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Hi Allstar, the surnames you enquire about are spelt in a number of different ways.  Laverty is indeed sometimes Lafferty and while the 'v' is used in most records I can recall that some years ago a cousin of mine obtained a copy of the entry of death and Mary was noted as "Lafferty".  In the days when full reading and writing wasn't something you could take for granted it is not surprising to see this.  I also note that Flynn/Flinn/Flin are common variations and the name is completely mistranscribed in the 1881 census as something completely different.

I am pleased to note that GG Grandfather Robert Flynn's occupation was given as embankment labourer.  Presumably this means he must have been employed on some sort of canal project near Wigtown?

Hi there, I am descended from the same Flynn family you are posting about.  The handwriting on these old records is pretty awful. 

I can provide some of the information you are interested in learning about.

My great grandfather John Flynn was born in Wigtown Scotland in 1844 and he had a sister Catherine (and I would be very interested to learn more of her and her descendents).  They were the children of Robert Flynn and Mary (nee Laverty) and in the census records taken from 1841 onwards nominated their origins as both being from County Down in Northern Ireland.  Mary was from Drumaroad (a little village which still exists).  Robert nominated his origins as being Kilmegan which is an old historic parish area which can still be viewed on a historic parish map but it is difficult to tell where, within that area he came from.  Castlewellan is probably the nearest township of any significance.  I have a photo of Robert and Mary's grave in Wigtown and would be happy to post more information about them.  I would also be interested to know if you have any idea what became of the other Flynn siblings.

My ancestor John Flynn migrated to New Zealand in 1876.