Donegore - Bryson-Wilson

[Pezzy]

Yes there seems to be a lot of Coulters in Ireland and also America.
My maiden name was Coulter.
My grandad was from Donegal in Ireland.
He was one of 9 I believe.
I’m still learning about his parents and their ancestors…. It’s hard to remember so much and not get mixed up 😂

[lmgnz]

Yes, lots of Coulters. I always think of the cell counter which is called a Coulter counter. (I work in a laboratory).

Donegal is the home of the Dougherty Clan. My maternal grandmother was born Derry with her parents farm on the border with Donegal. I think my grandmother was the older of twins, so she was number 10 of 11. My Doughertys were Presbyterian rather than Catholic, which is less usual for Doughertys.

[threekids5]

Back to Mary Bryson Bell b. 1837.  I really think she was the daughter of James Bryson and Martha Ann McConnell not James Bryson and Ann McConnell. I think James and Ann had Robert 1830-31 and maybe one other before James died in 1835. Of course no one is yielding any names from the grave. 

[lmgnz]

Hi Deb

Actually I think Ann Barkley formerly Bryson nee McConnell did yield some names from her grave or at least from  her death registration. Registered by William Samuel Bell ( husband of Mary).

Ann Barkley died 1875 aged 71  at Ballywoodock and her death was registered by William S Bell.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1875/020625/7236390.pdf

I haven't actually  looked for births of Bell children after 1864 to see where they were born.

[lmgnz]

Ann daughter of William Samuel Bell and Mary Bryson was born at Ballywoodock in 1865
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1865/03555/2308863.pdf

[threekids5]

Thank you for the information.  If Mary Bell was the other child of James Bryson d 1835 and Ann McConnell then her birthdate could not have been 1837. John W Bryson died in February 1836 and James was already deceased. Children of James and that James is deceased is from the 1836 will. It's possible Mary's birthdate to be 1836 if Ann was pregnant at the time of James's death and his death was in mid to late 1835 (his sister Jane Bryson Ferguson died in January 1835). If Ann was pregnant in late 1835 and got word to John W about his son's death then Mary

[threekids5]

Sorry...very early here in the U.S.

If she is the "children of my son James deceased" then her birthdate couldn't have been later than 1836. If the definite date of Mary Bell is 1837 then she is not the daughter of James Bryson d. 1835 and Ann McConnell.  Where did the 1837 birthdate come from?  That Ann's death was registered by Mary's husband is definitely a clue. However, if that 1837 birthdate is fact Mary could not be James's daughter based on the very definite dates in John W's 1836 will. If the birthdate is an estimate time-frame like many from that Era are then she very well could be.

To bad John W didn't name the children of James in his will or list the mother of his grandson James Milford.

[lmgnz]

Hi deb

I think the best bet we have for confirming that Mary was the daughter of james Bryson ( other than her marriage which names James as her father and the evidence that her mother was Ann McConnell) is if any Bryson  descsendants have a match to any of the Bell family lines.  Though any of her brother Robert's descendants could be a match to bell descaedants through Ann McConnell only.

I only looked for children of Mary Bryson and William Samuel Bell born between 1864 and 1870 (there was another daughter Mary in that period) but I did see a tree in Ancestry, owner had Watkins surname, which listed about 6 children ( though was missing Ann b 1865). Oldest son was William (apparently born c 1861) and he was the main beneficiary in Mary's Will written 1896, which named 2 farms belonging to her deceased husband William Bell, one at Ballyclaverty and the other at Ballywoodick. My relative, Andrew Gawn of Halftown was one executor and her son William was the other.

Mary's birth year could easily be an estimate based on her age at death or possibly the 1901 census, I do not know but neither is necessarily accurate.

When Mary Bryson of Ballyclaverty, daughter of James married William Samuel Bell in May 1858, she was of full age so her latest possible date of brith should be about May 1837 but there is no reason to belive it could not have been earlier.

[threekids5]

Thanks!! I will move Mary Bryson Bell over to James and Ann with a before 1836 birthdate. Maybe that will yield a Bell. I'll make a note on the entry with the information you provided.  It's much appreciated.  I'm playing catch up with this and other Bryson requests....not related to John W.