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Messages - dhontario

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Fermanagh / Re: HENDERSON Enniskillen, Fermanagh
« on: Wednesday 20 April 11 19:07 BST (UK)  »
Hi Mike,

Welcome to the thread!  I'm not sure what to tell you about James?  It would be really helpful to know what townland he was from just to isolate which group he belonged to.  I only know of my GG grandfather William having 2 brothers.  There is nothing else in our records to show that he had any other siblings.  But I do know that there were other Hendersons (cousins?) living on the same townland of Cashel.  Unfortunately, Fermanagh is a big place and Henderson seems to be a relatively common name - although I haven't had much luck scouring the internet to find much evidence of their presence in this time period.  I need a visit to PRONI, but that a whole other story.

The methodism angle is a bit of a red herring (in my opinion) when researching.  I mean it's helpful if you know and you can go searching for records in a particular place.  But I've found being open minded has got be more leads.  None of the records in Northern Ireland are good, but the methodist ones are terrible if they exist at all.

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Fermanagh / Re: HENDERSON Enniskillen, Fermanagh
« on: Thursday 16 December 10 15:28 GMT (UK)  »
Sue and John,

To be honest, I'm a newbe to all this.  My grandfather and father attempted to dig up our family history in Ireland and were unsuccessful - partly because they weren't open minded enough to examine other possibilities or denominations.  My gg grandfather was a staunch Wesleyan Methodist and was a big supporter of his local congregation in Cobourg, Ontario.  His two younger brothers (as I said) remained Anglican.  They all lived in Cobourg together in the 1850's but then the 2 brothers moved on to Toronto and family lore says they never spoke again.  Again, lots of speculation, but I suspect the separation was due in part to their differing religious beliefs.  But this message board is hardly the place to get into a discussion on this sort of thing!

From the Parish Church records I found online, it appears William was the first child of Mathew Henderson and Sarah Seales (Scales?) as the records also had their wedding listed only a year or two before his birth/baptism.  Anne and William were definately not siblings, but she *might* have been a cousin or aunt.  Who knows?  I seem to be at a dead end for now as I believe I've turned over every rock the internet has to offer me.  One day I would like to travel to Ireland to do some more digging, but I have a young family and travel isn't in the cards in the immediate future!

I would like to stay in touch though (with anyone who has a connection to the Hendersons from this little corner of Ireland).  Collectively, perhaps we can shed some more light on our history?

One of the biggest mysteries I would like to solve is why did William and his 2 brothers Mathew and John leave Ireland?  He and Mathew were carpenters and John a cooper.  They were all in their late 20's early 30's when they left.  Either the famine was affecting their lives, the economy was so bad they couldn't find work or perhaps there was some other tragedy that made them go?  They left in 1848, the year after the tragic 1847 transatlantic crossings.  You'd think that would be enough to scare anyone away from leaving so soon afterwards?  I've attempted to locate them in the one or two business directories available online from the 1830's and 40's but they don't show up anywhere.  I can only assume that means they weren't very successful?

~ Dave

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Fermanagh / Re: HENDERSON Enniskillen, Fermanagh
« on: Wednesday 15 December 10 21:54 GMT (UK)  »
Hello Sue,

Looks like we may hijack this thread for a bit. 

At least you have some records.  The best I have is a reference in my grandfather's old files to a book that once belonged to my gg grandfather William.  It had his name, the date 1836 and Cash Hill.  I believe I located his baptismal record online from old parish records for Inishmacsaint parish church (CoI).  In those records, there appers to have been a whole family of Hendersons occupying Cashel townland.  I'm assuming your Anne may somehow be related if she was amongst the group at Cashel?

The Methodist connection is curious.  As I posted earlier, William emigrated to Canada with his 2 younger brothers John and Mathew in about 1848.  William was married to Mary Jane Knox and they had a daughter Sarah Jane.  Mary didn't make the voyage over and died enroute.  William was Methodist.  His brothers John and Mathew however remained Anglican until they died.  I'm assuming (again) that William either converted or married into methodism.  Your reference to methodism in your notes is curious?  Cashel is a very small townland with what appears to have been only a small settlement for the family.  It seems odd to me that the family unit would have been divided, Methodist and Church of Ireland.  But what do I know...?

~ Dave

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Fermanagh / Re: HENDERSON Enniskillen, Fermanagh
« on: Wednesday 15 December 10 20:23 GMT (UK)  »
Wow!  Thanks Elwyn...This is the mapping system I've been searching for!  I found what I was looking for (although the map is so cool, I think I have a new hobby).

Also thanks to Shane - you both got back so quickly.  Shane, using your suggested Townland search database, I easily confirmed that Cashel (or however you want to spell it) was in Inishmacsaint Parish, not Magheracross.  The Hendersons in Magheracross I highly doubt are related to me.  However, Sue in NY - I think we may have a (distant) connection through Anne

~ Dave

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Fermanagh / Re: HENDERSON Enniskillen, Fermanagh
« on: Wednesday 15 December 10 18:12 GMT (UK)  »
Ok...help!  I thought I knew what I was looking for and found many clues in what I believe is in 'my' right direction, but then I found this thread and I'm not so certain.

I am decended from a William Henderson (with brothers John and Mathew) born in 1815 in Fermanagh near Enniskillen and emigrated to Canada in about 1848.  I stumbled on some old family notes that point to their townland being Cashel (or Cash Hill).  I had assumed that to be in Inishmacsaint parish as I have also found some old parish records on line that seem to have a high probability that I am on the right track.

But then I read this thread and am confused??  There is another townland in Magheracross also called Cashel (Kash hill, Cash Hill) populated by Hendersons?  Ugh!

Can anyone give me a mid 1800's Northern Ireland geography lesson, or point me to an old map online?  I understand the relationship of Townland to Parish to Barony to County to Province, but without a map showing townlands, how can I sort out which one is more reasonable or appropriate to my search?  Or is this one of those questions that really has no answer?

~ Dave

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Fermanagh / HENDERSON Inishmacsaint, Fermanagh
« on: Tuesday 22 June 10 16:07 BST (UK)  »
Hi there, I already know most of my family history once they arrived in Cobourg Ontario, Canada...but like so many others, I'm trying to dig up what I can in Ireland.  Here's what I know:

3 brothers William (b. Aug.1, 1815 - my g.g.grandfather), John (b. ~ 1817), and Mathew (b. ~1828) all emigrated together to Cobourg, Ontario in the spring/summer 1848.  William and Mathew were both carpenters, John was a cooper.  William was married to Mary Jane Knox and had one daughter with her, Sarah Jane (b. Jan 25, 1841).  Mary Jane did not survive the voyage to Canada and died enroute.

I believe from what I have been able to find on my own, that William, John and Mathew were from Cashel (Cash hill) townland in Inishmacsaint parish, Fermanagh.  I also believe that they were likely the children of Mathew Henderson and Sarah Seales (Scales??) married Oct.6, 1812 in Inishmacsaint parish (CofI).

I am looking for any more information on Mathew and Sarah, other family members, parents, etc. or anyone else out there looking into the Hendersons of Cashel.  Can anyone help me?

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