Author Topic: Looking for McVittys.  (Read 7581 times)

Offline PatsyT

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Re: Looking for McVittys.
« Reply #9 on: Sunday 07 June 09 14:21 BST (UK) »
Hi to possible relatives!
I've been so busy for so long I'd even forgotten I'd already registered on this site.
One of the things I've done is to move to Northern Ireland. ;D
My mother's family (Bamford) come from Fermanagh, but I have not yet been able to trace my grandfather, James Presley McVitty's origins. He could have been from Fermanagh, Monaghan, Cavan or Tyrone.
The spicy family story is that he was a commercial traveller, aged 29, and my grandmother a girl of 18, when they went off to Dublin to get married by special licence. I suspect her parents were not happy about the relationship. My grandfather did become a most respected businessman, with a very profitable business in Scotch Street, Armagh, so maybe they came to terms with it.  :) There they lived in a house called Woodford. This was after 1912.
They were living in Clones, in a house called Greenbank, when most, if not all, of the children were born: Gerald Sidney, Dorothy Lillian, William James Denis, Laura Presley (my mother), and James. All are now deceased - hardly surprising when you think that my mother, the second youngest, was born in 1908.
I had also heard, Carol, that McVitty derives from Beattie, and interestingly enough, my mother used to talk about cousins with the surname Beattie.
At least two of my great-uncles moved to Ontario, possibly three: Reverend S.R. McVitty (the S could be for Samuel) seems to have arrived on the Virginian in 1908, and was principal of the Mount Elgin school at Muncie, Ontario for many years. In his death record I see a name for his "brother", another Reverend: William McVitty. This is the one I know nothing about. The third was William Bamford, who worked on the farm at Mount Elgin for a while before branching out on his own.
I have become very intrigued by the McVittys, as they are so difficult to find. I'm quite surprised I haven't found more about my grandfather, as he was a justice of the peace as well, and even today is remembered by people in Armagh. He died during the war - I don't have the date to hand.
If any of these names ring a bell, particularly Canadian connections, I would love to hear from you. My son now lives in Ontario, but I have not had a chance to visit since I found out about great-uncle S.R. or the two Williams, for that matter. I do have more names, but I yakked enough for now.

Offline mavityre

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Re: Looking for McVittys.
« Reply #10 on: Wednesday 12 August 09 16:52 BST (UK) »
Wow!

Hi Carol.  Any chance you might direct me to where I can get copies of the muster rolls in Cavan you were speaking about.?  My MAVITY family has an oral tradition that say's we had an ancestor at the Boyne.  There is no officer listed in the regiments with any variation of the name that were at the Boyne, but in 1708 there is listed an Alexander MacWattie, who I'm guessing was a foot soldier in the regiment in 1690.

My earliest ancestors are Robert and Margaret Morton Mavity.  They had a son William born Nov. 4th 1747.  The only place I find Mortons and Mavity's together is in Kinawley Parish at that time frame.  I believe Kinawley is in Cavan and Fermanagh.
I have also done extensive DNA testing that tells me that my early ancestors came from Dumfriesshire Scotland with the names of Glendinning, Elliot and MacGregor.  Putting a common ancestor with them at 98% around 1590.
DNA shows that my ancestors are closer to these family names than the McVitties or Beatties, which I find strange.  But, I'm sure there were many reasons to change names or identities back then!

Thanks

EDIT: I found the records.  It is the 1630 Cavan Muster Rolls and lists Thomas Maywitie under Sir Francis Hamilton - Knight & baronet, undertaker of 3000 Acres - his Men & Arms
Barony de Tulknock
And John, James, and Nathanial Mawitie under Sir Francis Hamilton - his Men & Arms
Brian Mavity

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Offline PatsyT

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To Carol Mack re Bamford/McVitty connection
« Reply #11 on: Wednesday 21 September 11 05:00 BST (UK) »
Hi Carol,

I'm in Canada on holiday and had a notification you'd sent me a message.
I feel a bit dim because I can't find how to reply to you directly, so I hope you see this. :P
There was a large family of Buford's in Fermanagh, so it is quite likely the one in the Fusiliers was one of mine.  :)
When I get home I intend to check the Public Records Office in Belfast; something I've been intending to do for ages.
I will then tell you what I find.
I went to St Thomas in Ontario a week ago and found some very interesting info on my great uncle Reverend Samuel McVitty, who was principal of Mount Elgin Industrial School for many years.
What fascinated me most was that he and his brother my grandfather James, each gave one of their daughters the identical name: Laura Presley McVitty, and one was my mother.
How weird is that? I am sure my late mother didn't know, because she would have mentioned it.
The Canadian Laura was seven years older than my mother, and died in 1939, aged only 38.

Offline PatsyT

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Re: Looking for McVittys.
« Reply #12 on: Wednesday 21 September 11 05:03 BST (UK) »
Hi Carol,

I am using an old laptop that is driving me crazy with its bad keyboard.
Just spotted "Bufords" ???
Supposed to be Bamfords, of course.