Problem finding existence of town called Newton

[katefarr]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone would be able to solve a problem for me.  I have found a relation who according to one source comes from a Newton in the county Derry.  She was born Sarah Jane Gordon in 1834.  However I have a letter written by her mother-in-law saying she was from the county Tyrone (no town given).  I can find no existence of a Newton in either county but have found a Newtownstewart in Tyrone County.  Not being aware of what border changes may have occurred could this be the town I am looking for or is there a Newton that is alluding me?  I would appreciate any help.

Regards

Kate

[forthefamily]

There is a Newtown Limavady in County Derry

http://www.thecore.com/seanruad/cgi-bin/iresrch

[aghadowey]

Newtownlimavady is now known simply as Limavady.
If you go into the site above and so a search for townlands beginning with 'Newton' you can see what the choices might be.

[katefarr]

Thanks so much for this information, I will now go and check the possibilities.  I was thinking last night that perhaps there was a border change between Tyrone and Derry counties after say 1859 (when that letter was written) that would make both sources correct.  The researcher (who is Australian I believe) would have had to search for records in what is now Derry but when she lived there it may have been Tyrone County?  Is this a possiblility?

Regards Kate

[aghadowey]

Newtownlimavady/Limavady has never been in County Tyrone.

[katefarr]

Thankyou for that information.  I appreciate your help greatly.  I guess my only real way of finding out for certain is to now check parish registers. 

Regards

Kate

[forthefamily]

I was a bit confused because you mentioned a letter and then a researcher. So there was professional research done 

I did a bit of a search myself and I did find two Sarah Jane Gordons in the right time frame but they weren't born in 1834 but close...but not in Derry. Just curious. Who were Sarah's parents?

[katefarr]

Hi

I found the information regarding Sarah's name and birth place via Rootsweb - Boyd Tree's.  Jane Little (nee Boyd) was the Mother-in-law of Sarah.  Jane wrote the said letter.  The person researching Jane and therefore Sarah was a decendant like me, I am assuming there was no professional work done as I have found many discrepancies already in the information obtained from their research.  Please don't misunderstand me, I am not putting them down, I myself am not happy with maybe's, I would rather have the absolute truth than have theories.  I am assuming the letter that Jane Little wrote in 1859 is correct, which states as follows:

"William is married to a girl from County Tyrone and has five sons and one daughter. I don't know what Cows and Horses he has. I know he has a good many and lives very comfortable if you write to him write Green Hill near Kyneton Port Phillip Victoria.  He brought out the wife's Mother, Brother and Sister and sent to America for a Brother and Aunt.  They are come out and three months."

Jane Little (nee Boyd) was born in county Armagh so I assuming she would have been proud that her eldest son had found a girl from Ireland to marry and would have gotten the county correct (but this is only my deduction - this may be completely wrong). 

The reason I say I have found many discrepancies is that Jane and her husband James came to Australia with their 9 children in 1841 yet 7 of these children are reported by said researcher to have been born in Victoria, Australia.   The letter also states that William and Sarah had 6 children in 1859 (when the letter was penned by Jane) but William and Sarah are recorded as being married in Mar 1855.  I can find no documentation myself on the Victorian BMD website of their marriage or their children. 

Sorry for the long winded answer but perhaps now you might see why I am a little confused by the information I have.  Would you yourself be more inclined to believe the letter or the research??  After a little looking I have found that Sarah's parents are supposed to be a Edward and Mary Gordon, but this again is from the Boyd project. 

Regards

Kate

[aghadowey]

I guess my only real way of finding out for certain is to now check parish registers.

If by this you mean church records in Ireland you will need to know the religion and place where they lived (not just the County but at least the Parish if not the actual Townland with a common surname like Gordon). Assuming that you do find the place there is no guarantee that the church records still exist.

I do see the problem with the information you have so far and while the letter is lovely to have you would be wise to want to verify the information instead of blindly accepting everything in it.