Devenney of limavady

[aghadowey]

If James and Elizabeth got married in Scotland the marriage should be available on Scotland's People website (although if too recent you might have to order the certificate). A Scottish marriage certificate will list both parents which will help if James' parents were born in Ireland. Since James was born in Scotland you'll really need to go back at least 1 more generation to make any connection in Ireland.
Do you know what religion the Devennies were?

[daisy3]

I have a Sarah Devanney, married a John McAleer c1845, Londonderry. Daughter Mary Ann McAleer. The family where catholic. The information was found on Mary Ann's death cert. I have checked the Griffiths valuation and not found any Devanney's, just wondering if this has been a miss spelling of Devenney.

[kingskerswell]

Daisy,
         At that time spelling was fairly fluid. It depended on what the enumerator thought he heard and his level of education and experience. My g grandfather ,in one small farm which straddled two parishes in 1858, has his name spelled one way in one parish and a different way in the other!

Regards

[daisy3]

Thanks Kingskerwell, the information was given by Mary's son as it was he who registered the death as she died in Scotland, must have taken a wild guess at the spelling as i can't find any Devanny's anywhere.

[betty53]

I have just been in a small abandoned graveyard in Ballykelly called locally 'Garrison' - there are Devenneys buried there.  Ballykelly is 2 miles outside Limavady on the way to the city of Derry.

[betty53]

I have a couple of photos of the two gravestones I found there.  Please email me privately and I'll send them to you.

[shanreagh]

Hi,

I am not sure if this will add to the puzzle or help but here goes:

James Devinney 27 and Michael Devinney 22 appear in the 1870 US Census living in Philadelphia.  They were living with my Grandmother's uncle, Aunt and cousin Linsey Harris, Mary Anne Harris and Catherine Harris. Also on the same census record are two that I think are Mary Anne's brother Robert Callahan and James Callahan.  The Callahan/callaghan are/were Limavady people with Linsey Harris marrying Mary Anne Callaghan in on 26/12/1861 at Drumachose.   In 1870 Linsey's sister Catherine Harris married Ross Ramage.

Ramages farmed at Shanreagh.

Hence my nom deplume
Shanreagh 
 

[shanreagh]

Sorry I should have added that i got the info re Devinney's/Callaghan/Harris from The Family Search website.

Shanreagh