soon!!??
samuel is not with his wife in scotland in 1901..so is he in ireland?!! Shame we cant look at 1861 census.