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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Cavan => Topic started by: Cousin Cath on Tuesday 18 March 14 20:34 GMT (UK)
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The story is told that James Hamilton became a schoolteacher in Glasgow. In about 1587 he left Scotland by ship and due to storms unexpectedly arrived in Dublin, Ireland. He decided to stay and took up the position of master at the Free School in Ship Street. On the side, he was an informer for King James VI of Scotland and in that process was able to gain some property and eventually a title.
According to Wikipedia, Hamilton recruited tenants from the Scottish Lowlands to migrate to Ulster to farm his newly acquired lands for low rents. He persuaded members of his extended family to come and, in May 1606, the first group of farmers, artisans, merchants and chaplains arrived to form the Ulster Scots settlement. By 1611, a new town of eighty houses had been established at Bangor, where Hamilton lived. His brother John acquired lands in County Armagh and founded Markethill, Hamiltonsbawn and Newtownhamilton.
Some Stevensons were among the Scots that James Hamilton transplanted. In 1617, William, John and Thomas Stevenson settled on land that they bought from the Hamilton family. William Stevenson (born about 1595 somewhere in Scotland probably Lanarkshire) settled in Bangor, County Down; John Stevenson settled in Armagh; and Thomas settled in Tyrone.
William is said to have had five sons who married and farmed in Ireland. In 1850, a couple of his descendants, David Alexander Stevenson (b. 1829) and his brother John Stevenson emigrated to the US. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has figured out the generational connections between David (b 1829) and William (b. abt 1595)
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William Stevenson’s property was inherited by his son John Stevenson born about 1620 who married into the Hamiltons – Rachel Hamilton. Their daughter Eleanor was born in 1677 and sons included Hans “John” and James.
Another of William's sons is said to be William Stevenson d. 1627, who bought land in the parish just south of Bangor called Donaghadee on townland named Ballyraer. His son (appear to be missing a generation or two here!) William married Isabelle Orr (1744-1818) from Drumfad in the same parish. (Isabelle Orr BIRTH: ABT 1744, of Kilmood, Killinchy, Down, N Ireland married : William Stevenson 1730-1786) and his wife Isabella Orr are buried at St. Andrews Church of Ireland - Balligan Down Ireland
Their son William STEVENSON ABT 1788, Of Ballyraer , Down, Ireland; married Jane M'KEE on 24 Jul 1813, Killinchy, Down, N Ireland)
A third son of William Stevenson who emigrated to Ireland in 1617 was Alexander Stevenson who moved to Killyeagh by 1641, married Elizabeth Rainey from the same parish.(editorial comment - looks like a few generations are missing here.) They lived in Ballywalter in Inishargee. (Elizabeth Rainey, d/o Robert Rainey b. abt. 1775, b. abt. 1801 Kirkcubbin, Down, d. 1831, m. Alexander Stevenson on Feb 11, 1818, Kirkcubbin, Down.) Their son David Alexander (b. 1829) came to the US in 1850 with his brother John. John Settled in Ohio and David came further west and his descendants settled in the Nevada and Utah areas. (some websites showing Alexander’s dates as 1773-1847) Mytrees.com is showing Alexander’s parents as William and Isabella Stevenson married 1761.
Elizabeth Rainey b.1791 married Alexander Stevenson 11 Feb 1818 at Kircubbin Presbyterian Church, County Down, Ireland; She was the wife of Alexander Stevenson of Ballymullan/Ballywater; died 20 Oct 1831 aged 40; & buried Whitechurch graveyard, County Down, Ireland. Possible Children include:
vii. David Alexander Stevenson born 1 Nov 1829 Ireland and died 17 Nov 1905 Sunnyside, Carbon County, Utah, USA. He married three times . His wives names were Ann Stevenson, Sarah Carroll and Catherine Justet (1858 - 1893) . Children: David John Stevenson (1877 - 1948) and Heber Moroni Stevenson (1886 - 1956). He was buried in Orangeville City Cemetery, Orangeville, Emery County, Utah, USA
vi.Kilmood, County Down, Ireland- John Stevenson b. 1831 was the son of Alexander Stevenson; aged 20 married Jane Moorhead 6 Aug 1852
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It is very possible that my ancestor in County Cavan, Isabella Stevenson (born about 1824), is descended from one of the three Stevensons that emigrated to Ireland in 1617 from Scotland. She and her husband William English attended the Glasleck Presbyterian Church. Isabella seems to have died before the 1901 census . Isabella Stevenson is one of my brick walls and I am looking for any information on Stevensons in County Cavan.
A man that was perhaps her brother, was alive for the 1901 census. John Stevenson ,age 75, farmer, Presbyterian, lived in Horath, Newtown, Meath, next to James and Margaret Brady . Birthplace is given as Scotland . In the same house is Mary Stevenson, his wife, age 74, birthplace Scotland and Margaret Blackwood, stepdaughter 35 - Presbyterian born County Wicklow. Does anyone know this family?
I am interested in hearing from anyone who is working on the Stevenson family tree in County Down, Meath, Cavan. Other names for the farming area I am interested in include Lisagoan, Taghart, Tahart, Parish of Enniskeen, Sheognegleagh.
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I'm currently looking at the Hamiltons in this area, although my Hamiltons are said to be decended from Claude Hamilton of Montalony not from James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye.
Have you seen this
Dorcas Stevenson grandaughter of Hans Stevenson and his wife Anne, née Hamilton.
She was made 1st Baroness Dufferin and Claneboye
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorcas_Blackwood,_1st_Baroness_Dufferin_and_Claneboye
Kind of ironic, when you say the Stevensons were brought out by James Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye. So it seems there is another link of your Stevensons/Hamiltons.
So I would ask is this Hans Stevenson the one you mention in your post (maybe something to prove?)
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Yes, it is the same Hans Stevenson. Dorcas Stevenson and her grandfather Hans appear on http://www.WikiTree.com/genealogy/Stevenson-Family-Tree-1930 . Thanks for your thoughtful post.
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RE William is said to have had five sons who married and farmed in Ireland. In 1850, a couple of his descendants, David Alexander Stevenson (b. 1829) and his brother John Stevenson emigrated to the US. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has figured out the generational connections between David (b 1829) and William (b. abt 1595)
John was my spouse's great grandfather. John's parents were Alexander Stevenson and Elizabeth Rainey of Ballymullen. We have visited their grave in Ballywater. Would love to share info about John and brother David.
We know and agree that Alexander's parents were William Stevenson and Isabella Orr. Can you document the previous history?
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Thank you for the post! I've searched for years to find the origian of William Stevenson (b. 1751) and Isabella Orr without success. Are there good sources to learn more about the three Stevensons from Scotland who purchased Hamilton land in Ireland in the late 1500's and early 1600's?
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Sorry, don't have any reliable sources on the Stevensons but do have a look at http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/IRL-ANTRIM/2001-02/0982300493
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That is a great lead. Thank you!! Stevensondr
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It won't help with family connections but have you tried searching for their names in the Down Survey.
http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/landowners.php#mc=53.81919,-6.564676&z=10
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I know I'm grasping at straws but I have been trying to find the family of my grandfather for many years now & wondered if they could somehow be connected to your Stevensons:
His name is Thomas McConnell Stevenson.
Born in 1865 (or possibly 1864) Marriage & death certificate say he was born in "Belfast".
Father's name on the marriage cert. is William Stevenson & his mother's maiden name is Mary Moag
Father's occupation on marriage cert is: farmer
Thomas left Ireland sometime before the 1890s & ended up in Fiji where he married my grandmother in 1894
Died in Auckland, NZ in 1913 when my father was a child.
There is a William McConnell Stevenson christened in the Killinchy Presbyterian Church, Co Down on 16.7.1832, father: Matthew Stevenson, however, I have not been able to establish this William as his father. The date & middle name fit in though.
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According to: Gravestone Inscriptions County Down, V. 12, compiled by R.S.J Clarke, published by the Ulster-Scot Historical Foundation, Willia Stevenson and Isabella Orr are buried in Templepatrick Graveyard in the downland of Miller Hill and parish of Donaghadee. The inscription reads:
Here leith the body of William Stevenson late of Ballyraer who departed this life 23rd June 1786 aged 56 years. Also his wife Isabella Stevenson alias ORR who departed this life 27th October 1818 aged 74 years.
The grave are photographed and online at: http://www.graves2.homecall.co.uk/Templepatrick/FrameSet.htm
I am also researching this family. Hope this helps.
I searched the cemetery in Balligan but there are only a handful of gravestones there.
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I dug through some books and journals that Google has digitized and found a tracing of a stone in Bangor Abbey for a William Stevnstone d. 1627. I've attached it below. The records came from John Stevenson a writer in the early 1900s and the Ulster Archaeology Journal. Here is John Stevenson in his book, Two Centuries of Life in Down, 1600-1800.
Stevenson describes a monument to the first Dean of Down under the Ulster Scots, Mester John Gibson, in the old church of Bangor. “Later, with opportunity to wander any day, or every day in the churchyard, I found many memorial stones of the early Scots. The great Lord Claneboye [James Hamilton] must have seen them many times…
“Most of these early 17th-century stones are heavy oblong slabs with lettering in relief. The statement of name, with description of the commemorated and date of death, begins at one corner of the stone, and is carried round the margin to finish at the starting point, the centre space being devoted to heraldry and doggerel, --pious, affectionate, or appreciative. A man drowned in 1629, certified by the marginal inscription to have been ‘a worthy Gentleman,’ William Stevnstone, --perhaps one of my own people, for they were of the Ards—is thus made to express his hope in a joyful resurrection: --
‘This Corps I left on Walter Shore,
My Soule now bathes in Flodes of Glor,
No Tempests tose no Deeps can droune,
No Death can Reave that purchased Crovne,
I died in Chryst with Chryst I rest.
Chryst was my Hope my Gaine,
My Bodie heir in Grave doth lye,
In Grave not to remaine.’"
The reference to Walter Shore could either be poetic for Ballywater or could mean that he drowned (as Stevenson reads into it).
The stone also says he was 27, died in 1627, and was married to "E.E."
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A higher resolution of this can be found in the Ulster Journal of Archaeology, "Monumental Remains of the Old Abbey of Bangor" Volume 7 from 1901.