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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Derry (Londonderry) => Topic started by: canberraterry on Friday 18 June 10 03:01 BST (UK)
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Greetings from Australia.
I am a beginner tracking down my family history, and I have just discovered that my Great Great Grandmother was a Jane Ferguson, who married Samuel John Cunningham in the Gortnessey Meeting Place on 17 February 1847. Thereafter the Cunningham family worshipped at Christ Church, Limavady.
Jane's father was Daniel Ferguson who had a farm at Gortnessey.
Samuel Cunningham had a farm at Primity.
I have no further information about Jane other than their children's names and (most) birthdays.
Can anyone offer any assistance with details of Jane or Samuel?
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Hi,
I find it odd that a family ,living in Primity which is at New Buildings, would travel all the way to Limavady to worship. A Samuel Cunningham certainly had a farm in Primity in the Griffith's Valuation and the two children born in 1867 and 1869 were both registered in Clondermot ie Londonderry. Distance is about 22 miles from Primity to Limavady.
Regards
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PRONI (www.proni.gov.uk) lists the following which gives a Limavady connection-
"The Will of Samuel John Cunningham late of Primity County Londonderry Farmer who died 19 January 1889 at same place was proved at Londonderry by Jane Cunningham of Primity Widow one of the Executors." and "Double Probate of the Will of Samuel John Cunningham late of Primity County Londonderry Farmer who died 19 January 1889 granted at Londonderry to John Cunningham of Limavady in said County Auctioneer one of the Surviving Executors."
And for Ferguson, Gortnessy-
"Probate of the Will of William Ferguson late of Gortnessy County Londonderry Farmer who died 14 August 1898 granted at Londonderry to William Doherty of Ardnaguinog Eglinton and John Payne of Avish Gortnessy both said County Farmers."
"Probate of the Will of John Ferguson late of Gortnessy County Londonderry Farmer who died 15 November 1905 granted at Londonderry to Robert J. Curry and Alexander Buchanan Farmers."
"Probate of the Will of Martha Ferguson late of Gortnessy County Londonderry Widow who died 1 April 1911 granted at Londonderry to Alexander Hall Farmer."
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aghadowey,
Many many thanks for your response which has added another couple of pieces to the puzzle.
kingskerswell,
Thank you also for your interest. You raise a valid point which I can't really answer in respect of Samuel and Jane. As I understand it, Samuel bequeathed his farm to his oldest son, John, who then ceded the rights to it to his brother Andrew, (who subsequently sold it to the railways), so he could enter business in Limavady.
From what remains of the family memory, it appears that John moved initially into Catherine Street, and then to a property in Main Street (No 5?), which was then compulsorily acquired possibly due to historic significance. He then purchased both 6 and 8 Main Street together. He and his family lived in one, while the other was established as a school which was run by his elder daughter, Ada Cunningham, my Grandmother, until she married in 1913 and left Ireland to travel the world with her husband before settling in Australia in 1919.
My auntie met the son of the subsequent owner of the Main Street house here in Canberra where he had also settled some 20 or 30 years ago. Small world!
Thank you again for your interest and assistance. I am still very interested in more details of the Cunninghams and Fergusons if anyone has any information to offer.
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kingskerswell,
I just noticed your interest in the Browne family. The John Cunningham mentioned above married Jane (aka Jeannie) Browne, daughter of John Browne and Margaret Rutherford Andrews. If this is the same family and if you are interested, I have some details of John and Jane's descendents (my family).
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Hi,
Many thanks but that is not my Browne. Are you aware that the 1901 and 1911 census are on line?
See www.census.nationalarchives.ie I have just been looking at the entries for Adeline Cunningham in Main Street Limavady.
Regards
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Here's the Cunningham family in 1901 census-
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Londonderry/Limavaddy/Main_Street/1526108/
Adeline's birth registerd as Adelaide Rutherford Cunningham Oct./Dec.1879 Limavady district (volume 1 page 626).
IGI (www.familysearch.org) lists her birth- 6 Oct.1879 (parents John Cunningham & Jeannie Browne.
Aso, Samuel John Cunningham born 30 Apr.1877 (mother Brown).
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Thank you both for your further help. I have no doubt that the census information (which I was unaware was on line) will be very useful.
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Hi,
A 1910 Directory of Limavady states that a Ladies School in Main Street was run by Miss Cunningham B.A.
Regards
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Thank you. Yes that was her. I had the privilege of living with her for a year in Adelaide in my late teens (a long time ago). She was a most remarkable lady, educated in Ireland, Germany and France, which must have been most unusual in that time.
Thank you again for your interest and assistance.
Cheers,
Terry
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This is my first post - but I was intigued by your relationship to Samuel John Cunningham and Jane Ferguson - they are my 2 x great grandparents. I am a descendant of their daughter Sarah Jane.
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Hi Sara,
So we share two of the same great/great great grandparents! It is a small world indeed.
I am descended through their first born, John Cunningham, who inherited the farm from his father. He ceded the rights to it to his brother Andrew, not to enter business as I first thought, but to study to be a teacher. He studied at Dublin College, where (I assume) he met his wife to be, Jane (Jeannie) McMillen Browne, who was also a teacher. It was some time after that that he became an auctioneer, valuer and estate agent. They at first lived in Catherine Street, Limavady, then moved to 3 Main Street, Limavady, but were probably renting because the property was converted to a bicycle shop. He must have been successful, because they then purchased 6 and 8 Main Street. The family lived in one half, and the other half was set up as a school for my grandmother Ada, which she ran with her mother very successfully until she married my grandfather in 1913 and left Ireland for good. She did return for visits on at least two but probably more occasions. My aunt (Ada's daughter) visited the house (then owned by the Mullins family) in or about 1980 and met the then owners and two of Ada's former students.
If you would like more information on Ada and her descendents, please email me directly at (*). I would love to hear from you to compare notes and share photos etc.
My wife and I are travelling out in the desert for the next three weeks and will be periodically out of range of mobile phones and therefore internet access from time to time, but I should be able to respond without too much delay.
Thank you for making contact.
Terry
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Hi,
The two properties you refer to in Main Street, Limavady, lay empty for some years and about a year ago they mysteriously burned down. The site was cleared and is now up for sale.
Regards
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Kingskerswell,
Thank you for letting me know. I am a little sad to hear that that link with the past is now gone, but since the houses were known to have been standing during the Siege of Derry (according to a book I read), I guess they had had a good run.
Cheers,
Terry
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Hi,
The houses which we are talking about were Georgian so would not have been there in 1688. However I have a copy of an old map which shows houses on the site in 1699. The occupiers at that time, as near as I can determine, were Mistress Cambol (sic) widow and Walter Williamson.
Regards
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Hi
I have started following up on some family history research my father started about 25 years ago.
My Great Grandfather, Thomas Walker Todd, a farmer from Castlemellan, Co Tyrone, married Hannah Cunningham in the parish of Glendermott on 30/1/1879. Hannah's father was Samuel John Cunningham, a farmer from Primity. The marriage was witnessed by her brother, Andrew Cunningham and her sister, Lizzie Cunningham. I understand she was the oldest of 11 children.
Since Thomas was born in 1846, and your Samuel John married Jane Ferguson in 1847, I suspect we could be looking at the same family.
I do not know what happened to Hannah after this - we cannot trace records of her death, but Thomas remarried on 12 October 1897. As far as we know, Thomas and Hannah had no children.
I would be interested in any information you have on Hannah or her brothers and sisters.
Marjorie
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Hello
I do have information on Hannah's siblings. I have listed them below:
John Cunningham born 11.12.1847 Primity, Co Londonderry - died 21.9.1919 Castlerock Co.Londonderry
married Jane McMillen Browne and they had 5 children.
Hannah Cunningham born 1.1.1849 and may have died in Omagh 1896???
Married Thomas Walker Todd and they had no children. Hannah's death would tie in with Thomas remarrying in 1897.
Andrew Cunningham born 28.2.1851 and died 22.5.1904 Glendermott Co.Londonderry
Did not marry
Isabella Cunningham born 7.1.1852
married William John Keatley No children
Mary Ann Cunningham born 27.5.1855
married Mark Kerr No children
Elizabeth Cunningham born 28.4.1857
married Robert Bell 7 Children
David Babington Cunningham born 24.4.1859 and died 20.6.1917
married Anna McNealy No children
Sarah Jane Cunningham born 24.3.1861 Glendermott, Co.Londonderry and died 14.2.1919 in Wimbledon, Surrey, England
married Thomas Alexander Cochrane and they had 8 children (they were my great-grandparents).
Rebecca Cunningham born 24.2.1865 and died 1912 Londonderry
married Hugh McMonagle and they had 6 children
Samuel F Cunningham (Reverend) born 26.3.1867 and died July 1930 Old Hunstanton, Norfolk, England
married Clara Elizabeth Crook No children.
Robert Cunningham born 21.6.1869
married Harriett Ann Shepherd 2 children
I hope this information helps. I you would like to send me a PM perhaps we can help each other further.
Xsara237
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Hello. Quite by chance, by a general internet search, I recently came across the posts on RootsChat re Cunningham. My mother is Jean Cunningham (died 10 February 2011, aged 91) and was the daughter of David Brown Cunningham of Catherine St and Main St, Limavady. She was one of nine born to David and Mary. Her brothers and sisters were Maisie (Frances May), Walter, Edith, David, Aileen, Brian, Noelle and Roy (Robert). I remember my mother and my aunts and uncles talking about their Aunt Ada and how intelligent and kind she was and that she had settled in Adelaide. I think in about 1960/61 her son (?) Harry Wesley Smith came to visit them in Belfast and I remember as a seven-year old sitting down to a grand 'tea' in his honour at Edith's who was living in the old family home, Cavehill Rd, Belfast. Perhaps he is your father? At some stage David Cunningham moved with his family from Limavady to Belfast and worked in the Bank of Ireland (?). My older brother is *, Edith's daughter is *, Aileen's daughters are * and *, Roy who moved to Belgian Congo and then Victoria, Canada had a son * and four daughters. Interested also to see your other posts re Henry Smith, Dublin. There were also cousins of my mother's living in Armagh - Joy (*) and I think Hilda and/or Noelle.
* Moerator's Note: details of living people removed in accordance with Rootschat policy. Please see Posting Guidelines in Help pages.
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Hello
We are related ............. my great grandmother was Sarah Jane Cunningham and her brother was John Cunningham the father of David Brown Cunningham. Harry Wesley Smith is the son of Ada and they did eventually settle in Australia. Unfortunately the moderator has removed some of you post because it mentioned living people. When you have 3 posts I can send you a personal message as I would like to know the information that you sent and I have information that may be of interest to you.
I look forward to hearing from you again.
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Hello roycha,
It is nice to hear from another family member. I am Ada Cunningham's grandson, and a nephew of Harry Wesley-Smith (deceased), Ada's first child. xsara and I are in contact via email and she has given me much useful information on the Cunningham side of the family. I have a number of photographs of the family in Limavady which may be of interest to you as well as some extracts from Ada's memoirs. (The memoirs themselves appear to have been lost). I will try to PM you so that we can make contact and bring each other up to date on our respective branches of the family.
Terry
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Hello roycha,
xsara and I tried but sadly we can't send you a PM until you make two more posts. I am looking forward to sharing information on our respective family branches.
Terry
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Hello Canberraterry, I am also working on my tree and I wonder if you have D.O.B. and D.O.D. for Samuel John Cunningham and Jane Ferguson who married on the 17-02-1847 in Gortnessey Meeting Place. My name is Ferguson and I am trying to see if there is a connection as I have very little info on Cunninghams. Matthew Ferguson.
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Could this be your Samuel John Cunningham?
"The Will of Samuel John Cunningham late of Primity County Londonderry Farmer who died 19 January 1889 at same place was proved at Londonderry by Jane Cunningham of Primity Widow one of the Executors."
"Double Probate of the Will of Samuel John Cunningham late of Primity County Londonderry Farmer who died 19 January 1889 granted at Londonderry to John Cunningham of Limavady in said County Auctioneer one of the Surviving Executors."
See www.proni.gov.uk to see wording of Will.
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Hi Matthew,
Nice to meet another relative.
Samuel John Cunningham was my great great grandfather.
According to my information he was born on 27 Oct 1827 at New Buildings, County Londonderry, married Jane Ferguson at Gortnessy Meeting House 17 Feb 1847, and died on 19 Jan 1889. He is buried at Clondermott Church of Ireland church.
Jane was born in 1829 at Gortnessy, and died at Clondermott in 1893. I am sorry that I don't have further details of her, but would love more info if you have it.
I am descended through Ada Cunningham (1879-1970), the daughter of Samuel's son John Cunningham (1847-1919) and his wife Jane "Jeannie" McMillen Browne (1855-1921).
I have a fairly good history of the Cunninghams after Samuel if you are interested. PM me if you would like to share further info.
Aghadowey, thank you once again for your help.
Terry
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Hello Terry, I have about 1,000 index cards of names, sadly alot are not blood related but I keep them as they may hold info that might help someone else. I have found blood relatives in Australia, New Zealand and in Ireland some in my own home town that I had no idea existed until now. You have the names Cunningham, Ferguson, Brown,Smith and Black under your posting and these are names that I am looking info on. I have nothing past my grand father George Black 1898-1972 his father might have been Johnand his mother might have been Mary Jane.
I hope we can establish a positive connection soon, so ask any question you need an answer to.
Good hunting, Matthew Ferguson.
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My Grandfather was Samuel John Cunningham born in Limavady on April 30th, 1877. His father was John Cunningham born 1850 and his wife was Jane Brown. I have a copy of the census from 1901 on Main Street in Limavady. At that time the father was John Cunningham (head of family) age 51. His wife was Jane Cunningham 45. Daughter Adeline R. Cunningham was 20. His son David Cunningham was 18 and Edith Cunningham daughter was 16. I also have a picture of the Limavady Collegiate School. It is a picture of a play "Dick Whittinton". The play was performed in 1905. The names on the picture are Miss Cunningham and Miss E. Cunningham. I have pictures of Miss Ada Cunningham 1905 and Miss Edith Cunningham 1905.
My Grandfather, Samuel Cunningham had four children. Mary Cunningham born March 12, 1909, Margaret born February 12, 1911 and Edith born February 17, 1915 and my father John Cunningham born July 18, 1920.
I believe Terry from Canberry, Australia your grandmother was my grandfather's sister.
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Hi,
John Cunningham married Jane Brown in Glendermott Church of ireland, City of Londonderry i 1876
Regards
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Kingskerswell
Thank you for the information on the marriage of John Cunningham and Jane Brown in Glendermott Church in 1876.
My father stated that his father Samuel Cunningham had some quarrels with siblings over the settlement of their parents estate. Samuel left Ireland. First to Scotland but settling in Canada. My father also mentioned that his father Samuel Cunningham said his Uncle (nicknamed Canon Cunningham) was "One of the big guns of the church".
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Hello West Island,
Nice to hear from another cousin. I understood from family lore that Samuel moved to Scotland to train as a pharmacist, married a Marjorie Christie, and migrated to Canada. I believe he also served in the Boer War and World War 1. Is this correct? I would love to hear more of your side of the family history and share what I have of the family tree.
Ada had to close her school at 6 and 8 Main Street Limavady when she married John Wesley Smith in July 1913, and then travelled the world with him until he retired to Australia in 1919. I understand that the old Cunningham house and school at 6 and 8 Main Street stood until a couple of years ago, and I have a photo of it in 1981. I lived with Ada in Adelaide for almost all of 1966, and she was a great lady. Unfortunately her marriage meant that apart from letters she had little contact with her family after 1913. I have a great many letters that she wrote to Edith and her mother Jeannie during her travelling days describing where she was and what was going on, together with several of her photo albums and post card collections from exotic places.
If you PM me with your email address, I would like to share some Cunningham photos and other information.
Hello Matthew,
The Blacks I am interested in were not as far as I know resident in Ireland but migrated (I think) from England. One of my maternal great grandmothers was Jessie Black (1861-1920), the daughter of Thomas Black (1814-1883) and Hephzibar Whistlecroft (1822-1871). Thomas Black arrived in South Australia sometime between the founding of the colony in 1836 and 1845 when he and Hephzibar were married in Adelaide. Jessie married Charles Edward Mackie (1861-1930) in Adelaide in 1888.
Are any of these names familiar?
Terry
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Hi Canberryaterry,
Yes, we are cousins. You were correct on the information on my Grandfather Samuel Cunningham. My Dad left a bit of information of his Dad. This is what my Dad said about Samuel. He served in the British Army during the South African war and subsequently worked for a drug company in Glasgow, Scotland where he met Marjorie Christie, who also worked there and they were subsequently married.
They emigrated to Canada in 1913 and resided in Montreal. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in 1915 and served overseas. He was wounded and received a small, lifetime disability pension. On demobilization he attended McGill University and obtained a degree in pharmacology and went to work a drug comany. In 1923 he opened his own drug store.
I also have from the Genealogy Centre in Derry information which I asked for. This is part of it and I can send you the rest at a later date. As you found out from the Registrar's Office in Belfast, the birth Of Samuel John Cunningham of Catherine Street, Limavady is recorded in Limavady civil birth registers on 30 April, 1877 to John Cunningham (an Attorney's clerk) and Jane Brown (informant is John Cunningham). The following siblings are also recorded in Limavady civil registers.
I can send you the rest of the information later but it does mention Adeline Rutherford Cunningham born 6 Oct 1879.
I would be happy to give you my email address but I don't know how to go about it. i want the email address secure and that you only receive it.
Regards, West Island
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Hi West Island,
Below Canberryaterry's name on the top left of her message is a grey circle with a "page" in it. If you click on this you can send a personal message which is private.
Regards
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Hi West Island,
I have sent you a PM with my email address.
Terry
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Hi!
I just stumbled on your communications regarding the Cunningham's of Primity, New Buildings, Co Londonderry. My interest is that my Grand Mother was Rebecca Cunningham. Her eldest brother was John Cunningham Auctioneer in Limavady. Adeline Rutherford Cunningham was one of the witnesses at my Grand Mother,s wedding in Glendermot C of I church.
I do have some little bits of information going back if it,s of interest.
Best regards,
Benbane57
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Hello Benbane,
Thanks for making contact. It is nice to meet another cousin. I have sent you a PM with my email address.
Terry
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Hi! Terry,
Thank you for the PM. Apparently I cannot reply by PM until I have posted at least three times. It would be interesting to exchange family information. I did do some family research a few years ago and was fortunate enough to make contact and exchange information with xsara. Though there are probably some parts of what I was able to find will be of interest to you.
Regards,
Benbane57