RootsChat.Com
Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: shellboo on Wednesday 20 July 11 09:34 BST (UK)
-
Hi, Wondering if anyone has any info on The Townsend/McDowell line.
Alexander Townsend Born about 1846 and died 1918.
He married Margaret McDowell I think in 1870 which is the same year they came to New Zealand.
Thanks
-
Hi shellboo,
Welcome to Rootschat,
Alexander Townsend married Margaret McDowell on 16 May 1870 at Raloo Presbyterian Church, Parish of Raloo, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Alexander Townsend died 1918/Reg#5184
Alexander Townsend is buried at Papakura Cemetery in 1918, age 71.
Margaret Townsend died 1934/Reg#7108
Margaret Townsend is buried at Papakura Cemetery in 1934, age 84.
Link: https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/home/
Cheers,
Janet.
-
Possible children of Alexander and Margaret:
New Zealand births:
Margaret Townsend born 1876, Reg#15954
William Townsend born 1880, Reg#517
James Townsend born 1881, Reg#11030
Sarah Townsend born 1884, Reg#1132
Robert Henry Townsend born 1886, Reg#9677
John Townsend born 1888, Reg#5444
Agnes Townsend born 1891, Reg#16730
Eliza Townsend born 1892, Reg#496
Annie Esther Townsend born 1896, Reg#4173
-
Hi janet,
Thanks for the help.
I did know some of their children but their is a Gordon (he is my GG Grandfather) and Alexander as well.
Do you happen to know any of their birth details or parents?
Thanks Shelley
-
Hmm...according to Familysearch Record Pilot
44 records for McDowell in Raloo, Antrim...so if Margaret was 84 in 1934, we presume she was b around 1850 ..
IF she was born in Raloo ?...can`t find her...there is a Margaret Mcdowell who marries a John McDowell in 1857...that`s the only record of a Margaret around 1850`s
allan
-
Thanks Allan,
According to my records they must have got married then jumped straight on the boat. (They were married in May and arrived in Sept).
But I have no idea where she was from. I don't think birth certificates show anything but the parents name and even then it doesn't show a maiden name.
Do you know if this is correct?
If there is a chance of the birth cert showing anything I may consider ordering one.
Thanks, Shelley
-
Hi Shelley,
This is my family line as well. I went to the Townsend reunion at Te Aroha in the early 90's. I've done a bit of research going back into Ireland and have found Alex's and Marg's parents + brothers and sisters (some decendents are here in NZ as well). I can get information to you by email if you want as I have birth & wedding cert's and the Townsend Family photo from 1917/18.
Cheers,
Craig
-
According to my records they must have got married then jumped straight on the boat. (They were married in May and arrived in Sept).
But I have no idea where she was from. I don't think birth certificates show anything but the parents name and even then it doesn't show a maiden name.
Do you know if this is correct?
If there is a chance of the birth cert showing anything I may consider ordering one.
Civil registration of births started in 1864 so there will be no birth certificates for Alexander and Margaret.
Their marriage certificate, however, will list impostant details such as residences at time of marriage and fathers' names and occupations as well as names of two witnesses. See here for details on Irish marriage certificates and how to order certificate-
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,433042.0.html
Looks like the marriage details from the civil registration indec-
Alexander Townsend, 1870 Larne registration district, volume 6 page 763
-
Hi Shelley,
This is my family line as well. I went to the Townsend reunion at Te Aroha in the early 90's. I've done a bit of research going back into Ireland and have found Alex's and Marg's parents + brothers and sisters (some decendents are here in NZ as well). I can get information to you by email if you want as I have birth & wedding cert's and the Townsend Family photo from 1917/18.
Cheers,
Craig
Craig
I realise this is an old thread but I have just come across it. I have just been loaned a photograph of the Townsend family which may be the same as the one you mention. I reckon it was taken just a few years before the death of Alexander Townsend in 1918. My interest is this - my great grandfather was Hugh Townsend from Raloo (?). I don't have birth dates for him but I believe he may be related to Alexander Townsend - possibly a brother. Hugh Townsend married Sarah Larmour on 28 April 1876. Hugh's parents were James and Martha Townsend.
From your research are you aware of the names of the siblings of Alexander Townsend or can you throw any light on my thoughts ?
Appreciate your help.
Regards
Michael.
-
Hi Michael,
Yes, Hugh is Alexanders brother. He was born around 1854 I think. Sarah lamour his first wife died in 1896, buried in Gleno with James and Martha Townsend (took a pic of the grave in January). Hugh then married Elizabeth Milliken in 1898. They had a sister called Margaret who married Robert Brennan in 1862. I know there were a couple of other brothers but can't confirm their names, possibly William and Andrew. I have lots more info about the family and am in contact with other decendents of Hugh.
What is your line from Hugh? How did you come across the Townsend family photo from New Zealand?
-
Hi Michael,
Yes, Hugh is Alexanders brother. He was born around 1854 I think. Sarah lamour his first wife died in 1896, buried in Gleno with James and Martha Townsend (took a pic of the grave in January). Hugh then married Elizabeth Milliken in 1898. They had a sister called Margaret who married Robert Brennan in 1862. I know there were a couple of other brothers but can't confirm their names, possibly William and Andrew. I have lots more info about the family and am in contact with other decendents of Hugh.
What is your line from Hugh? How did you come across the Townsend family photo from New Zealand?
Hi Craig
Thanks for the quick response.
Hugh Townsend was my great grandfather on my mother's side. One of Hugh's children - the last by Sarah - was Eliza Stuart, my grandmother. I have a treasured photo of Hugh and family at the family farm just outside Carrickfergus taken at the christening of my grandmother in 1895. Sadly her mother, Sarah died shortly after that as you know.
My part in the present research is a little complicated but I will try to explain. My mother (80 next month) moved back to her home town of Carrickfergus last year. Her neighbour invited her for dinner and in the conversation produced the photo of Alex Townsend and family in NZ. My mother spotted an immediate resemblance with her grandfather, Hugh..... bizarre but there you go.
Turns out that the neighbour is a descendant of a John McMaw who married Jennie McDowell - I believe a sister of Margaret McDowell - Alex's wife.
Lots of pieces of the puzzle are falling into place. I know that Hugh - when he re-married - moved to Scotland so I have always been aware of distant relatives there and my mother is still in touch with some but none of us knew anything of the siblings of Hugh. I guess there are folk in NZ who share the same great, great grandparents with me....
What is your connection in all of this and are you in NZ?? Are there still Townsends in Alex's line in NZ?
-
Thats a great story with your mother and her neighbour!
Alex and Margaret Townsend are my gg grandparents. I live in Ramarama, South Auckland here in New Zealand, around 2 minutes away from the farm where they settled when they came to NZ. There's lots of Townsends from Alex's line over here, they had 13 children.
Margarets brother Gordon came over with them as well in 1870. I'm in touch with a couple of Hugh's decendants, one in Carrick and another in Scotland. It's a shame you hadn't seen this thread earlier as I was in Ireland for a month over Christmas and even stayed with a Mcdowell while in Ballyclare.
Really interesting to hear your mothers neighbour had a photo from NZ, definitely a small world. Our family thought there was no contact between Ireland and NZ families but obviously there was lots with the Townsends and the Mcdowells. I'd be quite interested to hear what your mothers neighbour has to say about the Mcdowells as we know very little about Margarets family.
-
Thats a great story with your mother and her neighbour!
Alex and Margaret Townsend are my gg grandparents. I live in Ramarama, South Auckland here in New Zealand, around 2 minutes away from the farm where they settled when they came to NZ. There's lots of Townsends from Alex's line over here, they had 13 children.
Margarets brother Gordon came over with them as well in 1870. I'm in touch with a couple of Hugh's decendants, one in Carrick and another in Scotland. It's a shame you hadn't seen this thread earlier as I was in Ireland for a month over Christmas and even stayed with a Mcdowell while in Ballyclare.
Really interesting to hear your mothers neighbour had a photo from NZ, definitely a small world. Our family thought there was no contact between Ireland and NZ families but obviously there was lots with the Townsends and the Mcdowells. I'd be quite interested to hear what your mothers neighbour has to say about the Mcdowells as we know very little about Margarets family.
Craig
Thanks for all the info - my mother will be delighted when I fill in these gaps for her.
What I can do in relation to the neighbour is see if she would be happy to communicate with you... I suspect at her age that it would need to be by good old fashioned letter !
A quick glance at Ramarama on Google tells me you live in a beautiful part of the world.
I have travelled as far as China and Japan but never to Australia or NZ .... I retired last year so if I make it down your way at any point I'll be sure to let you know and maybe arrange to meet up.
Is it possible for us to exchange e-mail addresses? - I'm not sure of the protocols on this site...
-
Hi Craig and Michael,
I have just seen your posts. Craig, it sounds as if you have made progress on the Antrim lines of Townsends and McDowells!
Michael, I am a descendant of Gordon McDowell, brother of Margaret referred to by Craig below and have been in touch with Craig about this topic in the past.
I had previously made the connection with the Gleno McDowells when visiting Ireland a number of years ago, but until I confirmed the connection with the Townsends, had not been able to tie down a direct connection with the McDowells there as there were so many.
My great auntie Lily (Elizabeth Mary McDowell) (daughter of Gordon's son Robert Henry McDowell, and grand-daughter to Gordon) visited Northern Ireland in the first half of the twentieth century and the family has always said that she was quite friendly with them and was the one in our line who maintained contact. The thing that originally got me looking in the Gleno / Carrickfergus area was that she had said that she had been to visit relatives in Carrickfergus who were related to the McDowells and that there were McDowells still living in the area who were related to us. She was apparently in contact with relatives in Antrim for many years and ended up marrying an Ulsterman, Ralph Lockhart. My Mother says that there were also McDowell relations who visited New Zealand in the 50's or 60's who were living in New York.
My great aunt was born in 1905 so passed away a number of years ago but the last information my Mother had about who the people could have been that she visited was that their surname was possibly Forsyth and they were from Carrickfergus.
Not sure if this is any help at all or whether this name is a red herring, but it was always one of my key starting goals of doing genealogy to find our Antrim McDowell link as well as who it was that our family remained in contact with for all those years.
Thanks
KESTON.
I have had
-
Hi,
Sorry just to clarify some of the above having spoken to my Mother. Lily visited Carrickfergus in the 1950's with her husband Ralph Lockhart.
The McDowells who later visited New Zealand were living at that time in New York.
The main things my Mother remembers of these events as a child were funny little things in that the kiwi McDowells were all so surprised at the idea that the New York McDowells lived in an apartment in New York and that this was rented. Also that the Carrickfergus McDowells all very much had the family names such ad Robert, Alexander etc, which were the names used in Lily's parents (Gordon's children's) generation. In Lily (sister of my grandfather Percy) and later my Mother's generations a lot of the names here had changed.
Anyway, not sure if any of this helps but is probably the last documented NZ connection with the Antrim McDowells and Townsends At this stage in our line of the family at any rate. As stated above, Lily was a cousin of the NZ Townsend's and I understand that she was in touch with that side of the family in NZ too.
Thanks
Keston.
-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1920/09277/5358921.pdf
Hi - read this post with interest as I have just discovered that my great grandfather Robert McDowell married Eliza Stewart Townsend in Raloo in 1920. Her parents were in Sarah Lamour and Hugh Townsend but I don't have any other information. Can any one help? And just as an add on I have already booked a holiday to North Island NZ in April 2018
-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1920/09277/5358921.pdf
Hi - read this post with interest as I have just discovered that my great grandfather Robert McDowell married Eliza Stewart Townsend in Raloo in 1920. Her parents were in Sarah Lamour and Hugh Townsend but I don't have any other information. Can any one help? And just as an add on I have already booked a holiday to North Island NZ in April 2018
Hugh Townsend, wife Elizabeth and family in 1901- daughter Eliza S. is age 5:
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Carrickfergus_Rural/North_East_Division/991913
Same family in 1911- married c1900:
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Eden/North_East_Division/193294
Elizabeth's maiden name Milliken & Hugh's father was James Townsend- married actually 1898-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1898/10433/5798982.pdf
Hugh's 1st wife Sarah died 1896-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1896/05902/4674679.pdf
Birth of Eliza Stewart Townsend in 1895-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1895/02221/1837785.pdf