Ferguson, Newton Limavady, Londonderry

[princess41]

My brother and I have spent decades doing family research and am trying to get information on the Ferguson's family from Newton, Limavady.

My great grand father was Edward Augustus Ferguson born in Newton, Limavady 4.9.1938.  He lived in Catherine Street and later came to Australia and marries Elizabeth Blackburn whose family came from Ballinrobe, Mayo.

His father was William King Ferguson who married Ellen Jane Osborne of Balteagh (Terrydremont) year unknown.  Death date unknown. Occupation was a hatter.  William King was born in 1804 (?) in Antrim.

Also his father was William King Ferguson who married Hanna Wilson on 3.12.1793 in either Knockbreda or Antrim (?) Belfast.  He is buried in the graveyard at the Church of Ireland Drumachose 28.9.1839 aged 76.  Hanna also buried there 26.3.1830.  She was born 28.2.1777 at Mayo, Crossmolina.

My brother says some of these names ring a bell.

Can anyone throw any links on the above information.

Thanks
Princess from Australia

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   17 Nov 1837 William H Ferguson married Ellenor Osborne in Bovevagh Presbyterian Church, Newtownlinavady (nowadays officially known as Limavady)

Regards

[princess41]

Thanks Kingskerswell.

On the birth certificate of Edward Augustus Ferguson it shows his Mother was Ellen Jane Osborne.  It is also on the marriage certificate for Edward Augustus Ferguson & Elizabeth Blackburn.

I think it is another William Ferguson & Ellenor Osborne is probably different to Ellen Jane Osborne. 

Can anyone help us with this William King Ferguson & Ellen Jane Osborne and also William's father?

We are trying to trace the Ferguson family back.  Does anyone know if there may be any brothers or sisters?We have been researching for 3 decades so would love some help.

Thanks

[aghadowey]

Ellen/Helen/Eleanor are all variations of the same name so it's more than likely the 1837 marriage is correct.

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   There is a large one-name study of Fergusons in Co. Londonderry in Rootsweb. See http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~colin/FergusonsOfIreland/Derry.htm

Regards

[princess41]

Thanks for your help so far.  There is a bit there for us to read over.  I noticed there was a William King & Ellen Jane Ferguson who had a son Edward Augustus.  I could not see any other children listed from that marriage.

Regards 

[princess41]

Spent all day today in our National Archives in Canberra, Australia looking for leads on our family history in Irish & Australian records.  We found nothing.  Was told that a lot of Irish records were destroyed in a fire in 1922 and we may never find anymore information.  Is this right?

Could you please tell me where you found a record for a wedding between William H Ferguson & Ellenor Osborne?   These are slight variations to what we were looking for so how do we know if they could be our ancestors?  We can find no record of Edward Augustus Ferguson ever coming to Australia.

Cheers and thanks for any help that anyone can provide.

[kingskerswell]

Hi,
   Yes, thousands of Irish records were lost in 1922 during the Civil War. They were stored in a strong room of a building known as the Four Courts and this was shelled by pro government forces and the cause of the fire is disputed. Some say that anti-government forces had stored ammunition there and it exploded,causing the fire and others say it was as a direct result of the shelling. Either way about a thousand years of Irish records were destroyed.

Regards

[aghadowey]

No civil birth/death/marriage records were destroyed and the church records that were destroyed were Church or Ireland ones which had been sent to Dublin for safekeeping. Some pre-1901 census records were pulped by government order earlier.