Isaac Irwin Drumaduff Bovevagh

[kingskerswell]

Hi Beau,
            I will PM you.

Regards

[FionaMcDonald]

I have a query which Kingskerswell and/or Belfast Beau might be able to help me with, as both seem to be descendants of Isaac Irwin, or actively involved in tracing that line.

I recently saw the name Edward Augustus IRWIN.  He was the son of Isaac Irwin, and Elizabeth, who I gather was not his wife and, if her 1884 death certificate is correct, seems to have had Irwin as her maiden name, and died a Spinster.

My interest was piqued at the name, as I have been researching an Edward Augustus FERGUSON (1837-1918) only child of William King Ferguson (1762-1839) and Ellen Jane Osborne (1818-1896).  Ellen was much younger than her husband, remarried about a year after William's death, emigrated to Australia and had a large family with her new, much younger, husband, H J Montgomery.  She left her infant son behind in Limavady (presumably with a family member) and he later emigrated to Australia, when he was 14/15.  In 1868, Edward named his first child William Irvine Twine Ferguson (born in Australia).  I am wondering if the Irvine might actually be a reference to an Irwin somewhere in the family tree, given that I've seen Irwin, Irwine, Erwin, Irvine etc all used interchangeably in old records for Irwins in Limavady.  As Ellen Jane Osborne's parents were Joshua Osborne and Nancy Sproule, I'm not sure where the Irvine/Irwin comes from.  Unfortunately, I don't know the names of William King Fergusons parents, or the children of his first marriage, to check if there is an Irwin connection there. 

I suspect William King Ferguson had other children by his first wife, but I have not yet been able to prove it.  In 1831, before he was married to Ellen Osborne, the census has him as a head of household at Catherine Street, Limavady.  The household consisted of two families, made up of 4 males, 2 females and 1 female servant.  It's possible he was not related to the others in the house, but I suspect they may have included children of his first marriage, possibly with spouses and children.

I know having the same Christian names might be a complete co-incidence, especially given that Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent (1767-1820) was a son of George III and the father of Queen Victoria.  However, I just had a hunch there might be a connection, and thought I'd see if I could prove/disprove the theory.

Grateful for any help/suggestions.

[JACK GEE]

Hello Fiona, the name association is certainly worth persuing and Kingerswell is a font of knowledge around the County of Londonderry. Do the names Dill, Shannon, Gamble or Conn appear in your Cochrane  of Coleraine heritage?

cheers
Jack Gee

[FionaMcDonald]

Thanks for the reply, Jack.

I don't have any of those surnames in my Coleraine Cochrane research so far.  I haven't got too far with that particular line, as my husband's Cochrane great-grandfather was born illegitimate in 1879, and I'm finding it hard to trace his mother's people without a marriage certificate to show who her father was.  When I get a chance, I'll probably do a single surname project on that area, as that often provides new leads.  I did that for his other (McAfee) side, with great results.

I've now been told that William Irvine Twine Ferguson may have got the Irvine middle name from the minister who married his parents in Australia, Rev Joseph Irvine Knipe.  I've had a few ancestors with middle names from Ministers, so it seems a plausible explanation.  I would still like to follow up on the Edward Augustus name though, so can see lost more work ahead, trying to wade through the pea soup of Irwins around Limavady and Dungiven.  I thought my Fergusons were confusing, but I think the Irwins are even more so …

All the best,

Fiona

[JACK GEE]

Hi Fiona,
 i hope Kingerswell comes on board to assist.
You are right about the pea soup of names in Northern Ireland as a whole.
I am trying to research the Shannon family of Limavady and Coleraine.
My lines of information have dried up so i am working thru the spousal names and those with close associations with the known area of the Shannons. the irwin connection is thru a couple of spousal names and there are plenty of them on the ground. My Cochrane is also one of the spousal names - same issue. if any Shannon crosses your genie journey from this area please drop me a PM.
This is the frustration part of the genie game. keep perservering and things happy [or the hardy i try the luckier i get!].

Cheers
Jack.
My other surnames of interest in this thread are - Fulton, Moody, Oliver, hopkins, McCloy, Patton, Young, Haslett, Moore, Mahood, Wilson.

[kingskerswell]

Fiona, the best of luck trying to wade through the Irwin families in the Dungiven area.. A little bit of help - Edward Agustus Irwin was a grandson of my great grandfather, George Stewart, via his daughter Mary Stewart. Isaac Irwin, the father of an illigitimate son and daughter, was my great grandfather's brother in law. However I cannot help with the origin of the names "Edward Agustus". If you have any queries in this area I will be glad to help.

[kingskerswell]

Jack Gee, I see you are looking for Hasletts in the Dungiven area. I have a lot of info on the Drumneechy and Straw Hasletts as I am descended from them. Contact me if you think I can help.

[JACK GEE]

Thanks Kingerswell, your offer is gratefully accepted. Excel table sent with email.

cheers
jack Gee
Please PM if not received.

[smithfra1]

I also know that Mary Irwin married Edward Smith (a farmer in Drumaduff) and they had 7 - 8 children from the late 1840s (early 1850s onwards) as I am researching this line.