Well I know its Antrim!

[skymoo]

Hi all.  Im new to this board and spent a while looking through posts with the mine of information available but still cant find an answer to my question  . I have hit a real brick wall on my mothers grandfather/mother.  They are in the 1891 and 1901 census and on both state they were born in Antrim but no further info than that.  They would both have been born around 1860/62 (john and elizabeth ferris in Woolwich London) and have two sons born 1876 (james) and 1880ish (william) which says they were born in Greenock Scotland.  All the other kids were born in Woolwich.  I have tried every option available to find out anything else but they just seem to appear in Woolwich and without an actual place of birth I cant get anywhere with Ireland.  Does anyone have any ideas on how I can progress with this?  Ive tried the 1881 Scottish census but cant find them there either.
Thanks 

[andycand]

Hi
in the 1881 census for Scotland there is the following family at 2 Ingleston St, Greenock East, Renfrewshire

John Ferris  22 born Ireland
Jane Ferris  20 born Ireland  (wife)
James Ferris 2 born Greenock (son)
William Ferris age 6 months born Greenock (son)
Annie Rodger 17 born Ireland (sister in law)

This sounds like your family except for Jane. Could Jane be Elizabeth? or could Elizabeth be a second wife?

Andy

[skymoo]

Thanks for the quick reply
I had seen that entry but was put off by the birth dates of the kids not being right as well as it being Jane not Elizabeth!  According to the later ones James is 4 years older than William but here its just 18 months (I know its possible but the two differences made me stop and think).  There are times when you just wish ancestors would be just a little bit more consistant!

[andycand]

Hi
I wouldn't rule it out because of the boys ages, in fact have a look at the ages of James and his mother Elizabeth. Have you found the births of the other children? particularly Hugh?
Andy

[skymoo]

I havent been able to find anything on any of them  Hugh is my direct ancestor and the nearest I can get is his son, also Hugh born in 1910 (my great grandfather).  Its possible the records were destroyed during the war of those born in Woolwich.  I cant find anything pre 1901 except for the two census although I do have army records of Hugh and his marriage in 1904.  I have tried searching everything on William and James from military to insane asylums    Which is where it would appear I may be heading for soon 

[andycand]

John & Elizabeth & Edmund plus some younger are on the 1901 census in Woolwich under FERRIES. No Hugh though (source Ancestry)
Andy

[aghadowey]

I have hit a real brick wall on my mothers grandfather/mother. They are in the 1891 and 1901 census and on both state they were born in Antrim but no further info than that. They would both have been born around 1860/62 (john and elizabeth ferris in Woolwich London) and have two sons born 1876 (james) and 1880ish (william) which says they were born in Greenock Scotland. All the other kids were born in Woolwich. I have tried every option available to find out anything else but they just seem to appear in Woolwich and without an actual place of birth I cant get anywhere with Ireland. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can progress with this? Ive tried the 1881 Scottish census but cant find them there either.

Have you tried looking for a marriage for John Ferris & Elizabeth __ in Scotland? A Scottish marriage certificate might give some clues.
Two sons James & William born in Scotland- do you have either birth certificate- might give mothers complete name and date and place of the marriage.

[skymoo]

Will try the marriage in Scotland, thanks hadnt thought of that one.  As far as certs for the elder sons, I have no real idea of dob (or place for that matter) so havent done that.  I found the 1901 census by trying every variation on spelling I could think of, but cant find the older sons in one anywhere!  I cant even find records of birth for all of Hugh jr's children and I know all their names and approximate dob from my mother.  Ironically the only one that came up without any real searching was my grandmother herself, she must have been smiling down on me to get that one 

[scotmum]

Emerald Ancestors have a John Ferris and an Elizabeth marrying in Antrim in 1866 and in 1870. If you have a son born to your John and Elizabeth, and depending what age you have John and Elizabeth as in 1901, one of these marriages may be a possibility.