Looking for William Wilson

[cailin]

I am trying to find out where my Gt-Gt-Gt-Grandfather William Wilson came from - can anybody help?

I know he lived in Dublin city centre, close to Trinity College, and he had his own Blacksmith's forge.  He died in January 1897, at the age of 79, so I presume he was born about 1818 (if his age is accurate of course!), and is buried in the graveyard in St. Mark's Parish Church.

Shaw's Directory of 1850 records "Wilson and Kelly" working as Horse Shoers in Princes Street South. I am guessing this is him, but to date I haven't been able to trace William back before this period.

I know he was married to Harriet, probably early 1840s, and they had several children whilst living around the Townsend Street area.  According to the gravestone in St. Mark's, William's mother was Elizabeth, who died in 1863. William's stepfather, John Taylor, is also buried there.

Does this information seem familiar to anyone out there?  Or has anyone any ideas where I might look next?  Thanks...  :-)

[hallmark]

St Mark's records are on line  - click here


tried shrinking the link but it wouldn't shrink!

Moderator's Note: link 'shrunk'

[cailin]

Thank you for that.  Yes I have looked through the CofI records for St. Mark's, and they have provided me with a lot of information about William Wilson's descendents and I have filled in a lot of gaps.   :-D

Unfortunately I still haven't been able to work backwards with any certainty about William's birth or marriage, or his family background either. 

Family rumours suggest that at some point the Wilson's came from Scotland, possibly via Northern Ireland, (although I have absolutely no facts to back that up) so there is the possibility that records don't exist in Dublin anyway; alternatively the facts I have are incorrect / were inaccuraltely recorded or I am missing something...

Any thoughts....??

[hallmark]

Yes there were a lot of Scots brought into Ireland, many left again in quite a short time.

You need to check your records from St Mark's for clues as to where they came from, if there are marriages you might get clues from where bride came from. Unfortunately a temporary address can be given (Hotel for example) where one party resides for a period before the marriage, so it's not easy.

The address/townland/county given can be the clue!

[Misspants]

We are looking for exactly the same person......we did find a Richard Wilson who married a Elizabeth Hidson but can't find anymore about them either

[cailin]

How interesting. Richard is a family name allright, the name of William's eldest son and on down through the Wilson family. But I don't know of this marriage - could it be a brother? Have you any more details about when or where?

[Misspants]

We're still trying to find them....googling etc as I write. Who are you related to then?