RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Antrim => Topic started by: Sandel1 on Monday 22 November 21 10:09 GMT (UK)
-
Hi
I am the Grand-daughter of John Gordon of Topp Ballymoney, 1994 - 1961 and have not really much info on his family other than that he had a brother James. I am told there was a Coal Yard on Meeting House Street, Ballymoney in years gone by run by a James Gordon who possibly died in an accident near Balnamore and had a son Robert. I don't think this was a brother but would be interested in any info on this family to see if James may have been a cousin or nephew. I also learned there was a James Gordon at Bendooragh, who died just a few years back who was some degree of cousin. Any info appreciated.
-
I am the Grand-daughter of John Gordon of Topp Ballymoney, 1994 - 1961.......
1911 census
House 5 in Topp, Lower (Stranocum, Antrim)
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Stranocum/Topp__Lower/126890/
....and in 1901 census
House 11 in Ballybogy (Benvarden, Antrim)
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Benvarden/Ballybogy/945155/
KG
-
Thank you. These records indeed are my folks. Now seeking connections elsewhere, starting with possible links to the coal yard. Have learned from Billion Graves and another correspondent just now that the coal yard Gordons may have included a Samuel Boyd Gordon who had two youngish adult children James Andrew and Odette deceased in recent times. This does not prove a link to my folks as Andrew and Odette not traditional Gordon names.
-
You mentioned a death in Balnamore. I suspect this Probate abstract is connected:
Gordon, Samuel Boyd of Balnamore Ballymoney county Antrim lorry driver died 26 October 1964 at Balnamore Road Ballymoney Administration Belfast 14 December to Margretta Gordon the widow. Effects £235 10s.
Belfast Telegraph of 27.10.1964 reports the death briefly. Deceased was 42 and lived in Grove Park, Balnamore. He was knocked down by a passing car.
-
Many thanks. We seem to be on the correct family per Billion Graves which ties in with this report. I am interested in two generations back, ie the deceased man's grandfather who may connect with mine. His father may have been James.
-
I think you would probably need to go into GRONI or PRONI and search for Samuel’s marriage to Margretta. That will give you his father’s name and with that you can search back for his birth, and so on. Births within the past 100 years and marriages within 75 are not on-line and you can only search for them in those 2 places. (Or pay GRONI to search for you).
-
Lots of snippets in various newspapers, including these-
Ballymoney Free Press, 11 May 1933: A Wee Assurance Case. James Gordon, Meeting-house Street, Ballymoney, sought to recover £4 is 6d, premiums paid on an assurance policy on the life of his mother, on behalf of his brother, Wm. James Gordon. Mr. Corscadden for plaintiff, and ...
Belfast Telegraph, 16 Nov.1939: HORSE FATALLY INJURED. … Ballymoney, and driven by Mr. Robert Ellison, Meeting-house Street, was on Wednesday involved in a collision with a horse at the Milltown Mill gate, near Ballymoney. The horse, drawing a lorry belonging to Mr. James Gordon, coal merchant, Ballymoney, was coming …
Ballymena Weekly Telegraph, 24 Feb.1940: COAL MERCHANT'S APPEAL. James Gordon, Meetinghouse Street, Ballymoney, appealed against fine imposed at Ballymoney Petty Sessions in December for delivering a quantity of coal which, when weighed, was found be less weight than that represented by the seller …
Ballymena Weekly Telegraph, Apr.1955: … David Gordon, Meeting House Street, Ballymoney, was fined for not having a load of coal on his lorry properly distributed. Adjourned for six months to …
A bit more detail on Samuel Boyd Gordon-
Belfast Telegraph, 27 Oct.1964: … 26, 1964 … as result of an accident. SAMUEL B., dearly-loved husband of Margretta Gordon, 5 Grove Park, Balnamore, and fifth son of James and the late Nancy Gordon, Meetinghouse Street, Ballymoney. House strictly private. Funeral arrangements later.
-
Family grave in Knock Rd cemetery, Ballymoney:
Gordon / in loving memory of / Samuel Boyd / beloved husband of Margretta Gordon / died (result of an accident) 26th October 1969 / aged 40 years / also his son James Andrew / died 4th February 1982 aged 25 years / dearly loved daughter Odette / died 30th June 2003 aged 39 years / until the day break and the shadows flee away
-
Family grave in Knock Rd cemetery, Ballymoney:
Gordon / in loving memory of / Samuel Boyd / beloved husband of Margretta Gordon / died (result of an accident) 26th October 1969 / aged 40 years / also his son James Andrew / died 4th February 1982 aged 25 years / dearly loved daughter Odette / died 30th June 2003 aged 39 years / until the day break and the shadows flee away
Did Samuel not die in 1964 as per newspaper report?
-
Yes. I assume it’s either a transcription error or a mistake on the gravestone. Not unknown as we know. Death certificate is for 26.10.1964 aged 41. So the age on the gravestone isn't right either.
-
Possible parents? James Gordon & Nancy Anderson m.1914-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1914/09835/5571327.pdf
William John Gordon (1914)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1914/01424/1584365.pdf
James Gordon (1915)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1915/01370/1564622.pdf
Samuel Boyd Gordon (1917)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1918/01290/1534395.pdf
death (1918)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1918/05189/4433083.pdf
Samuel Gordon (1919)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1919/01250/1519362.pdf
death (1919)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1919/05153/4420808.pdf
Margaret Gordon (1920)
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1920/01210/1503139.pdf
-
This may be the marriage of the William John Gordon you referenced in the newspapers, aghadowey. His marriage to Ellen Booth in 1885 https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1885/10872/5970555.pdf
The had a son called Samuel Boyd Gordon in Ballymoney in 1896 https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1896/02164/1819970.pdf He looks to have died in Canada in 1935
They also had a son James in born 1890 in Ballymoney.
Wonder if this is the family a couple of generations back?
1901 www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000296443/
1911 www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001380030/
Monica
-
Photo from Billion Graves for the gravestone https://billiongraves.com/grave/Samuel-Boyd-Gordon/22946548
Monica
-
Sandel1, just adding link to your old Gordon post for background here www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=766778.0
The Hannah Wilson you think was mother to John Gordon Wilson b. 1864 died young didn't she https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1874/020663/7250434.pdf
Monica
-
Sandel1,
You now have a fair bit of information about this branch of the Gordon family. There were several Samuel Gordons in the Ballymoney area. You need to take care to make sure you follow the right line back.
I would contact GRONI and get a copy of Odette Gordon’s birth certificate c 1964. Odette is not a common name and it should be easy enough to find. (Her 2003 death certificate should have her exact date of birth but I suspect you can avoid paying for that). From Odette’s birth certificate you will have her mother’s maiden/previous name and should be able to trace their marriage. Andrew was born c 1956 so it was presumably sometime prior to that. The marriage should give you Samuel Boyd G’s father’s name and occupation. That should help identify the correct Samuel Boyd Gordon birth.
GRONI will do a 5 year search for £7 and if they find a matching certificate you can purchase it for £8, coming to a total of £15. It will be posted to you a few days later. You pay over the phone using a credit card. You type your number in on the phone keypad. They don’t know what it is. They won’t deal with these searches and orders by e-mail or post because they need you to type the credit card number in yourself.
Phone: 0300 200 7890 (+44 300 200 7890 from outside the UK)
Alternatively if you live near Belfast, you can go in person to either GRONI or PRONI (both in Belfast). They are the only places where you can search recent records, right up to those registered yesterday. You can view each cert there for £2.50, and if you want a certified copy it’s an extra £8. (Posted out in 2 to 3 weeks time).
At present you need to make an appointment for a personal visit to either PRONI or GRONI. See their websites for details.
-
Thank you to all who made valuable contributions to my search for info on this family. Yes, it would seem that Samuel Boyd Gordon was neither 40 as his gravestone suggests on his death in 1964, or 42 as the press report. I have found his birth recorded to Nancy and James Gordon 7 May 1919. I know from past experience that a year or two in either direction seemed to suffice for birthdays back in the day. He seems to have been their fourth child, not fifth. I had already traced James and Nancy back to him being the son of Wm James of Kirkfields who married Ellen Booth of Kirkhills in 1885, and his father was James. I also was considering a line from Hugh and Selina Boyd Gordon, because of the Boyd addition to the name but this now is irrelevant, though this line is to my DNA match. My Great Grandfather John Gordon born 1864 appears to have had an Uncle James born 1834 who married late per my DNA match on Ancestry, they were from near the Dark Hedges, so I conclude that I am most likely related to Gordons of the coal yard through him. It was the Telegraph death announcement that provided the info that put it all into place, and this was a paper I never would have delved into for local affairs, usually looking up old Chronicles and Constitutions. I had not wanted to go into the area involving Samuel Boyd Gordon's children's deaths as the person who contacted me seeking the family link shared fairly sensitive info on the sad conditions that prevailed for these young people. Thank you all who contributed - some useful info on GRONI may help others too.
-
As I posted yesterday-
Samuel Gordon born 1919 died 9 days old-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1919/05153/4420808.pdf
Births for N.I. counties only go up to 1921 so it's likely he was born 1922 or slightly later.
-
Thanks Aghadowey, makes sense now as this agrees better with the press statement, was unable to open this link last night, all good now.
-
My grandfather was William John Gordon, married to Margaret Elizabeth Buick. He had a coal merchant business with several of his brothers (only know the name of one ... Andy) in Ballymoney and they lived in Meeting House St, Ballymoney. They had 5 children including my Mum. We mist have a connection as my Uncle (my Mum's only brother was also called Samuel and I'm pretty sure his middle name was Boyd.
-
Welcome to RootsChat :)
Yes, it would seem that Samuel Boyd Gordon was neither 40 as his gravestone suggests on his death in 1964, or 42 as the press report.
From GRONI Online- https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk/
Samuel Gordon 15th November 1922 Male Anderson Ballymoney
-
My grandfather was William John Gordon, married to Margaret Elizabeth Buick.
Marriage via GRONI - https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk/
M/1934/I1/262/2/37 William Gordon & Margaret Buick 26th December 1934 Ballymoney
-
Wonder if you have done DNA on Ancestry or MyHeritage. A fair time lapsed since I discussed the connections with Gordons of the coal yard and actually got caught up in my mother-in-law's tree at the request of a relative on that side. Meanwhile, MyHeritage has yielded some Gordon matches originating in Donegal. It would seem that there was a line going back to beef farmer/butchers who came from Scotland about a hundred years ago, who arrived and settled around Donegal town and married into the local community, with just a few carrying the name Gordon now around, but many absorbed into other families. Curious to know if any of the line discussed on this thread match these folks, or can relate to them.
-
Hi, I did join Ancestry.com a few years ago but found very little. I thought the site was difficult to navigate to be honest and then, like you, got waylaid by my father's side!